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The Pecan: A History of America's Native Nut
by James McWilliamsWhat would Thanksgiving be without pecan pie? New Orleans without pecan pralines? Southern cooks would have to hang up their aprons without America’s native nut, whose popularity has spread far beyond the tree’s natural home. But as familiar as the pecan is, most people don’t know the fascinating story of how native pecan trees fed Americans for thousands of years until the nut was “improved” a little more than a century ago—and why that rapid domestication actually threatens the pecan’s long-term future. In The Pecan, acclaimed writer and historian James McWilliams explores the history of America’s most importantThis lively history by the acclaimed author of Just Food and A Revolution in Eating follows the pecan from primordial Southern groves to the contemporary Chinese marketplace to reveal how a nut with a very limited natural range has become a global commodity and endangered heirloom. commercial nut. He describes how essential the pecan was for Native Americans—by some calculations, an average pecan harvest had the food value of nearly 150,000 bison. McWilliams explains that, because of its natural edibility, abundance, and ease of harvesting, the pecan was left in its natural state longer than any other commercial fruit or nut crop in America. Yet once the process of “improvement” began, it took less than a century for the pecan to be almost totally domesticated. Today, more than 300 million pounds of pecans are produced every year in the United States—and as much as half of that total might be exported to China, which has fallen in love with America’s native nut. McWilliams also warns that, as ubiquitous as the pecan has become, it is vulnerable to a “perfect storm” of economic threats and ecological disasters that could wipe it out within a generation. This lively history suggests why the pecan deserves to be recognized as a true American heirloom.
The Pecan: A History of America's Native Nut
by James McwilliamsWhat would Thanksgiving be without pecan pie? New Orleans without pecan pralines? Southern cooks would have to hang up their aprons without America's native nut, whose popularity has spread far beyond the tree's natural home. But as familiar as the pecan is, most people don't know the fascinating story of how native pecan trees fed Americans for thousands of years until the nut was "improved" a little more than a century ago-and why that rapid domestication actually threatens the pecan's long-term future. In The Pecan, acclaimed writer and historian James McWilliams explores the history of America's most important commercial nut. He describes how essential the pecan was for Native Americans-by some calculations, an average pecan harvest had the food value of nearly 150,000 bison. McWilliams explains that, because of its natural edibility, abundance, and ease of harvesting, the pecan was left in its natural state longer than any other commercial fruit or nut crop in America. Yet once the process of "improvement" began, it took less than a century for the pecan to be almost totally domesticated. Today, more than 300 million pounds of pecans are produced every year in the United States-and as much as half of that total might be exported to China, which has fallen in love with America's native nut. McWilliams also warns that, as ubiquitous as the pecan has become, it is vulnerable to a "perfect storm" of economic threats and ecological disasters that could wipe it out within a generation. This lively history suggests why the pecan deserves to be recognized as a true American heirloom.
