Natur

'Absolutely stunning. . . a formidable achievement. A six-part historical thriller that is essential reading for both our politicians and the ordinary citizen' Kai BirdBest-selling historian Serhii Plokhy returns with an illuminating exploration of the atomic age through the history of six nuclear disasters In 2011, a 43-foot-high tsunami crashed into a nuclear power plant in Fukushima, Japan. In the following days, explosions would rip buildings apart, three reactors would go into nuclear meltdown, and the surrounding area would be swamped in radioactive water. It is now considered one of the costliest nuclear disasters ever. But Fukushima was not the first, and it was not the worst. . . In Atoms and Ashes, acclaimed historian Serhii Plokhy tells the tale of the six nuclear disasters that shook the world: Bikini Atoll, Kyshtym, Windscale, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima. Based on wide-ranging research and witness testimony, Plokhy traces the arc of each crisis, exploring in depth the confused decision-making on the ground and the panicked responses of governments to contain the crises and often cover up the scale of the catastrophe. As the world increasingly looks to renewable and alternative sources of energy, Plokhy lucidly argues that the atomic risk must be understood in explicit terms, but also that these calamities reveal a fundamental truth about our relationship with nuclear technology: that the thirst for power and energy has always trumped safety and the cost for future generations.

A collection of political writings by the radical socialist and feminist geographer, Doreen Massey, edited by David Featherstone and Diarmaid Kelliher.

A beautiful full-colour cookbook featuring simple, tasty recipes to nourish your health and support the planet, based on global scientific report The Planetary Health Diet.

'It's a paradox but this was one of the most chilling books I've read this year. It's the definitive guide to where we're heading' ANTHONY HOROWITZ'The Earth is already in a dangerous phase of heating. Many scientists admit privately to actually being "e;scared"e; by recent weather extremes. But the public doesn't like pessimism, so we environment journalists hint at future optimism. This book provides a more steely-eyed view on how we can cope with a hothouse world.' - ROGER HARRABIN, former BBC Environment Analyst'This accessible and authoritative book is a must-read for anyone who still thinks it could be OK to carry on as we are for a little bit longer, or that climate chaos might not affect them or their kids too badly.' MIKE BERNERS-LEE is a professor at Lancaster University, founder of Small World Consultancy and author of There is No Planet B: A Handbook for the Make or Break Years'If you read just one book about the menace of climate breakdown, make it this one.' - TIM RADFORD, Climate News NetworkWe inhabit a planet in peril. Our once temperate world is locked on course to become a hothouse entirely of our own making.Hothouse Earth: An Inhabitant's Guide provides a post-COP26 perspective on the climate emergency, acknowledging that it is now practically impossible to keep this side of the 1.5(deg)C dangerous climate change guardrail. The upshot is that we can no longer dodge the arrival of disastrous, all-pervasive, climate breakdown that will come as a hammer blow to global society and economy.Bill McGuire, Professor of Geophysical and Climate Hazards, explains the science behind the climate crisis and for the first time presents a blunt but authentic picture of the sort of world our children will grow old in, and our grandchildren grow up in; a world that we catch only glimpses of in today's blistering heatwaves, calamitous wildfires and ruinous floods and droughts. Bleak though it is, the picture is one we must all face up to, if only to spur genuine action - even at this late stage - to stop a harrowing future becoming a truly cataclysmic one.

There are more coral species in deep, cold-waters than in tropical coral reefs. This broad-ranging treatment is the first to synthesise current understanding of all types of cold-water coral, covering their ecology, biology, palaeontology and geology. Beginning with a history of research in the field, the authors describe the approaches needed to study corals in the deep sea. They consider coral habitats created by stony scleractinian as well as octocoral species. The importance of corals as long-lived geological structures and palaeoclimate archives is discussed, in addition to ways in which they can be conserved. Topic boxes explain unfamiliar concepts, and case studies summarise significant studies, coral habitats or particular conservation measures. Written for professionals and students of marine science, this text is enhanced by an extensive glossary, online resources, and a unique collection of colour photographs and illustrations of corals and the habitats they form.

The human brain evolved to prioritize short-term rewards over long-term goals. But while this adaptation served our ancestors well, it is maladaptive in the face of a slow-moving climate crisis. Luckily, brains can adjust. Ann-Christine Duhaime explores how we can reframe what we find rewarding to counteract climate change.

