Product Description

The Bible is clear: mankind was meant to exercise godly domination over the earth. Yet today men mine valuable resources by whatever method brings the greatest profit in the shortest time, leaving the earth ravaged. They hunt and fish for pleasure, not food, leaving animal carcasses behind to rot. They worship self and ignore the God who made them.

Customer Reviews (9)

Very Relevant for Today
Although this book was written about 40 years ago, it is still very relevant in light of todays's problems.A must read for all Christians, and very good read for anyone.

Respect God's creation
This discussion is on ecology---mans' relationship with nature.I think there is little dispute, that man does have some impact on the earth.But what should drive us to be good stewards?Will the belief that we are just one substance with nature (pantheism), give us that determination?Where, or from whom, do our morals come from?There are dangers of putting human feelings into nature.There are those that certainly believe we have an obligation because of an oneness with nature; but where does that lead us?We end up lowering man.Though there are forms of corrupted Christianity that do not have the answers to ecology either; Schaeffer shows how the genuine biblical view does.If one believes something is there only by chance what value can it hold, but if one believes it was created by God it deserves respect.

Schaeffer also discusses the division and corruption between man and man, man and nature, and nature and nature since the fall.As Christians, we have the hope and certainty this will be healed, but we can have a "substantial" healing while we are here.The appendix's by Lynn White Jr. and Richard L. Means lend more for us ponder.

Great Points, Mediocre Writing
There is no doubt that the guy knows what he is talking about.I think it brings to light why Christians in particular have reason to care for the environment.The book often becomes pretty dull but it's still worth the read for certain.

Interesting, but long-winded and outdated
Pollution and the Death of Man is Schaeffer's response to two 1967 articles on environmentalism and religion.One is "Why Worry About Nature?" by Richard Means and the other is the well-known "Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis" by Lynn White.Both articles are reprinted in this book along with an extended essay by Schaeffer.The whole is a short read.

Schaeffer begins by observing Darwin's self-reported loss of joy in both the arts and in the natural world.From there he builds an essentially aesthetic ecological theology.He affirms man's place as the pinnacle and rightful user of the natural world.But as in other categories of action, man should use self-restraint in dealing with nature so that it is not debased.

Schaeffer is opposed to "plastic culture," strip mining, and other processes of uglification and mechanistic alienation.These are commendable, but they are essentially the concerns of several decades ago.There is no direction here for our current problems with overfishing, land and water use, energy scarcity, etc.For example, Schaeffer criticizes sport fishing as against subsistence fishing, but overfishing is essentially a problem of subsistence fishing.

This was a ho-hum book of low current applicability.If the principles could be used as a guide for a Christian ecology, they needed much more expansion and investigation than what is presented here.

Classic Schaeffer
In the past weeks I have spent some time wrestling with issues related to the environment and creation care. I have been seeking distinctly Christian wisdom on this issue, seeking to learn how we, as Christians, are to understand this world and our role in its care and protection. Last week I turned to Francis Schaeffer's Pollution and the Death of Man hoping and even expecting that it would answer some of my deepest questions.

Schaeffer acknowledges from the beginning of this book what our society's secular humanists cannot--that mankind has been called by God to exercise dominion over the earth. But like everything else in this world, man's ability to exercise such dominion has been affected by the Fall. No longer do we tend the world always in love, but instead we ravage and pillage it. Though we may not believe in all of the dire claims being made about the world today, we must at least acknowledge that we have not cared for the world as God has called us to.

The answers to this crisis lie not in our own efforts and not in the dictums of former Vice Presidents. Rather, if we are to understand the crisis, its roots, and its solutions, we must turn to Scripture. And this is precisely what Schaeffer does in Pollution and the Death of Man. Originally published in 1970, the book reads as if it was written yesterday (if the reader is willing to replace the ecological crises of thirty years ago with those of today, perhaps substituting global warming for DDT). Schaeffer looks at the spirit of the day and sees how men are dealing with ecological issues. Perceptively, he sees that ecology, bereft of any firm, biblical foundation and without any consistent basis for morality, is breeding a kind of pantheism. Men deal with the environment by making themselves one with it and it one with them. He launches into what I'd consider classic Schaefferian thought: "Pantheism," he says, "will be pressed as the only answer to ecological problems and will be one more influence in the West's becoming increasingly Eastern in its thinking." Almost forty years later, his words are proving true. "The only reason we are called upon to treat nature well is because of its effects on man and our children and the generations to come. So in reality...man is left with a completely egoistic position in regard to nature." "Having no absolutes, modern man has no categories. One cannot have real answers without categories, and these men can have no categories beyond pragmatic, technological ones." "A pantheistic stand always brings man to an impersonal and low place rather than elevating him." In the end, pantheism pushes both man and nature into a kind of bog, leaving us unable to make any kind of necessary and rational distinctions.

After looking at a few alternative inadequate answers to pantheism, Schaeffer turns to the Bible to give the Christian view of creation care. He affirms that our understanding must begin with the world's creation when God created things that have an objective existence in themselves. Despite the claims of pantheism, creation is not an extension of God's essence. It is only the biblical view that gives worth to man and to all that God has created. Nature begins to look different when I understand that, though I am separate from it, I am related to it as something God has created. "So the Christian treats `things' with integrity because we do not believe they are autonomous. Modern man has fallen into a dilemma because he has made things autonomous from God." As we love the Creator, we love the creation.

