Fundamentals of practical environmentalism / Mark B. Weldon.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

An introduction to practical environmentalism and the four pillars -- A short history of environmentalism in the United States -- The ethics of environmentalism : Issue-driven environmentalism ; Process-based environmentalism : Regulatory environmentalism; Protest environmentalism ; Perspective-based environmentalism : The nonbeliever; The live earth; Spaceship earth; Back to nature; Doomsday; Anticonsumption; Cornucopia -- The confounding factors : Competing objectives ; Uncertainty ; Measures of success ; Fallacy of prediction ; Assumption of future states ; The problem with percentages ; History of paranoia ; Crisis mentality -- Environmental degradation: the first pillar -- Resource conservation: the second pillar -- The "human" pillars of economic progress and personal benefit -- Scoring with the pillars: a few simple examples to illustrate the method -- The pillars in daily life -- The pillars and the really big issues -- More really big issues: the sacrificial ones -- The pillars and global warming -- Other measures of environmental performance : Carbon footprint ; Carrying capacity ; Life-cycle costing ; Government and scientific reports ; Green accounting: ISEW (Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare) ; Simple monetary economics -- Some final thoughts.

Environmental decisions present themselves every day in forms large and small. Should I walk to work today? What about global warming -- should I write my congressperson and demand that the government do something? Should I put solar panels on my roof? Should I get a different car or turn up the temperature on the air conditioner or get water-saving fixtures for my bathroom? As environmentalism has become more complex, with potentially far-reaching impacts, it seems to be outpacing our individual understanding of the basic issues. A fresh view of modern environmentalism, Fundamentals of Practical Environmentalismchallenges readers to integrate concern for the environment with the necessities of daily living. This book introduces practical environmentalism as a new approach to sustainable environmental progress. It presents a four-part framework that includes environmental degradation, resource conservation, economic progress, and personal benefit as the four pillars to address when attempting to act on behalf of the environment. The book consists of three main sections. Looking at historical and ethical perspectives, the first section examines the theoretical basis for practical environmentalism. The second section explains each of the four pillars in detail and demonstrates how to combine them into a holistic metric that guides environmental actions. The final section presents a number of case studies that run the gamut from small personal choices to the biggest and most contentious environmental dilemmas of the day. It shows how practical environmentalism via the four pillars can lead individuals toward better environmental decisions and an improved chance for true environmental progress. This timely book will be of use to activists, policymakers, researchers, resource managers, government agencies, and students alike, as well as anyone confronted with environmental choices in their daily lives.