Overview

The environment inflames passions in people on all points of the political spectrum. Controversies over such issues as the rise of cancer in industrialized countries, climate change, and urban sprawl have skyrocketed as we recognize the impact that humans have on the environment. Many people become immersed in these controversies at a local level before they know much about the topic - the nuances of many environmental conflicts are often overlooked as the media focuses on the adversarial nature of the conflict. This reference resource provides students, teachers, librarians, and citizens as a whole with the necessary first step in understanding these hot-button issues. Each entry identifies the issue involved, who was holding various points of view or positions, where and when the conflict occurred, and explains the cultural, social, and political context and dimensions of the conflict. Battleground: Environment provides in-depth analysis of over 100 of the most controversial topics involving the environment, including childhood asthma, the Kyoto Summit and Treaty, smart growth, the Three Gorges Dam in China, and genetically modified food. Entries include descriptions of public policies and discussions of the future of the controversy. Each entry concludes with cross references and a short, relevant bibliography suitable for student research. The resource includes numerous sidebars that discuss in detail particular local controversies that illuminate the complexity of the topics discussed.

Full Product Details

9780313338656

Table of Contents

Reviews

[O]ffers more than 100 A-to-Z entries on various controversial environmental topics, with a table of contents and a guide to related topics to aid discovery. The entires are concise, between two to four pages long, but they are informative, offering contextual and historical overviews, legal background, examples of local incidents and events, and projections. Also included at the end of each entry is a list of web resources, suggestions for further reading, and other suggested entries of interest....The main advantage of this set over others is its strong focus on and description of policy and legal issues. It provides a basic and impartial overview for students new to these topics. Recommended for larger high school libraries, public libraries, and college and university libraries serving lower-division undergraduates. -Library Journal

<p> This two-volume reference covers in a very down to earth way some of the most interesting and controversial environmental topics...this insightful, easy-to-read reference set is a great starting point for the consumer, student, and teacher who wishes to understand any of over 100 of the hot topic environmental issues that face us now and will continue to impact us in the future. This set is recommended for high school libraries, public libraries, and academic libraries. - <p>ARBA

Author Information

ROBERT WILLIAM COLLIN is a scholar in law, urban planning, and social work. He is currently the Senior Research Scholar at Willamette University and adjunct Professor of Law there, and at Lewis and Clark Law School. He has taught Environmental Studies at the University of Oregon, the University of Virginia, Cambridge University in England, and Auckland University in New Zealand. He is the author of The Environmental Protection Agency (Greenwood, 2005).

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