The Pendleton Field Guide to Campfire Cooking
by Pendleton Woolen MillisFrom beloved heritage brand Pendleton comes this collection of delicious, family-friendly recipes to elevate any outdoor excursion.Brimming with Pendleton's signature patterns and timeless wisdom, this handsome book is a wonderful companion for families and friends who love spending time in nature. Discover expert tips on how to prep ingredients ahead of time, easily transport supplies, and cook over an open fire or camping stove. Come together around the campfire with more than 30 delicious recipes for outdoor adventures, including:• Skillet Hash with Sausage and Eggs• Campfire Grilled Pizza• Charred Corn Salad with Spices• Pendleton Campfire Popcorn• Giant Snickerdoodle S'mores• And so much more.BELOVED BRAND: For over 150 years, Pendleton Woolen Mills has been one of America's most beloved heritage brands. Known for their woolen blankets and clothing, they are celebrated by people who love the great outdoors.FAMILY FUN: These family-friendly recipes are the perfect way to bring everyone together before a day of adventure or after a day of fun in the outdoors. Making the dishes together is an easy activity for everyone to participate in and offers tons of opportunities to bond with family or friends.BEAUTIFUL TO DISPLAY: Featuring more than 30 delicious, filling recipes in a hardcover package with a cloth cover and lovely textured details, this eye-catching book is the perfect accessory for any outdoor occasion or mountain home and makes for a wonderful gift for those who enjoy the natural world.Perfect for:• Fans of Pendelton• Fans of nature, campers, and the outdoors• Summertime vacationers• Families who love to travel
The Pendleton Field Guide to Campfire Stories
by Pendleton Woolen MillsFrom beloved American heritage brand Pendleton comes this collection of family-friendly tales of adventure and discovery in the wilderness.This captivating collection of campfire stories is the perfect companion for anyone who enjoys the outdoors. These pages present a range of tales, including daring feats of endurance and strength, epic journeys through new frontiers, and exhilarating encounters with wild animals, plus spooky myths to bring campers closer together around the fire.Readers will discover works by beloved naturalists John Muir and Henry David Thoreau, modern tales of adventure from Alex Honnold and Cheryl Strayed, and accounts of bravery and heroism from the adventures of Shackleton and the Donner party. With a combination of awe-inspiring stories and Pendleton's beloved patterns and engaging illustrations throughout, this handsome campfire collection is the ideal addition to any adventure and a wonderful gift for families and friends who love camping.• BELOVED BRAND: For over 150 years, Pendleton Woolen Mills has been one of America's most beloved heritage brands. Known for their woolen blankets and clothing, their products are celebrated by people who love the great outdoors. This thoughtfully curated collection speaks to Pendleton's fans with stories that will elevate any adventure.• FAMILY FUN: These family-friendly stories are the perfect way to bring everyone together after a day of fun outdoors. Reading the stories together is an easy activity for everyone to participate in, and offers tons of opportunities to bond with family or friends.Perfect for:• Fans of Pendleton• Campers, nature lovers, and cabin owners
The Pendleton Field Guide to Camping
by Pendleton Woolen MillsFrom the beloved American heritage brand, The Pendleton Field Guide to Camping is a helpful companion for outdoor enthusiasts and weekend adventurers. Organized into three sections, this handbook offers practical advice on where to go camping, how to go camping, and how to enjoy it once you're there.The Pendleton Field Guide to Camping begins with a brief overview of the best parks and trails in the United States. The second section contains camp essentials—what to pack and how to plan your camping trip—and the final section contains a series of how-tos.• Entries include a brief history of national parks, packing lists, and step-by-step tutorials for starting a fire, pitching a tent, and brewing a cup of coffee in the wilderness.• Filled with tried-and-true advice, illustrations, and informative text• An inviting and instructive tool for anyone who wants to explore the great outdoorsWhether you're an avid outdoorsperson, a weekend explorer, or an aspirational adventurer, this handbook will inspire you to pack a bag and spend some time in the wilderness.For over 150 years, Pendleton Woolen Mills has been one of America's most beloved heritage brands. Known for their woolen blankets and clothing, their products are revered by those who love the great outdoors.• An inviting and instructive tool for those who want to start sleeping under the stars• Great book for Pendleton fans, outdoorsy types, and longtime campers and first-timers alike• Add it to the shelf with books like Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival by Dave Canterbury, Norwegian Wood: Chopping, Stacking, and Drying Wood the Scandinavian Way by Lars Mytting, and How to Stay Alive in the Woods: A Complete Guide to Food, Shelter and Self-Preservation Anywhere by Bradford Angier
The Penguin of Ilha Grande: From Animal Rescue to Extraordinary Friendship
by Shannon EarleA man rescues a penguin off the coast of Brazil and finds a lifelong connection in this delightful true story about the power of friendship.When an oil-covered penguin washes up in Brazil, Seu João saves the penguin's life. Soon man and penguin are friends, and Dindim the penguin won't return to the wild. At last Dindim swims away, only to return four months later! For seven years, Dindim the penguin lived with Seu João in Brazil for eight months a year, disappearing for four months after his annual molting. Readers will enjoy discovering the wildlife of Brazil while learning about the impacts of oil spills and the importance of conservation. This inspiring, true account of real and unusual friendships is sure to win the hearts of nature and animal lovers alike.
