Brian C. Black – författare

Americans during the twentieth-century became more disconnected from the environment and nature than ever before. More Americans lived in cities rather than on farms; they became ever more reliant on technology to interact with the world around them and with each other. Perhaps paradoxically, the twentieth-century also became the period in which environmental issues played an ever-increasing role in politics and public policy. Why is this so? Perhaps because, despite what many people believe, nature and the environment remains central to everyone's daily life. Pollution, environmental degradation, urban sprawl, loss of wildlife and biodiversity - all of these issues directly impact how everyone - even city dwellers - live their lives.Nature and the Environment in Twentieth-Century America addresses a wide variety of the environmental issues that impacted the lives of people of all classes, races, and regions: ; The expansion of the National Park system and the increased desire for leisure time spent in the great outdoors ; The devastation of the Dust Bowl and its impetus toward conservation and a greater understanding of ecology ; Grassroots activism and environmental politics from Rachel Carson to Love Canal ; The impact of globalization and its environmental consequences on the daily lives of Americans Part of the Daily Life through History series, this title joins Nature and the Environment in Nineteenth-Century Americain a new branch of the series-titles specifically looking at how science innovations impacted daily life.

The nineteenth-century saw a significant transformation in the United States. In one short century, the nation had seen the populating of the Great Plains and West, the decimation of native Indian tribes, the growth of national transportation and communication networks, and the rise of major cities. The century also witnessed the destruction of the nation's forests, battles over land and water, and the ascent of agribusiness. With these changes in resource use patterns and values came a concordant shift in attitudes toward nature. Conservation and preservation emerged as watchwords for the 1900s. The century that started with an attitude of environmental conquest thus ended by embracing conservation and a new environmental awareness.

Americans during the twentieth-century became more disconnected from the environment and nature than ever before. More Americans lived in cities rather than on farms; they became ever more reliant on technology to interact with the world around them and with each other. Perhaps paradoxically, the twentieth-century also became the period in which environmental issues played an ever-increasing role in politics and public policy. Why is this so? Perhaps because, despite what many people believe, nature and the environment remains central to everyone's daily life. Pollution, environmental degradation, urban sprawl, loss of wildlife and biodiversity - all of these issues directly impact how everyone - even city dwellers - live their lives.Nature and the Environment in Twentieth-Century America addresses a wide variety of the environmental issues that impacted the lives of people of all classes, races, and regions: ; The expansion of the National Park system and the increased desire for leisure time spent in the great outdoors; The devastation of the Dust Bowl and its impetus toward conservation and a greater understanding of ecology; Grassroots activism and environmental politics from Rachel Carson to Love Canal; The impact of globalization and its environmental consequences on the daily lives of Americans Part of the Daily Life through History series, this title joins Nature and the Environment in Nineteenth-Century Americain a new branch of the series-titles specifically looking at how science innovations impacted daily life.

The nineteenth-century saw a significant transformation in the United States. In one short century, the nation had seen the populating of the Great Plains and West, the decimation of native Indian tribes, the growth of national transportation and communication networks, and the rise of major cities. The century also witnessed the destruction of the nation's forests, battles over land and water, and the ascent of agribusiness. With these changes in resource use patterns and values came a concordant shift in attitudes toward nature. Conservation and preservation emerged as watchwords for the 1900s. The century that started with an attitude of environmental conquest thus ended by embracing conservation and a new environmental awareness.

An exceptionally timely volume that weighs the costs and benefits of alternative energy sources and their implications for reducing energy consumption.As this book makes clear, civilization cannot long continue to ride on an oil slick. Worldwide, many people have come to see dependence on coal, and especially on oil, not only as unsustainable, but as profoundly destabilizing, both environmentally and politically. While ever-increasing demands continue to be placed on "mainstream" energy sources, recurring attempts have been made to generate power in "alternative" ways. After retracing some of these efforts, this succinct and historically informed volume explores the ongoing debate over alternative energy that gathered strength in the 20th century, showing how that debate mirrors larger attitudes toward energy and consumption. Like other volumes in this series, Alternative Energy is designed to provide material for student reports and debate arguments. It is an outstanding sourcebook for those interested in investigating the problems and prospects of alternative fuels.

