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Use of Microbes for the Alleviation of Soil Stresses, Volume 1
by Mohammad MiransariUse of Microbes for the Alleviation of Soil Stresses, Volume 1 describes the most important details and advances related to the alleviation of soil stresses by soil microbes. Comprised of seven chapters, the book reviews the mechanisms by which plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) alleviate plant growth under stress; the role of mycorrhizal fungi on the alleviation of drought stress in host plants; how PGPR may alleviate salinity stress on the growth of host plants; and the role of PGPR on the growth of the host plant under the stress of sub optimal root zone temperature. Written by experts in their respective fields, Use of Microbes for the Alleviation of Soil Stresses, Volume 1 is a comprehensive and valuable resource for researchers and students interested in the field of microbiology and soil stresses.
Use of Satellite and In-Situ Data to Improve Sustainability
by Alfred Powell Felix Kogan Oleg FedorovMore than 30-year operational satellite data have already been used for monitoring land, ocean and atmosphere. These applications have contributed to improve sustainable economy, produce healthy environment and enhance human life. The Advanced Research Workshop sponsored by NATO and organized by the USA's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Ukrainian's Space Agency bring the scientists with the most mature research designed for practical use. The goals were to select those which is used for services today and identify the areas to expand research and services. Scientific and application results of the Workshop presented in this book can be used today in agriculture, forestry, water resources, healthy coastal life and fisheries, climate and land cover change, anthropogenic activities and others. The presented papers provide information on how to use operational satellites and in situ measurements for early detection of large-scale droughts, floods and fires, diagnose crop and pasture annual losses, predict periods with health/unhealthy vegetation based on such climate forcing events as ENSO, monitor air quality and geomagnetic activities, assess land cover trends in responce to global warming etc. The available satellite/ground information and method is currently warn with a lead time sufficient to respond, recover and protect.
Use of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to Assess Land Degradation at Multiple Scales
by Compton J. Tucker Anna E. Tengberg Lennart Olsson David Dent Genesis T. YengohThis report examines the scientific basis for the use of remotely sensed data, particularly Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), primarily for the assessment of land degradation at different scales and for a range of applications, including resilience of agro-ecosystems. Evidence is drawn from a wide range of investigations, primarily from the scientific peer-reviewed literature but also non-journal sources. The literature review has been corroborated by interviews with leading specialists in the field. The report reviews the use of NDVI for a range of themes related to land degradation, including land cover change, drought monitoring and early warning systems, desertification processes, greening trends, soil erosion and salinization, vegetation burning and recovery after fire, biodiversity loss, and soil carbon. This SpringerBrief also discusses the limits of the use of NDVI for land degradation assessment and potential for future directions of use. A substantial body of peer-reviewed research lends unequivocal support for the use of coarse-resolution time series of NDVI data for studying vegetation dynamics at global, continental and sub-continental levels. There is compelling evidence that these data are highly correlated with biophysically meaningful vegetation characteristics such as photosynthetic capacity and primary production that are closely related to land degradation and to agroecosystem resilience.
Use Your Brain to Change Your Age
by Daniel G. AmenTHE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH IS BETWEEN YOUR EARS.A healthy brain is the key to staying vibrant and alive for a long time, and in Use Your Brain to Change Your Age, bestselling author and brain expert Dr. Daniel G. Amen shares ten simple steps to boost your brain to help youlive longer, look younger, and dramatically decrease your risk for Alzheimer's disease.Over the last twenty years at Amen Clinics, Dr. Amen has performed more than 70,000 brain scans on patients from ninety different countries. His brain imaging work has taughthim that our brains typically become less active with age and we become more vulnerable tomemory problems and depression. Yet, one of the most exciting lessons he has learned is thatwith a little forethought and a brain-smart plan, you can slow, or even reverse, the aging process in the brain.Based on the approach that has helped thousands of people at Amen Clinics along with the most cutting-edge research, Dr. Amen's breakthrough, easy-to-follow antiaging program shows you how to:* Boost your memory, mood, attention,and energy* Decrease your risk for Alzheimer's andother forms of dementia* Eat to live longer* Reduce the outward signs of aging andmake your skin more beautiful* Promote the healing of brain damage dueto injury, strokes, substance abuse, andtoxic exposure* Dramatically increase your chances ofliving longer and looking younger**And much more.By adopting the brain healthy strategies detailed in Use Your Brain to Change Your Age, you can outsmart your genes, put the brakes on aging, and even reverse the aging process. If you change your brain, you can change your life--and your age.