The Pentagon, Climate Change, and War: Charting the Rise and Fall of U.S. Military Emissions
by Neta C. CrawfordHow the Pentagon became the world&’s largest single greenhouse gas emitter and why it&’s not too late to break the link between national security and fossil fuel consumption.The military has for years (unlike many politicians) acknowledged that climate change is real, creating conditions so extreme that some military officials fear future climate wars. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Defense—military forces and DOD agencies—is the largest single energy consumer in the United States and the world&’s largest institutional greenhouse gas emitter. In this eye-opening book, Neta Crawford traces the U.S. military&’s growing consumption of energy and calls for a reconceptualization of foreign policy and military doctrine. Only such a rethinking, she argues, will break the link between national security and fossil fuels. The Pentagon, Climate Change, and War shows how the U.S. economy and military together have created a deep and long-term cycle of economic growth, fossil fuel use, and dependency. This cycle has shaped U.S. military doctrine and, over the past fifty years, has driven the mission to protect access to Persian Gulf oil. Crawford shows that even as the U.S. military acknowledged and adapted to human-caused climate change, it resisted reporting its own greenhouse gas emissions. Examining the idea of climate change as a &“threat multiplier&” in national security, she argues that the United States faces more risk from climate change than from lost access to Persian Gulf oil—or from most military conflicts. The most effective way to cut military emissions, Crawford suggests provocatively, is to rethink U.S. grand strategy, which would enable the United States to reduce the size and operations of the military.
The People's Own Landscape: Nature, Tourism, And Dictatorship In East Germany
by Scott MorandaEast Germany’s Socialist Unity Party aimed to placate a public well aware of the higher standards of living enjoyed elsewhere by encouraging them to participate in outdoor activities and take vacations in the countryside. Scott Moranda considers East Germany’s rural landscapes from the perspective of both technical experts (landscape architects, biologists, and physicians) who hoped to dictate how vacationers interacted with nature, and the vacationers themselves, whose outdoor experience shaped their understanding of environmental change. As authorities eliminated traditional tourist and nature conservation organizations, dissident conservationists demanded better protection of natural spaces. At the same time, many East Germans shared their government’s expectations for economic development that had real consequences for the land. By the 1980s, environmentalists saw themselves as outsiders struggling against the state and a public that had embraced mainstream ideas about limitless economic growth and material pleasures.
The People's Republic of Chemicals
by Chip Jacobs William J. KellyMaverick environmental writers William J. Kelly and Chip Jacobs follow up their acclaimed Smogtown with a provocative examination of China's ecological calamity already imperling a warming planet. Toxic smog most people figured was obsolete needlessly kills as many there as the 9/11 attacks every day, while sometimes Grand Canyon-sized drifts of industrial particles aloft on the winds rain down ozone and waterway-poisoning mercury in America. In vivid, gonzo prose blending first-person reportage with exhaustive research and a sense of karma, Kelly and Jacobs describe China's ancient love affair with coal, Bill Clinton's blunders cutting free-trade deals enabling the U.S. to "export" manufacturing emissions to Asia in a shift that pilloried the West's middle class, Communist Party manipulation of eco-statistics, the horror of "Cancer Villages," the deception of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and spellbinding "peasant revolts" against cancer-spreading plants involving thousands in mostly censored melees. Ending with China's monumental coal-bases decried by climatologists as a global warming dagger, The People's Republic of Chemicals names names and stresses humans over bloodless numbers in a classic sure to ruffle feathers as an indictment of money as the real green that not even Al Gore can deny.
