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 Customer Reviews
Dirty Secret, 19 Sep 2008
I never thought I'd enjoy a book about human waste - but this book has proven that a good author can tell a fascinating story about anything. I think Rose George is very brave for addressing a very unsexy subject -- and the facts are powerful: what good is clean drinking water if 2.6 billion people in this world live in contaminated environments due to their own lack of toilets? This is thought-provoking stuff which - if taken seriously and acted upon - could change the lives of billions...
Food for thought....., 18 Sep 2008
The 'BIG NECESSITY' by Rose George, fearlessly tackles one of the worlds least talked about, yet one of its most important environmental and health issues. The 'BIG NECESSITY' is a journey through the world of human waste where she endeavours to quantify, rationalise and make sense of, how we across the planet choose to dispose of, that which we don't like to talk about. This intelligent, smart and sometimes witty book tackles its subject matter full on and I would 'highly recommend' it to anyone who has a genuine interest in the environment, health and of course public sanitation... a must read !!!!
Real Environmentalism, 18 Sep 2008
Almost as entertaining as it is fascinating. I say almost as I read most of the book in one session whilst stranded on an airport runway for 3 hours. In one sitting (pun intended) the topic does have the unfortunate effect of making one feel slightly nauseous at times.
If only there were more of this kind of reporting/writing about environmental issues, I would take more of an interest. This book puts into context how really serious issues are never dealt with when a nice picture of a poor fluffy polar bear and a "carbon footprint" calculator will do instead.
One can feel the sense of frustration of Rose and the people in the book at just how hard it is to make progress on such an important issue.
Ultimately I am not sure if I am optimistic that work like this will help in finding solutions or whether the book is just a testament to human natures ability to look the other way if problems don't affect them directly.
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Customer Reviews
Dirty Secret, 19 Sep 2008
I never thought I'd enjoy a book about human waste - but this book has proven that a good author can tell a fascinating story about anything. I think Rose George is very brave for addressing a very unsexy subject -- and the facts are powerful: what good is clean drinking water if 2.6 billion people in this world live in contaminated environments due to their own lack of toilets? This is thought-provoking stuff which - if taken seriously and acted upon - could change the lives of billions...
Food for thought....., 18 Sep 2008
The 'BIG NECESSITY' by Rose George, fearlessly tackles one of the worlds least talked about, yet one of its most important environmental and health issues. The 'BIG NECESSITY' is a journey through the world of human waste where she endeavours to quantify, rationalise and make sense of, how we across the planet choose to dispose of, that which we don't like to talk about. This intelligent, smart and sometimes witty book tackles its subject matter full on and I would 'highly recommend' it to anyone who has a genuine interest in the environment, health and of course public sanitation... a must read !!!!
Real Environmentalism, 18 Sep 2008
Almost as entertaining as it is fascinating. I say almost as I read most of the book in one session whilst stranded on an airport runway for 3 hours. In one sitting (pun intended) the topic does have the unfortunate effect of making one feel slightly nauseous at times.
If only there were more of this kind of reporting/writing about environmental issues, I would take more of an interest. This book puts into context how really serious issues are never dealt with when a nice picture of a poor fluffy polar bear and a "carbon footprint" calculator will do instead.
One can feel the sense of frustration of Rose and the people in the book at just how hard it is to make progress on such an important issue.
Ultimately I am not sure if I am optimistic that work like this will help in finding solutions or whether the book is just a testament to human natures ability to look the other way if problems don't affect them directly.
A definite recommend, 14 Nov 2003
This is our course text book for the Environmental Science module of my degree in Building Surveying, if you are interested in buidings (bearing in mind it is a text book) - it is still a pretty good read. For the course I'm studying it is first rate, very concise and clear, the sections we've used most are on the principles of heat, thermal insulation in buildings (U-values etc) and energy use in buildings (thermal comfort etc) it also covers acoustics, light, and water in equal depth. First rate, a definite recommend.
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Customer Reviews
Dirty Secret, 19 Sep 2008
I never thought I'd enjoy a book about human waste - but this book has proven that a good author can tell a fascinating story about anything. I think Rose George is very brave for addressing a very unsexy subject -- and the facts are powerful: what good is clean drinking water if 2.6 billion people in this world live in contaminated environments due to their own lack of toilets? This is thought-provoking stuff which - if taken seriously and acted upon - could change the lives of billions...
Food for thought....., 18 Sep 2008
The 'BIG NECESSITY' by Rose George, fearlessly tackles one of the worlds least talked about, yet one of its most important environmental and health issues. The 'BIG NECESSITY' is a journey through the world of human waste where she endeavours to quantify, rationalise and make sense of, how we across the planet choose to dispose of, that which we don't like to talk about. This intelligent, smart and sometimes witty book tackles its subject matter full on and I would 'highly recommend' it to anyone who has a genuine interest in the environment, health and of course public sanitation... a must read !!!!
Real Environmentalism, 18 Sep 2008
Almost as entertaining as it is fascinating. I say almost as I read most of the book in one session whilst stranded on an airport runway for 3 hours. In one sitting (pun intended) the topic does have the unfortunate effect of making one feel slightly nauseous at times.
If only there were more of this kind of reporting/writing about environmental issues, I would take more of an interest. This book puts into context how really serious issues are never dealt with when a nice picture of a poor fluffy polar bear and a "carbon footprint" calculator will do instead.
One can feel the sense of frustration of Rose and the people in the book at just how hard it is to make progress on such an important issue.
Ultimately I am not sure if I am optimistic that work like this will help in finding solutions or whether the book is just a testament to human natures ability to look the other way if problems don't affect them directly.
A definite recommend, 14 Nov 2003
This is our course text book for the Environmental Science module of my degree in Building Surveying, if you are interested in buidings (bearing in mind it is a text book) - it is still a pretty good read. For the course I'm studying it is first rate, very concise and clear, the sections we've used most are on the principles of heat, thermal insulation in buildings (U-values etc) and energy use in buildings (thermal comfort etc) it also covers acoustics, light, and water in equal depth. First rate, a definite recommend.
Yawn, 26 Oct 2008
I could say that this is a "Whirlwind of a book, transporting the reader into a world of action and adventure"... however I'd be lying.
You buy this book because you have to. However, if you do need to know what the laws and regulations pertaining to water really are, this is your book - and God have mercy on your soul.
Everything you need to know is in here but its layout leaves a huge amount to be desired and it can take eons to actually find the section you want.
Once you have found the relevant section you have to decipher the text, which was definitely influenced by members of the legal profession and as such occasionally makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
Excellent course book for BPEC Water Regualtions, 28 Jun 2006
We recommended this book for students taking our BPEC Water Regaulations Certifcate here at PPL Plumbing Training in York. The book complements the BPEC course and has clear and helpful digrams. Backflow prevention is well documented and clearly explained - a first class book!
An Excellent And Beautifully Presented Book, 06 Oct 2004
I whole heartedly agree with the previous reviewer. This book is a must for anyone following either the C&G 6129 or NVQ2/3 track. The book very clearly and thoroughly explains the UK water regulations and Scottish (2000) byelaws with superb diagrams in full colour and no legal jargon. This book is a credit to the WRAS scheme, truly excellent.
An essential read for any one studying NVQ level 2 Plumbing., 23 Nov 2001
An informative book and a must have for any body taking NVQ level 2 Plumbing and any plumber in general that wants to keep upto date with the latest Water Regulations.
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Customer Reviews
Dirty Secret, 19 Sep 2008
I never thought I'd enjoy a book about human waste - but this book has proven that a good author can tell a fascinating story about anything. I think Rose George is very brave for addressing a very unsexy subject -- and the facts are powerful: what good is clean drinking water if 2.6 billion people in this world live in contaminated environments due to their own lack of toilets? This is thought-provoking stuff which - if taken seriously and acted upon - could change the lives of billions...
