Résultats de recherche de titre
Articles 4841 à 4860 sur 9880
Bitten: My Unexpected Love Affair with Florida
Par Andrew Furman. 2014
When Andrew Furman left the rolling hills of Pennsylvania behind for a new job in Florida, he feared the worst.…
While he’d heard much of the fabled “southern charm,” he wondered what could possibly be charming about fist-sized mosquitoes, oppressive humidity, and ever-lurking alligators.It wasn’t long before he began to notice that the real Florida right outside his office window was very different from the stereotypes portrayed in movies, television, and even state-promoted tourism advertisements. In Bitten, Furman shares his amazement at the beautiful and the bizarre of his adopted state. Over seventeen years, he and his family have shed their Yankee sensibilities and awakened to the terra incognita of their new home.As he learns to fish for snook—a wily fish that inhabits, among other areas, the concrete-lined canals that crisscross the state—and seeks out the state’s oldest live oak, a behemoth that pre-dates Columbus, Furman realizes that falling in love with Florida is a fun and sometimes humbling process of discovery. Each chapter highlights a fascinating aspect of his journey into the natural environment he once avoided, from snail kites to lizards and cassia to coontie.Sharing his attempts at night fishing, growing native plants, birding, and hiking the Everglades, Furman will inspire you to explore the real Florida. And, if you aren’t lucky enough to reside in the Sunshine State, he’ll at least convince you to unplug for an hour or two and enjoy the natural beauty of wherever it is you call home.Of all the Homeland Security agencies operating in New Orleans before, during, and after Hurricane Katrina’s landfall, no agency performed…
its duties with the same level of diligence and heroism as did the U.S. Coast Guard. Tirelessly, Coasties in helicopters and small boats pulled survivors from rooftops, floating debris, and high ground and ferried them to safety as the rest of us watched live on CNN.Only a few days later, disaster struck again in the form of Hurricane Rita, which left even more people in desperate need of rescue and assistance. In the aftermath of the storms, some 5,000 Coast Guard personnel rescued 33,735 individuals--six times more than the annual average number rescued by the service nationwide. Then, unobserved by the media, the Coast Guard successfully restored the vital navigation aids in the region, preventing further death and destruction.In Katrina’s Wake presents a riveting account of the astounding operations undertaken by the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard in the aftermath of one of the worst natural disasters ever to strike America. While other government agencies struggled to mobilize and failed to provide real solutions, one small, decentralized agency stepped forward and performed above and beyond the call of duty.Category 5: The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane
Par Thomas Neil Knowles. 2009
In the midst of the Great Depression, a furious storm struck the Florida Keys with devastating force. With winds estimated…
at over 225 miles per hour, it was the first recorded Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States.Striking at a time before storms were named, the catastrophic tropical cyclone became known as the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane, and its aftermath was felt all the way to Washington, D.C. In the hardest hit area of the Florida Keys, three out of every five residents were killed, while hundreds of World War I veterans sent there by the federal government perished.By sifting through overlooked official records and interviewing survivors and the relatives of victims, Thomas Knowles pieces together this dramatic story, moment by horrifying moment. He explains what daily life was like on the Keys, why the veteran work force was there (and relatively unprotected), the state of weather forecasting at the time, the activities of the media covering the disaster, and the actions of government agencies in the face of severe criticism over their response to the disaster.The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 remains one of the most intense to strike America's shores. Category 5 is a sobering reminder that even with modern meteorological tools and emergency management systems, a similar storm could cause even more death and destruction today.Uncultivated: Wild Apples, Real Cider, and the Complicated Art of Making a Living
Par Andy Brennan. 2019
Today, food is being reconsidered. It’s a front-and-center topic in everything from politics to art, from science to economics. We…
