Something new under the sun : an environmental history of the twentieth-century world / J.R. McNeill.

Format:

• Book

Author/Creator:

• McNeill, John Robert.

Series:

• Global century series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

• Human ecology--History--20th century.
• Nature--Effect of human beings on--History--20th century.
• Nature--Effect of human beings on.
• History.
• Human ecology.

Physical Description:

xxvi, 421 pages : illustrations, maps ; 25 cm.

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Norton, [2000]

Summary:

Through this environmental history of the people and planet in the global 20th century, McNeill explores the massive change in our physical world and argues that environmental degradation is reversible and historical change open-ended. 40 photos. 15 maps.

Contents:

• 1. Prologue: Peculiarities of a Prodigal Century 3
• Economic Growth Since 1500 5
• Population Growth Since 10,000 B.C. 8
• Energy History Since 10,000 B.C. 10
• Part 1 The Music of the Spheres 19
• 2. The Lithosphere and Pedosphere: The Crust of the Earth 21
• The Basics of the Earth's Crust 22
• Soil Alchemy 22
• Soil Pollution 26
• Earth Movers 30
• 3. The Atmosphere: Urban History 50
• The Basics of the Atmosphere 51
• Air Pollution Before 1900 55
• Air Pollution Since 1900 58
• Coal Cities 64
• Smog Cities 72
• Megacities 76
• Recovering Cities 81
• 4. The Atmosphere: Regional and Global History 84
• Regional Air Pollution Since 1870 85
• The Air in Japan 92
• Acid Rain 99
• Further Consequences of Air Pollution 102
• Climate Change and Stratospheric Ozone 108
• Space Pollution 115
• 5. The Hydrosphere: The History of Water Use and Water Pollution 118
• Water Basics 119
• World Water Use and Supply 120
• Urban Water 122
• River Water 129
• Lakes and Eutrophication 136
• Seas and Oceans 137
• 6. The Hydrosphere: Depletions, Dams, and Diversions 149
• Groundwater 151
• Dams and Diversions 157
• Taming Floods and Draining Wetlands 183
• Coastlines 189
• 7. The Biosphere: Eat and Be Eaten 192
• Microbiota: The First Lords of the Biosphere 194
• Land Use and Agriculture 212
• 8. The Biosphere: Forests, Fish, and Invasions 228
• Forests 229
• Whaling and Fishing 237
• Biological Invasions 252
• Biodiversity and the Sixth Extinction 262
• Part 2 Engines of Change 267
• 9. More People, Bigger Cities 269
• Population Growth 270
• Migration 276
• The Footprints and Metabolisms of Cities 281
• 10. Fuels, Tools, and Economics 296
• Energy Regimes and the Environment 297
• Technological Change and the Environment 306
• Economic Changes and the Environment 314
• 11. Ideas and Politics 325
• Big Ideas 326
• Environmental Ideas 336
• International Politics and War 341
• Environmental Politics and Policies 349.

Notes:

• Series statement from dust jacket.
• Includes bibliographical references (pages 363-404 pages) and index.

ISBN:

0393049175

OCLC:

42733643