Food for thought....., 18 Sep 2008
The 'BIG NECESSITY' by Rose George, fearlessly tackles one of the worlds least talked about, yet one of its most important environmental and health issues. The 'BIG NECESSITY' is a journey through the world of human waste where she endeavours to quantify, rationalise and make sense of, how we across the planet choose to dispose of, that which we don't like to talk about. This intelligent, smart and sometimes witty book tackles its subject matter full on and I would 'highly recommend' it to anyone who has a genuine interest in the environment, health and of course public sanitation... a must read !!!!
Real Environmentalism, 18 Sep 2008
Almost as entertaining as it is fascinating. I say almost as I read most of the book in one session whilst stranded on an airport runway for 3 hours. In one sitting (pun intended) the topic does have the unfortunate effect of making one feel slightly nauseous at times.
If only there were more of this kind of reporting/writing about environmental issues, I would take more of an interest. This book puts into context how really serious issues are never dealt with when a nice picture of a poor fluffy polar bear and a "carbon footprint" calculator will do instead.
One can feel the sense of frustration of Rose and the people in the book at just how hard it is to make progress on such an important issue.
Ultimately I am not sure if I am optimistic that work like this will help in finding solutions or whether the book is just a testament to human natures ability to look the other way if problems don't affect them directly.
A definite recommend, 14 Nov 2003
This is our course text book for the Environmental Science module of my degree in Building Surveying, if you are interested in buidings (bearing in mind it is a text book) - it is still a pretty good read. For the course I'm studying it is first rate, very concise and clear, the sections we've used most are on the principles of heat, thermal insulation in buildings (U-values etc) and energy use in buildings (thermal comfort etc) it also covers acoustics, light, and water in equal depth. First rate, a definite recommend.
Yawn, 26 Oct 2008
I could say that this is a "Whirlwind of a book, transporting the reader into a world of action and adventure"... however I'd be lying.
You buy this book because you have to. However, if you do need to know what the laws and regulations pertaining to water really are, this is your book - and God have mercy on your soul.
Everything you need to know is in here but its layout leaves a huge amount to be desired and it can take eons to actually find the section you want.
Once you have found the relevant section you have to decipher the text, which was definitely influenced by members of the legal profession and as such occasionally makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
Excellent course book for BPEC Water Regualtions, 28 Jun 2006
We recommended this book for students taking our BPEC Water Regaulations Certifcate here at PPL Plumbing Training in York. The book complements the BPEC course and has clear and helpful digrams. Backflow prevention is well documented and clearly explained - a first class book!
An Excellent And Beautifully Presented Book, 06 Oct 2004
I whole heartedly agree with the previous reviewer. This book is a must for anyone following either the C&G 6129 or NVQ2/3 track. The book very clearly and thoroughly explains the UK water regulations and Scottish (2000) byelaws with superb diagrams in full colour and no legal jargon. This book is a credit to the WRAS scheme, truly excellent.
An essential read for any one studying NVQ level 2 Plumbing., 23 Nov 2001
An informative book and a must have for any body taking NVQ level 2 Plumbing and any plumber in general that wants to keep upto date with the latest Water Regulations.
A blueprint for action, 12 Aug 2008
It is a complaint frequently levelled at radicals that they produce no alternatives to the problems they identify. It says a lot about the quality of this book that one of the most commonly heard criticisms is that its research is too detailed and its solutions too thorough. It is clear that alternate political and social structures would make solving climate change easier. Monbiot knows this well but aims his argument at those who have no interest in altering systems of gross injustice at all. The tweaking he proposes, while requiring real political pressure on our part and something of a challenge to entrenched power, will compromise the quality of our lives barely at all. By making an argument of such comprehensivess, subtelty and foresight, he has exposed those who whinge about a sandal-wearing return to the stone age for what they are - arrogant narcissists who would rather shop in Paris and New York than prevent the mass flooding of Bangladesh. Absolutely essential. Read it. Then act.
Worthy, 06 Jul 2008
I have a great deal of admiration for George Monbiot and for his work.
There is a problem for the general non-academic reader with this book, however, since the subject matter demands an earnest approach, complete with minutely researched statistical corroboration. Such worthiness can become daunting and sometimes makes for a slow and difficult read. That is not necessarily a bad thing, of course, but I suspect it might close the book off to the very audience which neeeds to read and absorb it, i.e. the layman.
That said, there is a great deal of value in here; the use of Marlowe's "Dr. Faustus" is a clever but ultimately misplaced leitmotif and the (deliberately?) quirky suggestion that the future of public transport is the coach will be a little diffcult for many to swallow, but those caveats apart, this is one which rewards the effort it demands of the reader.
Well thought out arguments prove what COULD be done!, 20 Dec 2007
Heat is just superb - it achieves exactly what it sets out to do and does so using careful, understandable and well-researched (with sources) arguments. OK, there are people who may disagree with some of the interpretations, but few people could argue AGAINST the facts in this book.
My only problem is that the very people who should be reading it, are the least likely to want to. There's a degree of preaching to the converted (as there is with any book of this ilk), but it does give you the facts and figures to use for yourself.
Well done George Monbiot - you continue to be one of the most respected writers and speakers on what can be done to address climate change.
Great book. Buy it. Read it, 07 Dec 2007
Complex issues explained simply and clearly. Monbiot is a research hero. Everyone I know is getting this for xmas.
I'll be memorising some of the crucial points to counter the inevitable "name a single case..." tactics used by the dishonest debaters in my family - the usual telegaph reading suspects. Can't wait for the chats over christmas lunch. Doubt it'll help the invincibly ignorant. But it'll be amusing for some of us.
Essential, 27 Jul 2007
It's one month on from the end of a cool June 'like the ones that GDH remembers from childhood', and England and Wales have just had the wettest three months since records began in 1766. Meanwhile the Balkans are having record-breaking high temperatures. As a result we are told that food prices are about to go up and stay up, permanently. How long will the climate change deniers go on pretending that these are just the fluctuations we've always known?
From our politicians we need joined-up thinking, not mere gestures. Monbiot does something few have attempted - looking at where our CO2 emissions come from, he very precisely determines how we could achieve the scale of cuts that would get us on target to avoid the worst-case scenarios. At the very least this represents a starting point for a way forward. Every concerned citizen should read this book.
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Customer Reviews
Dirty Secret, 19 Sep 2008
I never thought I'd enjoy a book about human waste - but this book has proven that a good author can tell a fascinating story about anything. I think Rose George is very brave for addressing a very unsexy subject -- and the facts are powerful: what good is clean drinking water if 2.6 billion people in this world live in contaminated environments due to their own lack of toilets? This is thought-provoking stuff which - if taken seriously and acted upon - could change the lives of billions...
Food for thought....., 18 Sep 2008
The 'BIG NECESSITY' by Rose George, fearlessly tackles one of the worlds least talked about, yet one of its most important environmental and health issues. The 'BIG NECESSITY' is a journey through the world of human waste where she endeavours to quantify, rationalise and make sense of, how we across the planet choose to dispose of, that which we don't like to talk about. This intelligent, smart and sometimes witty book tackles its subject matter full on and I would 'highly recommend' it to anyone who has a genuine interest in the environment, health and of course public sanitation... a must read !!!!
Real Environmentalism, 18 Sep 2008
Almost as entertaining as it is fascinating. I say almost as I read most of the book in one session whilst stranded on an airport runway for 3 hours. In one sitting (pun intended) the topic does have the unfortunate effect of making one feel slightly nauseous at times.
If only there were more of this kind of reporting/writing about environmental issues, I would take more of an interest. This book puts into context how really serious issues are never dealt with when a nice picture of a poor fluffy polar bear and a "carbon footprint" calculator will do instead.
One can feel the sense of frustration of Rose and the people in the book at just how hard it is to make progress on such an important issue.
Ultimately I am not sure if I am optimistic that work like this will help in finding solutions or whether the book is just a testament to human natures ability to look the other way if problems don't affect them directly.
A definite recommend, 14 Nov 2003
This is our course text book for the Environmental Science module of my degree in Building Surveying, if you are interested in buidings (bearing in mind it is a text book) - it is still a pretty good read. For the course I'm studying it is first rate, very concise and clear, the sections we've used most are on the principles of heat, thermal insulation in buildings (U-values etc) and energy use in buildings (thermal comfort etc) it also covers acoustics, light, and water in equal depth. First rate, a definite recommend.