know now that leaving food to government and industry specialists was one of the twentieth century’s greatest mistakes. The question is where do we go from here. Author Andy Brennan describes uncultivation as a process: It involves exploring the wild; recognizing that much of nature is omitted from our conventional ways of seeing and doing things (our cultivations); and realizing the advantages to embracing what we’ve somehow forgotten or ignored. For most of us this process can be difficult, like swimming against the strong current of our modern culture. The hero of this book is the wild apple. Uncultivated follows Brennan’s twenty-four-year history with naturalized trees and shows how they have guided him toward successes in agriculture, in the art of cider making, and in creating a small-farm business. The book contains useful information relevant to those particular fields, but is designed to connect the wild to a far greater audience, skillfully blending cultural criticism with a food activist’s agenda. Apples rank among the most manipulated crops in the world, because not only do farmers want perfect fruit, they also assume the health of the tree depends on human intervention. Yet wild trees live all around us, and left to their own devices, they achieve different forms of success that modernity fails to apprehend. Andy Brennan learned of the health and taste advantages of such trees, and by emulating nature in his orchard (and in his cider) he has also enjoyed environmental and financial benefits. None of this would be possible by following today’s prevailing winds of apple cultivation. In all fields, our cultural perspective is limited by a parallel proclivity. It’s not just agriculture: we all must fight tendencies toward specialization, efficiency, linear thought, and predetermined growth. We have cultivated those tendencies at the exclusion of nature’s full range. If Uncultivated is about faith in nature, and the power it has to deliver us from our own mistakes, then wild apple trees have already shown us the way.On the Marsh: A Year Surrounded by Wildness and Wet
Par Simon Barnes. 2019
How the rewilding of eight acres of Norfolk marshland inspired a family and brought nature even closer to home. When…
writer Simon Barnes heard a Cetti's warbler sing out as he turned up to look at a house for sale, he knew immediately that he had found his new home. The fact that his garden backed onto an area of marshy land only increased the possibilities, but there was always the fear that it might end up in the wrong hands and be lost to development or intensive farming. His wife saw through the delicate negotiations for the purchase. Once they'd bought it, they began to manage it as a conservation area, working with the Wildlife Trust to ensure it became as appealing as possible to all species. For their son Eddie, who has Down's syndrome, it became a place of calm and inspiration. In On The Marsh, we see how nature can always bring surprises, and share in the triumphs as new animals - Chinese water deer, otters and hedgehogs - arrive, and watch as the number of species of bird tops 100 and keeps on growing. As the seasons go by, there are moments of triumph when not one but two marsh harrier families use the marsh as a hunting ground, but also disappointments as chemical run-off from neighbouring farmland creates a nettles monoculture in newly turned earth. For anyone who enjoyed books such as Meadowland, or the writing of Stephen Moss, Roger Deakin or Adam Nicolson, this is a vivid and beautifully written account of the wonders that can sometimes be found on our doorsteps, and how nature can transform us all.Animality in British Romanticism: The Aesthetics of Species (Routledge Studies in Romanticism)
Par Peter Heymans. 2012
The scientific, political, and industrial revolutions of the Romantic period transformed the status of humans and redefined the concept of…
species. This book examines literary representations of human and non-human animality in British Romanticism. The book’s novel approach focuses on the role of aesthetic taste in the Romantic understanding of the animal. Concentrating on the discourses of the sublime, the beautiful, and the ugly, Heymans argues that the Romantics’ aesthetic views of animality influenced—and were influenced by—their moral, scientific, political, and theological judgment. The study reveals how feelings of environmental alienation and disgust played a positive moral role in animal rights poetry, why ugliness presented such a major problem for Romantic-period scientists and theologians, and how, in political writings, the violent yet awe-inspiring power of exotic species came to symbolize the beauty and terror of the French Revolution. Linking the works of Wordsworth, Blake, Coleridge, Byron, the Shelleys, Erasmus Darwin, and William Paley to the theories of Immanuel Kant and Edmund Burke, this book brings an original perspective to the fields of ecocriticism, animal studies, and literature and science studies.Arctic Plants of Svalbard: What We Learn From the Green in the Treeless White World
Par Yoo Kyung Lee. 2020
The Arctic is a special world. The Arctic Ocean is covered by white sea ice, and its margins are surrounded…
by bare terrestrial regions, known as tundra. Tundra is a cold and dry environment without trees, but even in the absence of trees, tundra plants such as dwarf shrubs, grasses, herbs and moss support the harsh environment by providing sustenance and shelter. This book introduces representative arctic plants and their function in Svalbard, revealing the unique tundra ecosystem, and discussing the direct and indirect effects of climate change in the Arctic.Geoinformatics for Sustainable Development in Asian Cities (Springer Geography)
Par Sathaporn Monprapussorn, Zhaohui Lin, Asamaporn Sitthi, Parichat Wetchayont. 2020