The Peregrine Returns: The Art and Architecture of an Urban Raptor Recovery
by Mary Hennen Peggy Macnamara Stephanie WarePeregrine falcons have their share of claims to fame. With a diving speed of over two hundred miles per hour, these birds of prey are the fastest animals on earth or in the sky, and they are now well known for adapting from life on rocky cliffs to a different kind of mountain: modern skyscrapers. But adaptability only helps so much. In 1951, there were no peregrines left in Illinois, for instance, and it looked as if the species would be wiped out entirely in North America. Today, however, peregrines are flourishing. In The Peregrine Returns, Mary Hennen gives wings to this extraordinary conservation success story. Drawing on the beautiful watercolors of Field Museum artist-in-residence Peggy Macnamara and photos by Field Museum research assistant Stephanie Ware, as well as her own decades of work with peregrines, Hennen uses a program in Chicago as a case study for the peregrines’ journey from their devastating decline to the discovery of its cause (a thinning of eggshells caused by a by-product of DDT), through to recovery, revealing how the urban landscape has played an essential role in enabling falcons to return to the wild—and how people are now learning to live in close proximity to these captivating raptors. Both a model for conservation programs across the country and an eye-opening look at the many creatures with which we share our homes, this richly illustrated story is an inspiring example of how urban architecture can serve not only our cities’ human inhabitants, but also their wild ones.
The Perfect Protein: The Fish Lover's Guide to Saving the Oceans and Feeding the World
by Andy Sharpless Suzannah EvansThe planet will be home to more than 9 billion people by 2050, and we're already seeing critical levels of famine around the world mirrored by growing obesity in developed nations. In The Perfect Protein, Andy Sharpless maintains that protecting wild seafood can help combat both issues, because seafood is the healthiest, cheapest, most environmentally friendly source of protein on earth. While the conservation community has taken a simplistic, save-the-whales approach when it comes to oceans, Sharpless contends that we must save the world's seafood not just to protect marine life and biodiversity but to stave off the coming humanitarian crisis. With high demand for predator species like tuna and salmon, wealthy nations like the U.S. convert "reduction" species such as anchovies, mackerel, and sardines into feed for salmon and other farmed animals—even though these overlooked fish are packed with health-boosting Omega-3 fatty acids and could feed millions. By establishing science-based quotas, protecting wild habitats, and reducing bycatch (and treating anchovies and their like as food, not feed), Sharpless believes that effective ocean stewardship can put healthy, sustainable seafood on the table forever. To that end, Oceana has tapped 20-plus chefs, including Mario Batali, Eric Ripert, and Jose Andres for recipes that give us all a role to play in this revolutionary mission: to save the fish so that we can eat more fish.
The Perfect Storm: A True Story Of Men Against The Sea
by Sebastian JungerThere is nothing imaginary about Junger's book; it is all terrifyingly, awesomely real.--Los Angeles Times It was the storm of the century, boasting waves over one hundred feet high--a tempest created by so rare a combination of factors that meteorologists deemed it "the perfect storm." In a book that has become a classic, Sebastian Junger explores the history of the fishing industry, the science of storms, and the candid accounts of the people whose lives the storm touched. ?The Perfect Storm? is a real-life thriller that makes us feel like we've been caught, helpless, in the grip of a force of nature beyond our understanding or control.