Yawn, 26 Oct 2008
I could say that this is a "Whirlwind of a book, transporting the reader into a world of action and adventure"... however I'd be lying.
You buy this book because you have to. However, if you do need to know what the laws and regulations pertaining to water really are, this is your book - and God have mercy on your soul.
Everything you need to know is in here but its layout leaves a huge amount to be desired and it can take eons to actually find the section you want.
Once you have found the relevant section you have to decipher the text, which was definitely influenced by members of the legal profession and as such occasionally makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
Excellent course book for BPEC Water Regualtions, 28 Jun 2006
We recommended this book for students taking our BPEC Water Regaulations Certifcate here at PPL Plumbing Training in York. The book complements the BPEC course and has clear and helpful digrams. Backflow prevention is well documented and clearly explained - a first class book!
An Excellent And Beautifully Presented Book, 06 Oct 2004
I whole heartedly agree with the previous reviewer. This book is a must for anyone following either the C&G 6129 or NVQ2/3 track. The book very clearly and thoroughly explains the UK water regulations and Scottish (2000) byelaws with superb diagrams in full colour and no legal jargon. This book is a credit to the WRAS scheme, truly excellent.
An essential read for any one studying NVQ level 2 Plumbing., 23 Nov 2001
An informative book and a must have for any body taking NVQ level 2 Plumbing and any plumber in general that wants to keep upto date with the latest Water Regulations.
A blueprint for action, 12 Aug 2008
It is a complaint frequently levelled at radicals that they produce no alternatives to the problems they identify. It says a lot about the quality of this book that one of the most commonly heard criticisms is that its research is too detailed and its solutions too thorough. It is clear that alternate political and social structures would make solving climate change easier. Monbiot knows this well but aims his argument at those who have no interest in altering systems of gross injustice at all. The tweaking he proposes, while requiring real political pressure on our part and something of a challenge to entrenched power, will compromise the quality of our lives barely at all. By making an argument of such comprehensivess, subtelty and foresight, he has exposed those who whinge about a sandal-wearing return to the stone age for what they are - arrogant narcissists who would rather shop in Paris and New York than prevent the mass flooding of Bangladesh. Absolutely essential. Read it. Then act.
Worthy, 06 Jul 2008
I have a great deal of admiration for George Monbiot and for his work.
There is a problem for the general non-academic reader with this book, however, since the subject matter demands an earnest approach, complete with minutely researched statistical corroboration. Such worthiness can become daunting and sometimes makes for a slow and difficult read. That is not necessarily a bad thing, of course, but I suspect it might close the book off to the very audience which neeeds to read and absorb it, i.e. the layman.
That said, there is a great deal of value in here; the use of Marlowe's "Dr. Faustus" is a clever but ultimately misplaced leitmotif and the (deliberately?) quirky suggestion that the future of public transport is the coach will be a little diffcult for many to swallow, but those caveats apart, this is one which rewards the effort it demands of the reader.
Well thought out arguments prove what COULD be done!, 20 Dec 2007
Heat is just superb - it achieves exactly what it sets out to do and does so using careful, understandable and well-researched (with sources) arguments. OK, there are people who may disagree with some of the interpretations, but few people could argue AGAINST the facts in this book.
My only problem is that the very people who should be reading it, are the least likely to want to. There's a degree of preaching to the converted (as there is with any book of this ilk), but it does give you the facts and figures to use for yourself.
Well done George Monbiot - you continue to be one of the most respected writers and speakers on what can be done to address climate change.
Great book. Buy it. Read it, 07 Dec 2007
Complex issues explained simply and clearly. Monbiot is a research hero. Everyone I know is getting this for xmas.
I'll be memorising some of the crucial points to counter the inevitable "name a single case..." tactics used by the dishonest debaters in my family - the usual telegaph reading suspects. Can't wait for the chats over christmas lunch. Doubt it'll help the invincibly ignorant. But it'll be amusing for some of us.
Essential, 27 Jul 2007
It's one month on from the end of a cool June 'like the ones that GDH remembers from childhood', and England and Wales have just had the wettest three months since records began in 1766. Meanwhile the Balkans are having record-breaking high temperatures. As a result we are told that food prices are about to go up and stay up, permanently. How long will the climate change deniers go on pretending that these are just the fluctuations we've always known?
From our politicians we need joined-up thinking, not mere gestures. Monbiot does something few have attempted - looking at where our CO2 emissions come from, he very precisely determines how we could achieve the scale of cuts that would get us on target to avoid the worst-case scenarios. At the very least this represents a starting point for a way forward. Every concerned citizen should read this book.
Excellent and concise, 01 Feb 2007
Clear descriptive elements for all phases of building. A very good guide for DIY stawbale building. The book concerns construction in northern climes. Whilst it is pertinent to foundation & wall structures, a chapter exploring roof design & construction would have the icing on the cake.
Can't do without, 25 Mar 2006
This book is concise, spot on and a must for every straw house builder. All the fundamentals are covered and while other books may be ten times the size they rarely will give you really more information. What I would like to see is a bit more about statics e.g. how much can a wall, a frame, a truss or a piece of timber hold.
Great Introduction to SB Building, 18 Oct 2005
I used this book throughout my final year of university, and I still do as a design aid. It provides the perfect introduction to building with bales pointed really well towards self-builders. Crucially, it differs from other guides as being specific to the UK and Ireland and the authors expertise in building here means this is covered very well.
If you are looking for a book detailing the history and growth of SB building then this isn't it; check out the Steens excelent books perhaps. There are also books on the subject that go into more detail (Lacinski and Bergerons "Serious Straw Bale" for instance), however this book is concise and holds just the right amount of detail to get you started, especially if you are in the UK or Ireland.
Highly recomended!
Go and build it with bales!
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Product Description
According to The Skeptical Environmentalist the hole in the Ozone Layer is healing. The Amazon has shrunk by only 14 per cent since the arrival of Man. Only 0.7 per cent of species will be driven to extinction over the next 50 years. Even the poorest humans are getting richer by the year. Things are not good enough; but they are far, far better than we have been taught to believe. Lomborg, a professor of statistics and a former Greenpeace member, reveals the complexity, confusion, and (rarely) misuse of data behind the current Litany of approaching environmental Armageddon. But this is not a comforting or reassuring read. Nor is it a bible for lackeys and do-nothings. Lomborg uses the same figures everyone else uses, from national governments to the Kyoto summit to Greenpeace. Rarely have the raw data been discussed in such detail: their history, how they are calculated, their strengths, and their weaknesses. Lomborg argues persuasively that our sense of approaching human and environmental disaster is an artefact of the valid work of modern scientific, environmental and media institutions. There is, he asserts, no one to blame for our growing sense of despair, but everything to learn. We must learn what real risks are, and what we can do about them. (Kyoto? A very bad idea...) We must prioritise. (30p on the organic basil? Or 30p to buy a child clean water in Sierra Leone?) There is, after all, room for manoeuvre; panic achieves nothing. This is our generation's Silent Spring: a book to rewrite the environmental agenda, and a must-buy for any parent who wonders what kind of world we are leaving for our children.--Simon Ings
Customer Reviews
Dirty Secret, 19 Sep 2008
I never thought I'd enjoy a book about human waste - but this book has proven that a good author can tell a fascinating story about anything. I think Rose George is very brave for addressing a very unsexy subject -- and the facts are powerful: what good is clean drinking water if 2.6 billion people in this world live in contaminated environments due to their own lack of toilets? This is thought-provoking stuff which - if taken seriously and acted upon - could change the lives of billions...
Food for thought....., 18 Sep 2008
The 'BIG NECESSITY' by Rose George, fearlessly tackles one of the worlds least talked about, yet one of its most important environmental and health issues. The 'BIG NECESSITY' is a journey through the world of human waste where she endeavours to quantify, rationalise and make sense of, how we across the planet choose to dispose of, that which we don't like to talk about. This intelligent, smart and sometimes witty book tackles its subject matter full on and I would 'highly recommend' it to anyone who has a genuine interest in the environment, health and of course public sanitation... a must read !!!!
