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Following the Wild Bees: The Craft and Science of Bee Hunting
by Thomas D. SeeleyA how-to book on an exhilarating outdoor activity and a unique meditation on the pleasures of the natural worldFollowing the Wild Bees is a delightful foray into the pastime of bee hunting, an exhilarating outdoor activity that used to be practiced widely but which few people know about today. Weaving informative discussions of bee biology with colorful anecdotes, personal insights, and beautiful photos, Thomas Seeley describes the history and science behind this lost pastime and how anyone can do it. The bee hunter’s reward is a thrilling encounter with nature that challenges mind and body while also giving insights into the remarkable behavior of honey bees living in the wild. Whether you’re a bee enthusiast or just curious about the natural world, this book is the ideal companion for newcomers to bee hunting and a rare treat for armchair naturalists.
Fondos europeos para el medio ambiente y la fauna: Financia tu proyecto
by Erica RoggioLa Unión Europea es uno de los principales donantes a nivel mundial. La gestión de los recursos naturales, la agricultura, la pesca, el desarrollo rural, la investigación, la mitigación y la adaptación a los cambios climáticos forman parte de las políticas prioritarias de la Unión, que utiliza gran parte de su presupuesto para implementarlas. Conocer los 14 instrumentos y fondos de la UE destinados a la financiación de proyectos de carácter medioambiental es fundamental para identificar las oportunidades y los actores claves en las varias instituciones, así como para prepararse a la publicación de las convocatorias. A través de fichas técnicas, ejemplos concretos y recursos on-line, esta guía se propone orientar a los operadores interesados en iniciar actividades de gestión y conservación medioambiental y faunística, a escala regional y global. DICEN DEL LIBRO “El primer libro que trata este tema, sintetizando los requisitos de admisibilidad de las ideas proyectuales. Un manual indispensable para los que se dedican a este sector, incluidos los expertos en los contenidos y los europroyectistas con ideas innovadoras” Riccardo Di Giuseppe, Director oasis WWF Reserva Natural Estatal Litoral Romano, Italia
Fonds européens pour l'environnement et la faune. Financez votre projet
by Erica RoggioL’Union européenne est l’un des principaux bailleurs de fonds au niveau mondial. La gestion durable des ressources naturelles, l’agriculture, la pêche, le développement rural, la recherche, l’atténuation et l’adaptation aux changements climatiques constituent les politiques prioritaires de l’Union européenne, qui mobilise une grande partie de son budget pour les mettre en œuvre. Connaître les 14 instruments et fonds européens qui financent les projets sur l’environnement est indispensable pour identifier les opportunités et les acteurs clé parmi les institutions et se préparer à la publication des appels. Au travers de fiches techniques, d’exemples concrets et des ressources en ligne, ce guide propose d’orienter les opérateurs intéressés à s’engager dans des activités de gestion et de conservation de l’environnement et de la faune à l’échelle régionale et globale. ILS ONT DIT DU LIVRE « Le premier livre en italien qui affronte ce sujet, en synthétisant les conditions d’éligibilité de l’idée de projet. Un manuel indispensable pour tous les spécialistes, y compris les experts du contenu ainsi que les euro concepteurs avec des propositions innovantes » Riccardo Di Giuseppe, Directeur de l’Oasis WWF Réserve Naturelle d’Etat du Littoral Romain, Italie
Food Activism Today: Sustainability, Climate Change, and Social Justice (Social Transformations in American Anthropology #6)
by Dorothy C. Holland Donald M. NoniniIlluminates how food activism has been taking shape and where it is headedAs climate change, childhood obesity, and food insecurity accelerate at an alarming pace, activists around the country are working to address the pressing need for healthy and sustainable solutions to feed the population. Food Activism Today investigates the new approaches food activists are taking as they formulate alternatives to the current unsustainable agro-industrial food system.Drawing on ethnographic research conducted over an eleven-month period in both urban and rural North Carolina, the volume addresses questions about the moral visions of food activists, how class and racial hierarchies infuse some food activism movements, and how food activism relates to climate change and imminent ecological collapse. Exploring food activism around both local and sustainable food production and food security for lower-income people, the volume finds surprisingly little overlap, with the two movements seemingly remaining distinct approaches (at least for now) to issues around the food system, climate change, and access to healthy food choices.As the US moves into an era in which climate change and neoliberal tensions are conjoined in a looming political crisis, Food Activism Today looks at where food activism is headed, the ethics and issues surrounding alternative approaches to food production, and how food production is related to broader issues of climate change.