The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea
by Sebastian JungerThe bestselling book that became the blockbuster film starring George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, and Diane Lane.<P> In October 1991, three weather systems collided off the coast of Nova Scotia to create a storm of singular fury, boasting waves over one hundred feet high. Among its victims was the Gloucester, Massachusetts-based swordfishing boat the Andrea Gail, which vanished with all six crew members aboard.<P> "Drifting down on swimmers is standard rescue procedure, but the seas are so violent that Buschor keeps getting flung out of reach. There are times when he's thirty feet higher than the men trying to rescue him. . . . [I]f the boat's not going to Buschor, Buschor's going to have to go to it. SWIM! they scream over the rail. SWIM! Buschor rips off his gloves and hood and starts swimming for his life."<P> It was the storm of the century, boasting waves over one hundred feet high a tempest created by so rare a combination of factors that meteorologists deemed it "the perfect storm." When it struck in October 1991, there was virtually no warning. "She's comin' on, boys, and she's comin' on strong," radioed Captain Billy Tyne of the Andrea Gail off the coast of Nova Scotia, and soon afterward the boat and its crew of six disappeared without a trace. <P> In a book taut with the fury of the elements, Sebastian Junger takes us deep into the heart of the storm, depicting with vivid detail the courage, terror, and awe that surface in such a gale. Junger illuminates a world of swordfishermen consumed by the dangerous but lucrative trade of offshore fishing, "a young man's game, a single man's game," and gives us a glimpse of their lives in the tough fishing port of Gloucester, Massachusetts; he recreates the last moments of the Andrea Gail crew and recounts the daring high-seas rescues that made heroes of some and victims of others; and he weaves together the history of the fishing industry, the science of storms, and the candid accounts of the people whose lives the storm touched, to produce a rich and informed narrative. The Perfect Storm is a real-life thriller that will leave readers with the taste of salt air on their tongues and a sense of terror of the deep.
The Performance: A Novel
by Claire Thomas'Quietly transformational'The Times 'A tour de force... I can't recommend this too highly'Patrick Gale'Innovative... an original, at-a-sitting read'Daily Mail'A potent meditation on the intensity of women's lives'Charlotte Wood, author of The Weekend'A miracle... Engaging and evocative'Washington Post'I loved and admired The Performance... Unmissable'Emma Stonex, author of The Lamplighters'Lively and intimate... The way Thomas plays with the reader is a sort of genius'Guardian'Thomas writes these women with such wisdom and compassion, that by the end we are all transformed'Claire Fuller, author of Unsettled Ground The false cold of the theatre makes it hard to imagine the heavy wind outside in the real world, the ash air pressing onto the city from the nearby hills where bushfires are taking hold.The house lights lower.The auditorium feels hopeful in the darkness.As bushfires rage outside the city, three women watch a performance of a Beckett play.Margot is a successful professor, preoccupied by her fraught relationship with her ailing husband. Ivy is a philanthropist with a troubled past, distracted by the snoring man beside her. Summer is a young theatre usher, anxious about the safety of her girlfriend in the fire zone.As the performance unfolds, so does each woman's story. By the time the curtain falls, they will all have a new understanding of the world beyond the stage.
The Peripatetic Coffin: and Other Stories
by Ethan RutherfordThe stories in The Peripatetic Coffin and Other Stories, a collection from Ethan Rutherford, map the surprising ways in which the world we think we know can unexpectedly reveal its darker contours.In stories that are alternately funny, persuasive, and compelling, unforgettable characters are confronted with, and battle against, the limitations of their lives.Rutherford’s work has been selected by Alice Sebold for inclusion in the volume of The Best American Short Stories that she edited, and also published in Ploughshares, One Story, and American Short Fiction.
The Permaculture Promise: What Permaculture Is and How It Can Help Us Reverse Climate Change, Build a More Resilient Future on Earth, and Revitalize Our Communities
by Toby Hemenway Jono NeigerPermaculture is a sustainability buzzword, but many people wonder what it actually means and why it is relevant. Originally coined by combining the words permanent and agriculture, permaculture has evolved into an optimistic approach connecting all the systems of human life: gardening, housing, transportation, energy, and how we structure our communities. The Permaculture Promise explains in simple terms why permaculture may be the key to unlocking a livable future on our planet. Author Jono Neiger asserts that humans can thrive while simultaneously making Earth healthier and not destroying it. The book shows 22 ways that permaculture can create a better future for all living things. Profiles of people and communities — including an urban dweller who tore up her driveway to create a vegetable garden and a California housing development that dedicates a third of its land to parks, orchards, and gardens — will inspire you to incorporate permaculture principles into your life today.