Gardening for Everyone is a sustainable guide to growing vegetables in five simple steps: planning, building, planting, tending and harvesting. With the same wisdom and stunning aesthetic as Simply Living Well, Julia's beautiful new book is a guide to creating and growing a garden simply and sustainably with profiles of essential vegetables and herbs, ecological tips, and fun and creative projects.Growing food in your backyard (or even on a porch or windowsill!) is one of the simplest and most rewarding ways to nourish yourself, be self-sufficient and connect with nature in a hands-on way. Here sustainability expert Julia Watkins shares everything you need to know to grow your own vegetables, fruits and herbs, as well as wildflowers and other beneficial companion plants.The book covers all the nuts and bolts of creating and caring for your garden - planning, building, planting, tending and harvesting - followed by a deeper dive into the plants themselves: demystifying annuals vs. perennials, cold-weather vs. warm-weather veggies, and profiles of favorite crops. Throughout, Julia offers tips for creating an eco-friendly and sustainable garden (such as vermicomposting, no-till 'lasagna' gardening, and attracting pollinators), plus some fun and unexpected hands-on projects like how to build a bean teepee, make wildflower seed paper, and enjoy refreshing herbal lemonade ice pops.

The nature in our world is wonderful, and it's up to us to take care of it. You may feel small, but your actions can make a big difference.This title encourages children to look after their world, but it doesn't just focus on the problems - it teaches them proper ways of preserving and protecting the incredible biodiversity in our world. Vet, author, and TV presenter Jess French introduces kids to a wide variety of environments, plants, and animals, with each spread focusing on a particular species, group, or type, the challenges facing it, and the things kids can do to protect it. The ebook seeks to provide a positive outlook without glazing over the challenges faced by nature. Unlike most nature books, it will focus on some of the underdogs of the natural world, and will show kids that they can find wonder in the most unexpected places.

For billions of years, Earth was an inhospitably alien place - covered with churning seas, slowly crafting its landscape by way of incessant volcanic eruptions, the atmosphere in a constant state of chemical flux. And yet, despite facing literally every conceivable setback that living organisms could encounter, life has been extinguished and picked itself up to evolve again. Life has learned and adapted and continued through the billions of years that followed. It has weathered fire and ice. Slimes begat sponges, who through billions of years of complex evolution and adaptation grew a backbone, braved the unknown of pitiless shores, and sought an existence beyond the sea.From that first foray to the spread of early hominids who later became Homo sapiens, life has persisted, undaunted. A (Very) Short History of Life is an enlightening story of survival, of persistence, illuminating the delicate balance within which life has always existed, and continues to exist today. It is our planet like you've never seen it before.Life teems through Henry Gee's lyrical prose - colossal supercontinents drift, collide, and coalesce, fashioning the face of the planet as we know it today. Creatures are engagingly personified, from 'gregarious' bacteria populating the seas to duelling dinosaurs in the Triassic period to magnificent mammals with the future in their (newly evolved) grasp. Those long extinct, almost alien early life forms are resurrected in evocative detail. Life's evolutionary steps - from the development of a digestive system to the awe of creatures taking to the skies in flight - are conveyed with an alluring, up-close intimacy.

In Planting for Garden Birds find straightforward ideas and easy to achieve plans that will make your garden irresistible to birds.Packed with interesting facts, environmental and habitat information as well as easy to achieve planting ideas, this is a practical, illustrated guide for people wanting to encourage more birdlife to their outdoor space.By gardening sustainably, you can make a considerable difference to the wildlife populations in your immediate area, as well as in the country as a whole. While some birds are residents we'll see from day to day, others are fleeting visitors - but they're all potential guests in our gardens if we make the environment suitably welcoming.Planting for Garden Birds is aimed at the keen amateur gardener and those hoping to take their knowledge and experience to the next level.Planting for Garden Birds is part of a series of books aimed at encouraging wildlife into your garden. Other titles in the series are: Planting for Butterflies, Planting for Wildlife, Planting for Honeybees.

It's hard to watch the news, scroll through social media, or listen to the radio without hearing or seeing something disturbing about the climate emergency. This can trigger all sorts of emotions: worry, anger, sadness, guilt, and even grief but also often over-looked positive emotions like motivation, connection, care, and abundance that support mental health and climate action for sustainable longevity.Written by psychologists with extensive experience in treating people with eco-anxiety, this book shows you how to harness these emotions, validate them, and transform them into positive action. It enables you to assess and understand your psychological responses to the climate crisis and move away from unhealthy defence mechanisms, such as denial and avoidance.Ultimately, it shows that the solution to both climate anxiety and the climate crisis is the same - action that is sustainable for you and for the planet - and empowers you to take steps towards this.

A Times Best Book of 2021 From the very first dog to glowing fish and designer pigs the human history of remaking nature. Virus-free mosquitoes, resurrected dinosaurs, designer humans such is the power of the science of tomorrow. But this idea that we have only recently begun to manipulate the natural world is false. We've been meddling with nature since the last ice age. It's just that we're getting better at it a lot better. Drawing on decades of research, Beth Shapiro reveals the surprisingly long history of human intervention in evolution through hunting, domesticating, polluting, hybridizing, conserving and genetically modifying life on Earth. Looking ahead to the future, she casts aside the scaremongering myths on the dangers of interference, and outlines the true risks and incredible opportunities that new biotechnologies will offer us in the years ahead. Not only do they present us with the chance to improve our own lives, but they increase the likelihood that we will continue to live in a rich and biologically diverse world.

