EarthTalk: Expert Answers to Everyday Questions About the Environment - Softcover

E Magazine, E Magazine

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0452290120 ISBN 13: 9780452290129

Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group, 2009

Synopsis

From the authors of the leading environmental handbook Green Living, the best of E's nationally syndicated Q&A column, EarthTalk

Knowledge of environmental issues and sustainability is increasingly important as industrialization and climate change continue to wreak havoc on our ecosystems and our psyche. As temperatures rise—and icecaps shrink and storms lash our coastal areas into oblivion—being smart about carbon footprints, waste streams and consumer choices becomes increasingly important for all of us.

That’s where EarthTalk comes in.

EarthTalk gathers together the best of readers' questions on the environment and the best ways to live green and answers in a quick and easy guide for the average Joe (or Jane). Searching by subject or looking up questions in the index, readers can learn everything from the difference between wild and farmed salmon to the pros and cons of nuclear power. EarthTalk provides the essential tools and tips to living in harmony with the planet.

About this title

About the Author

E: The Environmental Magazine, or simply E, is an award-winning environmental magazine, covering topics from water quality to overpopulation to climate change, and what readers can do to make a difference. It has won and been nominated for thirteen Independent Press Awards. The archive of back issues is now available at emagazine.com, with new editorial content provided by its sister site, EarthTalk.org, the online home of the internationally syndicated EarthTalk Q&A column. EarthTalk is produced by Doug Moss and Roddy Scheer.

Reviews

This roundup of Q&As from ecology periodical E is an engaging overview of the latest information regarding the environment, but more a starting point for investigating the issues than a real education. Organized by topic-food, shopping, health care, personal space, energy consumption, apparel, kids, global warming and transportation-the questions and answers are both down-to-earth and practical without sacrificing curiosity or smoothing out surprises; coffee growing, for instance, is hard on farmers and the planet, but has unexpected, eco-minded champions in Starbucks and the Smithsonian National Zoo. The chapter on shopping is a bit of a hodge-podge, which makes it especially interesting: covering old-growth wood (most prized by timber companies), disposable dishes (try compost-ready dishware made from corn), green tax incentives, the utility of hemp, a catalog of plastic grades and more. Entries on more complicated issues (like nuclear power) may be too brief, and don't always point to resources on both sides of the debate, but lay out the concerns of all interested parties clearly.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

“If hemp is a renewable, environmentally friendly crop, why can't I grow it?” “Should I buy a hybrid car?” “What do the numbers on the bottom of plastic packages mean?” Given the ever-changing nature of scientific research and reporting, being an environmentally savvy and responsible individual has become a confusing and daunting proposition. To simplify matters, the editors of E/The Environmental Magazine have selected the most frequently asked questions submitted by readers of both their print and online products, and provided straightforward answers designed to help anyone trying to live a more environmentally responsible lifestyle. From the food we put in our bodies to the fuel we pump into our cars, from properly disposing of old computer components to efficiently harnessing wind, water, and solar power, key environmental issues are objectively addressed and supported by specific citations. With helpful references for additional research and a searchable index of questions and topics, this handy, easy-to-use guide can be an invaluable learn-to-live-green resource. --Carol Haggas

Edition details

• Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0452290120
• ISBN 13: 9780452290129
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 320