Our oceans face levels of devastation previously unknown in human history--from pollution, from overfishing, and through damage to delicate aquatic ecosystems affected by global warming. Ocean biodiversity is being decimated on par with the fastest rates of rain forest destruction. More than 80 per cent of pollutants in the oceans come from sewage and other land-based runoff (some of it radioactive). The rest is created by waste dumped by commercial and recreational vessels. In many areas ...

Pandemics cannot be eliminated, but they can be stopped; the trick is discovering what will curtail any one particular outbreak. Renowned environmentalist and science writer Albert Bates presents an easy-to-understand scientific overview of the global consequences of pandemics and offers a fresh perspective on how we can coexist with them, individually and collectively. Bates recounts the history of deadly pandemics and provides a basic explanation for why diseases can infect and spread qu...

Modern technologies have wreaked havoc on the ocean’s biodiversity, which affects not just sea life but all life on the planet. Environmentalist Albert Bates teaches students about currents and tides, the ocean’s food pyramid, what is meant by “blue acceleration,” and what causes an imbalanced ecosystem. The two biggest changes to the ocean’s health—overfishing and pollution—are explored in-depth. The effects of climate change which include melting ice caps and strong storms may be alarmin...

The scourge of plastic has poisoned our environment and damaged our health. In this timely book, Albert Bates takes a critical look at the magnitude of this ubiquitous problem, and explains that what is needed is mandatory economic and industrial changes so that recycled, bio-sourced, and biodegradable plastic become more cost-effective than plastic made from fossil fuels. He also explores current worldwide efforts for stronger regulations and better waste management, along with exciting n...

Plastics were created to last forever and that's the problem. It's estimated that by 2050, there will be more pounds of plastic in our oceans than pounds of fish. Young people will be uniquely impacted by environmental pollution in the future. This book describes how plastics are made, explains why they are such an enormous problem for the environment, and examines why this problem has reached a crisis point and what can be done to clean it up. Kids are also informed about the creative sol...

“A brilliant, climatic coup that uplifts biochar to an entirely new level of substance and urgency!”―Paul HawkenHow we can harness carbon to help solve the climate crisis in order to rescue ourselves from climate catastropheIn order to rescue ourselves from climate catastrophe, we need to radically alter how humans live on Earth. We have to go from spending carbon to banking it. We have to put back the trees, wetlands, and corals. We have t...

New Exclusive Content: Author Albert Bates in conversation with Soil Association’s Head of Horticulture Ben Raskin during the 2019 Hawkwood Seed FestivalAn 800-CEO-READ "Editor's Choice" March 2019How We Can Harness Carbon to Help Solve the Climate CrisisIn order to rescue ourselves from climate catastrophe, we need to radically alter how humans live on Earth. We have to go from spending carbon to banking it. We hav...