Summary
The World Health Organization defines environmental health as "those aspects of human health, including quality of life, that are determined by physical, chemical, biological, social, and psychosocial factors in the environment." Anything that affects the environmental health of humans, plants, and animals in a negative way is an environmental hazard. From the people who reside in Southern California where earthquakes are common to those who live near an abandoned copper mine that leaks dangerous arsenic into the groundwater, environmental dangers are part of our daily lives.
The Truth About Environmental Hazards takes a close look at the various environmental dangers the planet faces and how those hazards impact our lives, as well as how society is working to prevent or manage these hazards. This accessible new A-to-Z resource features up-to-date information and is presented in a user-friendly, straightforward format.
Entries include:
- Air pollution
- Causes and effects of desertification
- Dangers of earthquakes and tsunamis
- Hazardous waste disposal
- Landfill and superfund sites
- Oil spills
- Radiation
- Recycling
- Sources and use of groundwater.
Specifications
Charts and graphs. Index. Glossary. Further reading. Web sites. Hotlines.
About the Author(s)
John V. Perritano is a freelance editor and writer who has published numerous works on the sciences and the environment.