Food Anatomy Activities for Kids: Fun, Hands-On Learning (Anatomy Activities for Kids)
by Amber K. StottA hands-on guide to the world of food science for kids ages 8 to 12 The meal on your plate has had many adventures on its way to your belly! Uncover the mysteries of the food you eat with Food Anatomy Activities for Kids, a kids' guide to the incredible history, science, and culture of food. It's packed with easy-to-understand lessons, fun recipes, and engaging experiments to make you feel connected to the food you eat—and make your mouth happy! Travel on a food journey around the world, taste new things, and learn fun facts. Find out all about foods that are foraged or farmed, sweet or savory, baked or preserved—and don't forget foods that you drink! Get involved by predicting the answers to questions, testing your ideas, and drawing conclusions just like a real food scientist. Inside Food Anatomy Activities for Kids, you'll: Follow the life of food—Discover colorfully illustrated lessons on the history and uses of 20 different types of foods. Try awesome activities—Dive into cool experiments like preserving egg yolks with salt, making butter in a mason jar, and growing new fruit from leftover seeds. Think like a scientist—Grab your own notebook and write down your discoveries with the help of in-depth journal prompts after every activity. Take a trip through the wonderful world of food with Food Anatomy Activities for Kids!
Food Chain Frenzy (Magic School Bus Chapter Book #17)
by Anne Capeci John SpeirsArnold, Ms. Frizzle, and the whole Magic School Bus crew find themselves in a Food Chain Frenzy as they digest lots of fab facts on ecosystems and eating habits.<P><P> Ms. Frizzle is the weirdest teacher around, and Arnold is her most reluctant student. A field trip on the Magic School Bus can be torture for Arnold, and there is just one thing that can make it worse: his cousin Janet. With his know-it-all relative's visit combined with an all-wheel learning adventure, it is sure to be a school day Arnold won't soon forget. The Friz is always hungry for adventure, and that's just what the class gets. With so much to learn about ecosystems, even Arnold finds himself eating up all the food-chain facts.
Food Chain Frenzy (Magic School House Chapter Book #17)
by Anne Capeci John SpeirsArnold, Ms. Frizzle, and the whole Magic School Bus crew find themselves in a Food Chain Frenzy as they digest lots of fab facts on ecosystems and eating habits.<P><P> Ms. Frizzle is the weirdest teacher around, and Arnold is her most reluctant student. A field trip on the Magic School Bus can be torture for Arnold, and there is just one thing that can make it worse: his cousin Janet. With his know-it-all relative's visit combined with an all-wheel learning adventure, it is sure to be a school day Arnold won't soon forget. The Friz is always hungry for adventure, and that's just what the class gets. With so much to learn about ecosystems, even Arnold finds himself eating up all the food-chain facts.
Food Chains and Webs
by Holly WallaceFood Chains and Webs looks at the way plants and animals in a particular place are connected by what they eat. Because green plants can make their own food, they begin every food chain and web. All animals, including people, rely on plants for their food.
Food Chains, Yields, Models, And Management Of Large Marine Ecosoystems
by Kenneth ShermanDraws on case studies from tropical, temperate, and Arctic waters around the world, comparing multispecies biomass yield models for various large marine ecosystems. Emphasis is given to adaptive management as a strategy for maximizing the sustainability and productivity of living marine resources.
Food Chains: Cooperative Approaches For A Changing World (Cooperative Management Ser.)
by Konstadinos Mattas George Baourakis Prodromos KalaitzisFood Chains: Quality, Safety and Efficiency in a Challenging World addresses the many issues facing European food producers and other food chain stakeholders, who endeavour to improve their competitive position in a highly competitive world food market. The Food Chain is one of the main economic pillars in Europe, providing employment and opportunities for economic development in rural areas. It is therefore imperative to continuously monitor the changes that affect the sector, in order to allow stakeholders to respond promptly and effectively to the new market conditions. Adjusting to the new market involves new technology, globalization, demographic and social changes within a challenging market environment. In order to adopt these new market parameters, food chain stakeholders need to adapt their activities in order to gain in terms of effectiveness and efficiency.This book was originally published as a special issue of Food Economics - Acta Agriculture Scandinavica, Section C.