This proceedings volume focuses on the importance and power of spatial thinking and planning, especially by applying geospatial technologies in…
solving the past and current global problems such as environmental degradation, urban pollution, climate change, agricultural management and epidemiology.The proceedings of the International Conference on Geography and Geoinformatics for Sustainable Development 2018 (ICGGS 2018) consist of a wide range of case studies from developing countries. The contributions address challenges of developing countries in mainstreaming sustainable development paradigm into their economy with the aim to improve and manage natural resources and environment in a sustainable manner. One of the main goals of the conference and the proceedings is to share and exchange different perspectives on global, regional and local spatial issues and how the concept of spatial planning and thinking can be used in building resilience to natural and anthropogenic threats in many sectors (such as water, ecosystem, agriculture and health). This includes a summary of how the key concepts of geospatial technologies could contribute to environmental sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as an outlook on challenges and opportunities for sustainable development. This book explains how geoinformatics can help analyse, model and explain sustainable development within a geographic context and thus provide the integrative framework necessary for global collaboration consensus and evidence-based decision-making. It highlights the vital and integrative role of geospatial information in driving sustainable development and thus can be used as a tool to put the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development into practice. This volume can be a useful resource for readers regarding research on geospatial issues on both the regional and local scale. Both undergraduate and graduate students around the globe can advance their academic and research knowledge of past and present environmental problems and learn how geospatial planning can be applied for sustainable development. It also appeals to researchers, academics, practitioners, community developers and policy makers interested in promoting sustainable development.This book presents a comprehensive survey about the most recent developments in industrial applications, processing techniques and modifications of polymers…
from marine sources. It systematically introduces the reader to the biomaterials Chitin, Collagen, Alginates, Cellulose and Polyesters and links their interwoven industrial significance and environmental implications. The book elucidates the impact of industrial sourcing of the aquatic system for organic and inorganic matter on the environment and deepens the understanding of the industrial and economic significance of aquatic biopolymers. Further it addresses the question of how to balance the conservation of aquatic life and the industrial and economic interest in developing biodegradable alternatives for plastic. Thus the book will appeal to scientists in the field of chemistry, materials and polymer science as well as engineering.Green Heroes: From Buddha to Leonardo DiCaprio
Par László Erdős. 2019
This book provides an introduction into the diversity of the environmental movement through great characters in the green sector. The…
book describes inspiring personal achievements, and at the same time it provides readers with information regarding the history, the main directions and the ethical principles of the environmental movement. Some of the most important characters of the movement from all around the world, are included in the book. As well as the title characters, Buddha and Leonardo DiCaprio, other famous environmentalists like Albert Schweitzer, David Attenborough and Jane Goodall are discussed. Some of the less well-known but equally important environmentalists such as Chico Mendes, Bruno Manser, Henry Spira, Tom Regan or Rossano Ercolini are highlighted in the various chapters. The selection of characters represents all major branches within the green sector, ranging from medieval saints to Hollywood celebrities, from university professors to field activists, from politicians to philosophers, from ecofeminists to radicals.The Illustrated History of the Elements: Earth, Water, Air, Fire
Par Jan Kozák, Roger M. Musson. 2020
This beautiful art book portrays the forces of nature through the main elements of Earth, Water, Air, Fire. It is…
composed from a large selection of unique images of a wide variety of sources, mostly private collections. It is a highly illustrated book, containing reproductions of rare engravings, maps both old and new, sketches, and diagrams. The book is a sequel to ‘The Illustrated History of Natural Disasters’, published in 2010. While the first book provided a detailed look into two main kinds of natural disasters (of seismic and volcanic character), this volume presents natural disasters of all kinds: geophysical, hydrological, climatological and biological. The book is divided into three parts: the first part introduces the leading question as to whether the elements should be regarded as constructive, for giving origin to life on Earth, or destructive given the impact of natural disasters to society throughout history; the second illustrates the positive effects of nature’s elements; and the third part depicts and contextualizes the history of natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcano eruptions, landslides, avalanches, draughts, storms, fires, among others.The European Landing Obligation: Reducing Discards in Complex, Multi-Species and Multi-Jurisdictional Fisheries