Real Environmentalism, 18 Sep 2008
Almost as entertaining as it is fascinating. I say almost as I read most of the book in one session whilst stranded on an airport runway for 3 hours. In one sitting (pun intended) the topic does have the unfortunate effect of making one feel slightly nauseous at times.
If only there were more of this kind of reporting/writing about environmental issues, I would take more of an interest. This book puts into context how really serious issues are never dealt with when a nice picture of a poor fluffy polar bear and a "carbon footprint" calculator will do instead.
One can feel the sense of frustration of Rose and the people in the book at just how hard it is to make progress on such an important issue.
Ultimately I am not sure if I am optimistic that work like this will help in finding solutions or whether the book is just a testament to human natures ability to look the other way if problems don't affect them directly.
A definite recommend, 14 Nov 2003
This is our course text book for the Environmental Science module of my degree in Building Surveying, if you are interested in buidings (bearing in mind it is a text book) - it is still a pretty good read. For the course I'm studying it is first rate, very concise and clear, the sections we've used most are on the principles of heat, thermal insulation in buildings (U-values etc) and energy use in buildings (thermal comfort etc) it also covers acoustics, light, and water in equal depth. First rate, a definite recommend.
Yawn, 26 Oct 2008
I could say that this is a "Whirlwind of a book, transporting the reader into a world of action and adventure"... however I'd be lying.
You buy this book because you have to. However, if you do need to know what the laws and regulations pertaining to water really are, this is your book - and God have mercy on your soul.
Everything you need to know is in here but its layout leaves a huge amount to be desired and it can take eons to actually find the section you want.
Once you have found the relevant section you have to decipher the text, which was definitely influenced by members of the legal profession and as such occasionally makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
Excellent course book for BPEC Water Regualtions, 28 Jun 2006
We recommended this book for students taking our BPEC Water Regaulations Certifcate here at PPL Plumbing Training in York. The book complements the BPEC course and has clear and helpful digrams. Backflow prevention is well documented and clearly explained - a first class book!
An Excellent And Beautifully Presented Book, 06 Oct 2004
I whole heartedly agree with the previous reviewer. This book is a must for anyone following either the C&G 6129 or NVQ2/3 track. The book very clearly and thoroughly explains the UK water regulations and Scottish (2000) byelaws with superb diagrams in full colour and no legal jargon. This book is a credit to the WRAS scheme, truly excellent.
An essential read for any one studying NVQ level 2 Plumbing., 23 Nov 2001
An informative book and a must have for any body taking NVQ level 2 Plumbing and any plumber in general that wants to keep upto date with the latest Water Regulations.
A blueprint for action, 12 Aug 2008
It is a complaint frequently levelled at radicals that they produce no alternatives to the problems they identify. It says a lot about the quality of this book that one of the most commonly heard criticisms is that its research is too detailed and its solutions too thorough. It is clear that alternate political and social structures would make solving climate change easier. Monbiot knows this well but aims his argument at those who have no interest in altering systems of gross injustice at all. The tweaking he proposes, while requiring real political pressure on our part and something of a challenge to entrenched power, will compromise the quality of our lives barely at all. By making an argument of such comprehensivess, subtelty and foresight, he has exposed those who whinge about a sandal-wearing return to the stone age for what they are - arrogant narcissists who would rather shop in Paris and New York than prevent the mass flooding of Bangladesh. Absolutely essential. Read it. Then act.
Worthy, 06 Jul 2008
I have a great deal of admiration for George Monbiot and for his work.
There is a problem for the general non-academic reader with this book, however, since the subject matter demands an earnest approach, complete with minutely researched statistical corroboration. Such worthiness can become daunting and sometimes makes for a slow and difficult read. That is not necessarily a bad thing, of course, but I suspect it might close the book off to the very audience which neeeds to read and absorb it, i.e. the layman.
That said, there is a great deal of value in here; the use of Marlowe's "Dr. Faustus" is a clever but ultimately misplaced leitmotif and the (deliberately?) quirky suggestion that the future of public transport is the coach will be a little diffcult for many to swallow, but those caveats apart, this is one which rewards the effort it demands of the reader.
Well thought out arguments prove what COULD be done!, 20 Dec 2007
Heat is just superb - it achieves exactly what it sets out to do and does so using careful, understandable and well-researched (with sources) arguments. OK, there are people who may disagree with some of the interpretations, but few people could argue AGAINST the facts in this book.
My only problem is that the very people who should be reading it, are the least likely to want to. There's a degree of preaching to the converted (as there is with any book of this ilk), but it does give you the facts and figures to use for yourself.
Well done George Monbiot - you continue to be one of the most respected writers and speakers on what can be done to address climate change.
Great book. Buy it. Read it, 07 Dec 2007
Complex issues explained simply and clearly. Monbiot is a research hero. Everyone I know is getting this for xmas.
I'll be memorising some of the crucial points to counter the inevitable "name a single case..." tactics used by the dishonest debaters in my family - the usual telegaph reading suspects. Can't wait for the chats over christmas lunch. Doubt it'll help the invincibly ignorant. But it'll be amusing for some of us.
Essential, 27 Jul 2007
It's one month on from the end of a cool June 'like the ones that GDH remembers from childhood', and England and Wales have just had the wettest three months since records began in 1766. Meanwhile the Balkans are having record-breaking high temperatures. As a result we are told that food prices are about to go up and stay up, permanently. How long will the climate change deniers go on pretending that these are just the fluctuations we've always known?
From our politicians we need joined-up thinking, not mere gestures. Monbiot does something few have attempted - looking at where our CO2 emissions come from, he very precisely determines how we could achieve the scale of cuts that would get us on target to avoid the worst-case scenarios. At the very least this represents a starting point for a way forward. Every concerned citizen should read this book.
Excellent and concise, 01 Feb 2007
Clear descriptive elements for all phases of building. A very good guide for DIY stawbale building. The book concerns construction in northern climes. Whilst it is pertinent to foundation & wall structures, a chapter exploring roof design & construction would have the icing on the cake.
Can't do without, 25 Mar 2006
This book is concise, spot on and a must for every straw house builder. All the fundamentals are covered and while other books may be ten times the size they rarely will give you really more information. What I would like to see is a bit more about statics e.g. how much can a wall, a frame, a truss or a piece of timber hold.
Great Introduction to SB Building, 18 Oct 2005
I used this book throughout my final year of university, and I still do as a design aid. It provides the perfect introduction to building with bales pointed really well towards self-builders. Crucially, it differs from other guides as being specific to the UK and Ireland and the authors expertise in building here means this is covered very well.
If you are looking for a book detailing the history and growth of SB building then this isn't it; check out the Steens excelent books perhaps. There are also books on the subject that go into more detail (Lacinski and Bergerons "Serious Straw Bale" for instance), however this book is concise and holds just the right amount of detail to get you started, especially if you are in the UK or Ireland.
Highly recomended!
Go and build it with bales!
A truly excellent book, 26 Jul 2008
This is one of those books which change the course of things.
It is hugely impressive not only because of the absolutely massive amount of research involved, but because the entire work comes from someone who had, initially, entirely opposite convictions to those reflected in the book and had the intellectual honesty to understand that he was wrong, accept it and spread the word.
More notable is the book also for the unbelievable smearing campaign and the attempt at character assassination of which the author has been made object from his former companions, a truly sobering experience about the ways of "idealists","world savers" and apostles of "tolerance".
And mind, this is not someone just pretending to have been converted to sell a bit more; the author was very active in his academic milieu and certainly not the conservative type (openly and vocally leftist, openly and vocally homosexual). This gives the claims in the books, apart from the huge and ruthlessly accurate research - though the occasional mistake may have slipped here and there - the more credibility.
The environmental hype is now slowly ebbing down; common sense starts to prevail; the mayor of London with his ecoterrorist agenda (actually populism and class warfare with another name, as it is often the case) lost his job and all other british politicians listened to the message; in general, politicians have become more and more timid in trying to "look good" by imposing new taxes "to save the planet". This book shares a part of the merit.
