Human influences create both environmental problems and barriers to effective policy aimed at addressing those problems. In effect, environmental managers manage people as much as they manage the environment. Therefore, they must gain an understanding of the psychological and sociopolitical dimensions of environmental problems that they are attempting to resolve. In Environmental Problem Solving, Alan Miller reappraises conventional analyses of environmental problems using lessons from the psychosocial disciplines. He combines the disciplines of ecology, political sociology and psychology to produce a more adaptive approach to problem-solving that is specifically geared toward the environmetal field. Numerous case studies demonstrate the practical application of theory in a way that is useful to technical and scientific professionals as well as to policy makers and planners. Alan Miller is Professor of Psychology at the University of New Brunswick.

This volume explores how the scientific tools of ecology can be used more effectively in dealing with a variety of complex environmental problems. Part I discusses the usefulness of such ecological knowledge as population dynamics and interactions, community ecology, life histories, and the impact of various materials and energy sources on the environment. Part II contains 13 original and instructive case studies pertaining to the biological side of environmental problems, which Nature described as "carefully chosen and extremely interesting."

The aim of this book is to encourage integration of the natural and social sciences with the policy and design-making community, and thereby develop a deeper understanding of complex environmental problems. Its fundamental themes are:• integrated modeling and assessment • complex, adaptive, hierarchical systems • ecosystem services • science and decision-making • ecosystem health and human health • quality of life and the distribution of wealth and resources.This book will act as a state of the art assessment of integrated environmental science and its relation to real world problem solving. It is aimed not only at the academic community, but also as a sourcebook for managers, policy makers, and the informed public. It deals both with the state of the science and the level of consensus among scientists on key environmental issues. The concepts underlying this book were developed at the 2nd EcoSummit workshop held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, June, 2000, with active participation from all delegates, and attempts to present their collective view.

This book offers a variety of exciting techniques for approaching contemporary environmental problems, such as 'What was the pH of rainfall before the Industrial Revolution?'

The main subject division of this book include the theory of Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy; measurement and standardization of diffuse reflectance; instrumentation; application to color measurement and physical, inorganic, and organic chemistry; and applications in chromatographic analysis.While the use of reflectance spectroscopy dates from the 1920s, it has only been in the last decade that its analytical potential has been developed. Interestingly, much of the early research involved industrial uses where measurement of color was required. The development and acceptance of thin-layer chromatography has opened up new areas of analysis for the application of this technique.It is not the purpose of this book to delve deeply into the theoretical aspects of reflectance spectroscopy, as this book has already been done in several previous books. Insofar as it is possible, this book is an up-to-date guide to instruments and techniques intended primarily for the chemical analyst, though it is hoped that it may contain information of interest to other scientists. The potential for the application of this technique is great and the authors feel confident that the coming decade will see many interesting developments in this type of spectroscopy study, particularly in the field of analysis.

The idea for Eco-Pioneers came to Steve Lerner while he was attending the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Although he was moved by the vision of sustainable development evoked by citizens and officials at the summit, as a reporter he felt a need to put a human face on the rhetoric and find out what sustainable development actually looks like in the United States. He spent the next four years searching out what he came to call "eco-pioneers"—the modern pathfinders who are working in the American pragmatic tradition to reduce the pace of environmental degradation. These practical visionaries are people who are willing to push the limits of whatever tools they can find for dealing with ecological problems. Lerner provides case studies of eco-pioneers who are exploring sustainable ways to log forests, grow food, save plant species, run cattle, build houses, clean up cities, redesign rural communities, generate power, conserve water, protect rivers and wildlife, treat hazardous waste, reuse materials, and reduce both waste and consumption. Some of those profiled run businesses, some address environmental practices within their immediate community, and some combine their environmental concerns with social goals such as the creation of inner-city jobs. Together they are creating ways of living and working that many analysts believe to be essential to an ecologically sustainable future.

This book uses real problems in environmental sciencerather than relying on the more traditional "cookbook" problems foundin textbooks.

Most books on environment law focus on the law first, and then look at how environmental problems are dealt with in relation to the law. Taking a fresh approach, Environmental Law from the Policy Perspective: Understanding How Legal Frameworks Influence Environmental Problem Solving examines environmental problems first, followed by an examination of legal frameworks and how they impact environmental issues. This approach provides a clearer understanding of the relationship between the law and environment by examining environmental issues from an applied perspective. By first focusing on environmental problems without constraining the analysis to a particular legal framework, this book fosters a more holistic discussion of environmental issues that include scientific, social, economic, and political contexts. It examines how laws affect the adaptation of policy, how policy is legitimized into statutory law, and how the law is impacted in practice. The text then underscores how interpretation of the law affects its application to different factual settings. Written by an environmental law expert who teaches environmental law to those not trained in legal theory, the book provides insights into the way environmental issues are "ingested" into a legal process. The author demystifies environmental law as a concept by applying it through the lens of environmental problem solving. Once you have a clear picture of the role legal frameworks have in managing environmental issues, you will be able to take a deeper policy-oriented approach to environmental problems.

This textbook focuses on a set of skills-based learning outcomes common among undergraduate environmental programs. It covers critical scientific skills and ways of thinking that bridge the gap between the knowledge-based content of introductory environmental textbooks and the professional skills students of the environment need to succeed in both their academic programs and professional careers. This emphasis on skills is gaining more traction among academic programs across the country as they shift focus from knowledge delivery to learning outcomes and professional competencies. The book features clear methodological frameworks, engaging practice exercises, and a range of assessment case studies suitable for use across academic levels. For introductory levels, this text uses guided practice exercises to expose students to the skills they will need to master. At the capstone level, this text allows students to apply the knowledge they have gained to real-world issues and to evaluate their competency in key programmatic learning outcomes. A detailed answer key with rubrics customized for specific questions and sample answers at various competency levels is available to verified course instructors. Access to these answer key resources can be obtained by contacting the Springer Textbook Team at [email protected]

Over the past decades, environmental problems have attracted enormous attention and public concern. Many actions have been taken by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and others to protect human health and ecosystems from particular threats. Despite some successes, many problems remain unsolved and new ones are emerging. Increasing population and related pressures, combined with a realization of the interconnectedness and complexity of environmental systems, present new challenges to policymakers and regulators. Scientific research has played, and will continue to play, an essential part in solving environmental problems. Decisions based on incorrect or incomplete understanding of environmental systems will not achieve the greatest reduction of risk at the lowest cost. This volume describes a framework for acquiring the knowledge needed both to solve current recognized problems and to be prepared for the kinds of problems likely to emerge in the future. Many case examples are included to illustrate why some environmental control strategies have succeeded where others have fallen short and how we can do better in the future.