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.
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.
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.
Building Green Places takes a green look at careers in planning, designing, and building energy-efficient facilities in which to live, work, and play. It also includes the development of communities built in a way that will complement and enhance Earths ecosystems.
Come inside for a fresh look at careers in green food, from planting to cultivation, and merchandising to selling. In addition to the greening of conventional methods of food production, this book examines careers in alternative energy, equipment, packaging, and delivery systems.
Metal ores are one of the Earth's most common minerals. Metals are useful in all types of industry because they last a long time, are conductors of electricity, and can be easily shaped. Since the first metal alloy was created more than 6,000 years ago during the Bronze Age, people have recognized the potential of extracting metallic elements from rock. Metals traces the history, uses, methods of extraction, and future of one of our most versatile resources. Topics include: early use of metals during the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, and the Copper Age which countries have the most deposits of metal ores, and how much metal different countries use extracting metals from ores by use of smelting, flotation, and leaching the equipment that geologists use to locate metal deposits in ore the lives of miners, including their working conditions, the equipment they use, and the dangers that they encounter working in open-pit and underground mines the role that recycling plays in saving our environment and how metals are recycled
The United States of America is a big, beautiful country. United States the Land celebrates the third-largest country in the world. Part of North America, the United States is bordered by Canada, Mexico, and two oceans. Young readers will learn about the history of the United States, as well as about the climate, agriculture, and natural landforms across the country's various regions.
In the United States, many cultures means many celebrations. This colorful book explores the many civic and Christian holidays, festivals from other religions, and popular events that Americans enjoy.
A large part of the population of the United States was built on immigration from around the world. This fascinating book looks at the people, traditions, and ways of life today of both Native Americans and the many cultures that have landed on the shores of the United States.
How do you measure poverty? What are the effects of poverty? What can we do to prevent poverty? Learn about poverty and its many faces around the world and to start thinking about what you can do about this global social problem.
What is racism? Who is a racist? What are the causes of racism? Read this book to learn more about racism and what you can do to help foster tolerance, understanding, and acceptance in your community and the world.
What is a pandemic? What diseases are likely to cause a pandemic? How can the spread of a disease be stopped? Find out about how a disease reaches pandemic proportions and start thinking about what people can do to stop the spread of deadly diseases.
What causes pollution? How does pollution affect the environment? Why should we care about pollution? Read this book to find out more about the social, environmental, and economic issues related to pollution and what you can do about it.
How many people is too many? What happens when too many people are crowded into too little space? What can be done to control the world's population? Read this book to learn more about overpopulation and start thinking about what can and should be done to address this important issue.
Is immigration a basic human right? Does each country have the right to decide who can enter its borders? What is an illegal immigrant? Start learning about immigration and begin looking at the many different sides of this social issue.
Should scientists manipulate genes to create new varieties of food? Is genetically modified food safe to eat? How can we grow enough food to feed all the world's people? Read this book to find out more about genetically modified foods and what people around the world think about them.
Who pays for schools? Does everyone have the right to a good education? What is a good education? These are just a few of the questions that leaders around the world must answer. Start learning and thinking about education as something more than textbooks, teachers, and homework.