AESS Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies and Sciences Series – serie

Interdisciplinary Teaching about the Earth and Environment for a Sustainable Future presents the outcomes of the InTeGrate project, a community effort funded by the National Science Foundation to improve Earth literacy and build a workforce prepared to tackle environmental and resource issues. The InTeGrate community is built around the shared goal of supporting interdisciplinary learning about Earth across the undergraduate curriculum, focusing on the grand challenges facing society and the important role that the geosciences play in addressing these grand challenges. The chapters in this book explicitly illustrate the intimate relationship between geoscience and sustainability that is often opaque to students. The authors of these chapters are faculty members, administrators, program directors, and researchers from institutions across the country who have collectively envisioned, implemented, and evaluated effective change in their classrooms, programs, institutions, andbeyond. This book provides guidance to anyone interested in implementing change—on scales ranging from a single course to an entire program—by infusing sustainability across the curriculum, broadening access to Earth and environmental sciences, and assessing the impacts of those changes.

In Ontology and Closeness in Human-Nature Relationships, Neil H. Kessler identifies the preconceptions which can keep the modern human mind in the dark about what is happening relationally between humans and the more-than-human world.  He has written an accessible work of environmental philosophy, with a focus on the ontology of human-nature relationships.  In it, he contends that large-scale environmental problems are intimate and relational in origin.  He also challenges the deeply embedded, modernist assumptions about the relational limitations of more-than-human beings, ones which place erroneous limitations on the possibilities for human/more-than-human closeness. Diverging from the posthumanist literature and its frequent reliance on new materialist ontology, the arguments in the book attempt to sweep away what ecofeminists call “human/nature dualisms.  In doing so, conceptual avenues open up that have the power to radically alter how we engage in our daily interactions with the more-than-human world all around us.   Given the diversity of fields and disciplines focused on the human-nature relationship, the topics of this book vary quite broadly, but always converge at the nexus of what is possible between humans and more-than-human beings.  The discussion interweaves the influence of human/nature dualisms with the limitations of Deleuzian becoming and posthumanism’s new materialism and agential realism.  It leverages interhuman interdependence theory, Charles Peirce’s synechism of feeling and various treatments of Theory of Mind while exploring the influence of human/nature dualisms on sustainability, place attachment, common worlds pedagogy, emergence, and critical animal studies.  It also explores the implications of plant electrical activity, plant intelligence, and plant “neurobiology” for possibilities of relational capacities in plants while even grappling with theories of animism to challenge the animate/inanimate divide.  The result is an engaging, novel treatment of human-nature relational ontology that will encourage the reader to look at the world in a whole new way.

This book is designed as a basic text for courses that are part of an interdisciplinary program in environmental studies. The intended reader is anyone who expects environmental stewardship to be an important part of his or her life, as a citizen, a policy maker, or an environmental management professional.  In addition to discussing major issues in environmental ethics, it invites readers to think about how an ethicist's perspective differs from the perspectives encountered in other environmental studies courses.  Additional topics covered include corporate social responsibility, ecological citizenship, property theory, and the concept of stewardship as a vocation.

This will be the first textbook on the integration of food, energy and water systems (FEWS). In recent years, the world has seen a dramatic rise in interdisciplinary energy and environmental courses and degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In the US for instance, the number and variety of such programs has increased significantly over the past decade,  Simultaneously, national and international initiatives that integrate food, energy and water systems have been launched. This textbook provides a substantive introduction to the food-energy-water nexus suitable for use in higher level undergraduate and graduate level courses and for scholars moving into the field of nexus studies without a strong background in all three areas and the many aspects of nexus studies.

This will be the first textbook on the integration of food, energy and water systems (FEWS). In recent years, the world has seen a dramatic rise in interdisciplinary energy and environmental courses and degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In the US for instance, the number and variety of such programs has increased significantly over the past decade,  Simultaneously, national and international initiatives that integrate food, energy and water systems have been launched. This textbook provides a substantive introduction to the food-energy-water nexus suitable for use in higher level undergraduate and graduate level courses and for scholars moving into the field of nexus studies without a strong background in all three areas and the many aspects of nexus studies.