An exceptionally timely volume that weighs the costs and benefits of alternative energy sources and their implications for reducing energy consumption.As this book makes clear, civilization cannot long continue to ride on an oil slick. Worldwide, many people have come to see dependence on coal, and especially on oil, not only as unsustainable, but as profoundly destabilizing, both environmentally and politically. While ever-increasing demands continue to be placed on "mainstream" energy sources, recurring attempts have been made to generate power in "alternative" ways. After retracing some of these efforts, this succinct and historically informed volume explores the ongoing debate over alternative energy that gathered strength in the 20th century, showing how that debate mirrors larger attitudes toward energy and consumption. Like other volumes in this series, Alternative Energy is designed to provide material for student reports and debate arguments. It is an outstanding sourcebook for those interested in investigating the problems and prospects of alternative fuels.

Tracing scientific ideas about the structure of Earth, Global Warming creates an intellectual portrait of the shifts in thinking that have led to the current controversy, enabling readers to make up their own minds on this important issue.Global Warming takes one of the hot-button issues of our time and surveys it in historical context, creating an intellectual portrait of the multi-century shifts in thinking that have led to gradual acceptance of the concept. The book summarizes pertinent aspects of geology, earth science, and climate science in easy-to-read terms. It then frames this background in terms of cultural and social shifts, including the Industrial Revolution, conspicuous consumption, and modern environmentalism. In addition, a study of the ebb and flow of cultural and political reception relates the issue to religious and social ideas.The information presented here will enable the reader to understand the scientific case stating that human activity has caused an unprecedented warming in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Technical and political objections to this thesis are also covered, so that readers may form their own opinions on this critical subject.Includes excerpts from writing and policy related to climate changeOffers a timeline of the development of the idea of global warming

Tracing scientific ideas about the structure of Earth, Global Warming creates an intellectual portrait of the shifts in thinking that have led to the current controversy, enabling readers to make up their own minds on this important issue.Global Warming takes one of the hot-button issues of our time and surveys it in historical context, creating an intellectual portrait of the multi-century shifts in thinking that have led to gradual acceptance of the concept. The book summarizes pertinent aspects of geology, earth science, and climate science in easy-to-read terms. It then frames this background in terms of cultural and social shifts, including the Industrial Revolution, conspicuous consumption, and modern environmentalism. In addition, a study of the ebb and flow of cultural and political reception relates the issue to religious and social ideas.The information presented here will enable the reader to understand the scientific case stating that human activity has caused an unprecedented warming in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Technical and political objections to this thesis are also covered, so that readers may form their own opinions on this critical subject.

Taking North America as its focus, this book offers a comprehensive exploration of humanity’s evolving relationship with energy.As humans have sought to live and develop the North American continent, energy from Earth’s basic elements has served as the raw material for living. Through its chronological approach and critical case studies, the volume examines how the search for and harvest and use of energy have shaped human history, from colonial empire-building to contemporary debates on sustainability and climate change. By analyzing diverse energy sources, including sail power, coal, crude oil, wind, solar, electricity, and nuclear power, the book reveals how industrialization transformed energy consumption and demand, driving political, social, and environmental change. It connects energy history to major political and environmental themes, such as water politics, post-1990s Alberta pipeline debates, the war in Ukraine, and climate change, highlighting how energy has been both a unifying force and a source of division among diverse peoples, shaping global power dynamics and regional histories.Designed for students of environmental history and energy studies, this text synthesizes this important history whilst offering insights into the challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century.

Taking North America as its focus, this book offers a comprehensive exploration of humanity’s evolving relationship with energy.As humans have sought to live and develop the North American continent, energy from Earth’s basic elements has served as the raw material for living. Through its chronological approach and critical case studies, the volume examines how the search for and harvest and use of energy have shaped human history, from colonial empire-building to contemporary debates on sustainability and climate change. By analyzing diverse energy sources, including sail power, coal, crude oil, wind, solar, electricity, and nuclear power, the book reveals how industrialization transformed energy consumption and demand, driving political, social, and environmental change. It connects energy history to major political and environmental themes, such as water politics, post-1990s Alberta pipeline debates, the war in Ukraine, and climate change, highlighting how energy has been both a unifying force and a source of division among diverse peoples, shaping global power dynamics and regional histories.Designed for students of environmental history and energy studies, this text synthesizes this important history whilst offering insights into the challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century.