Schaeffer next looks to "a substantial healing," saying, "we should be looking now, on the basis of the work of Christ, for substantial healing in every area affected by the Fall." As Christians we should be ones who are treated creation now as it will be treated in eternity. The problem, of course, is that "by creation man has dominion, but as a fallen creature he has used that dominion wrongly. Because he is fallen, he exploits created things as thought they were nothing in themselves, and as though he has an autonomous right to them."

The book's final chapter brings a few points of application, though they are more high level than practical. Still, they are insightful. "We must confess that we missed our opportunity. We have spoken loudly against materialistic science, but we have done little to show that in practice we ourselves as Christians are not dominated by a technological orientation in regard either to man or nature." "If we treat nature as having no intrinsic value, our own value is diminished." Ultimately, we treat nature well because we are all products of the loving Creator; we are all creatures together.

While Pollution and the Death of Man is one of Schaeffer's lesser-known works, it is one Christians would do well to read and study even today. In this book Schaeffer does what he does best, providing a logical, consistent, biblical response to a matter that really matters. ... Read more

Product Description
A 25-year tradition of excellence is extended in the Fourth Edition of this highly regarded text. In clear, authoritative language, the authors discuss the philosophy and procedures for the design of air pollution control systems. Their objective is twofold: to present detailed information on air pollution and its control, and to provide formal design training for engineering students.

New to this edition is a comprehensive chapter on carbon dioxide control, perhaps the most critical emerging issue in the field. Emphasis is on methods to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and the technologies for carbon capture and sequestration. An expanded discussion of control technologies for coal-fired power plants includes details on the capture of NOx and mercury emissions. All chapters have been revised to reflect the most recent information on U.S. air quality trends and standards. Moreover, where available, equations for equipment cost estimation have been updated to the present time. Abundant illustrations clarify the concepts presented, while numerous examples and end-of-chapter problems reinforce the design principles and provide opportunities for students to enhance their problem-solving skills.

Not-for-sale instructor resource material available to college and university faculty only; contact publisher directly. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Nice Book
A well written book with clearly explained concepts. A useful reference for air pollution control and engineering work.

Good Book
It arrived in a decent amount of time and was just like it was described.I would buy from them again.

Book is a decent textbook for what it is
There aren't many air pollution books that are out in the market that are simple to read.Many things are broken down pretty simply but some of the questions in the back really pose a problem since the book doesn't really explain how to solve them.Also I think it would be better if the even answered questions were in the back as well.

Jfinney
The text is not very readable for ease.However, it's redeaming quality is the section to practice the entire design process including econ.Ch 9 is a look into the industry.

Good Introduction to Air Pollution Control
Air Pollution Control by Cooper and Alley, presents a clearly written overview of air pollution and the control processes available for the engineer to choose from.

I have listened to Dr. Cooper lecture. The writing style in this book is like his teaching: well-organized, easy-to-understand, and practical. The book provides especially good instruction in the sizing and cost estimation of pollution control equipment. ... Read more

Product Description
Celebrated as an aquatic form of divinity for thousands of years, the Yamuna is one of India's most sacred rivers. A prominent feature of north Indian culture, the Yamuna is conceptualizedas a goddess flowing with liquid love--yet today it is severely polluted, the victim of fast-paced industrial development. This fascinating and beautifully written book investigates the stories, theology, and religious practices connected with this river goddess collected from texts written over several millennia, as well as from talks with pilgrims, priests, and worshippers who frequent the pilgrimage sites and temples located on her banks. David L. Haberman offers a detailed analysis of the environmental condition of the river and examines how religious practices are affected by its current pollution. He introduces Indian river environmentalism, a form of activism that is different in many ways from its western counterpart. River of Love in an Age of Pollution concludes with a consideration of the broader implications of the Yamuna's plight and its effect on worldwide efforts to preserve our environment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Thorough, enlightening, and enchanting
I echo the other reviewers thus far who have given the book five stars. Haberman's concise summary of the environmental movement, its underlying philosophies, and their relation to Hinduism is enlightening. His treatment of the Yamuna River, its beauty, sacredness, unfortunate pollution, and Haberman's own love for Her is thoroughly enchanting, except for the part about pollution. However, that part has become an essential or urgent aspect of our world. Without understanding pollution, how would we selfish beings tear ourselves away from our trivial pursuits to serve something higher. Our sacrifice to something higher might be a river, the earth, or a deity. However, as Haberman's book implies, we had better sacrifice ourselves unselfishly, rather than selfishly sacrificing the rivers and the earth to our selfish greed.

River of Love in an Age of Pollution: The Yamuna River of Northern India
This is a lovely, lyrical book. The author's encounters with the local people were fascinating as was his description of the religious motivation for the surge in environmental awareness and concern in India. Such a different perspective than we have in the West. This is a wonderful, very readable book for anyone interested in rivers, preserving our planet, travel, India, or the religious traditions and stories of Northern India.