Buy it and will you never regret it.
Human Life at Any Price?, 23 May 2008
The whole thesis of this book is predicated on the moral superiority of the preservation and extension of human life for the maximum number of people. As such it essentially adopts a moral standpoint that values human life, well-being and happiness above all other forms of life and environment on the planet. Human life at any price, it seems.
Will make you think twice next time you hear a stat on the environment, 28 Feb 2008
Having always been in the technocentric camp and always been skeptical of environmental issues such as climate change and pollution, I read this book after my environmental issues lecturer put me in touch with it. I have to say that I was amazed with some of the 'propaganda' that environmental groups such as the WWF and green peace were putting out. An excellent read for those who are sick of the doom and gloom merchants we are now regularly seeing on the television on the subject of climate change. Although this is book is quite advanced particularly in the statistics department, (MR. Lomborg is an economist by trade), It is essential reading for those wishing to throw come back stats into the faces of the doom mongerers
Scare tactics exposed!, 05 Dec 2007
I bought this book several years ago after reading a review in a reputable newspaper. What really interested me was a report on the facts behind soil erosion, namely that the information was based on data from a very small scale experiment on sloping farm land in Belgium and simply extrapolated to cover all soils around the world! I couldn't believe that supposedly reputable people and organisations, would go to such obscene lengths to scare people into contributing to their research projects and funding. How wrong I was!
I enjoyed the book immensely and shook my head in disbelief on discovering how selective the environmentalist scaremongers were regarding data selection and how specifically it was presented so as to allow the reader to draw the obvious conclusion, ie- The one the scaremonger wanted them to draw.
The devil is in the detail and when he examined the facts and data behind the scary low sperm count headlines, the flawed nature of the data analysis and presentation soon became clear.
Bjorn Lomborg succeeded in exposing the scare stories for what they really were, just that. Unfortunately, he seems to be a lone voice and like a radio in a boiler factory, is in danger of being drowned out by the noise.
The
numbers and facts, 28 Oct 2007
Great read and a well researched book. Destined to be the bible on global issues.
There is so much presented. From population, wealth and health to climate and the environment. Not sure I could take anyone seriously unless they have read this book cover to references and notes!
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Customer Reviews
Dirty Secret, 19 Sep 2008
I never thought I'd enjoy a book about human waste - but this book has proven that a good author can tell a fascinating story about anything. I think Rose George is very brave for addressing a very unsexy subject -- and the facts are powerful: what good is clean drinking water if 2.6 billion people in this world live in contaminated environments due to their own lack of toilets? This is thought-provoking stuff which - if taken seriously and acted upon - could change the lives of billions...
Food for thought....., 18 Sep 2008
The 'BIG NECESSITY' by Rose George, fearlessly tackles one of the worlds least talked about, yet one of its most important environmental and health issues. The 'BIG NECESSITY' is a journey through the world of human waste where she endeavours to quantify, rationalise and make sense of, how we across the planet choose to dispose of, that which we don't like to talk about. This intelligent, smart and sometimes witty book tackles its subject matter full on and I would 'highly recommend' it to anyone who has a genuine interest in the environment, health and of course public sanitation... a must read !!!!
Real Environmentalism, 18 Sep 2008
Almost as entertaining as it is fascinating. I say almost as I read most of the book in one session whilst stranded on an airport runway for 3 hours. In one sitting (pun intended) the topic does have the unfortunate effect of making one feel slightly nauseous at times.
If only there were more of this kind of reporting/writing about environmental issues, I would take more of an interest. This book puts into context how really serious issues are never dealt with when a nice picture of a poor fluffy polar bear and a "carbon footprint" calculator will do instead.
One can feel the sense of frustration of Rose and the people in the book at just how hard it is to make progress on such an important issue.
Ultimately I am not sure if I am optimistic that work like this will help in finding solutions or whether the book is just a testament to human natures ability to look the other way if problems don't affect them directly.
A definite recommend, 14 Nov 2003
This is our course text book for the Environmental Science module of my degree in Building Surveying, if you are interested in buidings (bearing in mind it is a text book) - it is still a pretty good read. For the course I'm studying it is first rate, very concise and clear, the sections we've used most are on the principles of heat, thermal insulation in buildings (U-values etc) and energy use in buildings (thermal comfort etc) it also covers acoustics, light, and water in equal depth. First rate, a definite recommend.
Yawn, 26 Oct 2008
I could say that this is a "Whirlwind of a book, transporting the reader into a world of action and adventure"... however I'd be lying.
You buy this book because you have to. However, if you do need to know what the laws and regulations pertaining to water really are, this is your book - and God have mercy on your soul.
Everything you need to know is in here but its layout leaves a huge amount to be desired and it can take eons to actually find the section you want.
Once you have found the relevant section you have to decipher the text, which was definitely influenced by members of the legal profession and as such occasionally makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
Excellent course book for BPEC Water Regualtions, 28 Jun 2006
We recommended this book for students taking our BPEC Water Regaulations Certifcate here at PPL Plumbing Training in York. The book complements the BPEC course and has clear and helpful digrams. Backflow prevention is well documented and clearly explained - a first class book!
An Excellent And Beautifully Presented Book, 06 Oct 2004
I whole heartedly agree with the previous reviewer. This book is a must for anyone following either the C&G 6129 or NVQ2/3 track. The book very clearly and thoroughly explains the UK water regulations and Scottish (2000) byelaws with superb diagrams in full colour and no legal jargon. This book is a credit to the WRAS scheme, truly excellent.
An essential read for any one studying NVQ level 2 Plumbing., 23 Nov 2001
An informative book and a must have for any body taking NVQ level 2 Plumbing and any plumber in general that wants to keep upto date with the latest Water Regulations.
A blueprint for action, 12 Aug 2008
It is a complaint frequently levelled at radicals that they produce no alternatives to the problems they identify. It says a lot about the quality of this book that one of the most commonly heard criticisms is that its research is too detailed and its solutions too thorough. It is clear that alternate political and social structures would make solving climate change easier. Monbiot knows this well but aims his argument at those who have no interest in altering systems of gross injustice at all. The tweaking he proposes, while requiring real political pressure on our part and something of a challenge to entrenched power, will compromise the quality of our lives barely at all. By making an argument of such comprehensivess, subtelty and foresight, he has exposed those who whinge about a sandal-wearing return to the stone age for what they are - arrogant narcissists who would rather shop in Paris and New York than prevent the mass flooding of Bangladesh. Absolutely essential. Read it. Then act.
Worthy, 06 Jul 2008
I have a great deal of admiration for George Monbiot and for his work.
There is a problem for the general non-academic reader with this book, however, since the subject matter demands an earnest approach, complete with minutely researched statistical corroboration. Such worthiness can become daunting and sometimes makes for a slow and difficult read. That is not necessarily a bad thing, of course, but I suspect it might close the book off to the very audience which neeeds to read and absorb it, i.e. the layman.
That said, there is a great deal of value in here; the use of Marlowe's "Dr. Faustus" is a clever but ultimately misplaced leitmotif and the (deliberately?) quirky suggestion that the future of public transport is the coach will be a little diffcult for many to swallow, but those caveats apart, this is one which rewards the effort it demands of the reader.
Well thought out arguments prove what COULD be done!, 20 Dec 2007
Heat is just superb - it achieves exactly what it sets out to do and does so using careful, understandable and well-researched (with sources) arguments. OK, there are people who may disagree with some of the interpretations, but few people could argue AGAINST the facts in this book.
My only problem is that the very people who should be reading it, are the least likely to want to. There's a degree of preaching to the converted (as there is with any book of this ilk), but it does give you the facts and figures to use for yourself.
Well done George Monbiot - you continue to be one of the most respected writers and speakers on what can be done to address climate change.
Great book. Buy it. Read it, 07 Dec 2007
Complex issues explained simply and clearly. Monbiot is a research hero. Everyone I know is getting this for xmas.
I'll be memorising some of the crucial points to counter the inevitable "name a single case..." tactics used by the dishonest debaters in my family - the usual telegaph reading suspects. Can't wait for the chats over christmas lunch. Doubt it'll help the invincibly ignorant. But it'll be amusing for some of us.