Taking North America as its focus, this book offers a comprehensive exploration of humanity's evolving relationship with energy.As humans have sought to live and develop the North American continent, energy from Earth's basic elements has served as the raw material for living. Through its chronological approach and critical case studies, the volume examines how the search for and harvest and use of energy have shaped human history, from colonial empire-building to contemporary debates on sustainability and climate change. By analyzing diverse energy sources, including sail power, coal, crude oil, wind, solar, electricity, and nuclear power, the book reveals how industrialization transformed energy consumption and demand, driving political, social, and environmental change. It connects energy history to major political and environmental themes, such as water politics, post-1990s Alberta pipeline debates, the war in Ukraine, and climate change, highlighting how energy has been both a unifying force and a source of division among diverse peoples, shaping global power dynamics and regional histories.Designed for students of environmental history and energy studies, this text synthesizes this important history whilst offering insights into the challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century.

Taking North America as its focus, this book offers a comprehensive exploration of humanity's evolving relationship with energy.As humans have sought to live and develop the North American continent, energy from Earth's basic elements has served as the raw material for living. Through its chronological approach and critical case studies, the volume examines how the search for and harvest and use of energy have shaped human history, from colonial empire-building to contemporary debates on sustainability and climate change. By analyzing diverse energy sources, including sail power, coal, crude oil, wind, solar, electricity, and nuclear power, the book reveals how industrialization transformed energy consumption and demand, driving political, social, and environmental change. It connects energy history to major political and environmental themes, such as water politics, post-1990s Alberta pipeline debates, the war in Ukraine, and climate change, highlighting how energy has been both a unifying force and a source of division among diverse peoples, shaping global power dynamics and regional histories.Designed for students of environmental history and energy studies, this text synthesizes this important history whilst offering insights into the challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century.

A 2023 Choice Reviews Outstanding Academic TitleWritten by a leading scholar, this essential introduction to the history of energy traces one of humans’ most basic ecological interactions: energy exchange. From fire to agriculture, water wheels to electric dynamos, the rise in intensity led humans to define a new “high energy” existence during the twentieth century. Industrialization and consumption increased the connection between energy and economic and political power, clarifying its importance throughout the world wars and into the Cold War. To Have and Have Not reveals a world in which energy supply now defines global standing, starkly revealing the connection between history and current events that perfectly situates our modern conundrum of a future without fossil fuels. Climate change and the supply of sustainable energy now permeates our modern policy making as we bear witness to the waning years of energy borrowed from the distant past. Brian Black argues that our history of growing energy reliance and past transitions is essential context for understanding our inevitable shift to cleaner energy. Placing this story within the current, rapidly changing historical discourse, this book is timely and persuasive as it lays out our current transition from fossil fuels.

This concise, accessible introduction to the history of oil tells the story of how petroleum has shaped human life since it was first discovered oozing inconspicuously from the soil. For a century, human dependence on petroleum caused little discomfort as we enjoyed the heyday of cheap crude—a glorious episode of energy gluttony that was destined to end. Today, we see the disastrous results in environmental degradation, political instability, and world economic disparity in the waning years of a petroleum-powered civilization—lessons rooted in the finite nature of oil. Considering the nature of oil itself as well as humans’ remarkable relationship with it, Brian C. Black spotlights our modern conundrum and then explores the challenges of our future without oil. It is this essential context, he argues, that will prepare us for our energy transition. Bringing his global perspective and wide-ranging technical knowledge, Black has written an essential contribution to environmental history and the rapidly emerging field of energy history in this sweeping, forward-looking survey.

