ENGL 1301 SO Harvey: Natural Resources

Oil, our main source of energy, underlies the world's economy. In the twentieth century its availability and relatively low price allowed for the industrial growth and development of the world's leading economies. The new rapidly developing giants, India and China, want access to the same possibilities. But today we know that cheap, easily accessible oil supplies are dwindling, and we are beginning to recognize the true cost to the world's environment of our profligate use of this form of energy.

We live in an oil-dependent world, arriving at this level of dependency in a very short space of time by treating petroleum as if it were in infinite supply. Most of us avoid thinking about what happens when oil runs out (or becomes prohibitively expensive), but The Transition Handbook shows how the inevitable and profound changes ahead can have a positive outcome. These changes can lead to the rebirth of local communities that will grow more of their own food, generate their own power, and build their own houses using local materials.

Energy in the 21st Century, in its second edition, examines the energy sources that play a vital role in society today, as well as those that may be the primary energy sources of tomorrow. From our reliance on fossil fuels to the quest for energy independence, and the environmental issues that follow each decision, this book delves into the most prominent energy issues of our time. Armed with this information, the reader can think critically about the direction they want this world to take.

. InWasted World, Rob Hengeveld reveals how a long history of human consumption has left our world drowning in waste. This is a compelling and urgent work that traces the related histories of population growth and resource consumption.

Wind power is often held up as the most accessible and cost effective route to reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and improving our energy independence, yet knowledge of what it offers is often clouded by myths and misunderstandings, which can hamper its adoption. This new book, the result of an ambitious project coordinated by the European Wind Energy Association, presents the facts about wind energy. It includes six sections discussing: technology; grid integration; economics of wind; industry and markets; environmental impacts; scenarios and targets. Contributions are drawn from nine leading research bodies across Europe, and the material is global in its scope. It is therefore an essential resource and reference for those whose work or study demands an in-depth examination of the subject, and for anyone who wants detailed, accurate and up-to-date information on this key energy source.

Also called energy scavenging, energy harvesting captures, stores, and uses "clean" energy sources by employing interfaces, storage devices, and other units. Unlike conventional electric power generation systems, renewable energy harvesting does not use fossil fuels and the generation units can be decentralized, thereby significantly reducing transmission and distribution losses. But advanced technical methods must be developed to increase the efficiency of devices in harvesting energy from environmentally friendly, "green" resources and converting them into electrical energy.

In Green Urbanism, Timothy Beatley explains what planners and local officials in the United States can learn from the sustainable city movement in Europe. The book draws from the extensive European experience, examining the progress and policies of twenty-five of the most innovative cities in eleven European countries, which Beatley researched and observed in depth during a year-long stay in the Netherlands.

Since the 1970s, citizens of the United States have worked at local and national levels to clean up polluted air and water, and many improvements have been made. Authors in this anthology consider whether or not pollution is still a serious problem today.

Essays by the noted Australian anti-nuclear activist, Helen Caldicott, on a range of issues from pollution and overpopulation to ways of remedying the current ecological crisis. Indexed, with references and notes on campaign strategies and tactics.