Food Co-operatives in Turkey: Building Alternative Food Networks (Routledge Focus on Environment and Sustainability)
by Özlem Öz Zühre AksoyThis book addresses the roles played by food co-operatives in the attempt to build alternative food networks, drawing on an in-depth analysis of case studies in Turkey. While many existing studies focus on food co-operatives and alternative food networks in the Global North, this book provides an important insight into a country from the Global South and, in doing so, not only provides a novel perspective but also challenges the rigid North–South categorization. The book provides a rounded view by examining both a producer and a consumer co-operative: BÜKOOP is a university-based consumer food co-operative, and the Vakıflı co-operative is a food-producing co-operative located in the Hatay province on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. These two co-operatives, which have been working together for more than ten years, share the dream of establishing a network of co-operatives, in which producers exist in solidarity with consumers, blurring the dichotomy of producer versus consumer as well as rural versus urban. In addition to contributing towards a better understanding of the urban–rural divide, within the framework of alternative food networks, the in-depth analysis of these two cases enables us to explore how food co-operatives develop and how they keep their commitment to their original goals and ideals so as to help build an alternative food system. The lessons we learn from these two working case examples highlight the successes and areas of improvement for food co-operatives. They also provide evidence against the pessimism about alternative food networks by demonstrating that co-operatives can democratize both production and consumption. This book will be of interest to students and scholars studying alternative food networks, food justice, food sovereignty, transformation towards sustainable food systems, social movements, and the urban–rural divide.
Food Consumption in the City: Practices and patterns in urban Asia and the Pacific (Routledge Studies in Food, Society and the Environment)
by Suren Erkman Marlyne Sahakian Czarina SalomaFood consumption patterns and practices are rapidly changing in Asia and the Pacific, and nowhere are these changes more striking than in urban areas. This book brings together scholars from anthropology, sociology, environmental studies, tourism, architecture and development studies to provide a comprehensive examination of food consumption trends in the cities of Asia and the Pacific, including household food consumption, eating out and food waste.The chapters cover different scales of analysis, from household research to national data, and combine different methodologies and approaches, from quantifiable data that show how much people consume to qualitative findings that reveal how and why consumption takes place in urban settings. Detailed case studies are included from China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea and Vietnam, as well as Hawai'i and Australia. The book makes a timely contribution to current debates on the challenges and opportunities for socially just and environmentally sound food consumption in urbanizing Asia and the Pacific.Chapter 3 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 3.0 license.
Food Cultures and Geographical Indications in Norway (Routledge Focus on Environment and Sustainability)
by Atle Wehn HegnesThis book analyses the implementation and challenges of using Geographical Indications in Norway. Adapting the modern and global system of Geographical Indications (GIs) to food cultures is a recurring challenge. This text uses Norway as a case study to describe, understand, and explain the socio-cultural adaptation of GIs. The empirical analysis shows that administrators, producers, consultants, and others make a significant effort to adapt the scheme to Norwegian food culture and the food culture to the scheme. Through the development and use of a new conceptual framework, the book continues to show how adaptations occurred and their influence on the development of the Norwegian food culture. The author also reflects upon the status of Norwegian GIs in emerging food cultural contexts related to sustainable and technology change. In summary, this book exhibits the connection between modern global legislative arrangements and traditional local products, providing a springboard for further research on cultural adaptation work of GIs in established and future global food cultures. This book will be of interest to researchers, policymakers, and students in agri-food studies, sociology of food and agriculture, agricultural and rural development, and cultural studies.
Food Deserts and Food Insecurity in the UK: Exploring Social Inequality (Routledge Focus on Environment and Sustainability)
by Claire Thompson Dianna SmithThis book examines the social inequalities relating to food insecurity in the UK, as well as drawing parallels with the US. Access to food in the UK, and especially access to healthy food, is a constant source of worry for many in this wealthy country. Crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have coincided with a steep rise in the cost of living, meaning household food insecurity has become a reality for many more households. This book introduces a new framework to examine the many influences on local-level food inequalities, whether they result from individual circumstances or where a person lives. The framework will allow researchers new to the field to consider the many influences on food security, and to support emerging research around different sub-topics of food access and food security. Providing a thorough background to two key concepts, food deserts and food insecurity, the book documents the transition from area-based framing of food resources, to approaches which focus on household food poverty and the rise of food banks. The book invites researchers to acknowledge and explore the ever changing range of place-based factors that shape experiences of food insecurity: from transport and employment to rural isolation and local politics. By proposing a new framework for food insecurity research and by drawing on real-world examples, this book will support academic and applied researchers as they work to understand and mitigate the impacts of food insecurity in local communities. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of food and nutrition security, public health, and sociology. It will also appeal to food policy professionals and policymakers who are working to address social inequalities and improve access to healthy and nutritious food for all.