Refreshing perspective on Hinduism and Ecology
This wonderful new book on Hinduism and ecology comes as a fresh new perspective. Highly recommended!!! ... Read more

Product Description
The third edition of this well-received textbook delivers a concise overview of global and individual environmental pollution for undergraduate courses, presenting students with the tools to assess environmental issues. With more than 30% new material, Hill assesses pollution from an international perspective, including air and water pollution, global warming, energy, solid and hazardous waste, and pollution at home. Both the sources and impacts of pollution are addressed, as well as governmental, corporate, and personal responsibility for pollution, and pollution prevention is emphasized throughout. Non-technical language encourages greater understanding of these often complex issues, and thought-provoking 'Delving Deeper' exercises are included, increasing engagement with the text and enabling students to apply what they have learned. A new chapter on the chemistry basics of pollution links to sections on toxicology and risk assessment, helping students understand concerns over chemicals and their regulation. An essential review of environmental pollution for environmental science students. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very Helpful
I bought this book as a reference for a college project I did about air pollution. It turned out to be the most valuable resource I had. Hill presents sophisticated information in an easy-to-understand manner. This book also made me realize the huge connection between air pollution and many other issues that the world faces today, and it helped me create a straight-forward list of actions my class mates could take to lower their personal contributions to air pollution. I got an "A" on my project, and I have a much better understanding of how my everyday choices cause air pollution, the consequences of those choices, and what I can do about it.
Furthermore, even though I focused on the sections involving air pollution, this book also has great information on other types of pollution such as water and solid waste. It is a great introduction to the pollution problem and makes a wonderful resource for a project, an environmental science class, or just personal curiosity. ... Read more

Product Description
Six little-known essays by the blind French author and Resistance leader Jacques Lusseyran, gathered together for the first time in English.Four of the six essays are based on Lusseyran’s experiences both during and after university life as a professor of literatureand philosophy in Europe and in the United States. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Astounding author
The author became blind as a young boy but went on to be a brilliant student, a leader in the French resistance to the Nazis, was one of the very few to survive a concentration camp only to die in a post war auto accident.
Author repeats himself but the book should read by the blind or anyone who is interested in how some blind people see far more than we who have eyes !

Read "Jeremy" and "Poetry in Buchenwald"
Like Ryan, I too read "Jeremy" over and over again. It is perfect and the most amazing piece of writing I've read outside of the Gospel of John in the New Testament. That's high praise, but try it!I sent "Jeremy" to many people, along with "Poetry in Buchenwald," also in this book.You can read my "Light Dream" I had in April of 1980 by googling "Ruth Schumeister" or by reading it in the Amazon.com reviews of "Embraced by the Light."So when I read Lusseyran, I KNOW he knows what he's talking about.My life was incredibly enriched by both his books - I can't tell you how much!

He's uncovered a layer of life that must always have been there -- but that few find -- his whole life a "being in/going toward" that 7th Heaven St. Paul talks about seeing and being in when The Light knocked him off his horse and then gave him a little 'talky-poo'!No disrespect intended!:-)

I look forward to meeting Jacques Lusseyran some day, if life is as they say it is!Read his amazing stories!

The only author that comes near Lusseyran for me, outside the Bible, is Varlam Shalamov ("Graphite" and "Kolyma Tales") with his short stories of the Gulag.Shalamov is a poet, and his prose is amazing (translated by John Glad).I spoke to a Russian Jew in Framingham, MA at the pool, and we discovered a mutual love for Shalamov.He said he floated on air for three days when he discovered him, reading, reading, reading!He was able to rib me about the fact that he got to read him in the original Russian! How I envied him!

The ending (especially) of "Peace Like a River" by Leif Enger -- the Heaven sequence -- is wonderful writing too.May I also suggest (corny as the front cover is) "Embraced by the Light" by Betty Eadie (her two subsequent books are excellent, too) and Betty Malz's "My Glimpse of Eternity" (wonderful!) and even what's his name's "Saved by the Light"? All these last three "Light/Eternity" books contain life reviews that are great - not to mention what they "saw"!

Ah, but return to Lusseyran -- he towers, he towers! And he indeed "saw" -- and it was in THIS life!!!

Against the Pollution of the I
A wonderful collection of six essays by Jacques Lusseyran, the brilliant, fluent, compelling author who was blinded from a childhood accident. After reading the essay entitled "Jeremy," I read it again and again. It's a masterpiece, giving lucid insights into the essence that unites us all. I am ever so grateful for becoming acquainted with this remarkable man through his writings.

Fascinating look at the benefits of blindness
Jacques Lusseyran, who was blinded at age 7, speaks in this fascinating book about how blind people can "see" by using their other senses and tuning into spiritual realities.He also talks about the gifts that accompany his blindness.This is an amazing exposition of phenomena not usually discussed (or perhaps even acknowledged) by blind people. It is certainly a message of optimism for them.But it is also inspiring for sighted people who realize how much they may be missing by relying so heavily on the sense of sight.Extremely interesting and insightful.
The book would be best read after And There was Light, Lusseyran's autobiography, which describes his adjustment to blindness, his involvement in the French resistance during World War II, and his survival in a German concentration camp. ... Read more

Product Description

Building on the success of its 1993 predecessor, this second edition of Geochemistry, Groundwater and Pollution has been thoroughly re-written, updated and extended to provide a complete and authoritative account of modern hydrogeochemistry.

Offering a quantitative approach to the study of groundwater quality and the interaction of water, minerals, gases, pollutants and microbes, this book shows how physical and chemical theory can be applied to explain observed water qualities and variations over space and time. Integral to the presentation, geochemical modelling using PHREEQC code is demonstrated, with step-by-step instructions for calculating and simulating field and laboratory data. Numerous figures and tables illustrate the theory, while worked examples including calculations and theoretical explanations assist the reader in gaining a deeper understanding of the concepts involved.