The Permaculture Way
by Graham BellThe Permaculture Way shows us how to consciously design a lifestyle which is low in environmental impact and highly productive. It demonstrates how to meet our needs, make the most of resources by minimizing waste and maximizing potential, and still leave the Earth richer than we found it.
The Pesticide Conspiracy
by Robert Van Den BoschProfessor van den Bosch of the University of California was one of the developers of Integrated Pest Management—the use of biological controls, improved pest knowledge and observation, and judicious application of chemicals only when absolutely necessary. His research often suggested that less or no pesticides should be applied, which made him the target of both open and clandestine attack from industry and government figures. In protest, he wrote this passionate account of what Ecology called "the ultimate social disaster of: evolving pesticide-resistant insects, the destruction of their natural predators and parasites, emergent populations of new insect pests, downstream water pollution, atmospheric pollution, the 'accidental' killing of wildlife and people, and the bankruptcies of indigenous and small farmers."As a new Introduction to this edition recounts, some lessening of dangerous overreliance on massive pesticide applications has been achieved since van den Bosch published this book in 1978—partly as a result of its influence. But the structural problems he described remain. The book has thus become a classic, along with Rachel Carson's Silent Spring.
The Pesticide Detox: Towards a More Sustainable Agriculture
by Jules PrettySince the 1960s, the world's population has more than doubled and agricultural production per person has increased by a third. Yet this growth in production has masked enormous hidden costs arising from widespread pesticide use - massive ecological damage and high incidences of farmer poisoning and chronic health effects. Whereas once the risks involved with pesticide use were judged to be outweighed by the potential benefits, increasingly the external costs of pesticides, to environments and human health, are being seen as unacceptable. In response to this trend, recent years have seen millions of farmers in communities around the world reduce their use of harmful pesticides and develop cheaper and safer alternatives. The Pesticide Detox explores the potential for the phasing-out of hazardous pesticides and the phasing-in of cost effective alternatives already available on the market. This book makes clear that it is time to start the pesticide detox and to move towards a more sustainable agriculture.
The Pet Poo Pocket Guide: How to Safely Compost and Recycle Pet Waste
by Rose SeemannGet the scoop on reducing the environmental footprint of your furry friendsEighty-three million dogs and ninety-six million cats call the United States home. Dogs alone produce enough waste to fill more than 1,091 football fields 1 foot deep in a single year. Add billions of plastic pick-up bags to the mix and season well with tons of litter box waste. Scoop a hefty portion into local landfills and seal it tightly to ensure optimal methane production. Clearly, this is a recipe for disaster.Dog and cat owners who trash their pets' offerings daily are in denial about how much waste is produced and what happens to it. Those who want to make the responsible choice often turn to the internet, only to find misleading, confusing, and contradictory information. The Pet Poo Pocket Guide will help you reduce your pet's environmental paw print with:Best practices for cycling pet waste back to natureSuggestions on how to tailor your approach based on location, situation, weather, needs, or available timeInstructions for using your composted pet waste safely to enrich your soil and nourish ornamental plantsWith recycling tactics clearly indicated as "easy," "moderate," or "demanding," The Pet Poo Pocket Guide offers something for everyone. This no-nonsense guide is a must-read for any pet owner who is concerned about the environmental impact of their best friend, and is seeking a safe and practical solution.Rose Seemann is the owner and operator of EnviroWagg, a company dedicated to collecting and composting canine waste into safe, nutrient-rich garden soil.