Par Sven Sebastian Uhlmann, Clara Ulrich, Steven J. Kennelly. 2019
This open access book provides a comprehensive examination of the European Landing Obligation policy from many relevant perspectives. It includes…
evaluations of its impacts at economical, socio-cultural, ecological and institutional levels. It also discusses the feasibility and benefits of several potential mitigation strategies. The book was timely published, exactly at the time where the Landing Obligation was planned to be fully implemented. This book is of significant interest to all stakeholders involved, but also to the general public of Europe and to other jurisdictions throughout the world that are also searching for ways to deal with by-catch and discard issues.Green Growth That Works: Natural Capital Policy and Finance Mechanisms from Around the World
Par Gretchen Daily, Lisa Mandle, Zhiyun Ouyang, James E. Salzman. 2019
Rapid economic development has been a boon to human well‑being, but comes at a significant cost to the fertile soils,…
forests, coastal marshes, and farmland that support all life on earth. If ecosystems collapse, so eventually will human civilization. One solution is inclusive green growth—the efficient use of natural resources. Its genius lies in working with nature rather than against it. Green Growth That Works is the first practical guide to bring together pragmatic finance and policy tools that can make investment in natural capital both attractive and commonplace. Pioneered by leading scholars from the Natural Capital Project, this valuable compendium of proven techniques can guide agencies and organizations eager to make green growth work anywhere in the world.Forests Adrift: Currents Shaping the Future of Northeastern Trees (The Future Series)
Par Charles D. Canham. 2020
A captivating analysis of the past, present, and future of northeastern forests and the forces that have shaped them The…
northeastern United States is one of the most densely forested regions in the country, yet its history of growth, destruction, and renewal are for the most part poorly understood—even by specialists. In this engaging look at both the impermanence and the resilience of the northeastern forest ecosystems, Charles D. Canham provides a synthesis of modern ecological research and explores critical threats that include logging, fire suppression, disease, air pollution, invasive species, and climate change. Providing a historical perspective on how northeastern forests have changed since the arrival of European settlers, Canham also utilizes new theoretical models to predict how these ecosystems will change and adapt to an uncertain future. This is an informed and accessible investigation of an endangered natural landscape that examines the ramifications of the scientific controversies and ethical dilemmas shaping the future of northeastern forests.101 Amazing Uses for Aloe Vera (101 Amazing Uses)
Par Susan Branson. 2020
Aloe vera isn't just for sunburns! The familiar gel from aloe vera plants has amazing antimicrobial and antibacterial properties that…
stretch far beyond skincare. From managing diabetes and fighting viruses to stimulating the immune system and preventing tumor growth, aloe vera is a miracle plant! Mahatma Gandhi even credited aloe vera with helping him maintain his strength through long periods of fasting!Millions of people are turning away from the harsh effects of modern solutions and back to the gentle but powerful benefits of nature&’s oldest remedies. In her 101 Amazing Uses series, Susan Branson, a holistic nutritional consultant, expertly outlines 101 incredible uses for aloe vera, apple cider vinegar, ginger, essential oils, and more. Each book is divided into tabbed sections filled with a total of 101 easy-to-read, bite-sized benefits for everything from health to beauty to household cleaning. Promote healthy skin, reduce stress, boost your metabolism, tenderize meat, and more with these simple, accessible, natural solutions.Thoreau at Walden (The Center for Cartoon Studies Presents)
Par John Porcellino. 2018
"I am convinced, both by faith and experience, that to maintain one's self on this earth is not a hardship,…
but a pastime, if we will live simply and wisely." So said Henry David Thoreau in 1845 when he began his famous experiment of living by Walden Pond. In this graphic masterpiece, John Porcellino uses only the words of Thoreau himself to tell the story of those two years off the beaten track. The pared-down text focuses on Thoreau's most profound ideas, and Porcellino's fresh, simple pictures bring the philosopher's sojourn at Walden to cinematic life. For readers who know Walden intimately, this graphic treatment will provide a vivid new interpretation of Thoreau's story. For those who have never read (or never completed!) the original, it presents a contemporary look at a few brave words to live by.A Philosophical View of the Ocean and Humanity (Springerbriefs In Environmental Science Ser.)