Essential, 27 Jul 2007
It's one month on from the end of a cool June 'like the ones that GDH remembers from childhood', and England and Wales have just had the wettest three months since records began in 1766. Meanwhile the Balkans are having record-breaking high temperatures. As a result we are told that food prices are about to go up and stay up, permanently. How long will the climate change deniers go on pretending that these are just the fluctuations we've always known?
From our politicians we need joined-up thinking, not mere gestures. Monbiot does something few have attempted - looking at where our CO2 emissions come from, he very precisely determines how we could achieve the scale of cuts that would get us on target to avoid the worst-case scenarios. At the very least this represents a starting point for a way forward. Every concerned citizen should read this book.
Excellent and concise, 01 Feb 2007
Clear descriptive elements for all phases of building. A very good guide for DIY stawbale building. The book concerns construction in northern climes. Whilst it is pertinent to foundation & wall structures, a chapter exploring roof design & construction would have the icing on the cake.
Can't do without, 25 Mar 2006
This book is concise, spot on and a must for every straw house builder. All the fundamentals are covered and while other books may be ten times the size they rarely will give you really more information. What I would like to see is a bit more about statics e.g. how much can a wall, a frame, a truss or a piece of timber hold.
Great Introduction to SB Building, 18 Oct 2005
I used this book throughout my final year of university, and I still do as a design aid. It provides the perfect introduction to building with bales pointed really well towards self-builders. Crucially, it differs from other guides as being specific to the UK and Ireland and the authors expertise in building here means this is covered very well.
If you are looking for a book detailing the history and growth of SB building then this isn't it; check out the Steens excelent books perhaps. There are also books on the subject that go into more detail (Lacinski and Bergerons "Serious Straw Bale" for instance), however this book is concise and holds just the right amount of detail to get you started, especially if you are in the UK or Ireland.
Highly recomended!
Go and build it with bales!
A truly excellent book, 26 Jul 2008
This is one of those books which change the course of things.
It is hugely impressive not only because of the absolutely massive amount of research involved, but because the entire work comes from someone who had, initially, entirely opposite convictions to those reflected in the book and had the intellectual honesty to understand that he was wrong, accept it and spread the word.
More notable is the book also for the unbelievable smearing campaign and the attempt at character assassination of which the author has been made object from his former companions, a truly sobering experience about the ways of "idealists","world savers" and apostles of "tolerance".
And mind, this is not someone just pretending to have been converted to sell a bit more; the author was very active in his academic milieu and certainly not the conservative type (openly and vocally leftist, openly and vocally homosexual). This gives the claims in the books, apart from the huge and ruthlessly accurate research - though the occasional mistake may have slipped here and there - the more credibility.
The environmental hype is now slowly ebbing down; common sense starts to prevail; the mayor of London with his ecoterrorist agenda (actually populism and class warfare with another name, as it is often the case) lost his job and all other british politicians listened to the message; in general, politicians have become more and more timid in trying to "look good" by imposing new taxes "to save the planet". This book shares a part of the merit.
Buy it and will you never regret it.
Human Life at Any Price?, 23 May 2008
The whole thesis of this book is predicated on the moral superiority of the preservation and extension of human life for the maximum number of people. As such it essentially adopts a moral standpoint that values human life, well-being and happiness above all other forms of life and environment on the planet. Human life at any price, it seems.
Will make you think twice next time you hear a stat on the environment, 28 Feb 2008
Having always been in the technocentric camp and always been skeptical of environmental issues such as climate change and pollution, I read this book after my environmental issues lecturer put me in touch with it. I have to say that I was amazed with some of the 'propaganda' that environmental groups such as the WWF and green peace were putting out. An excellent read for those who are sick of the doom and gloom merchants we are now regularly seeing on the television on the subject of climate change. Although this is book is quite advanced particularly in the statistics department, (MR. Lomborg is an economist by trade), It is essential reading for those wishing to throw come back stats into the faces of the doom mongerers
Scare tactics exposed!, 05 Dec 2007
I bought this book several years ago after reading a review in a reputable newspaper. What really interested me was a report on the facts behind soil erosion, namely that the information was based on data from a very small scale experiment on sloping farm land in Belgium and simply extrapolated to cover all soils around the world! I couldn't believe that supposedly reputable people and organisations, would go to such obscene lengths to scare people into contributing to their research projects and funding. How wrong I was!
I enjoyed the book immensely and shook my head in disbelief on discovering how selective the environmentalist scaremongers were regarding data selection and how specifically it was presented so as to allow the reader to draw the obvious conclusion, ie- The one the scaremonger wanted them to draw.
The devil is in the detail and when he examined the facts and data behind the scary low sperm count headlines, the flawed nature of the data analysis and presentation soon became clear.
Bjorn Lomborg succeeded in exposing the scare stories for what they really were, just that. Unfortunately, he seems to be a lone voice and like a radio in a boiler factory, is in danger of being drowned out by the noise.
The
numbers and facts, 28 Oct 2007
Great read and a well researched book. Destined to be the bible on global issues.
There is so much presented. From population, wealth and health to climate and the environment. Not sure I could take anyone seriously unless they have read this book cover to references and notes!
acoustics for uk, 12 Sep 2008
I have a lot of environmental and noise type books. This is the one I use all the time. It isn't high level, but it's the things you need to remember.
University essential, 11 Sep 2008
Currently studying acoustics at university, and this book has been a god send.
A simple easy to follow guide to what i need to know, has the latest standards, as up to date a book i have ever read
Top marks in my book!, 10 Sep 2008
This is the most complete and up-to-date volume I have come across lately on the subject of acoustics. It is compact, easy to follow, accessible (including to students such as myself), and contains key information about the field, all of which is clearly presented. It's inexpensive for what you get as well - quality content at a very fair price.
'The Little Red Book of Acoustics' is a must for anyone who wishes to be well-informed in his or her understanding of the industry.
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Customer Reviews
Dirty Secret, 19 Sep 2008
I never thought I'd enjoy a book about human waste - but this book has proven that a good author can tell a fascinating story about anything. I think Rose George is very brave for addressing a very unsexy subject -- and the facts are powerful: what good is clean drinking water if 2.6 billion people in this world live in contaminated environments due to their own lack of toilets? This is thought-provoking stuff which - if taken seriously and acted upon - could change the lives of billions...
Food for thought....., 18 Sep 2008
The 'BIG NECESSITY' by Rose George, fearlessly tackles one of the worlds least talked about, yet one of its most important environmental and health issues. The 'BIG NECESSITY' is a journey through the world of human waste where she endeavours to quantify, rationalise and make sense of, how we across the planet choose to dispose of, that which we don't like to talk about. This intelligent, smart and sometimes witty book tackles its subject matter full on and I would 'highly recommend' it to anyone who has a genuine interest in the environment, health and of course public sanitation... a must read !!!!
Real Environmentalism, 18 Sep 2008
Almost as entertaining as it is fascinating. I say almost as I read most of the book in one session whilst stranded on an airport runway for 3 hours. In one sitting (pun intended) the topic does have the unfortunate effect of making one feel slightly nauseous at times.
If only there were more of this kind of reporting/writing about environmental issues, I would take more of an interest. This book puts into context how really serious issues are never dealt with when a nice picture of a poor fluffy polar bear and a "carbon footprint" calculator will do instead.
One can feel the sense of frustration of Rose and the people in the book at just how hard it is to make progress on such an important issue.
Ultimately I am not sure if I am optimistic that work like this will help in finding solutions or whether the book is just a testament to human natures ability to look the other way if problems don't affect them directly.
A definite recommend, 14 Nov 2003
This is our course text book for the Environmental Science module of my degree in Building Surveying, if you are interested in buidings (bearing in mind it is a text book) - it is still a pretty good read. For the course I'm studying it is first rate, very concise and clear, the sections we've used most are on the principles of heat, thermal insulation in buildings (U-values etc) and energy use in buildings (thermal comfort etc) it also covers acoustics, light, and water in equal depth. First rate, a definite recommend.