Use Your Brain to Change Your Age: Secrets to Look, Feel, and Think Younger Every Day
by Daniel G. AmenTHE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH IS BETWEEN YOUR EARS.A healthy brain is the key to staying vibrant and alive for a long time, and in Use Your Brain to Change Your Age, bestselling author and brain expert Dr. Daniel G. Amen shares ten simple steps to boost your brain to help youlive longer, look younger, and dramatically decrease your risk for Alzheimer's disease.Over the last twenty years at Amen Clinics, Dr. Amen has performed more than 70,000 brain scans on patients from ninety different countries. His brain imaging work has taughthim that our brains typically become less active with age and we become more vulnerable tomemory problems and depression. Yet, one of the most exciting lessons he has learned is thatwith a little forethought and a brain-smart plan, you can slow, or even reverse, the aging process in the brain.Based on the approach that has helped thousands of people at Amen Clinics along with the most cutting-edge research, Dr. Amen's breakthrough, easy-to-follow antiaging program shows you how to:* Boost your memory, mood, attention,and energy* Decrease your risk for Alzheimer's andother forms of dementia* Eat to live longer* Reduce the outward signs of aging andmake your skin more beautiful* Promote the healing of brain damage dueto injury, strokes, substance abuse, andtoxic exposure* Dramatically increase your chances ofliving longer and looking younger**And much more.By adopting the brain healthy strategies detailed in Use Your Brain to Change Your Age, you can outsmart your genes, put the brakes on aging, and even reverse the aging process. If you change your brain, you can change your life--and your age.
Useful Bodies: Humans in the Service of Medical Science in the Twentieth Century
by Jordan Goodman Anthony McElligott Lara MarksThough notoriously associated with Germany, human experimentation in the name of science has been practiced in other countries, as well, both before and after the Nazi era. The use of unwitting or unwilling subjects in experiments designed to test the effects of radiation and disease on the human body emerged at the turn of the twentieth century, when the rise of the modern, coercive state and the professionalization of medical science converged. Useful Bodies explores the intersection of government power and medical knowledge in revealing studies of human experimentation—germ warfare and jaundice tests in Great Britain; radiation, malaria, and hepatitis experiments in the U.S.; and nuclear fallout trials in Australia. These examples of medical abuse illustrate the extent to which living human bodies have been "useful" to democratic states and emphasize the need for intense scrutiny and regulation to prevent future violations.Contributors: Brian Balmer, University College London; Miriam Boleyn-Fitzgerald, University of Wisconsin; Rodney A. Hayward, University of Michigan; Joel D. Howell, University of Michigan; Margaret Humphreys, Duke University; David S. Jones, Massachusetts General Hospital; Robert L. Martensen, Tulane University School of Medicine; Glenn Mitchell, University of Wollongong; Jenny Stanton, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; Gilbert Whittemore, independent scholar/attorney, Boston
Useful Bodies: Humans in the Service of Medical Science in the Twentieth Century
by Jordan Goodman Anthony McElligott Lara MarksA collection of essays that offers “a significant contribution to our understanding of the role of the state in human subjects research” (Journal of the History of Biology).Though notoriously associated with Germany, human experimentation in the name of science has been practiced in other countries, as well, both before and after the Nazi era. The use of unwitting or unwilling subjects in experiments designed to test the effects of radiation and disease on the human body emerged at the turn of the twentieth century, when the rise of the modern, coercive state and the professionalization of medical science converged. Useful Bodies explores the intersection of government power and medical knowledge in revealing studies of human experimentation—germ warfare and jaundice tests in Great Britain; radiation, malaria, and hepatitis experiments in the U.S.; and nuclear fallout trials in Australia. These examples of medical abuse illustrate the extent to which living human bodies have been “useful” to democratic states and emphasize the need for intense scrutiny and regulation to prevent future violations.Contributors: Brian Balmer, University College London; Miriam Boleyn-Fitzgerald, University of Wisconsin; Rodney A. Hayward, University of Michigan; Joel D. Howell, University of Michigan; Margaret Humphreys, Duke University; David S. Jones, Massachusetts General Hospital; Robert L. Martensen, Tulane University School of Medicine; Glenn Mitchell, University of Wollongong; Jenny Stanton, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; Gilbert Whittemore, independent scholar/attorney, Boston“Each chapter is a startling case study that examines the nature and degree of the state’s involvement in human experimentation.” —Issues in Law and Medicine“Well written and meticulously researched.” —Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences
The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge
by Abraham Flexner Robbert DijkgraafA forty-year tightening of funding for scientific research has meant that resources are increasingly directed toward applied or practical outcomes, with the intent of creating products of immediate value. In such a scenario, it makes sense to focus on the most identifiable and urgent problems, right? Actually, it doesn't. In his classic essay "The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge," Abraham Flexner, the founding director of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton and the man who helped bring Albert Einstein to the United States, describes a great paradox of scientific research. The search for answers to deep questions, motivated solely by curiosity and without concern for applications, often leads not only to the greatest scientific discoveries but also to the most revolutionary technological breakthroughs. In short, no quantum mechanics, no computer chips.This brief book includes Flexner's timeless 1939 essay alongside a new companion essay by Robbert Dijkgraaf, the Institute's current director, in which he shows that Flexner's defense of the value of "the unobstructed pursuit of useless knowledge" may be even more relevant today than it was in the early twentieth century. Dijkgraaf describes how basic research has led to major transformations in the past century and explains why it is an essential precondition of innovation and the first step in social and cultural change. He makes the case that society can achieve deeper understanding and practical progress today and tomorrow only by truly valuing and substantially funding the curiosity-driven "pursuit of useless knowledge" in both the sciences and the humanities.
Useless Arithmetic: Why Environmental Scientists Can't Predict the Future
by Orrin H. Pilkey Linda Pilkey-JarvisNoted coastal geologist Orrin Pilkey and environmental scientist Linda Pilkey-Jarvis show that the quantitative mathematical models policy makers and government administrators use to form environmental policies are seriously flawed. Based on unrealistic and sometimes false assumptions, these models often yield answers that support unwise policies. Writing for the general, nonmathematician reader and using examples from throughout the environmental sciences, Pilkey and Pilkey-Jarvis show how unquestioned faith in mathematical models can blind us to the hard data and sound judgment of experienced scientific fieldwork. They begin with a riveting account of the extinction of the North Atlantic cod on the Grand Banks of Canada. Next they engage in a general discussion of the limitations of many models across a broad array of crucial environmental subjects. The book offers fascinating case studies depicting how the seductiveness of quantitative models has led to unmanageable nuclear waste disposal practices, poisoned mining sites, unjustifiable faith in predicted sea level rise rates, bad predictions of future shoreline erosion rates, overoptimistic cost estimates of artificial beaches, and a host of other thorny problems. The authors demonstrate how many modelers have been reckless, employing fudge factors to assure "correct" answers and caring little if their models actually worked.A timely and urgent book written in an engaging style, Useless Arithmetic evaluates the assumptions behind models, the nature of the field data, and the dialogue between modelers and their "customers."
User Generated Content
by Christian Alexander BauerDas Web 2.0 hat zu einem Wandel des Nutzerverhaltens in Internet geführt: Immer mehr Nutzer gehen vom passiven Konsum über zu einem interaktiven Nutzungsverhalten. Bei einem Großteil der produzierten Beiträge greifen sie dabei auf fremde, zumeist urheberrechtlich geschützte Inhalte zurück. Vor diesem Hintergrund geht der Autor der Frage nach, inwieweit diese unautorisierte Verwendung fremder Werke und Leistungen urheberrechtlich zulässig ist und in welchem Umfang dieses Phänomen zukünftig vom Gesetzgeber privilegiert werden sollte.
User Guides, Manuals, and Technical Writing: A Guide to Professional English (Guides to Professional English)
by Adrian WallworkThis book is intended for anyone whose job involves writing formal documentation. It is aimed at non-native speakers of English, but should also be of use for native speakers who have no training in technical writing.Technical writing is a skill that you can learn and this book outlines some simple ideas for writing clear documentation that will reflect well on your company, its image and its brand.The book has four parts:Structure and Content: Through examples, you will learn best practices in writing the various sections of a manual and what content to include.Clear Unambiguous English: You will learn how to write short clear sentences and paragraphs whose meaning will be immediately clear to the reader.Layout and Order Information: Here you will find guidelines on style issues, e.g., headings, bullets, punctuation and capitalization.Typical Grammar and Vocabulary Mistakes: This section is divided alphabetically and covers grammatical and vocabulary issues that are typical of user manuals.