In 2008, as the storms of the financial crash blew, Isabelle Fremeaux and Jay Jordan deserted the metropolis and their academic jobs, traveling across Europe in search of post-capitalist utopias. They wanted their art activism to no longer be uprooted.They arrived at a place French politicians had declared lost to the republic, otherwise know as the zad (the zone to defend): a messy but extraordinary canvas of commoning, illegally occupying 4,000 acres of wetlands where an international airport was planned. In 2018, the 40-year-long struggle snatched an incredible victory, defeating the airport expansion project through a powerful cocktail that merged creation and resistance.Fremeaux and Jordan blend rich eyewitness accounts with theory, inspired by a diverse array of approaches, from neo-animism to revolutionary biology, insurrectionary writings and radical art history.Published in collaboration with theJournal of Aesthetics & Protest.

Permaculture Design is a powerful tool for creating systems that meet our humans needs while supporting the ecosystem as a whole. It applies ecological principles to designing gardens, farms, community projects and human settlements. The standard 72 hour Permaculture Design Course (PDC) is taught worldwide to farmers, gardeners, design professionals and everyday folk who are interested in creating a healthier, more equitable planet. Rosemary Morrow provides information on each unit of the PDC's curriculum. Using real life experience and gathered evidence of permaculture's effectiveness, this fully revised and updated edition contains a wealth of technical information for teaching a PDC. Included in this text are new findings in emerging disciplines, such as regenerative agriculture. An important text for teachers and students in the areas of:ArchitectureLandscape designEcologyGeographyRegenerative agriculturesAgro-ecologyAgro-forestry

This handbook explains all the ways trees are essential for our climate, our urban and rural environment, our society and our mental health

The ultimate illustrated guide for sourcing, processing and using wild clay.Potters around the world are taking to the local landscape to dig their own wild clay, discover its unique properties, and apply it to their craft. This guide is the ideal starting point for anyone ΓÇô from novices, improvers and experts to educators and students ΓÇô who wants to forge a closer bond between their art and their surroundings.Testing and trial and error are key to finding a material''s best use, so the authors'' tips, drawn from long experience in the US and Japan (but which can be applied to clays anywhere) provide an enviable head-start on this rewarding journey. A clay might be best suited to sculpture and tile bodies, throwing clay bodies, handbuilding and slab bodies, or simply be applied as a glaze or slip. The specific properties of found materials can create a diverse range of effects and surfaces, or, even when not fired, can be adapted for use as colorful pastels or pigments.Beautiful illustrations and helpful technical descriptions explain the formation of various clays; how to locate, collect and assess them; how to test their properties of shrinkage, water absorption, texture and plasticity; the best ways to test-fire them; and how to adapt a clay''s characteristics by blending appropriate materials. From prospecting in the field to holding your finished product, there is helpful advice through every stage, and a gallery of work by international potters who have embraced the clays found around them.

Few of us know what goes on after dark, underneath the moon. Sally Coulthard shines a light on the Barn Owl, one of the most mesmerising and elusive icons of the countryside.With its heart-shaped face and silent, graceful flight, the Barn Owl regularly tops the nation's list of favourite birds. A brief sighting is a thrill, hovering along a hedgerow or sweeping over a stubble field, but how much do we really know about this sublime tenant of the night? We humans, ever the egocentrics, fancy we see ourselves in the Barn Owl's big, baby eyes and quizzical tilt of the head. But the Barn Owl lives on a different plane - a yearly see-saw of feast and famine, companionship and solitude. It's a tough life - living in the shadows - but the Barn Owl has made it this far.Sally Coulthard explores the hidden world of the Barn Owl. Full of fascinating insights, conservation advice and the latest research, this affectionate and timely guide also tells the story of a Barn Owl's early life - from first pip of the shell to leaving the nest - a fascinating time in this captivating creature's journey.

One of the earliest warnings about climate change and one of environmentalism's lodestars'Nature, we believe, takes forever. It moves with infinite slowness,' begins the first book to bring climate change to public attention.Interweaving lyrical observations from his life in the Adirondack Mountains with insights from the emerging science, Bill McKibben sets out the central developments not only of the environmental crisis now facing us but also the terms of our response, from policy to the fundamental, philosophical shift in our relationship with the natural world which, he argues, could save us. A moving elegy to nature in its pristine, pre-human wildness, The End of Nature is both a milestone in environmental thought, indispensable to understanding how we arrived here.

An internationally famous climate scientist with a strong media presence, Mann has been on the front lines of the climate debate for decades, and readers will want to hear from him on the solutions for the worsening crisis.For readers of The Uninhabitable Earth, The Future We Choose, and This Changes Everything, this is a book of solutions, not scaremongering, that will be indispensable for anybody who wants to save our planet.