This concise, accessible introduction to the history of oil tells the story of how petroleum has shaped human life since it was first discovered oozing inconspicuously from the soil. For a century, human dependence on petroleum caused little discomfort as we enjoyed the heyday of cheap crude—a glorious episode of energy gluttony that was destined to end. Today, we see the disastrous results in environmental degradation, political instability, and world economic disparity in the waning years of a petroleum-powered civilization—lessons rooted in the finite nature of oil. Considering the nature of oil itself as well as humans’ remarkable relationship with it, Brian C. Black spotlights our modern conundrum and then explores the challenges of our future without oil. It is this essential context, he argues, that will prepare us for our energy transition. Bringing his global perspective and wide-ranging technical knowledge, Black has written an essential contribution to environmental history and the rapidly emerging field of energy history in this sweeping, forward-looking survey.

All roads begin somewhere and today’s U. S. highway system began with an exploratory, cross-country ride, led by 28-year-old Army lieutenant colonel, Dwight Eisenhower. This is the story of that coast-to-coast journey and how the dream of connecting America with roads began.Before he led the liberation of Europe, before he became our nation’s 34th President, Dwight D. Eisenhower’s made a road trip in 1919 from Washington D.C. to California. The expedition proved to be a crucial chapter in the history of America as it laid the groundwork to make automobile travel the fastest and easiest way to move around the country, also setting in motion the nation’s future love affair with cheap crude.The 1919 Transcontinental Motor Convoy of eighty-one trucks and other military vehicles traveled more than 3,000 precarious miles along the most famous road of the day, the Lincoln Highway, which ran between New York City and San Francisco. World War I had illustrated the importance of being able to move large amounts of troops and equipment quickly over long distances, and Eisenhower’s mission was to evaluate whether the country’s emerging network of paved roadways could handle such a task. It was an experience Eisenhower would never forget. Decades later, as president, he drew on that experience to push through the Interstate Highway Act of 1956.Ike’s Road Trip adds an important chapter to the story of the midwestern president who is often seen as “America’s grandfather.” Eisenhower will also be seen as a modern visionary during a pivotal moment: his persistent trust in cheap petroleum proved to be a blueprint for modern America as he helped facilitate the most significant energy transition of the twentieth century. Today, we are experiencing perhaps the most important energy transition since Eisenhower’s day—from petroleum to renewables—and that change will require minds as equally visionary as his.

This book provides a holistic consideration of climate change that goes beyond pure science, fleshing out the discussion by considering cultural, historical, and policy-driven aspects of this important issue.Climate change is a controversial topic that promises to reframe rudimentary ideas about our world and how we will live in it. The articles in Climate Change: An Encyclopedia of Science and History are designed to inform readers' decision making through the insight of scholars from around the world, each of whom brings a unique approach to this topic. The work goes beyond pure science to consider other important factors, weighing the cultural, historical, and policy-driven contributors to this issue. In addition, the book explores the ideas that have converged and evolved in order to clarify our current predicament. By considering climate change in this holistic fashion, this reference collection will prepare readers to consider the issue from every angle. Each article in the work is suitable for general readers, particularly students in high school and college, and is intended to inform and educate anyone about climate change, providing valuable information regarding the stages of mitigation and adaptation that are occurring all around us.

This book provides a holistic consideration of climate change that goes beyond pure science, fleshing out the discussion by considering cultural, historical, and policy-driven aspects of this important issue.Climate change is a controversial topic that promises to reframe rudimentary ideas about our world and how we will live in it. The articles in Climate Change: An Encyclopedia of Science and History are designed to inform readers' decision making through the insight of scholars from around the world, each of whom brings a unique approach to this topic. The work goes beyond pure science to consider other important factors, weighing the cultural, historical, and policy-driven contributors to this issue. In addition, the book explores the ideas that have converged and evolved in order to clarify our current predicament. By considering climate change in this holistic fashion, this reference collection will prepare readers to consider the issue from every angle. Each article in the work is suitable for general readers, particularly students in high school and college, and is intended to inform and educate anyone about climate change, providing valuable information regarding the stages of mitigation and adaptation that are occurring all around us.