Overview

Poisoned for Pennies shows how the misuse of cost-benefit analysis is impeding efforts to clean up and protect our environment, especially in the case of toxic chemicals. According to Ackerman, conservatives—in elected office, in state and federal regulatory agencies, and in businesses of every size—have been able to successfully argue that environmental clean-up and protection are simply too expensive. This new book, which finds Ackerman ranging from psychological research to risk analysis to the benefits of aggressive pesticide regulation, and from mad cow disease to lead paint, will further his reputation as a thought leader in environmental protection. We can’t afford not to listen to him.

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9781597264006

Table of Contents

Reviews

This excellent book is a great tool for people fighting environmental hazards in their communities. Frank Ackerman shows us a valuable common-sense approach to capture the true costs of toxics in our society. --Lois Marie Gibbs Executive Director, Center for Health, Environment and Justice

"""A leader in environmental economics, Ackerman shows how sleights of hand and unsupported assumptions allow the health of many to be sacrificed for the profits of a few. In incisively clear prose, he makes the case for new ways of accounting in this global household that we manage for this and future generations."" --Ted Schettler, science director, Science and Environmental Health Network ""Ackerman convincingly argues that mistakes measured in dollars can often be undone, but avoidable deaths can't. I would argue that ignoring this well-researched book would be a serious mistake that can't easily be undone."" --Philippe Grandjean, Professor, University of Southern Denmark and Harvard School of Public Health ""Ackerman reveals the fallacies of cost-benefit analysis that are just as diabolical as the fallacies of risk analysis, two constructs designed to protect the bottom line by devaluing the importance of human health. Vast tonnages of toxic chemicals will continue to be dispersed throughout the biosphere, and the pandemic of endocrine driven disorders will continue to increase as long as the U.S. continues to use these criteria to determine the safety of chemicals. Ackerman builds a convincing case for precaution and prevention."" --Theo Colborn, President, The Endocrine Disruption Exchange ""This excellent book is a great tool for people fighting environmental hazards in their communities. Frank Ackerman shows us a valuable common-sense approach to capture the true costs of toxics in our society."" --Lois Marie Gibbs, Executive Director, Center for Health, Environment and Justice"

Ackerman reveals the fallacies of cost-benefit analysis that are just as diabolical as the fallacies of risk analysis, two constructs designed to protect the bottom line by devaluing the importance of human health. Vast tonnages of toxic chemicals will continue to be dispersed throughout the biosphere, and the pandemic of endocrine driven disorders will continue to increase as long as the U.S. continues to use these criteria to determine the safety of chemicals. Ackerman builds a convincing case for precaution and prevention. --Theo Colborn President, The Endocrine Disruption Exchange Ackerman convincingly argues that mistakes measured in dollars can often be undone, but avoidable deaths can't. I would argue that ignoring this well-researched book would be a serious mistake that can't easily be undone. --Philippe Grandjean Professor, University of Southern Denmark and Harvard School of Public Health A leader in environmental economics, Ackerman shows how sleights of hand and unsupported assumptions allow the health of many to be sacrificed for the profits of a few. In incisively clear prose, he makes the case for new ways of accounting in this global household that we manage for this and future generations. --Ted Schettler science director, Science and Environmental Health Network This excellent book is a great tool for people fighting environmental hazards in their communities. Frank Ackerman shows us a valuable common-sense approach to capture the true costs of toxics in our society. --Lois Marie Gibbs Executive Director, Center for Health, Environment and Justice

A leader in environmental economics, Ackerman shows how sleights of hand and unsupported assumptions allow the health of many to be sacrificed for the profits of a few. In incisively clear prose, he makes the case for new ways of accounting in this global household that we manage for this and future generations. --Ted Schettler, science director, Science and Environmental Health Network Ackerman convincingly argues that mistakes measured in dollars can often be undone, but avoidable deaths can't. I would argue that ignoring this well-researched book would be a serious mistake that can't easily be undone. --Philippe Grandjean, Professor, University of Southern Denmark and Harvard School of Public Health Ackerman reveals the fallacies of cost-benefit analysis that are just as diabolical as the fallacies of risk analysis, two constructs designed to protect the bottom line by devaluing the importance of human health. Vast tonnages of toxic chemicals will continue to be dispersed throughout the biosphere, and the pandemic of endocrine driven disorders will continue to increase as long as the U.S. continues to use these criteria to determine the safety of chemicals. Ackerman builds a convincing case for precaution and prevention. --Theo Colborn, President, The Endocrine Disruption Exchange This excellent book is a great tool for people fighting environmental hazards in their communities. Frank Ackerman shows us a valuable common-sense approach to capture the true costs of toxics in our society. --Lois Marie Gibbs, Executive Director, Center for Health, Environment and Justice

Author Information

Frank Ackerman is the director of the Research and Policy Program at the Global Development and the Environment Institute at Tufts University. He is the author of Why Do We Recycle? (Island Press) and Priceless: On Knowing the Price of Everything and the Value of Nothing (with Lisa Heinzerling). He has conducted research for many environmental groups, including Greenpeace, Riverkeeper, and the Farmworker Justice Fund.

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