The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices: Practical Advice from The Union of Concerned ScientistsFrom one of the most prestigious nonprofit organizations devoted to environmental issues comes a clear, practical, and rational overview of the relationship between consumers and the environment. Paper or plastic? Bus or car? Old house or new? Cloth diapers or disposables? Some choices have a huge impact on the environment; others are of negligible importance. To those of us who care about our quality of life and what is happening to the earth, this is a vastly important issue. In these pages, the Union of Concerned Scientists help inform consumers about everyday decisions that significantly affect the environment. For example, a few major decisions--such as the choice of a house or vehicle--have such a disproportionately large affect on the environment that minor environmental infractions shrink by comparison. This book identifies the 4 Most Significant Consumer-Related Environmental Problems, the 7 Most Damaging Spending Categories, 11 Priority Actions, and 7 Rules for Responsible Consumption. Learn what you can do to have a truly significant impact on our world from the people who are at the forefront of scientific research. |
Contents
Media Makes the MessageGarbage as a Case Study | 19 |
The Real Impacts of Household Consumption | 43 |
Priorities for Personal Action | 83 |
Avoiding HighImpact Activities | 108 |
Seven Rules for Responsible Consumption | 122 |
What You Can Ask Government to Do | 146 |
From Walden to WalMartConsumers | 179 |
Appendixes | 205 |
B Resources for Environmentally Concerned Citizens | 249 |
Notes | 261 |
About the Union of Concerned Scientists | 279 |
Other editions - View all
The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices: Practical Advice ... Michael Brower,Warren Leon No preview available - 1999 |
Common terms and phrases
activities agriculture air pollution American appliances average chemicals cloth common air pollution COMMON TOXIC COMMON common water pollution consumption cost curbside diapers disposal dumps ecosystems efficient electricity emissions energy environment environmental damage environmental impacts environmental problems example expenditures feebate fuel garbage GASES COMMON TOXIC global warming greenhouse gases harmful heating household operations Impacts per Dollar industry input-output model landfills lawn light trucks live manufacturers materials meat ment million mobile homes Municipal Solid Waste organic organic farms ozone packaging paper percent pesticides plastic Pollution Habitat Alteration Pollution Water Pollution purchase recycling recycling programs reduce refrigerator ronmental spend sport utility vehicles standards sumer technologies things tion TOXIC COMMON TOXIC toxic water pollution transportation trash U.S. Department U.S. EPA U.S. Forest Service vehicles Water Pollution Habitat wood yard York