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By Fitch, Chris
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- RRP: $60.00
- $46.80
- Save $13.20
- Pub Date
8 Sep 20
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A lavish, gorgeously-illustrated look at the strange worlds below the surface of our planet
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The resources race is on. Powering our digital lives and green technologies are some of the Earth's most precious metals - but they are running out. And what will happen when they do? The green-tech revolution has been lauded as the silver bullet to a new world. One that is at la...st free of oil, pollution, shortages, and cross-border tensions. Drawing on six years of research across a dozen countries, this book cuts across conventional green thinking to probe the hidden, dark side of green technology. By breaking free of fossil fuels, we are in fact setting ourselves up for a new dependence - on rare metals such as cobalt, gold, and palladium. They are essential to electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels, our smartphones, computers, tablets, and other everyday connected objects. China has captured the lion's share of the rare metals industry, but consumers know very little about how they are mined and traded, or their environmental, economic, and geopolitical costs. The Rare Metals War is a vital expose of the ticking time-bomb that lies beneath our new technological order. It uncovers the reality of our lavish and ambitious environmental quest that involves risks as formidable as those it seeks to resolve. ' T he journalist and filmmaker warns against the optimistic belief that technology is the solution ... At a time when many claim to be citizens of the world or retreat into naive or hypocritical protectionism, Pitron's book is an attempt to open people's eyes to the consequences of their societal choices and lifestyles.' -Green European Journal 'French Writer and analyst Guillaume Pitron warns about growing reliance on rare-earth metal - which are necessary to build high-tech products ... He shines a light on the untold story of the energy and digital transitions.' -European Scientist
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A profound meditation on climate change and the Anthropocene and an urgent search for the fossils-industrial, chemical, geological-that humans are leaving behind
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By Gill, Maria
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- RRP: $24.99
- $22.49
- Save $2.50
- In Stock At Publisher
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Thousands of Earthquakes occur in New Zealand every year, some so small we don't feel them. Others such as the recent quakes in Christchurch and Kaikoura cause significant damage. This book explains what causes earthquakes and why New Zealand has so many, what types of quake occu...r and the most frequently affected areas of the country.
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* Second title in a new non-fiction series aimed at readers aged 12+ * Easy-to-understand text explaining New Zealand's volcanic and earthquake situation * Highly illustrated with explanatory diagrams and photographs
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Soil Science for Gardeners is an easy-to-read, practical guide to the science behind a healthy soil ecosystem and thriving plants. The book debunks common myths, explains soil science basics, and provides the reader with the knowledge to create a personalized soil fertility impro...vement program for better plants.
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By Cole, Lily
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- RRP: $48.00
- $36.00
- Save $12.00
- Pub Date
18 Aug 20
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A Radical Guide to Thinking Differently About the World and Initiating Change In 2013, Lily Cole was aware that change was needed in the world - big change. Global warming had reached terrifying heights of severity, human expansion and development had seen the extinction of count...less species, and Neoliberalism and led to a destructive divide in wealth and to a polarisation of mainstream politics. And she believed that, in the face of such a gloomy predicament, the answer lay in optimism. Taking inspiration from altruism-based communities, she launched Impossible, a platform (Impossible People) for people to give their time and skills to help others. Impossible has since evolved into an incubator and innovator, which uses design and technology to help solve social and environmental issues. Reasons for Optimism draws together Lily's knowledge, the experiences which led her to Impossible, and everything she has learned from the enterprise. In it she describes how we can build stronger communities, invest in sustainable solutions and ultimately divest ourselves of the enormous burden represented by capitalism and our current monetary system. Full of practical tips to help you instigate change, from how to build a community library to share books and knowledge, to how to launch a social network like Impossible, Reasons for Optimism is a radical vision for a new and better world.
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In the first half of the twentieth century, when seismology was still in in its infancy, renowned geologist Bailey Willis faced off with fellow high-profile scientist Robert T. Hill in a debate with life-or-death consequences for the millions of people migrating west. Their confl...ict centered on a consequential question: Is southern California earthquake country? These entwined biographies of Hill and Willis offer a lively, accessible account of the ways that politics and financial interests influenced the development of earthquake science. During this period of debate, severe quakes in Santa Barbara (1925) and Long Beach (1933) caused scores of deaths and a significant amount of damage, offering turning points for scientific knowledge and mainstreaming the idea of earthquake safety. The Great Quake Debate sheds light on enduring questions surrounding the environmental hazards of our dynamic planet. What challenges face scientists bearing bad news in the public arena? How do we balance risk and the need to sustain communities and cities? And how well has California come to grips with its many faults?
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By Sala, Enric
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- RRP: $59.50
- $59.42
- Save $0.08
- Pub Date
25 Aug 20
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In this inspiring manifesto, an internationally renowned oceanographer makes the provocative case for why protecting nature makes economic sense. Enric Sala wants to change the world--and in this groundbreaking book, he shows us how. Once we appreciate how nature works, he assert...s, we will understand why its preservation is economically practical and essential to our survival. In this highly readable narrative, Sala, director of National Geographic's Pristine Seas project, tells the story of his scientific awakening, the colorful mentors whose work inspired him, and his transition from academic to activism--because, as he put it, he was tired of writing the obituary of the ocean. His revelations are surprising, and sometimes counterintuitive: Lots of sharks are actually the best indicator of a healthy ocean ecosystem, and crop diversity, rather than intensive monoculture farming, is the key to planetary abundance. For decades, Sala has spearheaded ocean protection, convincing world leaders to protect areas amounting to five times the size of Texas--and he is still passionately pushing for more. Using fascinating examples from his own expeditions and groundbreaking findings from other scientists, Sala builds the case for the economic wisdom of making room for nature, even as the population builds to eight million and grows more urbanized by the decade. Both relatable and inspiring, this powerful book will change the way you think about the world--and the future.
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From one of the world's most renowned cave divers, a firsthand account of exploring the earth's final frontier: the hidden depths of our oceans and the sunken caves inside our planet More people have died exploring underwater caves than climbing Mount Everest, and we know more ab...out deep space than we do about the depths of our oceans. From one of the top cave divers working today--and one of the very few women in her field--Into the Planet blends science, adventure, and memoir to bring readers face-to-face with the terror and beauty of earth's remaining unknowns and the extremes of human capability. Jill Heinerth--the first person in history to dive deep into an Antarctic iceberg and leader of a team that discovered the ancient watery remains of Mayan civilizations--has descended farther into the inner depths of our planet than any other woman. She takes us into the harrowing split-second decisions that determine whether a diver makes it back to safety, the prejudices that prevent women from pursuing careers underwater, and her endeavor to recover a fallen friend's body from the confines of a cave. But there's beauty beyond the danger of diving, and while Heinerth swims beneath our feet in the lifeblood of our planet, she works with biologists discovering new species, physicists tracking climate change, and hydrogeologists examining our finite freshwater reserves. Written with hair-raising intensity, Into the Planet is the first book to deliver an intimate account of cave diving, transporting readers deep into inner space, where fear must be reconciled and a mission's success balances between knowing one's limits and pushing the envelope of human endurance.
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