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The Resource Countdown : our last, best hope for a future on earth?, Alan Weisman

Countdown : our last, best hope for a future on earth?, Alan Weisman

Creator
Author
Summary
"A powerful investigation into the chances for humanity's future from the author of the bestseller The World Without Us. In his bestselling book The World Without Us, Alan Weisman considered how the Earth could heal and even refill empty niches if relieved of humanity's constant pressures. Behind that groundbreaking thought experiment was his hope that we would be inspired to find a way to add humans back to this vision of a restored, healthy planet-only in harmony, not mortal combat, with the rest of nature. But with a million more of us every 4 1/2 days on a planet that's not getting any bigger, and with our exhaust overheating the atmosphere and altering the chemistry of the oceans, prospects for a sustainable human future seem ever more in doubt. For this long awaited follow-up book, Weisman traveled to more than 20 countries to ask what experts agreed were the probably the most important questions on Earth-and also the hardest: How many humans can the planet hold without capsizing? How robust must the Earth's ecosystem be to assure our continued existence? Can we know which other species are essential to our survival? And, how might we actually arrive at a stable, optimum population, and design an economy to allow genuine prosperity without endless growth? Weisman visits an extraordinary range of the world's cultures, religions, nationalities, tribes, and political systems to learn what in their beliefs, histories, liturgies, or current circumstances might suggest that sometimes it's in their own best interest to limit their growth. The result is a landmark work of reporting: devastating, urgent, and, ultimately, deeply hopeful. By vividly detailing the burgeoning effects of our cumulative presence, Countdown reveals what may be the fastest, most acceptable, practical, and affordable way of returning our planet and our presence on it to balance. Weisman again shows that he is one of the most provocative journalists at work today, with a book whose message is so compelling that it will change how we see our lives and our destiny"--
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Edition
First edition.
Extent
xii, 513 pages
Contents
  • The sea
  • The bottom
  • The world unraveling
  • The Ayatollah giveth and taketh away
  • Shrink and prosper
  • Tomorrow
  • Safe sex
  • Parkland Earth
  • The world with fewer of us
  • A weary land of four questions
  • A world bursting its seams
  • Body counts and the paradox of food
  • Carrying capacity and the cradle
  • Island world
  • Holy See
  • Gorillas in our midst
  • The great wall of people
Isbn
9780316277433
Instance
Label
Countdown : our last, best hope for a future on earth?
Title
Countdown
Title remainder
our last, best hope for a future on earth?
Statement of responsibility
Alan Weisman
Creator
Author
Subject
Language
eng
Summary
"A powerful investigation into the chances for humanity's future from the author of the bestseller The World Without Us. In his bestselling book The World Without Us, Alan Weisman considered how the Earth could heal and even refill empty niches if relieved of humanity's constant pressures. Behind that groundbreaking thought experiment was his hope that we would be inspired to find a way to add humans back to this vision of a restored, healthy planet-only in harmony, not mortal combat, with the rest of nature. But with a million more of us every 4 1/2 days on a planet that's not getting any bigger, and with our exhaust overheating the atmosphere and altering the chemistry of the oceans, prospects for a sustainable human future seem ever more in doubt. For this long awaited follow-up book, Weisman traveled to more than 20 countries to ask what experts agreed were the probably the most important questions on Earth-and also the hardest: How many humans can the planet hold without capsizing? How robust must the Earth's ecosystem be to assure our continued existence? Can we know which other species are essential to our survival? And, how might we actually arrive at a stable, optimum population, and design an economy to allow genuine prosperity without endless growth? Weisman visits an extraordinary range of the world's cultures, religions, nationalities, tribes, and political systems to learn what in their beliefs, histories, liturgies, or current circumstances might suggest that sometimes it's in their own best interest to limit their growth. The result is a landmark work of reporting: devastating, urgent, and, ultimately, deeply hopeful. By vividly detailing the burgeoning effects of our cumulative presence, Countdown reveals what may be the fastest, most acceptable, practical, and affordable way of returning our planet and our presence on it to balance. Weisman again shows that he is one of the most provocative journalists at work today, with a book whose message is so compelling that it will change how we see our lives and our destiny"--
Assigning source
Provided by publisher
Cataloging source
DLC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Weisman, Alan
Dewey number
304.2
Illustrations
illustrations
Index
index present
LC call number
GF75
LC item number
.W454 2013
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Nature
  • Overpopulation
  • Population ecology
  • Population
  • POLITICAL SCIENCE
  • SOCIAL SCIENCE
  • NATURE
  • NATURE
  • HISTORY
  • TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING
  • Ecological carrying capacity
  • Nature
  • Overpopulation
Label
Countdown : our last, best hope for a future on earth?, Alan Weisman
Instantiates
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
  • The sea
  • The bottom
  • The world unraveling
  • The Ayatollah giveth and taketh away
  • Shrink and prosper
  • Tomorrow
  • Safe sex
  • Parkland Earth
  • The world with fewer of us
  • A weary land of four questions
  • A world bursting its seams
  • Body counts and the paradox of food
  • Carrying capacity and the cradle
  • Island world
  • Holy See
  • Gorillas in our midst
  • The great wall of people
Control code
ocn827082571
Dimensions
25 cm
Edition
First edition.
Extent
xii, 513 pages
Isbn
9780316277433
Lccn
2013017113
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations
System control number
  • (Sirsi) i9780316097758
  • (OCoLC)827082571
Label
Countdown : our last, best hope for a future on earth?, Alan Weisman
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
  • The sea
  • The bottom
  • The world unraveling
  • The Ayatollah giveth and taketh away
  • Shrink and prosper
  • Tomorrow
  • Safe sex
  • Parkland Earth
  • The world with fewer of us
  • A weary land of four questions
  • A world bursting its seams
  • Body counts and the paradox of food
  • Carrying capacity and the cradle
  • Island world
  • Holy See
  • Gorillas in our midst
  • The great wall of people
Control code
ocn827082571
Dimensions
25 cm
Edition
First edition.
Extent
xii, 513 pages
Isbn
9780316277433
Lccn
2013017113
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations
System control number
  • (Sirsi) i9780316097758
  • (OCoLC)827082571

Subject

Library Locations

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