A crucial read for students of hydrogeology, geochemistry and civil engineering, professionals in the water sciences will also find inspiration in the practical examples and modeling templates.

Customer Reviews (3)

real not so good
it takes acceptable long time. and acceptable dirty. and acceptable wrinkled paper cover. so. i give an acceptable star rank.

A must have for hydrogeologists!
This is a great book for students and professionals alike.Starts with the very basics of water chemistry and covers almost everything that one could think of.What sets this book apart from other chemical hydrogeology books is the extensive integration of PHREQC and the many links to free useful applications and graphing tools.I highly recommend this book.

Important Reference, and a Good Read
The second edition of Appelo's textbook / reference volume is among the best written and enjoyable books available on groundwater.The figures are original, clear, and appropriate, and the text follows an intellectually solid, but very readable format.Definitely a requisite book for the student and professional. ... Read more

Product Description
Air pollution control can be approached from a number of different engineering disciplines environmental, chemical, civil, and mechanical. To that end, Noel de Nevers has written an engaging overview of the subject. While based on the fundamentals of chemical engineering, the treatment is accessible to readers with only one year of college chemistry. In addition to discussion of individual air pollutants and the theory and practice of air pollution control devices, de Nevers devotes about half the book to topics that influence device selection and design, such as atmospheric models and U.S. air pollution law. The generous number of end-of-chapter problems are designed to develop more complex thinking about the concepts presented and integrate them with readers personal experience increasing the likelihood of deeper understanding.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Introduction to Air Pollution Control / Air Pollution Effects / Air Pollution Control Laws and Regulations, Air Pollution Control Philosophies / Air Pollution Measurements, Emission Estimates / Meteorology for Air Pollution Control Engineers / Air Pollutant Concentration Models / General Ideas in Air Pollution Control / The Nature of Particulate Pollutants / Control of Primary Particulates / Control of Volatile Organic Compounds / Control of Sulfur Oxides / Control of Nitrogen Oxides / The Motor Vehicle Problem / Air Pollutants and Global Climate / Other Topics / Appendixes: Useful Values / Table of Acronyms / Fuels / Elementary Chemistry of Ozone Production / Adsorber Breakthrough Time / Answers to Selected Problems

Not-for-sale instructor resource material available to college and university faculty only; contact publisher directly. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

great service
book arrived exactly as described and very promptly- the whole experience was trouble free, thank you

like a puzzle
This book is very entertaining because in order to solve the problems, you have to look for the data that you need all over the place. It's like a puzzle. It has a lot of information very poorly distributed, Very poorly. I think this book needed an editor to actually do his job and well, edit it. Other than that its a good one.

Excellent Book!
Excellent book for air pollution engineering students, consultants, industry managers, and regulatory agency staff. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
Catalytic Air Pollution Control: Commercial Technology is the primary source for commercial catalytic air pollution control technology, offering engineers a comprehensive account of all modern catalytic technology. This Third Edition covers all the new advances in technology in automotive catalyst control technology, diesel engine catalyst control technology, small engine catalyst control technology, and alternate sustainable fuels for auto and diesel. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

I'd like to translate this book to korean.
I am a korean graduate school student majoring environmental eng'g. I think this book is very useful to students who study environmental eng'g, chemical eng'g and automobil eng'g and researchers who work motorcompanines. There are fundamental information about the catalyst of airpollution control and principals of fuel combustion and production ofpollutants from emission and so on.So I'd like to translate this book tokorean. ... Read more

Product Description
A well-respected air pollution text, this book is suitable for a variety of engineers and scientists who wish to gain an introduction to the field of air pollution. Known for its detailed development and application of equations, the text emphasizes an understanding of the relationship between sources and control of air pollution, rather than being a simple "handbook" on the subject. The book presents information on four broad areas of interest in the air pollution field: the effects of pollutants on health and welfare; the laws and regulations that have been passed in efforts to improve air quality; the modeling of atmospheric dispersion of pollutants; the approaches to the control of emissions (from both stationary and mobile sources).

The third edition of this text has been modified in a number of ways. New material has been added to bring the text up to date on the latest regulations including the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. The latest standards for ambient air quality and emission have been included in this revision. The authors continue to expose students to both the quantitative and the qualitative aspects of air quality management and air pollution control with a number of new questions and problems, with SI units emphasized to a greater extent than in the previous edition. The internet is also introduced as a valuable source of additional information. A web page is maintained by the authors which provides links to sources of interest to both instructors and students. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

One of the standards in the AP field
Got the 2nd ed for $0.79 rather than the 3rd for ~$100. I realize many years have passed but as far as the techniques of AP control, the fundamentals remain the same. There might be much greater awareness of greenhouse gases and ozone, with stricter regulations but the chemistry and engineering behind the control of tropospheric NOX and SOX, along with PM and VOC have not change.

Can it be possible?
I have to admit, I have not read this book, but who would write a book on air pollution control and then put a cooling tower on the cover? These people must be kidding! The fact that this book is into its 3rd printing and still sports a cover of a process device that has absolutely nothing to do with air pollution, its origin, nor its control, completely undermines the credibility of its authors.

