 The recent hysteria over the 'swine flu pandemic', as the mainstream media were calling the latest new flu outbreak when the number of those infected was still in the hundreds and the dead a mere few dozen, shows just how easy it is to get into a panic that may or may not be worth the emotional energy and cost of getting all worked up over some or other 'threat'. The authors, both statisticians, have looked at a range of potential 'threats', from killer birds and alien abductors, to rising sea levels and range of more mundane potential 'problems', such as the drop in birth rates in developed nations, the nuclear family's breakdown, divorce rates, increased obesity and the bloom in elderly numbers, to 'death by phone', issues in the workplace, the global 'war on terror', crime, climate change, 'Frankenstein foods', resource depletion and a bunch of other things you may never have thought of, worried about or even heard of. They approach their subject matter with a certain amount of self-deprecation, careful to quote British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli's famous line: 'There are lies, damned lies - and statistics.' They are also mostly sceptical, offering a helpful toolkit for separating the usual media-driven nonsense from that which is worth thinking about, listing the ups and downs of a range of types of information and their source, from vested interests to 'weasel words', surveys, figures, percentages and actual numbers, anecdotes and statistics, graphs and charts, timeframes, defeatism (why am I being told something about which I can apparently do nothing - is it just to induce fear?), 'scare snobbery', scenarios, getting the big picture and maintaining a sense of proportion while accentuating the positive. They conclude by referring back to a poster widely used in the UK during World War II, which is as pertinent today as it was then: 'Keep Calm And Carry On.' Perhaps someone should alert the media. Amusing, interesting and useful, all at once - but be careful about which parts of this book you allow yourself to believe. Oh, and each issue they address, from bird flu to alien bogeymen, has a three-icon rating system: a chicken, to represent the degree of panic appropriate for the issue; a pair of dice, for risk; and a fist, for personal empowerment - each of which is scored between 1 and 10. Have fun, do more, worry less.
Simon Brsicoe & Hugh Aldersey-Williams
Viking • ISBN 978 0 670 91702 0
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| PLANETWATCH
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| Wednesday, 20 May 2009 09:50 |
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 This is an image-rich, pleasingly laid out and easy to read primer on the state of our planet, the perils and challenges it and we face (along with all the other creatures which share it with us) and some action plans that even the youngest school-age children can get involved in to offset, mitigate and adapt to the changes and dangers that lie ahead. From human population growth and our impact as a species on the planet, through climate change, food supply, air, water and ground pollution, to endangered species, waste management, water conservation, sea sustainability, the effects of tourism, GM foods and the pet trade (among numerous other topics), this one will prepare all interested, from early readers to slow-starting adults to 'get with the program' and develop a full picture of just how much trouble the planet and, by extension, we humans and our fellow species, are in. Excellent and worth having in every home, school room and even every boardroom (for the climate change denialists and the 'pollution is someone else's problem' dummies among us). Get the picture - this book is full of them, each illustrating its 'go green' point.
Martyn Bramwell, David Burnie, Lynn Dicks & Roger Few
DK - ISBN978 1 49534 059 5
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| COYOTE GOES GLOBAL
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| Wednesday, 20 May 2009 09:50 |
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 This may or may not be a kids' book, depending on how you look at it. Described as an 'ideal primer' in the 'school' of life, it is written in the genre of the Native American mythical tradition and addresses the fundamental unsustainability of 'modern' life as we have come to know it in the 21st century. Star Blanket, a shaman and ex-farmer, teams up with former urbanite and high tech guru, Dream Weaver, to tell the tale of the 'trickster' spirit guide coyote as he helps illuminate the way to remake our broken dreams and to puncture the illusions on which our modern way of life has been built. Not nearly as 'way out' as it sounds, this one is quite fun and may get the message of the need for sustainability through to those who prefer this sort of mythic take on things to the heavy and sometime dry standard scientific approach.Martyn Bramwell, David Burnie, Lynn Dicks & Roger Few
Star Blanket & Dream Weaver
O Books • ISBN 978 1 84694 178 8
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 Climate change could kill more than a third of the world's plant and animal species by 2050; we are in the midst of one of the fastest mass extinctions the planet has ever experienced.
As the world warms, the intensity and frequency of hurricanes, such as Katrina which devastated New Orleans in 2005, is steadily and inexorably rising. Many areas, including vast swathes of both Australia and Africa, are seeing longer, more intense and more frequent droughts as the planet heats up. Snow and ice cover across much of the Himalayas (and other major mountains ranges) has dropped by at least 30% since the 1970s, threatening future water supply to hundreds of millions of people.