Yawn, 26 Oct 2008
I could say that this is a "Whirlwind of a book, transporting the reader into a world of action and adventure"... however I'd be lying.
You buy this book because you have to. However, if you do need to know what the laws and regulations pertaining to water really are, this is your book - and God have mercy on your soul.
Everything you need to know is in here but its layout leaves a huge amount to be desired and it can take eons to actually find the section you want.
Once you have found the relevant section you have to decipher the text, which was definitely influenced by members of the legal profession and as such occasionally makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
Excellent course book for BPEC Water Regualtions, 28 Jun 2006
We recommended this book for students taking our BPEC Water Regaulations Certifcate here at PPL Plumbing Training in York. The book complements the BPEC course and has clear and helpful digrams. Backflow prevention is well documented and clearly explained - a first class book!
An Excellent And Beautifully Presented Book, 06 Oct 2004
I whole heartedly agree with the previous reviewer. This book is a must for anyone following either the C&G 6129 or NVQ2/3 track. The book very clearly and thoroughly explains the UK water regulations and Scottish (2000) byelaws with superb diagrams in full colour and no legal jargon. This book is a credit to the WRAS scheme, truly excellent.
An essential read for any one studying NVQ level 2 Plumbing., 23 Nov 2001
An informative book and a must have for any body taking NVQ level 2 Plumbing and any plumber in general that wants to keep upto date with the latest Water Regulations.
A blueprint for action, 12 Aug 2008
It is a complaint frequently levelled at radicals that they produce no alternatives to the problems they identify. It says a lot about the quality of this book that one of the most commonly heard criticisms is that its research is too detailed and its solutions too thorough. It is clear that alternate political and social structures would make solving climate change easier. Monbiot knows this well but aims his argument at those who have no interest in altering systems of gross injustice at all. The tweaking he proposes, while requiring real political pressure on our part and something of a challenge to entrenched power, will compromise the quality of our lives barely at all. By making an argument of such comprehensivess, subtelty and foresight, he has exposed those who whinge about a sandal-wearing return to the stone age for what they are - arrogant narcissists who would rather shop in Paris and New York than prevent the mass flooding of Bangladesh. Absolutely essential. Read it. Then act.
Worthy, 06 Jul 2008
I have a great deal of admiration for George Monbiot and for his work.
There is a problem for the general non-academic reader with this book, however, since the subject matter demands an earnest approach, complete with minutely researched statistical corroboration. Such worthiness can become daunting and sometimes makes for a slow and difficult read. That is not necessarily a bad thing, of course, but I suspect it might close the book off to the very audience which neeeds to read and absorb it, i.e. the layman.
That said, there is a great deal of value in here; the use of Marlowe's "Dr. Faustus" is a clever but ultimately misplaced leitmotif and the (deliberately?) quirky suggestion that the future of public transport is the coach will be a little diffcult for many to swallow, but those caveats apart, this is one which rewards the effort it demands of the reader.
Well thought out arguments prove what COULD be done!, 20 Dec 2007
Heat is just superb - it achieves exactly what it sets out to do and does so using careful, understandable and well-researched (with sources) arguments. OK, there are people who may disagree with some of the interpretations, but few people could argue AGAINST the facts in this book.
My only problem is that the very people who should be reading it, are the least likely to want to. There's a degree of preaching to the converted (as there is with any book of this ilk), but it does give you the facts and figures to use for yourself.
Well done George Monbiot - you continue to be one of the most respected writers and speakers on what can be done to address climate change.
Great book. Buy it. Read it, 07 Dec 2007
Complex issues explained simply and clearly. Monbiot is a research hero. Everyone I know is getting this for xmas.
I'll be memorising some of the crucial points to counter the inevitable "name a single case..." tactics used by the dishonest debaters in my family - the usual telegaph reading suspects. Can't wait for the chats over christmas lunch. Doubt it'll help the invincibly ignorant. But it'll be amusing for some of us.
Essential, 27 Jul 2007
It's one month on from the end of a cool June 'like the ones that GDH remembers from childhood', and England and Wales have just had the wettest three months since records began in 1766. Meanwhile the Balkans are having record-breaking high temperatures. As a result we are told that food prices are about to go up and stay up, permanently. How long will the climate change deniers go on pretending that these are just the fluctuations we've always known?
From our politicians we need joined-up thinking, not mere gestures. Monbiot does something few have attempted - looking at where our CO2 emissions come from, he very precisely determines how we could achieve the scale of cuts that would get us on target to avoid the worst-case scenarios. At the very least this represents a starting point for a way forward. Every concerned citizen should read this book.
Excellent and concise, 01 Feb 2007
Clear descriptive elements for all phases of building. A very good guide for DIY stawbale building. The book concerns construction in northern climes. Whilst it is pertinent to foundation & wall structures, a chapter exploring roof design & construction would have the icing on the cake.
Can't do without, 25 Mar 2006
This book is concise, spot on and a must for every straw house builder. All the fundamentals are covered and while other books may be ten times the size they rarely will give you really more information. What I would like to see is a bit more about statics e.g. how much can a wall, a frame, a truss or a piece of timber hold.
Great Introduction to SB Building, 18 Oct 2005
I used this book throughout my final year of university, and I still do as a design aid. It provides the perfect introduction to building with bales pointed really well towards self-builders. Crucially, it differs from other guides as being specific to the UK and Ireland and the authors expertise in building here means this is covered very well.
If you are looking for a book detailing the history and growth of SB building then this isn't it; check out the Steens excelent books perhaps. There are also books on the subject that go into more detail (Lacinski and Bergerons "Serious Straw Bale" for instance), however this book is concise and holds just the right amount of detail to get you started, especially if you are in the UK or Ireland.
Highly recomended!
Go and build it with bales!
A truly excellent book, 26 Jul 2008
This is one of those books which change the course of things.
It is hugely impressive not only because of the absolutely massive amount of research involved, but because the entire work comes from someone who had, initially, entirely opposite convictions to those reflected in the book and had the intellectual honesty to understand that he was wrong, accept it and spread the word.
More notable is the book also for the unbelievable smearing campaign and the attempt at character assassination of which the author has been made object from his former companions, a truly sobering experience about the ways of "idealists","world savers" and apostles of "tolerance".
And mind, this is not someone just pretending to have been converted to sell a bit more; the author was very active in his academic milieu and certainly not the conservative type (openly and vocally leftist, openly and vocally homosexual). This gives the claims in the books, apart from the huge and ruthlessly accurate research - though the occasional mistake may have slipped here and there - the more credibility.
The environmental hype is now slowly ebbing down; common sense starts to prevail; the mayor of London with his ecoterrorist agenda (actually populism and class warfare with another name, as it is often the case) lost his job and all other british politicians listened to the message; in general, politicians have become more and more timid in trying to "look good" by imposing new taxes "to save the planet". This book shares a part of the merit.
Buy it and will you never regret it.
Human Life at Any Price?, 23 May 2008
The whole thesis of this book is predicated on the moral superiority of the preservation and extension of human life for the maximum number of people. As such it essentially adopts a moral standpoint that values human life, well-being and happiness above all other forms of life and environment on the planet. Human life at any price, it seems.
Will make you think twice next time you hear a stat on the environment, 28 Feb 2008
Having always been in the technocentric camp and always been skeptical of environmental issues such as climate change and pollution, I read this book after my environmental issues lecturer put me in touch with it. I have to say that I was amazed with some of the 'propaganda' that environmental groups such as the WWF and green peace were putting out. An excellent read for those who are sick of the doom and gloom merchants we are now regularly seeing on the television on the subject of climate change. Although this is book is quite advanced particularly in the statistics department, (MR. Lomborg is an economist by trade), It is essential reading for those wishing to throw come back stats into the faces of the doom mongerers
Scare tactics exposed!, 05 Dec 2007
I bought this book several years ago after reading a review in a reputable newspaper. What really interested me was a report on the facts behind soil erosion, namely that the information was based on data from a very small scale experiment on sloping farm land in Belgium and simply extrapolated to cover all soils around the world! I couldn't believe that supposedly reputable people and organisations, would go to such obscene lengths to scare people into contributing to their research projects and funding. How wrong I was!