An excellent intoductory book
I used this book for a class, we also use e Sienfeld and Padis, but for people like me that are not chemical engineers, this book is an excellent introductory book in the science of air pollution and control.It doen't go as deep as Seinfeld in chemical kinetics, and it just reviews someequipment for the control of these pollutants,but I found it great forstarters like me ... Read more

Product Description
Like it or not, our children are inheriting a polluted world. By studying the effect of toxins on wildlife, understanding the societal problems posed by pollution, and participating in recycling and clean-up projects, kids can become proactive in preserving the future of our planet. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A MUST HAVE FOR ALL!
Even though the Naturescope series is recommended for grade K-8 I feel asa high school science teacher that all the lessons in this book areadaptable for the older grades.The information and activities in thisbook are excellent.Any teacher in or out of science could use this bookin their classroom.The lessons are very descriptive and well planned, aswell as encourage the students with higher order questions and activities. I have and will continue to use this book in my classroom. ... Read more

Product Description
The market leading textbook in marine pollution now in its fifth edition.

The problems of pollution in the seas worldwide are explained clearly, unemotionally, and authoritatively. This book is designed as an introductory textbook, but no particular knowledge is demanded of the reader; it can be used by engineers, economists, lawyers, or environmentalists who need to be informed about the effects of materials which are deliberately or accidentally discharged into the sea. ... Read more

Product Description

This book provides practicing engineers with water-based environment engineering from theory to practice by presenting the principles of water treatment, wastewater treatment, water reuse, water quality, and overviews of regulations regarding pollution control and drinking water quality. The Eighth Edition features new and updated coverage of GIS, climate change, alternative water supply development, hydraulics, stormwater treatment techniques, water quality regulations, filter design, and more. Recognizing that all waters are potential sources of supply, the authors present treatment processes in the context of what they can do, rather than dividing them along clean water or waste water lines. For practicing engineers who need a good reference book and for those preparing to take the examination for licensing as a professional engineer.

Customer Reviews (3)

somewhat helpful, but sloppy and confusing
TONS of typos - from grammatical to vital data and labels in example problems. Following such problems is extremely frustrating at times.
Lots of things are not explained before they are referred to, causing you to go to the index and find the explanation and flip back and forth. Some things are referenced and never explained at all - including data used in solutions to example problems.

Water Supply & Pollution Control
Very Informative, missing a little on rapid mix basins but the solids handling part is very extensive.

Happy
I got the book.It was the one I ordered.All was good. ... Read more

Product Description
Mary Douglas is a central figure within British social anthropology. Studying under Evans-Pritchard at Oxford immediately after the war, she formed part of the group of anthropologists who established social anthropology's standing in the world of scholarship. Her works, spanning the second half of the twentieth century, have been widely read and her theories applied across the social sciences and humanities.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Great service!
Even during the busy holiday season, the book arrived as promised and ON TIME! Great job!

classic work
This is one of the most famous and still relevant works about what are behind any given cultures concepts on cleanliness and impurity. Written in an accesible language so even interested laypersons can benefit from Mary Douglas' scholarly research. If you are intersted in Biblical criticism and/or anthropology - this book belongs in your bookshelf. It is simply a classic.

Classic Anthropology
This book is considered a classic and laid groundwork for future anthropological work in religion and belief.Though some of Douglas' positions have been criticized or disputed in later years, this book is important at least in providing a snapshot of anthropology in her time and in understanding some of the fundamentals which underscore more modern research.

Having said that, it can be difficult to read at times, but is immensely interesting and at the least will open your eyes to new ways of considering the world around you.Things which seem natural to us might be determined by hidden cultural constructions which define who we are.The book provides cases from cultures around the world- West Africa, South America, India, Judea- whose diverse practices help underscore certain universal truths about what it means to be human.

This book is a good introduction to anthropological religion research, and is insightful on topics of the taboo and impure.A must read for those with interests in these areas.

Who shares your dessert?
Why do we let those close to us lick the same spoon, or eat off the same dish? Why kiss away tears but not snot? How do we learn to live with some filth and yet recoil at other dirt? And how does this all relate to "primitive" ritual, magical belief, and ethical culture?

This book manages to be accessible for the non-anthropologist or historian of religion, yet too densely argued and scattered for the novice. How can it be both? Douglas writes in a no-nonsense style that I enjoyed, when I could grasp her points. Too often, like many critics, she's engaged more in a grudge match with previous academics and uses a considerable amount of this text settling scores, some from the time of "The Golden Bough" and the formative years of her discipline. While she makes her own argument known, the details of tribes, the skipping about that many of the chapters engage in through time and culture make her intricately developed thesis appear probably more fractured and piecemeal than she intended.

The centerpiece, therefore, stands out as the lasting reason for which this earlier book is known, and you can see from her later work that she returned to Leviticus with gusto. "The Abominations of Leviticus" pioneered a cultural approach to the laws not as health codes -- although she notes that ethical control, hygiene and dietary concerns may well be by-products of these Mosaic restrictions and allowances -- but as aesthetic counterparts drawn from the natural world to the cohesion that the military camp and the Hebrew tribes demanded for survival and identity. She reads the proscriptions and prescriptions as conceptual structures of what fit the divinely mandated order that the Hebrews strove to impose-- following God's will as they understood it-- on their natural surroundings. Here, Douglas provided a paradigm shift for scholars trying to figure out what had eluded them about these seemingly arbitrary do's and don'ts. I have to admit I was reminded of a Monty Python routine that takes glee in enumerating similarly detailed provisos and prohibitions.

