The whooping crane is a unique bird found only in North America and known for its whooping call great height for a bird. Readers will learn about the whooping crane's fight for survival as hunters killed them for their beautiful feathers and humans drained their wetland habitats to build houses.
Readers are introduced the habitat and lifestyle of the American Alligator and learn how the American Alligator is making a comeback from near extinction. Find out how people in the southeastern United States are learning to live with these amazing creatures.
An elephant seal has a thick layer of blubber that keeps it from freezing in cold northern waters. This protective layer of blubber was prized by hunters who killed so many elephant seals that there were fewer than 100 left alive. Discover how government leaders and others took action to save these sea mammals from extinction.
The small golden lion tamarin is known for its brownish-red mane, long tail, and territorial nature. Readers will learn about these creatures and how destruction of their coastal forest habitat almost led to their extinction. Find out how zoos and conservationists have collaborated to save the golden lion tamarin.
Many people are afraid of bats, but like every other living thing they play in important role in nature. Readers will learn about cave dwelling gray bats, how they became endangered, and how government leaders and scientists have teamed up to save these furry, flying creatures.
Discover how Larry Page and Sergey Brin started out as two ordinary computer science graduate students at Stanford University, but together, created Google, the world's most powerful information search engine on the Internet. Readers will learn about the power of innovation, creativity and tech smarts.
Ellen Ochoa's has a passion for engineering, space, and science. Readers will find out how Ochoa used this passion to earn a doctorate from Stanford and become the first Hispanic American female in space. Learn how she uses this passion to inspire students of all ages to work hard in school and follow their dreams.
Skateboards are not just popular in America, they are popular in England, China, and Japan as well. This book will help readers understand how raw materials are made into skateboards in factories from California to China.
The history of human activity in the Rocky Mountain range is as colorful as its scenic natural wonders. It has been witness to the decimation of Native peoples, the westward expansion of European settlers, the frenzied activity of several gold rushes, and the blazing of transcontinental railways. This fascinating book describes the geological makeup and history of the Rocky Mountains, as well as the cultures and ways of life of the people in the United States and Canada who live in its shadow. Special sections also describe the plants and animals that thrive in this mountain habitat, as well as the unique problems facing this region.
This fascinating book describes the geological makeup and history of the Atacama Desert in Chile. One of the driest areas of the world - some parts never receive any rain - the desert's climate can be cold, sometimes producing snow and fog. Readers will be fascinated to learn that the Atacama's soil is so similar to soil samples from Mars that NASA goes to this desert to test its exploration instruments. NASA has also set up its Earth-Mars Cave Detection Program in the Atacama, too. Special sections also describe the desert's natural resources and unique problems facing this region, as well as the people, plants, and animals that inhabit this desert habitat.
The Ural Mountains form a natural boundary called the "Stone Belt" between Europe and Asia. Rich in mineral deposits, the Urals have long been a major source of industry for Russia. This fascinating book describes the geological makeup and history of the Ural mountain range, as well as the cultures and ways of life of the people in Russia and Kazakhstan who live in its shadow. Special sections also describe the plants and animals that thrive in this mountain habitat, as well as the unique problems facing this region.
This amazing book describes the geological makeup and history of the Great Victoria Desert in Australia. Used in modern times for mining and testing of atomic bombs, this vast, sandy area has been home to a number of indigenous peoples for thousands of years. Although there is little rain, the blooms with a variety of plants. Readers will learn about the Mamungari Conservation Park located in the Great Victoria Desert, which is known for a eucalyptus tree called Ooldea mallee with large, spectacular red, pink, or yellow flowers. Special sections also describe the desert's natural resources, as well as the unique problems facing this region such as the introduction of non-native species of animals.
Running almost the full length of South America on its western coast, the Andes is the longest continental mountain range in the world. This remote and harsh environment saw the rise and fall of one of the great ancient civilizations of the world, the Incas. This fascinating book describes the geological makeup and history of the Andes mountain range, and how it is intertwined with the cultures and ways of life of the people in South America who live in its shadow. Special sections also describe the plants and animals that thrive in this mountain habitat, as well as the unique problems facing this region.
Home of two of the world's highest peaks - Mount Everest and K2 - the Himalayas are both revered and feared by mountaineers around the world. This fascinating book describes the geological makeup and history of the Himalaya mountain range, and how it is intertwined with the cultures and ways of life of the people in South Asia who live in its shadow. Special sections also describe the plants and animals that thrive in this mountain habitat, as well as the unique problems facing this region.
