Author Description

Acid rain, global warming, ozone holes, and radioactive waves are no longer issues discussed on a purely academic level but very real dangers and threats, many of them actualized in some parts of the world. Our understanding of the environment and its degeneration has undergone a tremendous change since the sixties when phrases such as "the greenhouse effect" gained currency. Hot Topics addresses the change, explaining in detail environmental terms that are becoming a genuine part of everyday life.What are the likely impacts of a warmed earth? Why is the ozone hole predominantly at the Antarctic? How is radioactive waste treated and transported? And what are the basic components of a hazard control system? These questions and more are covered in detail in eight decisive and understandable chapters that integrate case histories and illustrations wherever possible, making this book appropriate for a wide audience. Professionals, graduate students, and researchers will benefit from the its precise examination of major contemporary environmental processes and issues, and general readers will be fascinated by its direct answers to key questions that will enable a better grasp on our changing world.