I enjoyed the book immensely and shook my head in disbelief on discovering how selective the environmentalist scaremongers were regarding data selection and how specifically it was presented so as to allow the reader to draw the obvious conclusion, ie- The one the scaremonger wanted them to draw.
The devil is in the detail and when he examined the facts and data behind the scary low sperm count headlines, the flawed nature of the data analysis and presentation soon became clear.
Bjorn Lomborg succeeded in exposing the scare stories for what they really were, just that. Unfortunately, he seems to be a lone voice and like a radio in a boiler factory, is in danger of being drowned out by the noise.
The
numbers and facts, 28 Oct 2007
Great read and a well researched book. Destined to be the bible on global issues.
There is so much presented. From population, wealth and health to climate and the environment. Not sure I could take anyone seriously unless they have read this book cover to references and notes!
acoustics for uk, 12 Sep 2008
I have a lot of environmental and noise type books. This is the one I use all the time. It isn't high level, but it's the things you need to remember.
University essential, 11 Sep 2008
Currently studying acoustics at university, and this book has been a god send.
A simple easy to follow guide to what i need to know, has the latest standards, as up to date a book i have ever read
Top marks in my book!, 10 Sep 2008
This is the most complete and up-to-date volume I have come across lately on the subject of acoustics. It is compact, easy to follow, accessible (including to students such as myself), and contains key information about the field, all of which is clearly presented. It's inexpensive for what you get as well - quality content at a very fair price.
'The Little Red Book of Acoustics' is a must for anyone who wishes to be well-informed in his or her understanding of the industry.
Arranging carts and horses, 30 Jul 2007
For many years, as fossil plants emerged from the rocks, it was believed that these records reflected changes in climate. Plants, it was assumed, had to adapt to variations in weather and other conditions. According to Beerling, plant life was instead the major prompter of climate change. The balance of atmospheric gases was determined by the micro-organisms floating in the seas. The ability to absorb carbon dioxide, coupled with the use of sunlight to convert that into nutrients gives plants the power to shift gas quantities. During the early days, plants exhaled oxygen. It was poison to most organisms, but those capable of using it began the drive leading to today's life. In this useful survey of all the forces forming today's world, Beerling traces how plants "changed Earth's history". Following his thesis requires the reader's close attention, since the organisation of the material is necessarily loose - not fixed chronology nor subject. The many topics to cover cannot be neatly niched.
To the author, the biggest mystery lies in the long delay between plants colonising the land and the formation of the first leaves. Leaf structure reflects how the plant is using energy. That, in turn, becomes a signal of how the atmosphere is composed at any given time. This knowledge was assembled over many years through the work of many researchers. Beerling traces the building of data resources and how the information was interpreted. Images of leaves and stems, analysis of the rock chemistry, field observations and laboratory experiments all contributed to the picture of plant evolution. Numerous surprises emerged, sometimes leading scholars to doubt the data and even their methodology. Looking at the life of plants down the ages is, as he puts it, looking "Through a glass darkly". Pervading his presentation is what the implications are for what is occurring in today's atmosphere - on which our life and those of our children, depends.
Beerling deems investigations into ancient atmospheres a form of "breathalyser", such as the police apply to suspected impaired drivers. In this case, however, it's not alcohol fumes that are measured, but carbon dioxide. Other gases are also sought, but they don't often leave sufficient clues. The information must be derived indirectly. Again, it's the plant's leaves that are used as the pointers to how ancient atmospheres fluctuated. Underlying the variations is the mighty force of plate tectonics. The shifting of land masses and changes in surface configuration leads plants to shift their survival strategies. Acting far more rapidly than creeping continents, the ability of plants to accelerate or impair rock weathering shifts the presence of gas quantities. Carbon dioxide quantities have varied markedly, leading to most of the world's history being warm times. Only recently - in geologic terms - has the planet experienced a cool era, which led to the "ice age" that scoured the Northern Hemisphere with massive glaciers.
As with so much in science, the revelation that plants drive climate instead of passively responding to it has produced at least as many questions as answers. There are anomalous circumstances that must be unravelled. The knowledge gained has led to the formation of "Earth system analysis" techniques using various forms of computer modelling. Many details, however, remain to be worked out. Atmostpheric studies are particularly impaired by lack of knowledge of cloud formation and distribution. Carbon itself, both as a greenhouse gas and as a component of plant growth, remains enigmatic. Beerling traces the selectivity of plants in choosing which carbon isotope will be utilised. That choice has impact on which plants will become dominant in a given area, which also has implications for the animal life living from them. There are no simple nor ready answers to what plants have meant in tracing life's development. Yet, as he emphasises frequently, these are questions that must be addressed further, and that, soon. Understanding our atmosphere is essential to our future. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
A really exciting read, 28 May 2007
There are not many science books that can be described as exciting, but this one certainly is. With a superbly clean writing style, Beerling reveals the extraordinary story of plant evolution and plants' subsequent enormous impact on life on our planet.
It's something I had never given much thought to; most of my books about the ancient earth focus on dinosaurs. But my entire perception of the Earth and its history has been changed, along with my understanding of plants.
Beerling combines botany, geo-chemistry and a host of other potentially daunting subjects in easily-digested prose. The book is made even better thanks to the equally extraordinary stories of the discoveries behind the science. We are introduced to a pantheon of remarkable people (though they were not always appreciated as such at the time) through neat little insights and unexpected anecdotes.
You will never see plants in the same light again and you don't need to be a scientist to grasp the vast majority of the concepts. It's thoroughly engrossing and if you want to know more, the book is superbly referenced, too. Very highly recommended.
fascinating science, 05 Mar 2007
Very enjoyable read. Fascinating science intertwined with a writing style that is easy to understand. Beerling does not overwhelm the reader with scientific jargon. Each chapter tells a little story about how plants have been involved in the role of the evolving planet over the last 400 million years.
The stories are fascinating. For example I had no idea that Marie Stopes the women's rights campaigner was a keen Paleobotanist and that Scott of the Antartic was involved in the collection of fossil plants. I particularly enjoyed the story of the giant insects. Could we be heading for some sort of variation on this theme in this day and age of global warming?
Also book seems rather good value for money for a hardback.
Definately recommended.
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Customer Reviews
Dirty Secret, 19 Sep 2008
I never thought I'd enjoy a book about human waste - but this book has proven that a good author can tell a fascinating story about anything. I think Rose George is very brave for addressing a very unsexy subject -- and the facts are powerful: what good is clean drinking water if 2.6 billion people in this world live in contaminated environments due to their own lack of toilets? This is thought-provoking stuff which - if taken seriously and acted upon - could change the lives of billions...
Food for thought....., 18 Sep 2008
The 'BIG NECESSITY' by Rose George, fearlessly tackles one of the worlds least talked about, yet one of its most important environmental and health issues. The 'BIG NECESSITY' is a journey through the world of human waste where she endeavours to quantify, rationalise and make sense of, how we across the planet choose to dispose of, that which we don't like to talk about. This intelligent, smart and sometimes witty book tackles its subject matter full on and I would 'highly recommend' it to anyone who has a genuine interest in the environment, health and of course public sanitation... a must read !!!!
Real Environmentalism, 18 Sep 2008
Almost as entertaining as it is fascinating. I say almost as I read most of the book in one session whilst stranded on an airport runway for 3 hours. In one sitting (pun intended) the topic does have the unfortunate effect of making one feel slightly nauseous at times.
If only there were more of this kind of reporting/writing about environmental issues, I would take more of an interest. This book puts into context how really serious issues are never dealt with when a nice picture of a poor fluffy polar bear and a "carbon footprint" calculator will do instead.
One can feel the sense of frustration of Rose and the people in the book at just how hard it is to make progress on such an important issue.
Ultimately I am not sure if I am optimistic that work like this will help in finding solutions or whether the book is just a testament to human natures ability to look the other way if problems don't affect them directly.
A definite recommend, 14 Nov 2003
This is our course text book for the Environmental S | | |