The Pet Shop at Pennycombe Bay: An uplifting story about community and friendship
by Sheila NortonA heartwarming and uplifting tale of community, friendship and love to curl up with this summer – perfect for fans of Phillipa Ashley, Milly Johnson and Jill Mansell.'A thoroughly enjoyable read' Katie Fforde, Sunday Times bestselling author of A Country EscapeWhen the going gets ruff, it’s time to make a change…In need of a fresh start, Jess has moved to the beautiful Devon seaside town of Pennycombe Bay. However it isn’t the new beginning she was hoping for – she enjoys her new job at the local pet shop but feels like she’s treading on eggshells living with her moody cousin Ruth.When she meets handsome stranger, Nick, on the beach, she thinks she’s made a new friend or something more. Although her hopes of romance are quickly dashed when she finds out he’s seeing another woman…Can Jess make Pennycombe feel like home?Fans of Cathy Bramley, Carole Matthews and Katie Fforde will love Sheila Norton’s charming, wonderfully warm, feel-good books.*You can now pre-order Sheila's new novel, The Lonely Hearts Dog Walkers*
The Phantom Roan (Famous Horse Stories)
by Stephen HoltThe roan waved his foot back and forth in ceaseless pain. "I thought so," muttered Glenn. "It's a rock in the frog." He pulled a pocketknife from his levis. Sterilizing the blade in the fire, he probed for the rock. It came free--a three-cornered jagged piece of granite. And so begins a partnership of boy and horse that climaxes in the Rodeo in New York's Madison Square Garden.
The Philosopher's Plant: An Intellectual Herbarium
by Michael MarderDespite their conceptual allergy to vegetal life, philosophers have used germination, growth, blossoming, fruition, reproduction, and decay as illustrations of abstract concepts; mentioned plants in passing as the natural backdrops for dialogues, letters, and other compositions; spun elaborate allegories out of flowers, trees, and even grass; and recommended appropriate medicinal, dietary, and aesthetic approaches to select species of plants.In this book, Michael Marder illuminates the vegetal centerpieces and hidden kernels that have powered theoretical discourse for centuries. Choosing twelve botanical specimens that correspond to twelve significant philosophers, he recasts the development of philosophy through the evolution of human and plant relations. A philosophical history for the postmetaphysical age, The Philosopher's Plant reclaims the organic heritage of human thought. With the help of vegetal images, examples, and metaphors, the book clears a path through philosophy's tangled roots and dense undergrowth, opening up the discipline to all readers.
The Philosophical Foundations of Ecological Civilization: A manifesto for the future (Routledge Environmental Humanities)
by Arran GareThe global ecological crisis is the greatest challenge humanity has ever had to confront, and humanity is failing. The triumph of the neo-liberal agenda, together with a debauched ‘scientism’, has reduced nature and people to nothing but raw materials, instruments and consumers to be efficiently managed in a global market dominated by corporate managers, media moguls and technocrats. The arts and the humanities have been devalued, genuine science has been crippled, and the quest for autonomy and democracy undermined. The resultant trajectory towards global ecological destruction appears inexorable, and neither governments nor environmental movements have significantly altered this, or indeed, seem able to. The Philosophical Foundations of Ecological Civilization is a wide-ranging and scholarly analysis of this failure. This book reframes the dynamics of the debate beyond the discourses of economics, politics and techno-science. Reviving natural philosophy to align science with the humanities, it offers the categories required to reform our modes of existence and our institutions so that we augment, rather than undermine, the life of the ecosystems of which we are part. From this philosophical foundation, the author puts forth a manifesto for transforming our culture into one which could provide an effective global environmental movement and provide the foundations for a global ecological civilization.
The Philosophy of Geography (Springer Geography)
by Timothy Tambassi Marcello TancaThe relationship between geography and philosophy is still largely in need of being explored. Geographers and philosophers share the responsibility for that. On the one hand, geographers have considered as a dangerous deviation any attempt to elaborate an image of the Earth which was not a mere replica of a cartographic representation. On the other hand, philosophers have generally been uninterested in a discipline offering little chance for critical reflection. In light of these considerations, the purpose of this book is to identify some fundamental philosophical issues involved in the reflection of geography by adopting a perspective which looks at the discipline with a specific focus on its fundamental concepts and distinctions.