Par Anders Omstedt. 2020
This book is about the ocean and about the future. It is written in two modes, a concerned analytical scientific…
mode and an intuitive artistic mode in which the ocean is given a voice. The disconnect in the relationship between human dependency on and feelings about the ocean is examined in a dialogue between these two modes. The book illustrates how science and the arts can be connected to increase our awareness of the state of the ocean and support behavioural change. This book is intended for everyone who would like to contribute to the sustainable use of the ocean. Includes forewords by Alice Newton, University of Algarve, Portugal and Martin Visbeck, GEOMAR, Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany.Beauty or Statistics: Practice and Science in Dutch Livestock Breeding, 1900–2000
Par Bert Theunissen. 2020
In the 1970s, scientists claimed that farm animal breeding was finally evolving from an art into a science. In their…
view, the switch to scientific breeding was as inevitable as the ongoing process of agricultural modernization. However, the art-to-science scenario is too simplistic to do justice to the complex dynamic that characterized the transformation of the field. The livestock breeds that take centre stage in this book – dairy cattle, chickens, pigs, sheep, and horses – were products of the twentieth century. The methods used by breeders to improve their animals, however, were much older. Tracing the history of practical stockbreeding, the role of Mendelism in scientific breeding, and the emergence of quantitative genetics, Beauty or Statistics shows that the story of the scientific modernization of livestock breeding can be more fruitfully analyzed from the perspective of changing cultures of breeding, taking practical, commercial, normative, and aesthetic considerations into account.Aliens Among Us: Extraordinary Portraits Of Ordinary Bugs
Par Daniel Kariko. 2020
With more than sixty stunning photographs of pillbugs, silverfish, moths, and other household insects, Aliens Among Us depicts a hidden…
world flourishing in our homes. Over the course of his photography career, Daniel Kariko came to realize that many of his most stunning subjects could be found in his own subdivision in Greenville, North Carolina. Determined to show the rest of us that his experience is hardly unusual, Kariko utilizes a combination of a Scanning Electron Microscope and optical Stereo Microscope to achieve a portrait-like effect for insects and arthropods. Vibrant in color and surprising in personality, these images reveal such details as the glittering eyes of a horsefly, the strong legs of a centipede, and the fetching smile of a honeybee. Each photograph comes equipped with a full-body illustration from artist Isaac Talley, and fascinating character descriptions from entomologist Tim Christensen. Deftly blurring the lines of art and science, Aliens Among Us is the perfect guidebook for anyone interested in putting a face to the creepers under the couch.Reef Life: An Underwater Memoir
Par Callum Roberts. 2019
A hugely affecting memoir by the world's leading coral reef scientist, revealing the thrill of diving and the vital science…
and story of these majestic reefs. How did one of the world’s preeminent marine conservation scientists fall in love with coral reefs? We first meet Callum as a young student who had never been abroad, spending a summer helping to map the unknown reefs of Saudi Arabia. From that moment, when Callum first cleared his goggles, he never looked back. He went on to survey Sharm al-Sheikh, and from there he would dive into the deep in the name of research all over the world, from Australia’s imperiled Great Barrier Reef to the hardier reefs of the Caribbean. Reef Life is filled with astonishing stories of adventure and the natural world, which are by turns lyrical and laced with a wonderful wry humor. Callum illuminates the science of our oceans and reefs and his book, combined with the stunning photographs from Alex Mustard, will also commit readers to support Callum’s goal to preserve 10 percent of the world’s oceans.