Food Education and Gastronomic Tradition in Japan and France: Ethical and Sociological Theories (Routledge Food Studies)
by Haruka UedaDrawing on ethical and sociological theories of food, this book presents a new approach to food education that moves beyond nutrition-centred education. Food education has gained increasing scientific and political importance in many countries as a promising way to change contemporary eating. However, many practices fail to address two epistemological obstacles regarding its very components – ‘food’ and ‘education’. Food has largely been thought of from a nutritionistic viewpoint alone and the ethical issues over children’s freedom of choice and well-being have been absent. This book resolves these problems by applying ethical and sociological theories of food and analysing food education in two pioneering countries: Japan and France. The book focuses on taste education and gastronomy as two key concepts which have great potential to positively impact food education. Taste education is a promising alternative to nutrition-centred pedagogy which foregrounds the experience and pleasure of eating food, creating an environment for taste sensibility and food curiosity. From taste education, the picture can be broadened to examine the role and impact of gastronomy in food education. Examining the cultural traditions of France and Japan reveals how gastronomy can impact eating habits and food cultures and how these criteria should be an intrinsic part of food education. The book concludes by constructing an integrative theory for food education that moves beyond nutrition-centred education for the benefit of one’s well-being. This book will greatly interest students, scholars, policymakers and educators working on food education, food-related issues at the intersection between nutritional and social sciences, and ‘gastronomes’ searching for a pedagogical guide for developing their capabilities to eat in a more humanistic way.
Food Exploitation By Social Insects: Ecological, Behavioral, and Theoretical Approaches
by Stefan Jarau Michael HrncirOmnipresent in virtually all terrestrial ecosystems and of undisputed ecological and economical importance, the study of social insects is an area that continues to attract a vast number of researchers. As a consequence, a huge amount of information about their biology and ecology has accumulated. Distilling this scattered information into a highly
Food First: Selected Writings from 40 Years of Movement Building
by Tanya M Kerssen Teresa K MillerThis book looks back on forty years of writings from the Oakland-based Institute for Food and Development Policy, better known as Food First, on the occasion of its 40th anniversary. The book highlights the breadth and depth of the organization's published works, addressing issues such as hunger, international trade, US foreign policy, the Green Revolution, agroecology, climate justice, land reform, food and farm workers' rights, and food sovereignty.
Food Fix: How to Save Our Health, Our Economy, Our Communities and Our Planet – One Bite at a Time
by Mark HymanOur most powerful tool to reverse the global epidemic of chronic disease, heal the environment, reform politics, and revive economies is food. What we eat has tremendous implications not just for our waistlines, but also for the planet, society, and the global economy. What we do to our bodies, we do to the planet; and what we do to the planet, we do to our bodies.In Food Fix Mark Hyman explains how our food and agriculture policies are corrupted by money and lobbies that drive our biggest global crises: the spread of obesity and food-related chronic disease, climate change, poverty, violence, educational achievement gaps, and more. He provides solutions for citizens, businesses, and policy makers to create a healthier world, society, and planet.Pairing the latest developments in nutritional and environmental science with an unflinching look at the dark realities of the global food system and the policies that make it possible, Food Fix is a passionate call to arms that will change the way you think about - and eat - food forever.(P) 2020 Hachette Audio
Food Fix: How to Save Our Health, Our Economy, Our Communities and Our Planet – One Bite at a Time
by Mark HymanOur most powerful tool to reverse the global epidemic of chronic disease, heal the environment, reform politics, and revive economies is food. What we eat has tremendous implications not just for our waistlines, but also for the planet, society, and the global economy. What we do to our bodies, we do to the planet; and what we do to the planet, we do to our bodies.In Food Fix, New York Times best-selling author Mark Hyman explains how food and agriculture policies are corrupted by money and are driving a global crises: the spread of obesity and food-related chronic disease, climate change, poverty, violence, educational achievement gaps, and more. He provides solutions for citizens, businesses, and policy makers to create a healthier world, society, and planet.Pairing the latest developments in nutritional and environmental science with an unflinching look at the dark realities of the global food system and the policies that make it possible, Food Fix is a passionate call to arms that will change the way you think about - and eat - food forever.'If you're overwhelmed by the scale of the world's problems, and wondering what you can do in your own life to start, Food Fix is for you. Dr. Hyman deftly connects the dots between education, health, climate science, and the food we eat every day, showing that the choices we make about the food we put on our plates has consequences that ripple around the world.' - Arianna Huffington
