The United States is among the wealthiest nations in the world, but it is far from the healthiest. Although life expectancy and survival rates in the United States have improved dramatically over the past century, Americans live shorter lives and experience more injuries and illnesses than people in other high-income countries. The U.S. health disadvantage cannot be attributed solely to the adverse health status of racial or ethnic minorities or poor people: even highly advantaged Americans are in worse health than their counterparts in other, "peer" countries. In light of the new and growing evidence about the U.S. health disadvantage, the National Institutes of Health asked the National Research Council (NRC) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to convene a panel of experts to study the issue. The Panel on Understanding Cross-National Health Differences Among High-Income Countries examined whether the U.S. health disadvantage exists across the life span, considered potential explanations, and assessed the larger implications of the findings. U.S. Health in International Perspective presents detailed evidence on the issue, explores the possible explanations for the shorter and less healthy lives of Americans than those of people in comparable countries, and recommends actions by both government and nongovernment agencies and organizations to address the U.S. health disadvantage.

"This book is a guide to environmental laws and liability issues that arise in real estate and commercial transactions"--

World Seas: An Environmental Evaluation, Second Edition, Volume Three: Ecological Issues and Environmental Impacts covers global issues relating to our seas, including a biological description of the coast and continental shelf waters, the development and use of the coast, landfills and their effects, pollutant discharges over time, the effects of over-fishing, and the management methods and techniques used to ensure continued ecosystem functioning. The relative importance of water-borne and airborne routes differ in different parts of the world is explored, along with extensive coverage of major habitats and species groups, governmental, education and legal issues, fisheries effects, remote sensing, climate change and management. This book is an invaluable, worldwide reference source for students and researchers concerned with marine environmental science, fisheries, oceanography and engineering and coastal zone development. Provides scientific reviews of regional issues, empowering managers and policymakers to make progress in under-resourced countries and regions Covers environmental issues arising from the human use of both the sea and its watershed Presents informed commentary on major trends, problems and successes, and recommendations for the future

Lectures delivered by the author on various facets of Indian environment.

The prevailing global environmental crisis is primarily because of non-standardized parameters for environmental regulation. Unplanned expansion of economic activities, consideration for environmental conservation and several associated problems are emerging due to degradation in quality of ambient environment such as clean air, safe drinking water and quality of food, particularly in developing nations. Due to poor/casual execution of EIA protocol, newly developing countries are preferred destination for establishing pollution emitting industries, which results in degradation and depletion of natural resources. Lack of environmental policy intervention is another major attraction for establishing such industries in these nations. In order to ensure sustainable development, the highest priority issues include the monitoring and eradication of environmental problems which arise due to economic development. Initiation of any form of economic development primarily results in loss of forests and thus biodiversity, followed by deterioration in quality of air and contamination of natural resources. The worst impact of non-standardized economic development is the contamination of air, water and soil. Sustainable development ensures responsible interface with the environment to minimize the depletion or degradation of natural resources and ensure long term environmental quality. It involves integrated approaches in understanding the importance of environmental management systems and policy inventions leading to improved environmental performance. The present book is proposed to address the environmental concerns associated with economic development and approaches involved to attain sustainable economic development, which include monitoring of the quality of air, deforestation, quality of water resources, soil erosion and degradation of the natural environment.

Assessing and Measuring Environmental Impact and Sustainability answers the question “what are the available methodologies to assess the environmental sustainability of a product, system or process?” Multiple well-known authors share their expertise in order to give a broad perspective of this issue from a chemical and environmental engineering perspective. This mathematical, quantitative book includes many case studies to assist with the practical application of environmental and sustainability methods. Readers learn how to efficiently assess and use these methods. This book summarizes all relevant environmental methodologies to assess the sustainability of a product and tools, in order to develop more green products or processes. With life cycle assessment as its main methodology, this book speaks to engineers interested in environmental impact and sustainability. Helps engineers to assess, evaluate, and measure sustainability in industry Provides workable approaches to environmental and sustainability assessment Readers learn tools to assess the sustainability of a process or product and to design it in an environmentally friendly way

