San Antonio College Library

This book takes a close look at our relationship with the sky, the stars, light and darkness. In particular, it examines how light pollution has interfered with the culture of astronomy and our ability to appreciate this essential facet of our natural world. The sky has always held significance for humanity, in both cultural and scientific terms. And yet we persistently pollute it with (sometimes unnecessary) light in our obsessive desire to chase...

Light pollution is a major threat to astronomy across the entire developed world. The night sky that most of us can see bears little relationship to the spectacular vistas that our ancestors have gazed at for tens of thousands of years. It is ironic that as our understanding of the universe has improved, our ability to see it has been dramatically reduced by the skyglow of our civilization. In the second edition of Light Pollution - Responses and...

"Marine pollution occurs today in varied forms--chemical, industrial, and agricultural--and the sources of pollution are endless. In recent history, we've seen oil spills, untreated sewage, eutrophication, invasive species, heavy metals, acidification, radioactive substances, marine litter, and overfishing, among other significant problems. Though marine pollution has long been a topic of concern, it has very recently exploded in environmental, economic,...

Watershed management involves more than just water storage and purification. It is also about land management, delivery systems, and the impact of global climate control. This chapter lesson will include the basics of water quality monitoring, water pollution control, alternate watershed plans and the impact of the Clean Water Act.

The long-term impact of waste disposal and the importance of environmentally conscious alternatives to landfills are explored. This chapter addresses the need to re-use natural resources and upgrade our urban infrastructure to accommodate waste and conserve energy. Is recycling effective and how can we improve the process and outcomes?

A band of inspired young Australians are deploying a new weapon against a global scourge--the great gobs of plastic polluting our oceans. Europe Correspondent Lisa Millar tells how they're doing it.

When a whale rarely seen in the North Atlantic died in a quiet cove, scientists assumed they would just salvage an unusual skeleton for the local museum. But the discovery of 30 plastic bags in its stomach made global news. Shopping bags, crisp packets and ice cream wrappers completely clogged its system. A Plastic Whale asks how the giant could have swallowed so much plastic while feeding far out to sea and a mile below the waves. What led it to...

Book Description: Encyclopedia of Pollution is a new, two-volume color set designed to address all aspects of pollution and the global impact on the environment in a single source. Containing more than 300 entries and essays interspersed throughout, it uses the most current scientific data to explain the different types of pollutants including properties, production, uses, environmental release and fate, adverse health response to exposure, and environmental...