Of value, too, remain cogent observations late in the book (my battered 1970 Pelican paperback may have different pagination) that relate to our own times. Most do not keep kosher or follow "primitive" rituals, but Douglas cautions us. We too follow our own elaborate yet apparently "natural" habits of cleanliness, and our own magical formulae. Douglas notes that when religions filter down to the masses, ordinary folks tend to minimize the philosophy and maximize the material benefits. Moral conformity and adherence to ritual guarantee, adherents are assured, continued prosperity. But, how long can the magic lamp be rubbed, she wonders? The danger comes when the magic, the pizazz of the ritual becomes vulnerable to disbelief. Too much stress on the ritual may lead to the exposure, as I compare it, of the charlatan and not the wizard behind the curtain. How does a religion safeguard itself against dissent? How keep the rituals potent and their promise fresh>

How do religions sustain their aura? Douglas suggests three ways. 1) Suggest an enemy's to blame for undoing the religion's good effect. Demons enter on cue and sinister forces can be blamed at work here. She faults this as a half-hearted answer that makes the religion appear weak, as if it cannot explain the whole of existence without resorting to boogeymen.
2) Attend to fine print, or else the incantation will not be efficacious. She likes this approach better, as the devil or angel as it were may lie in the details. Also, the audience and priests need to be cleansed, guilt-free-- again if the ritual fails, scapegoats often can be found close at hand to take the blame. This method also establishes moral purity and aspiration to a higher sense of communal goodness to bind the worshippers more closely to assure the success of the religious ritual. 3) Change its tack, as Douglas puts it. Religions can alter to meet the times, the mood, the circumstances.

Considering various "faith communities" in our curious parlance of our own generation's bureaucracies, applying Douglas' three responses to the present day secularizing drift and fundamentalist tendencies proves, now over forty years since its first publication, a salutary exercise in putting beliefs to the test. This book remains admittedly too much a collection of notes and readings rather than a tightly-knit thesis. Overall, its chapters move along fitfully, but Leviticus insights and the closing "The System Shattered & Renewed" retain their own verve for today.

(Image: the Routledge cover's genius, compared to my mangy, bird-nibbled, unclean $1 used Pelican 1969 copy with its René Magritte monochrome painting, pretty boring.)

Storytelling
This may be an entertaining book if you want to read stories of foreign cultures and habits, but I don't think it meets the scientific standards of anthropology. The subtitle of the book is "an analysis of the concepts of pollution and taboo", but this is an overstatement. You will not find any true analysis in it. Every time the author approaches an analytic question or theory, she soon lets go of her thread and diverges into another irrelevant story. While reading this book, I asked myself several times "wait a second, what does this have to do with pollution or taboo?", "what was the subject matter of this chapter again?" and "what conclusions can be drawn from all these examples?". My questions were left unanswered, so this book was a very frustrating read. It deals with an interesting topic but the author just doesn't manage to gain any interesting insights. A few disconnected thoughts scattered among colourful stories is all you get in terms of analysis. Very disappointing. ... Read more

Product Description
Complex environmental problems are often reduced to an inappropriate level of simplicity.While this book does not seek to present a comprehensive scientific and technical coverage of all aspects of the subject matter, it makes the issues, ideas, and language of environmental engineering accessible and understandable to the nontechnical reader.
Improvements introduced in the fourth edition include a complete rewrite of the chapters dealing with risk assessment and ethics, the introduction of new theories of radiation damage, inclusion of environmental disasters like Chernobyl and Bhopal, and general updating of all the content, specifically that on radioactive waste.

Since this book was first published in 1972, several generations of students have become environmentally aware and conscious of their responsibilities to the planet earth. Many of these environmental pioneers are now teaching in colleges and universities, and have in their classes students with the same sense of dedication and resolve that they themselves brought to the discipline. In those days, it was sometimes difficult to explain what indeed environmental science or engineering was, and why the development of these fields was so important to the future of the earth and to human civilization. Today there is no question that the human species has the capability of destroying its collective home, and that we have indeed taken major steps toward doing exactly that.

And yet, while, a lot has changed in a generation, much has not. We still have air pollution; we still contaminate our water supplies; we still dispose of hazardous materials improperly; we still destroy natural habitats as if no other species mattered. And worst of all, we still continue to populate the earth at an alarming rate. There is still a need for this book, and for the college and university courses that use it as a text, and perhaps this need is more acute now than it was several decades ago.

Although the battle to preserve the environment is still raging, some of the rules have changed. We now must take into account risk to humans, and be able to manipulate concepts of risk management. With increasing population, and fewer alternatives to waste disposal, this problem is intensified. Environmental laws have changed, and will no doubt continue to evolve. Attitudes toward the environment are often couched in what has become known as the environmental ethic. Finally, the environmental movement has become powerful politically, and environmentalism can be made to serve a political agenda.

In revising this book, we have attempted to incorporate the evolving nature of environmental sciences and engineering by adding chapters as necessary and eliminating material that is less germane to today's students. We have nevertheless maintained the essential feature of this book -- to package the more important aspects of environmental engineering science and technology in an organized manner and present this mainly technical material to a nonengineering audience.