User Interface Requirements for Medical Devices: Driving Toward Safe, Effective, and Satisfying Products by Specification
by Michael Wiklund Erin Davis Alexandria TrombleyThis book is a practical guide for individuals responsible for creating products that are safe, effective, usable, and satisfying in the hands of the intended users. The contents are intended to reduce the number of use errors involving medical devices that have led to injuries and deaths. The book presents the strong connection between user interface requirements and risk management for medical devices and instructs readers how to develop specific requirements that are sufficiently comprehensive and detailed to produce good results – a user-friendly product that is likely to be used correctly. The book’s tutorial content is complemented by many real-world examples of user interface requirements, including ones pertaining to an inhaler, automated external defibrillator, medical robot, and mobile app that a patient might use to manage her diabetes. The book is intended for people representing a variety of product development disciplines who have responsibility for producing safe, effective, usable, and satisfying medical devices, including those who are studying or working in human factors engineering, psychology, mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, systems engineering, software programming, technical writing, industrial design, graphic design, and regulatory affairs.
User Localization Strategies in the Face of Technological Breakdown: Biometric in Ghana’s Elections
by Isidore Kafui DorpenyoThis book examines Ghana’s use of the fingerprint biometric technology in order to further conversations about localization championed by technical communication scholars. Localization, in this case, refers to the extent to which users demonstrate their knowledge of use by subverting and reconfiguring the purpose of technology to solve local problems. Dorpenyo argues that the success of a technology depends on how it meets the users’ needs and the creative efforts users put into use situations. In User Localization Strategies in the Face of Technological Breakdown, Dorpenyo advocates studying how users of technological systems construct knowledge about the technology and develop local strategies to solve technological breakdowns. By analyzing technical documents and interview transcripts, the author identifies and advances three user localization strategies: linguistic localization, subversive localization, and user-heuristic experience localization, and considers how biometric systems can become a tool of marginalization.
User needs by Systematic Elaboration (USE): A theory-based method for user needs analysis, programming and evaluation
by Wim HeijsThe design of a building can facilitate the process of use and promote the well-being of users if it meets their needs. Knowledge of user needs and processes of use is important for a good design. However, it is not self-evident what user needs really are, how user needs and processes of use can be researched, and how that knowledge can be used in a design. This book introduces an integrated methodology for the analysis of user needs, programming and evaluation that answers these questions. The purpose is to improve the interaction between the users and their environment and to avoid failure costs by facilitating proper design decisions. The theoretical perspective and the conceptual framework originate from environmental psychology, more specifically P-E fit theory. The target group consists of those who are interested in creating environments for people (designers, users, real estate managers; students and scientific staff). Designers are a special audience for whom the book can be a guide to working for and with users. The theoretical perspective and the conceptual framework can also be relevant for scientific research into the interaction between users and buildings.
User's Guide to the Brain: Perception, Attention, and the Four Theaters of the Brain
by John J. RateyFor the first time ever, discoveries in our understanding of the brain are changing anthropology, linguistics, philosophy, and psychology--indeed, the brain itself may become a catalyst for transforming the very nature of these inquiries. In A User's Guide to the Brain, Dr. John Ratey, best-selling coauthor of Driven to Distraction, explains in lucid detail and with perfect clarity the basic structure and chemistry of the brain: how its systems shape our perceptions, emotions, actions, and reactions; how possession of this knowledge can enable us to more fully understand and improve our lives; and how the brain responds to the guidance of its user. He draws on examples from his own practice, from research, and from everyday life to illuminate aspects of the brain's functioning, among them prenatal and early childhood development; the perceptual systems; the processes of consciousness, memory, emotion, and language; and the social brain. As the best means for explaining the dynamic interactions of the brain, Ratey offers as a metaphor the four "theaters" of exploration: 1) the act of perception; 2) the filters of attention, consciousness, and cognition; 3) the array of options employed by the brain--memory, emotion, language, movement-to transform information into function; and 4) behavior and identity. Ratey succeeds not only in giving us a compelling portrait of the brain's infinite flexibility and unpredictability but also in demonstrating how our very understanding of the brain affects who we are.