The proliferation of pipelines to transport oil and natural gas represents a major area of contestation in the landscape of energy development. Battles over energy pipelines pit private landowners, local community representatives, and environmentalists against energy corporations and industry supporters, sometimes drawing opposition and attention from well beyond the impacted regions, as in the case of the Standing Rock/Dakota Access Pipeline.  Stakeholders must navigate complex government regulatory processes, interpret technical and scientific reports, and endure lengthy and expensive court battles. As with other forms of environmental injustice, the contentious construction of pipelines often disproportionately impacts communities of lower economic development, people of color, and indigenous peoples; pipelines also pose potential short and long-term health and safety threats. With the expansion of energy pipelines carrying fracked oil and gas across the United States and abroad, the moment is ripe for teaching about pipeline projects and engaging students and community members in learning about methods for mobilization. Our volume examines pedagogical opportunities, challenges, and interventions that campus-community engagement, and other kinds of community engagement, produce in relation to infrastructuring in the form of pipeline development.

The proliferation of pipelines to transport oil and natural gas represents a major area of contestation in the landscape of energy development. Battles over energy pipelines pit private landowners, local community representatives, and environmentalists against energy corporations and industry supporters, sometimes drawing opposition and attention from well beyond the impacted regions, as in the case of the Standing Rock/Dakota Access Pipeline.  Stakeholders must navigate complex government regulatory processes, interpret technical and scientific reports, and endure lengthy and expensive court battles. As with other forms of environmental injustice, the contentious construction of pipelines often disproportionately impacts communities of lower economic development, people of color, and indigenous peoples; pipelines also pose potential short and long-term health and safety threats. With the expansion of energy pipelines carrying fracked oil and gas across the United States and abroad, the moment is ripe for teaching about pipeline projects and engaging students and community members in learning about methods for mobilization. Our volume examines pedagogical opportunities, challenges, and interventions that campus-community engagement, and other kinds of community engagement, produce in relation to infrastructuring in the form of pipeline development.

The sobering reality of the disconnect between the resolve of the world community to effectively address climate change, and what actually needs to be done, has led to increasing impetus for consideration of a suite of approaches collectively known as “climate geoengineering,” or “climate engineering.” Indeed, the feckless response of the world community to climate change has transformed climate geoengineering from a fringe concept to a potentially mainstream policy option within the past decade. This volume will explore scientific, political and legal issues associated with the emerging field of climate geoengineering. The volume encompasses perspectives on both of the major categories of climate geoengineering approaches, carbon dioxide removal and solar radiation management.

The sobering reality of the disconnect between the resolve of the world community to effectively address climate change, and what actually needs to be done, has led to increasing impetus for consideration of a suite of approaches collectively known as “climate geoengineering,” or “climate engineering.” Indeed, the feckless response of the world community to climate change has transformed climate geoengineering from a fringe concept to a potentially mainstream policy option within the past decade. This volume will explore scientific, political and legal issues associated with the emerging field of climate geoengineering. The volume encompasses perspectives on both of the major categories of climate geoengineering approaches, carbon dioxide removal and solar radiation management.

This book focuses on a monograph published in 2017 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), discussing its carcinogen hazard classification of four pesticides:  parathion, malathion, diazinon, and tetrachlorvinphos as well as the herbicide glyphosate.  The monograph provided a detailed discussion of considerations and conclusions made by a group of experts who met in 2015 to evaluate these compounds. Although not universally true, many of these substances, from the time of their commercial introduction to their present-day use, have spread significantly in the environment, affecting animals and plants in the larger ecosystem, the overall health of the environment, and human health. This book develops each of these issues before turning to the IARC review process, both the general process and its evolution over time, and compound selection criteria and deliberations regarding the substances discussed in the 2017 monograph. Final book sections detail scientific and private sector reactions to and implications of the IARC classifications. Hazard identification is contrasted with various models of quantitative risk assessment. The last chapters highlight the importance of hazard identification for members of domestic and global underserved communities involved in farming and landscape work, where exposures may vary widely, are not well-regulated, and where health outcomes are often not carefully documented.