Food Futures in Education and Society (Routledge Studies in Food, Society and the Environment)
by Angela Turner Gurpinder Singh Lalli Marion RutlandThis book brings together a unique collection of chapters to facilitate a broad discussion on food education that will stimulate readers to think about key policies, recent research, curriculum positions and how to engage with key stakeholders about the future of food. Food education has gained much attention because the challenges that influence food availability and eating in schools also extend beyond the school gate. Accordingly, this book establishes evidence-based arguments that recognise the many facets of food education, and reveal how learning through a future's lens and joined-up thinking is critical for shaping intergenerational fairness concerning food futures in education and society. This book is distinctive through its multidisciplinary collection of chapters on food education with a particular focus on the Global North, with case studies from England, Australia, the Republic of Ireland, the United States of America, Canada and Germany. With a focus on three key themes and a rigorous food futures framework, the book is structured into three sections: (i) food education, pedagogy and curriculum, (ii) knowledge and skill diversity associated with food and health learning and (iii) food education inclusivity, culture and agency. Overall, this volume extends and challenges current research and theory in the area of food education and food pedagogy and offers insight and tangible benefits for the future development of food education policies and curricula. This book will be of great interest to students, scholars, policymakers and education leaders working on food education and pedagogy, food policy, health and diet and the sociology of food.
Food Justice in American Cities: Stories of Health and Resilience (Routledge Studies in Food, Society and the Environment)
by Sabine O’HaraThis book documents food insecurity in urban communities across the United States and asks whether emerging urban food and agriculture initiatives can address the food security needs of American city dwellers. While America has sufficient food to feed its entire population, 38 million people are food insecure, with urban communities and communities of color having long borne the brunt of food inequalities. This book traces the evolving story of food by describing the people behind food system statistics, focusing on cities and suburban communities across America. In doing so, it raises questions not only about food security but about a food economy that can foster justice and sustainability and combat hunger and waste. By linking human faces to the data, the book reveals the many connections between food insecurity and unsustainable practices. The book concludes by discussing some of the pathways toward a more sustainable and just food system by linking the food system to the larger economy and the many sectors that are connected to food. Because of these multifaceted connections, food can be a unique catalyst for creating pathways toward a more just and sustainable economy that is more aligned with nature. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of food justice, food security, urban food and agriculture, urban sustainability, and sustainable food systems more broadly.
Food Loss and Waste Policy: From Theory to Practice (Routledge Studies in Food, Society and the Environment)
by Simone Busetti Noemi PaceThis book examines policy responses to food waste and loss, an issue of significant, global concern, with one-third of food produced for human consumption lost or wasted. Investigating food waste and loss under an interdisciplinary lens, the contributors employ a variety of methodological approaches, including quantitative and qualitative techniques, drawing on in-depth case studies and action research. The volume is organised into four parts: Understanding Food Loss and Waste, International Programmes, National Policies and Local Initiatives. The first part introduces the reader to the concept of food loss and waste, how it can be measured, its causes and consequences, and how it can be reduced. The second part is dedicated to international and cross-country case studies, with six chapters reviewing national policies implemented in France, Italy, Romania, Japan, China and the United States. In Part Four, three chapters are dedicated to local food recovery and redistribution initiatives. By focusing on different territories and different levels of governance, the book provides a detailed evaluation of food loss and waste policies, the barriers and opportunities of implementing the policies, as well as the impact they are actually having. The chapters are both descriptive and evaluative and draw out lessons for designing, implementing and reforming programmes. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars working on food waste, food policy, sustainable food systems, agricultural production and supply chains and public policy, as well as policymakers involved with developing and implementing programmes and policies to regulate and reduce food waste and loss.
Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating with More Than 75 Recipes
by Mark BittmanFrom the award-winning champion of culinary simplicity who gave us the bestselling How to Cook Everything and How to Cook Everything Vegetarian comes Food Matters, a plan for responsible eating that's as good for the planet as it is for your weight and your health. We are finally starting to acknowledge the threat carbon emissions pose to our ozone layer, but few people have focused on the extent to which our consumption of meat contributes to global warming. Think about it this way: In terms of energy consumption, serving a typical family-of-four steak dinner is the rough equivalent of driving around in an SUV for three hours while leaving all the lights on at home. Bittman offers a no-nonsense rundown on how government policy, big business marketing, and global economics influence what we choose to put on the table each evening. He demystifies buzzwords like "organic," "sustainable," and "local" and offers straightforward, budget-conscious advice that will help you make small changes that will shrink your carbon footprint -- and your waistline. Flexible, simple, and non-doctrinaire, the plan is based on hard science but gives you plenty of leeway to tailor your food choices to your lifestyle, schedule, and level of commitment. Bittman, a food writer who loves to eat and eats out frequently, lost thirty-five pounds and saw marked improvement in his blood levels by simply cutting meat and processed foods out of two of his three daily meals. But the simple truth, as he points out, is that as long as you eat more vegetables and whole grains, the result will be better health for you and for the world in which we live. Unlike most things that are virtuous and healthful, Bittman's plan doesn't involve sacrifice. From Spinach and Sweet Potato Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing to Breakfast Bread Pudding, the recipes in Food Matters are flavorful and sophisticated. A month's worth of meal plans shows you how Bittman chooses to eat and offers proof of how satisfying a mindful and responsible diet can be. Cheaper, healthier, and socially sound, Food Matters represents the future of American eating.
Food Not Lawns
by H. C. FloresGardening can be a political act. Creativity, fulfillment, connection, revolution-it all begins when we get our hands in the dirt. "Food Not Lawns" combines practical wisdom on ecological design and community-building with a fresh, green perspective on an age-old subject. Activist and urban gardener Heather Flores shares her nine-step permaculture design to help farmsteaders and city dwellers alike build fertile soil, promote biodiversity, and increase natural habitat in their own "paradise gardens. " But "Food Not Lawns" doesn't begin and end in the seed bed. This joyful permaculture lifestyle manual inspires readers to apply the principles of the paradise garden--simplicity, resourcefulness, creativity, mindfulness, and community-to all aspects of life. Plant "guerilla gardens" in barren intersections and medians; organize community meals; start a street theater troupe or host a local art swap; free your kitchen from refrigeration and enjoy truly fresh, nourishing foods from your own plot of land; work with children to create garden play spaces. Flores cares passionately about the damaged state of our environment and the ills of our throwaway society. In "Food Not Lawns," she shows us how to reclaim the earth one garden at a time.
Food Plants of the Sonoran Desert
by Wendy C. HodgsonThe seemingly inhospitable Sonoran Desert has provided sustenance to indigenous peoples for centuries. Although it is to all appearances a land bereft of useful plants, fully one-fifth of the desert's flora are edible. This volume presents information on nearly 540 edible plants used by people of more than fifty traditional cultures of the Sonoran Desert and peripheral areas. Drawing on thirty years of research, Wendy Hodgson has synthesized the widely scattered literature and added her own experiences to create an exhaustive catalog of desert plants and their many and varied uses. Food Plants of the Sonoran Desert includes not only plants such as gourds and legumes but also unexpected food sources such as palms, lilies, and cattails, all of which provided nutrition to desert peoples. Each species entry lists recorded names and describes indigenous uses, which often include nonfood therapeutic and commodity applications. The agave, for example, is cited for its use as food and for alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, syrup, fiber, cordage, clothing, sandals, nets, blankets, lances, fire hearths, musical instruments, hedgerows, soap, and medicine, and for ceremonial purposes. The agave entry includes information on harvesting, roasting, and consumption-and on distinguishing between edible and inedible varieties. No other source provides such a vast amount of information on traditional plant uses for this region. Written to be easily accessible to general readers, the book is an invaluable compendium for anyone interested in the desert's hidden bounty.