A User's Guide to the Brain: Perception, Attention, and the Four Theatres of the Brain
by John J. RateyJohn Ratey, bestselling author and clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, here lucidly explains the human brain’s workings, and paves the way for a better understanding of how the brain affects who we are. Ratey provides insight into the basic structure and chemistry of the brain, and demonstrates how its systems shape our perceptions, emotions, and behavior. By giving us a greater understanding of how the brain responds to the guidance of its user, he provides us with knowledge that can enable us to improve our lives. InA User’s Guide to the Brain, Ratey clearly and succinctly surveys what scientists now know about the brain and how we use it. He looks at the brain as a malleable organ capable of improvement and change, like any muscle, and examines the way specific motor functions might be applied to overcome neural disorders ranging from everyday shyness to autism. Drawing on examples from his practice and from everyday life, Ratey illustrates that the most important lesson we can learn about our brains is how to use them to their maximum potential.
The Uses of Science in the Age of Newton (Clark Library Professorship, UCLA #8)
by John G. BurkeThis title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1983.
The Uses of Space in Early Modern History
by Paul StockWhile there is an growing body of work on space and place in many disciplines, less attention has been paid to how a spatial approach illuminates the societies and cultures of the past. Here, leading experts explore the uses of space in two respects: how space can be applied to the study of history, and how space was used at specific times.
Using 137Cs Resampling Method to Estimate Mean Soil Erosion Rates for Selected Time Windows (Environmental Science and Engineering)
by Paolo Porto Emil Fulajtar Lee Kheng HengThis book provides guidelines for using a new approach of resampling the Cs-137 radionuclide tracer which is used to estimate soil erosion rates. The Cs-137 resampling approach will improve significantly the use of the Cs-137 method for assessment of soil erosion, because resampling the radionuclide repeatedly (at least two times, but more sampling campaigns are possible) allows to avoid several methodological difficulties associated with Cs-137 method, namely the problems with small-scale spatial heterogeneity, the question of representativeness of reference site, reference samples, and inappropriate time extent of evaluated period. All these methodological problems are very important for reliability and accuracy of erosion rates estimated by Cs-137 method. If using single sampling approach, the small-scale spatial heterogeneity can be overcome by high number of sampling points, but this is time and labour demanding solution increasing the expenses of the erosion research. The representativeness of reference site is evaluated usually on the basis of expert judgement and knowledge of land use history of studied area, but this approach is often uncertain because the expert judgement can be subjective and the data on land use history is often not sufficient. Further, in many areas an appropriate reference site is not available, what limits the territorial extent of using Cs-137 method. The resampling approach offers its second sampling to be done in a proximate vicinity of the same points sampled during the first sampling campaign. A great advantage is the possibility to decide how long time windows should be investigated. Choosing the time schedule of first and second sampling allows to shorten the time window and adjust it to the study objectives. This is a great improvement of the Cs-137 method, because the time period since the Cs-137 fallout is still growing and thus if using the single sampling approach the results refer to still longer and longer time window(since the Cs-137 fallout until the sampling time), and this period (recently ca 60 years assuming the maximum Cs-137 fallout in 1963) is too long to represent stable land use, because land uses are changing over the time and having the same land use over six decades is rather rare. The improvement of Cs-137 method achieved by resampling approach is significantly contributing to understanding the erosion dynamics and estimating its rates under changing environmental conditions (such as land uses, weather), and it will bring a significant benefit to soil conservation programmes, because Cs-137 method is indispensable for assessing the medium and long term soil erosion rates, and this information is among the basic inputs needed for planning and designing soil conservation measures.
Using Aspen Plus in Thermodynamics Instruction
by Stanley I. SandlerA step-by-step guide for students (and faculty) on the use of Aspen in teaching thermodynamics * Easily-accessible modern computational techniques opening up new vistas in teaching thermodynamicsA range of applications of Aspen Plus in the prediction and calculation of thermodynamic properties and phase behavior using the state-of-the art methods* Encourages students to develop engineering insight by doing repetitive calculations with changes in parameters and/or models* Calculations and application examples in a step-by-step manner designed for out-of-classroom self study* Makes it possible to easily integrate Aspen Plus into thermodynamics courses without using in-class time* Stresses the application of thermodynamics to real problems
Using Cognitive and Affective Metrics in Educational Simulations and Games: Applications in School and Workplace Contexts (Routledge Research in Digital Education and Educational Technology)
by Harold F. O'NeilPresenting original studies and rich conceptual analyses, this volume explores how cognitive and affective metrics can be used to effectively assess, modify, and enhance learning and assessment outcomes of simulations and games used in education and training.The volume responds to the increasing use of computer-based simulations and games across academic and professional sectors by bringing together contributions from different research communities, including K-12 and postsecondary education, medical, and military contexts. Drawing on empirical results, the chapter authors focus on the design and assessment of educational simulations and games. They describe how quantitative and qualitative metrics can be used effectively to evaluate and tailor instructional resources to the cognitive and affective needs of the individual learner. In doing so, the volume enhances understanding of how games and simulations can intersect with the science of learning to improve educational outcomes. Given its rigorous and multidisciplinary approach, this book will prove an indispensable resource for researchers and scholars in the fields of educational assessment and evaluation, educational technology, military psychology, and educational psychology.