This book looks at the symptoms of climate change, the science behind what we know (and don't know), the debates, in so far as there are any left that meaningfully relate to whether or not climate change is happening and at what rate, and the solutions. By far the most interesting is the last section because all the rest is pretty much a given and fait accompli. From here on out, it's what we do about climate change that matters. Want the facts? Get this book.
Robert Henson
Penguin
ISBN 978 1 85828 105 6
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| Hot, Flat, and Crowded
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| Sunday, 29 March 2009 09:50 |
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 This book is by an American, for Americans about America's problems. But because America and its problems affect almost everyone on the planet it's also a book for everyone else who understands that, as America faces up to its challenges, so a major opportunity will be created for global revitalisation and the redevelopment of a more sustainable way of life for everyone.
The title sums up where we are, and to get out of the fix that this deadly combination creates, Friedman says 'lost' America must come out of its 'defensive crouch' – an attitude adopted post 9/11 – to find its way again. Whether it does or not, he argues, will determine if the 21st century will either be a disaster of conflicts, diminishing resources and eco-catastrophes, or a mind-boggling success of innovation, leadership and problem-solving that will turn current challenges into breathtaking opportunities that embody multi-tiered collaboration supportive of sustainable living in an eco-friendly planetary environment.
This is a big-picture book, which is both a dire warning and a clarion call of optimism.
Thomas L Friedman
Allen Lane (Penguin)
ISBN 978 1 846 14129 4
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| Future-proof your child
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| Sunday, 22 March 2009 09:50 |
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 Sustainability implies care for the future health and well-being of not only the planet, but of the future generations of all the world's inhabitants. So, future-proofing your child is vital in an age where electronic media is running rampant, employment prospects have become murky at best, technology is changing faster than we can keep up with and global conditions are shifting rapidly, powered by political, economic, cultural and climatic dynamics. There are many worthwhile pointers for an increasingly uncertain future which, paradoxically, is also filled with expansive possibilities. It also helps that this book is written specifically in a South African context, making it that much more relevant for parents engaged with the tricky task of readying their offspring for a changed and rapidly changing world.
Nikki Bush & Graeme Codrington
ISBN 978 0 143 02580 1 |
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 Few readers will not be familiar with the 'Dummies' series, and most probably have one edition or another on the shelf. All are thorough in covering their subject, and this edition is no exception. Author Rik Gunther is an engineer of wide experience in the solar power sector, and he has included almost every angle of the subject. Few readers will fail to answer their questions. Starting with background on energy and solar in particular, the book goes on to outline small projects for DIY, major water heating for house and swimming bath, and how to purify water with solar. Although titled as a solar reference, there is much about PV panels and wind generators, and even a section on getting off the grid altogether. For anyone interested in practical aspects of solar, and how they relate to the home, this is a must purchase.
Rik DeGunther
ISBN 978 0 470 17569 9 |
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 So you're a gardener and love flowers, shrubs and all things green and growing, but you don't want to use all those nasty chemicals, toxic sprays and other eco-unfriendly pest-control methods of yesteryear? This book provides the answers you'll need to protect your garden from the bugs, moulds and numerous other threats it faces. In fact, although your local nursery may not be fully up to speed on environmentally-responsible options to keep your plants in optimal health and magnificent bloom, there are many options available to the conscious gardener such as using biological controls (encouraging beneficial predators and parasites), choosing appropriate host plants, applying relatively non-toxic organic and natural pesticides and practising optimal cultivation techniques. The book includes a great guide to pests, diseases and beneficial organisms to be found in the average South African garden. It also includes a guide to the most commonly found pesticides and chemicals used in gardens and how to handle and dispose of them safely. Excellent stuff and just right for the South African gardener.
Johan Gerber
Aardvark Press
ISBN 978 0 9584785 5 7
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| Healthy, Happy Baby
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| Sunday, 01 March 2009 09:50 |
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 Aside from life itself, the greatest gift you can give your child is good health. But we live in a toxic world, full of chemicals, many of which didn't even exist just a few decades ago.
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| BENDING THE CURVE
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| Sunday, 22 February 2009 09:50 |
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 This locally-produced book aims to educate and inform South Africans about climate change and how to deal with it. Featuring an impressive array of experts, thought leaders, industry and business consultants and other involved parties, this book is thorough and well thought through.
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