The Great Appalachian Valley, a major land form of the Appalachian mountains, played an important role in the early history of the United States. Routes through the valley, first made by Native Americans, made the mountains passable, later allowing European immigrants to expand colonization of the region. This fascinating book describes the geological makeup and history of the mountain ranges that form the Appalachians, and the people in the United States and Canada who live in their shadows. Special sections also describe the plants and animals that thrive in these mountain habitats, as well as the unique problems facing this region.
The famous peaks of the Alps - Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, the Eiger - have inspired adventure seekers, poets, and philosophers throughout history. This fascinating book describes the geological makeup and history of the Alps mountain range, and how it is intertwined with the cultures and ways of life of the people in Europe who live in its shadow. Special sections also describe the plants and animals that thrive in this mountain habitat, as well as the unique problems facing this region.
Learning Green introduces readers to a wide range of careers in education that address conservation and environmentalism. These include teaching and promoting a green curriculum in a public or private school setting. These subjects intersect with a vast assortment of professions, such as architecture, engineering, law, horticulture, forestry, biology, urban and regional planning, oceanography, geology, and geography.
Opportunitiesin environmental law are explored in Legally Green. Jobs include working for public service or governmental agencies and environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) as environmental investigators, officers, inspectors, and policy advisors. Careers in this field also include working as attorneys and legal support staff for law firms that offer services related to environmental law, and for corporations that need to keep on top of compliance and other regulatory issues as a part of doing their daily business. Opportunities also exist in education, law enforcement, and even politics.
Touring, Trekking, and Traveling Green explores the many careers open to people in the fast-growing field of ecotourism. From being an ecotour leader or naturalist to managing a wildlife eco-lodge, working as a travel agent certified in ecotourism, or teaching on-the-ground tour guides and college students interested in making a living helping others enjoy nature, the opportunities for people seeking work in ecotourism are manyand growing fast. Other jobs associated with ecotourism include working in public relations or marketing ecotourism destinations, writing guidebooks, and helping visitors understand and appreciate nature as an interpreter for agencies such as the U.S. National Park Service and Parks Canada. Also of note: the challenges and responsibilities that jobs in ecotourism present to people who wish to make use of the environment for fun and profit without harming the ecological health of our planet.
Re-Greening the Environment covers the wide range of careers in environmental clean-up, remediation, and renewal. The response to two massive oil spills in recent years the Exxon Valdez oil spill off the coast of Alaska in 1989 and the current Deepwater Horizon/BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico are explored. The types of jobs and careers that are associated with preventing and correcting disasters such as these include environmental scientist, hydrogeologist, enforcing clean-up regulations, and monitoring and testing waterways, soil, and groundwater for harmful pollutants. Also, the reuse and rehabbing of older commercial or industrial buildings presents opportunities in planning, designing, rebuilding, reclaiming, and restoring the natural habitats associated with these sites.
This fascinating book explains the chemistry of cleaning agents, from dish detergents to window wash. Readers will learn how good chemistry and science comes from experimentation and careful observation, as well as flexible thinking and a mind that accepts difference and change. Easy experiments allow budding scientists to test theories.
The medical and pharmaceutical industries rely on chemists to produce drugs that relieve pain and keep people alive. Readers will learn what goes into the making of an aspirin and how some medical discoveries have been the result of trial, error, and "chem-tacular" luck! Easy experiments allow budding scientists to test theories.
The way we live affects our environment. Environmental Chemistry takes a look at how chemistry-related inventions have both helped and harmed our environment. Readers will learn the science and chemistry of acid rain, ozone depletion, and water pollution. Easy experiments allow budding scientists to test theories and understand the chemistry of environments and environmental pollution.
Ever wonder what makes bread rise, or why some cookies are hard and some are soft? Kitchen Chemistry takes you inside the scientific world of your own kitchen. Easy and safe experiments introduce readers to the simple science that every cook and baker should know. Learn about the different kinds of scientists who create, manufacture, and process our food.
Green Ways of Getting Around moves readers toward careers in "green" transportation, including travel by air, sea, and land, and even in more extreme environments, such as outer space and under water. This book explores mass transit and automotive transportation, highlighting fuel-powered vehicles, such as buses, planes, and boats, which carry with them their own pros and cons as being fuel-efficient and ecologically sound. Also included: using pedal power, pedestrian-friendly venues, concepts that promote walkability and sustainable mass transit, and powering transportation with alternative energy sources.