Using Commercial Amateur Astronomical Spectrographs
by Jeffrey L. HopkinsAmateur astronomers interested in learning more about astronomical spectroscopy now have the guide they need. It provides detailed information about how to get started inexpensively with low-resolution spectroscopy, and then how to move on to more advanced high-resolution spectroscopy. Uniquely, the instructions concentrate very much on the practical aspects of using commercially-available spectroscopes, rather than simply explaining how spectroscopes work. The book includes a clear explanation of the laboratory theory behind astronomical spectrographs, and goes on to extensively cover the practical application of astronomical spectroscopy in detail. Four popular and reasonably-priced commercially available diffraction grating spectrographs are used as examples. The first is a low-resolution transmission diffraction grating, the Star Analyser spectrograph. The second is an inexpensive fiber optic coupled bench spectrograph that can be used to learn more about spectroscopy. The third is a newcomer, the ALPY 600 spectrograph. The fourth spectrograph considered is at the other end of the market both in performance and cost, the high-resolution Lhires III. While considerably more expensive, this is a popular and excellent scientific instrument, that allows more advanced amateur astronomers to produce scientifically valuable data. With all of these tools in place, the amateur astronomer is well-prepared to forger deeper into the night sky using spectroscopy.
Using Detection Dogs to Monitor Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Protect Aquatic Resources
by Ngaio L. RichardsThis book is about the varied range of emerging applications using specially trained detection dogs to monitor and protect aquatic ecosystems, animals, plants and related resources. Featuring contributions from those at the forefront of converging disciplines ranging from canine training, ecological and biological monitoring, water resource management, law enforcement, and eco-toxicology, it addresses everyone already immersed in these or related fields, and anyone seeking to gain a broader understanding of them. Chapters cover several common themes including monitoring presence/absence through biological and ecological surveys; maintaining and evaluating water quality; law enforcement and anti-poaching initiatives; public education, awareness and compliance; standards and best practices; optimal uses of dogs in relation to and in conjunction with other available tools and pragmatic considerations for selecting and working with dogs and handlers. The aim of the book is to stimulate new ideas, promote the sharing and dissemination of information and findings - and, ideally, to catalyze new and innovative partnerships, to strengthen the preservation and conservation of our aquatic heritage.
Using Economic Incentives to Regulate Toxic Substances (Routledge Revivals)
by Molly K. Macauley Michael D. Bowes Karen L. PalmerUsing case studies, the authors evaluate the potential attractiveness of incentive-based policies for the regulation of four specific toxic substances: chlorinated solvents, formaldehyde, cadmium, and brominated flame retardants. Originally published in 1992, the authors provide a compelling demonstration of the role of case studies in determining the appropriate regulatory approach for the specific toxic substances. This is a valuable title for students concerned with environmental issues and policy making.
Using Energy Crops for Biofuels or Food: The Choice (Green Energy and Technology)
by Christina Papadopoulou Kyriaki Kitikidou Michael Tsatiris Annoula PaschalidouThis book performs a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis to examine the current food crisis and how it relates to the use of crops for energy. It analyses how energy crops may help solve humankind’s environmental changes and summarises the economic and practical changes of cultivating and utilising energy crops. Two of humanity’s greatest challenges are the need for more food production as well as growing demands for energy. Biofuel cultivation has been identified as a solution to growing energy use, and biomass power plants offer a rare renewable energy source that requires only basic technology.In this context, a dilemma arises concerning whether energy crops should be used for energy or to help remedy the food crisis. SWOT analysis allows us to organise and weigh different pros and cons against each other in terms of economics, job creation, environmental impacts, the climate change agenda, and European Union (EU) directives that promote biofuels over fossil fuels. By pursuing this approach, the book helps researchers and decision-makers cut through the many competing arguments in connection with this complex subject.