The International Conference on Environment: Survival and Sustainability, held at the Near East University, Nicosia, Northern Cyprus 19-24 February 2007, dealt with environmental threats and proposed solutions at all scales. The 21 themes addressed by the conference fell into four broad categories; Threats to Survival and Sustainability; Technological Advances towards Survival and Sustainability; Activities and Tools for Social Change; Defining Goals for Sustainable Societies. Activities and tools that move the society towards greater sustainability were emphasized at the conference. These included environmental law and ethics, environmental knowledge, technology and information systems, media, environmental awareness, education and lifelong learning, the use of literature for environmental awareness, the green factor in politics, international relations and environmental organizations. The breadth of the issues addressed at the conference made clear the need for greatly increased interdisciplinary and international collaboration the survival and sustainability concept. The exchanges at the conference represent a step in this direction.

Genetic-based animal biotechnology has produced new food and pharmaceutical products and promises many more advances to benefit humankind. These exciting prospects are accompanied by considerable unease, however, about matters such as safety and ethics. This book identifies science-based and policy-related concerns about animal biotechnologyâ€"key issues that must be resolved before the new breakthroughs can reach their potential. The book includes a short history of the field and provides understandable definitions of terms like cloning. Looking at technologies on the near horizon, the authors discuss what we know and what we fear about their effectsâ€"the inadvertent release of dangerous microorganisms, the safety of products derived from biotechnology, the impact of genetically engineered animals on their environment. In addition to these concerns, the book explores animal welfare concerns, and our societal and institutional capacity to manage and regulate the technology and its products. This accessible volume will be important to everyone interested in the implications of the use of animal biotechnology.

Emerging Contaminants in the Environment: Challenges and Sustainable Practices covers all aspects of emerging contaminants in the environment, from basic understanding to different types of emerging contaminants and how these threaten organisms, their environmental fate studies, detection methods, and sustainable practices of dealing with contaminants. Emerging contaminant remediation is a pressing need due to the ever-increasing pollution in the environment, and it has gained a lot of scientific and public attention due to its high effectiveness and sustainability. The discussions in the book on the bioremediation of these contaminants are covered from the perspective of proven technologies and practices through case studies and real-world data. One of the main benefits of this book is that it summarizes future challenges and sustainable solutions. It can, therefore, become an effective guide to the elimination (through sustainable practices) of emerging contaminants. At the back of these explorations on sustainable bioremediation of emerging contaminants lies the set of 17 goals articulated by the United Nations in its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all its member states. This book provides academics, researchers, students, and practitioners interested in the detection and elimination of emerging contaminants from the environment, with the latest advances by leading experts in emerging contaminants the field of environmental sciences. - Covers most aspects of the most predominant emerging contaminants in the environment, including in soil, air, and water - Describes the occurrence of these contaminants, the problems they cause, and the sustainable practices to deal with the contaminants - Includes data from case studies to provide real-world examples of sustainable practices and emerging contaminant remediation

The current global environmental crisis is primarily the result of non-standardized parameters for environmental regulation, and is impacting e.g. clean air, safe drinking water and the quality of food, particularly in developing nations. Due to their poor/lax execution of EIA protocols, newly developing countries are preferred destinations for establishing pollution-emitting industries, which results in the degradation and depletion of their natural resources. Lack of environmental policy intervention is another major incentive to base “dirty” industries in these nations. In order to ensure sustainable development, the highest-priority issues include the monitoring and eradication of environmental problems stemming from economic development; virtually every form of economic development primarily results in the loss of forests and thus biodiversity, followed by declining air quality and the contamination of natural resources. Sustainable development ensures responsible interactions with the environment, so as to minimize the depletion or degradation of natural resources and preserve environmental quality. It involves integrated approaches to understanding the importance of environmental management systems and policy measures that lead to improved environmental performance. This book addresses the environmental concerns associated with economic development, and with approaches to attaining sustainable economic development, which include monitoring the quality of water resources, soil erosion and degradation of the natural environment.