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Contents:
1 - Introducing environmental issues: the environment of the estuary; 2 - Are too many species going extinct?; 3 - Who cares? Values, power and action in environmental contests; 4 - What to do. How risk and uncertainty affect environmental responses.
Review:
The Open University has long been known for the quality of its long distance (i.e. book, audio and visual) material. In producing this material for its students it has also opened up this way of working to a far wider audience. For example, this is part of a four-part set (see also Morris and Bingham - the fourth volume is due in August 2003) dealing with the analysis of, understanding of and reaction to environmental events. This particular volume considers ways of looking at environmental issues.
As the editors rightly state in their introduction, environmental issues change daily and require a sophisticated response gained from the synthesis of a range of disparate disciplines. The aim of this book is to show how a common approach to the study of environmental issues can be used to gain an insight into the topic. As such it is the lead text to the series. We start with a case study of the Blackwater estuary in Essex. It's a useful starting place. The estuary is both environmentally an ecologically dynamic. Essex is a place under considerable pressure and coastal areas (especially with the potential effects of global warming) are even more so. A basic introduction to the area gives way to a geological and historical account of its development. From this we have an understanding of how the estuary has changed. The next section considers the pressures it is under today. Fishing and nuclear power are the examples given but others could usefully be added. A section on ways of responding to this bring the chapter to a close. Conclusions, questions, references and further activities are added to focus the mind. What this chapter has done is to prepare the reader for the rest of the book and series. The three core themes: change (how the area has developed), contest (alternative use for resources) and response (how we manage the area) have been introduced leaving the reader in no doubt as to where they are headed. The remaining chapter focus on the topic of species extinction but each one has its own particular focus. Chapter two looks at extinction in time and space. Unlike many texts assuming that human-based extinction is a given, this chapter looks at the five extinction events in time and asks if we are to make a sixth. It's all very well being concerned about species loss (especially in a nation that has already removed most of its native fauna and flora) but nothing will be done unless there is the political will for it to happen. Chapter three looks at the ways in which people have used resources and how they can value them. The two examples used here, passenger pigeons and Indian tigers, are well selected because they contrast cultures, times and economics. This aspect of conservation has been neglected in favour of more 'scientific' work and it is good to see it included here. Chapter four moves away from the more conventional look at conservation to explore the recent ideas behind risk analysis. The application of risk strategies to conservation is relatively new but it is a useful basis of which to build. It is essential that we appreciate the uncertainties of our situation. A small conclusion sums up the text.
This is an excellent introduction to the series. Case studies appear to have been chosen with particular care to give the reader insight into a range of concepts in the study of environmental issues. As you would expect from the experience of the OU, the questions and activities are extremely well thought out creating a self-directing study guide. Since this is the first review in the series it would be interesting to see if the other texts live up to this standard. Definitely one for the library shelf.