This book focuses on a monograph published in 2017 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), discussing its carcinogen hazard classification of four pesticides:  parathion, malathion, diazinon, and tetrachlorvinphos as well as the herbicide glyphosate.  The monograph provided a detailed discussion of considerations and conclusions made by a group of experts who met in 2015 to evaluate these compounds. Although not universally true, many of these substances, from the time of their commercial introduction to their present-day use, have spread significantly in the environment, affecting animals and plants in the larger ecosystem, the overall health of the environment, and human health. This book develops each of these issues before turning to the IARC review process, both the general process and its evolution over time, and compound selection criteria and deliberations regarding the substances discussed in the 2017 monograph. Final book sections detail scientific and private sector reactions to and implications of the IARC classifications. Hazard identification is contrasted with various models of quantitative risk assessment. The last chapters highlight the importance of hazard identification for members of domestic and global underserved communities involved in farming and landscape work, where exposures may vary widely, are not well-regulated, and where health outcomes are often not carefully documented.

This textbook is intended to be used in an upper-level international environmental issues class as part of the American Environmental Studies and Sciences book series. This class is commonly taught at both the undergraduate and graduate level as part of either an environmental studies program, a political science program, or within a policy track of an environmental science program.Given the length of time that negotiations have occurred, a new generation of students and practitioners will need to understand the complex processes that produced many of our environmental treaties. The majority of the students in environmental studies do not have a background in political science. Moving from a political science approach to an interdisciplinary approach will benefit the students by making the material more accessible.As these fields continue to grow and develop, regulatory compliance becomes increasingly important. Thus, this book is aimed at adding a business and industry perspective to this field where appropriate.

This textbook is intended to be used in an upper-level international environmental issues class as part of the American Environmental Studies and Sciences book series. This class is commonly taught at both the undergraduate and graduate level as part of either an environmental studies program, a political science program, or within a policy track of an environmental science program.Given the length of time that negotiations have occurred, a new generation of students and practitioners will need to understand the complex processes that produced many of our environmental treaties. The majority of the students in environmental studies do not have a background in political science. Moving from a political science approach to an interdisciplinary approach will benefit the students by making the material more accessible.As these fields continue to grow and develop, regulatory compliance becomes increasingly important. Thus, this book is aimed at adding a business and industry perspective to this field where appropriate.

Solutions to societal and organizational problems require people from diverse fields of expertise to effectively work in team-based, collaborative environments. To create these environments, we need to address a myth in modern culture that people have natural abilities to collaborate and work together. Collaboration and teamwork are skills. As such, these skills need to be learned and practiced. Commonly, collaboration is learned through trial and error. Team members have little or no training in how to effectively and efficiently harness the diversity of strengths among team members and maximize their contributions to the team. The purpose of this book is to provide a practical, process-oriented guide that, at its most fundamental level, is about building relationships and promoting communication and learning among diverse groups of individuals that results in creative, collaborative, and inclusive problem-solving environments. This volume provides explicit approaches and processes that will help team members more effectively and efficiently create new knowledge and solutions for societal and organizational problems through collective action.

Solutions to societal and organizational problems require people from diverse fields of expertise to effectively work in team-based, collaborative environments. To create these environments, we need to address a myth in modern culture that people have natural abilities to collaborate and work together. Collaboration and teamwork are skills. As such, these skills need to be learned and practiced. Commonly, collaboration is learned through trial and error. Team members have little or no training in how to effectively and efficiently harness the diversity of strengths among team members and maximize their contributions to the team. The purpose of this book is to provide a practical, process-oriented guide that, at its most fundamental level, is about building relationships and promoting communication and learning among diverse groups of individuals that results in creative, collaborative, and inclusive problem-solving environments. This volume provides explicit approaches and processes that will help team members more effectively and efficiently create new knowledge and solutions for societal and organizational problems through collective action.