This book has been used as a text in courses which require no prerequisites, although a high school knowledge of chemistry is important. A knowledge of college level algebra is also useful, but calculus is not required for the understanding of the technical and scientific concepts.

We do not intend for this book to be scientifically and technically complete. In fact, many complex environmental problems have been simplified to the threshold of pain for many engineers and scientists. Our objective, however, is not to impress nontechnical students with the rigors and complexities of pollution control technology but rather to make some of the language and ideas of environmental engineering and science more understandable.

PAV
JJP
RFW

An introduction to the more important aspects of environmental science and technology.

Well organized and suitable for both the technical and non-technical reader.

Ideal for the student taking courses in this field who does not have an extensive engineering, mathematical, or environmental background. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Environmental Pollution and Control textbook
This text is obviously a compilation of author's works.Some sections are extremely well written and organized.Other sections appear to be a scattered effort to address the topical issues related to the given section but with disjointed thoughts inserted so randomly that they appear to be simply an effort to check all of the boxes related to the given subject.It would be much easier to comprehend some of these sections if more tables, graphs, and bulleted lists were presented to make the desired points.

Good Balance
I continue to use this book as a practical and teaching resource. It is a good balance between the science and engineering aspects of environmental quality. The examples and problems are understandable for most undergraduates, and can be adapted to be more quantitative, if needed.

Complete, accurate and clear
I used this book as base for teaching of Environmental Technologies at university. It is really good, easy to follow andaddresses the main aspects of environmental pollution control. The only aspect that it does not cover is soil pollution. One strong point: the figures, graphs, exercises are very good!

Excellent introduction to environmental pollution issues
This was a text book for my Environmental Security class.I learned a heckuva lot, and I really enjoyed reading it, too.It's well organized and helps you understand some technical issues relating to the environment without going over the non-technical major's head.The study/homework questions at the end of each chapter weren't too difficult and helped a lot in learning the material. ... Read more

Product Description
Thoroughly restructured and updated with new findings and new features

The Second Edition of this internationally acclaimed text presents the latest developments in atmospheric science. It continues to be the premier text for both a rigorous and a complete treatment of the chemistry of the atmosphere, covering such pivotal topics as:
* Chemistry of the stratosphere and troposphere
* Formation, growth, dynamics, and properties of aerosols
* Meteorology of air pollution
* Transport, diffusion, and removal of species in the atmosphere
* Formation and chemistry of clouds
* Interaction of atmospheric chemistry and climate
* Radiative and climatic effects of gases and particles
* Formulation of mathematical chemical/transport models of the atmosphere

All chapters develop results based on fundamental principles, enabling the reader to build a solid understanding of the science underlying atmospheric processes. Among the new material are three new chapters: Atmospheric Radiation and Photochemistry, General Circulation of the Atmosphere, and Global Cycles. In addition, the chapters Stratospheric Chemistry, Tropospheric Chemistry, and Organic Atmospheric Aerosols have been rewritten to reflect the latest findings.

Readers familiar with the First Edition will discover a text with new structures and new features that greatly aid learning. Many examples are set off in the text to help readers work through the application of concepts. Advanced material has been moved to appendices. Finally, many new problems, coded by degree of difficulty, have been added. A solutions manual is available.

Thoroughly updated and restructured, the Second Edition of Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics is an ideal textbook for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students, as well as a reference for researchers in environmental engineering, meteorology, chemistry, and the atmospheric sciences.

Click here to Download the Solutions Manual for Academic Adopters: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-292291.html

  ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

pretty good book, but terrible package
The condition of the book is good, and seems more than 80% new. But the package was terrible. It was broken on a whole side. But luckily nothing worse happened to the book anyway, so thank you!

amazing book - bad package
Very nice book. This book is a nice reference in all fields (mainly atmospheric chemistry). I really recommends this book. The only problem is the package that AMAZON sent to me... ridiculous...

cover was demaged
My comment is not directly related to the content of the book. it is about to the delivery of Amazon which was not good. The corner of the book which I purchased was damaged two times. If you want customer satisfaction, prepare better packages.

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics contains more than you ever want to know about the workings of the atmosphere
I purchased this textbook for a class on Atmospheric Processes. It goes into far more depth than I ever imagined, and you probably wouldn't see half of this material until quite a ways into your graduate degree in atmospheric science. That being said, it is absolutely comprehensive - there probably isn't a single thing you couldn't find somewhere in its pages. ... Read more

Product Description

This text is intended to be used in a lecture course for college students in air quality, with a focus on modelling challenges. The key current issues are discussed within six chapters: basic principles and classification of air pollution, radiative transfer, atmospheric boundary layer, gas-phase chemistry, aerosols and multiphase processes, and chemistry transport models and numerical simulation, respectively.

The book starts with the basic principles of physics, chemistry and fluid mechanics, and is written in an understandable way for students. Through simple exercises and realistic problems (the answers are included) the state-of-the-science prevailing issues are investigated.

Product Description
It is only since recent years that the importance of theeffects of outdoor lighting on the night-time environment and on thephysical and mental health of humans is recognized on a wider scale.The related issue of light pollution is a particularly complex one,with potential conflicts of interest between the utilities,environmentalists, astronomers, the lighting industry and variousgovernment departments. Energy politics are always a sensitive issue,and light pollution is no exception to this rule. The effects of light pollution on flora, fauna -including humans andtheir widely varying night-time activities- are often subtle and needextensive field studies to be quantified in a sensible manner. The present conference, initiated by Commission 50 of theInternational Astronomical Union, is an attempt to bring together theastronomical community, the lighting industry, end-users, theutilities, and public authorities for a discussion and an exchange ofideas and information that will create goodwill among these groups andwill thus contribute to making the global efforts to reduce pollutionmore efficient and effective. Radio frequency pollution was also discussed in the context of radioastronomy and its efforts to create radio-quiet zones in collaborationwith the government authorities that allocate frequency bands to thevarious users -mainly the telecommunications industry- and to protectthe major planned and present radio observatories of the world. The 3-day conference was attended by more than 130 representativesfrom 12 countries of all the above-mentioned groups, and a wide rangeof topics was discussed. Some of the highlights were: The presentation of the 1st world atlas of artificial night skybrightness (Cinzano et al.); the article by the International DarkskyAssociation on their world-wide efforts to curb light pollution(Alvarez del Castillo et al.); the laws controlling light pollutionimplemented in Spain (Diaz et al.) and Chile (Sanhueza et al.), anoverview of the work on radio frequency protection of sites (Cohen etal.) and the excellent introduction to the topic from the Chileanpoint of view (Daud). Related topics in the book are light pollution education, aircraftcontrails, space advertising (with an added document provided by therelevant UN commission), and an experiment on involving the populationof an entire country in measuring sky brightness, by using theinternet and the media. The text is aimed at professionals from a wide range of disciplinesrelated to lighting and its effects on the night-time environment inthe broadest sense of the word. Lay persons interested in thisemerging multi-disciplinary field can also find much of interest inthis book. ... Read more

Product Description

This book describes the development of cost effective abatement strategies aimed at controlling air pollutant emissions in Europe, particularly ground level ozone. The author gives a thorough evaluation of the results achieved for different environmental targets, and proposes a modelling scheme for emission targets required to achieve compliance with EU thresholds, and calculations reveal the need to review established ozone thresholds and emission limits.

Product Description
This book discusses a broad range of statistical design and analysis methods that are particularly well suited to pollution data. It explains key statistical techniques in easy-to-comprehend terms and uses practical examples, exercises, and case studies to illustrate procedures. Dr. Gilbert begins by discussing a space-time framework for sampling pollutants. He then shows how to use statistical sample survey methods to estimate average and total amounts of pollutants in the environment, and how to determine the number of field samples and measurements to collect for this purpose. Then a broad range of statistical analysis methods are described and illustrated. These include:

• determining the number of samples needed to find hot spots
• analyzing pollution data that are lognormally distributed
• testing for trends over time or space
• estimating the magnitude of trends
• comparing pollution data from two or more populations

Customer Reviews (4)

Statistical Methods for Environmental Pollution Monitoring
I never received the book and never received a refund for my purchase.
What can I do at this time?
What is your policy regarding deadbeats?

Martin Haas
702/228-7913

martin777bk@gmail.com

Very good reference book
This book is exceptionally easy to read for a stat book.It is very straightforward with practical examples and an emphasis on "how to" with just enough -- but not overwhelming -- theory.Some statistical bakcground is definitely helpful, but the basic principles are presented simply enough that a novice shouldn't feel too uncomfortable.

Must have
If you are responsible for designing, reviewing, or interpreting environmental sampling and the resultig analytical reports, then BUY THIS BOOK, READ IT, DO THE EXCERCISES!

You must have some background in statistics to understand it, so if you don't have that, take an introduction to statistics course.Otherwise go play in another sandbox, you'll be outclassed in this one. ;-)

gotta have it
This is a "must have" book for anyone in the environmental industry....I can't believe this is the first review... ... Read more

Product Description
Unique problem-and-solution approach for quickly mastering a broad range of calculations

This book's problem-and-solution approach enables readers to quickly grasp the fundamentals of air pollution control equipment and essential applications. Moreover, the author sets forth solid principles for the design and selection of air pollution control equipment as well as for its efficient operation and maintenance. Readers gain a deep understanding of both the equipment itself and the many factors affecting performance.

Following two introductory chapters, the book dedicates four chapters to examining control equipment for gaseous pollutants, including adsorption, absorption, and incineration equipment. The remaining six chapters deal with equipment for managing airborne particulate pollutants, including gravity settlers, cyclones, electrostatic precipitators, scrubbers, and baghouses. The appendix contains discussions of hybrid systems, the SI system (including conversion constants), and a cost-equipment model.

Each chapter offers a short introduction to the control device discussed. Next, progressively more difficult problems with accompanying solutions enable readers to build their knowledge as they advance through the chapter. Problems reflect the most recent developments in pollution control and include a variety of performance equations and operation and maintenance calculations. Each problem includes a statement of the problem, the data used to solve the problem, and a detailed solution. Readers may further hone their skills by visiting the text's Web site for additional problems and solutions.

This publication serves both as a textbook for engineering students and as a reference for engineers and technicians who need to ensure that air pollution control equipment operates efficiently and enables their facility to meet all air pollution control standards and regulations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Air pollution control equipment calculations
The book did not add much to what I already knew about it. Good for beginners. ... Read more