ReImagine Appalachia- Healing the Land and Empowering the People documents the three-year grass-roots collaboration among people, organizations, elected officials and faith leaders to envision and enact into law a blueprint for shared prosperity in the four Appalachia states of KY, OH, PA and WV. In response to industry proposals for a five-plant petrochemical hub in the Ohio River Valley, concerned citizens developed a Blueprint for a new deal that works for all of us: public investment in our communities; building a 21st century sustainable Appalachia; and rebuilding the middleclass. This book captures the process, plans and results of the ReImagine Appalachia campaign as a success story and testament to the power of grassroots organizing for climate action, social equity, and racial justice. It raises the diverse voices and stories of people who built common ground together and changed the laws for a more equitable, healthier world for our children and future generations.

ReImagine Appalachia- Healing the Land and Empowering the People documents the three-year grass-roots collaboration among people, organizations, elected officials and faith leaders to envision and enact into law a blueprint for shared prosperity in the four Appalachia states of KY, OH, PA and WV. In response to industry proposals for a five-plant petrochemical hub in the Ohio River Valley, concerned citizens developed a Blueprint for a new deal that works for all of us: public investment in our communities; building a 21st century sustainable Appalachia; and rebuilding the middleclass. This book captures the process, plans and results of the ReImagine Appalachia campaign as a success story and testament to the power of grassroots organizing for climate action, social equity, and racial justice. It raises the diverse voices and stories of people who built common ground together and changed the laws for a more equitable, healthier world for our children and future generations.

This book is a social—ecological system description and feedback analysis of the Lake Tana Basin, the headwater catchment of the Upper Blue Nile River.  This basin is an important local, national, and international resource, and concern about its sustainable development is growing at many levels.  Lake Tana Basin outflows of water, sediments, nutrients, and contaminants affect water that flows downstream in the Blue Nile across international boundaries into the Nile River; the lake and surrounding land have recently been proposed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve; the basin has been designated as a key national economic growth corridor in the Ethiopian Growth and Transformation Plan.  In spite of the Lake Tana Basin’s importance, there is no comprehensive, integrated, system-wide description of its characteristics and dynamics that can serve as a basis for its sustainable development.  This book presents both the social and ecological characteristics of the region and an integrated, system-wide perspective of the feedback links that shape social and ecological change in the basin.  Finally, it summarizes key research needs for sustainable development.

This book is designed as a basic text for courses that are part of an interdisciplinary program in environmental studies. The intended reader is anyone who expects environmental stewardship to be an important part of his or her life, as a citizen, a policy maker, or an environmental management professional.  In addition to discussing major issues in environmental ethics, it invites readers to think about how an ethicist's perspective differs from the perspectives encountered in other environmental studies courses.  Additional topics covered include corporate social responsibility, ecological citizenship, property theory, and the concept of stewardship as a vocation.

This book is a social—ecological system description and feedback analysis of the Lake Tana Basin, the headwater catchment of the Upper Blue Nile River.  This basin is an important local, national, and international resource, and concern about its sustainable development is growing at many levels.  Lake Tana Basin outflows of water, sediments, nutrients, and contaminants affect water that flows downstream in the Blue Nile across international boundaries into the Nile River; the lake and surrounding land have recently been proposed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve; the basin has been designated as a key national economic growth corridor in the Ethiopian Growth and Transformation Plan.  In spite of the Lake Tana Basin’s importance, there is no comprehensive, integrated, system-wide description of its characteristics and dynamics that can serve as a basis for its sustainable development.  This book presents both the social and ecological characteristics of the region and an integrated, system-wide perspective of the feedback links that shape social and ecological change in the basin.  Finally, it summarizes key research needs for sustainable development.