Our Precarious Habitat 15 Years Later

Just three months after the 'Greenhouse Summer of 1988,' Andrew Solow, a statistics expert at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, wrote in The New York Times that 'existing data shows no evidence of the greenhouse effect. Many people will be surprised to hear that this is more or less the view expressed in scientific journals, where articles are subject to peer review. Congressional testimony and interviews in the press are not subject to peer review, and that is how unsubstantiated and misleading statements come to dominate public opinion.' One week later, The New York Times reported that, 'according to new scientific evidence, the 1988 summer drought in the United States was caused by massive, naturally occurring climatic forces in the tropical Pacific Ocean and had little to do with global warming caused by the greenhouse effect.' These two reports exemplify the powerful message this book contains. Written 15 years after publication of the original work and approximately 15 years after the height of the environmental 'panic' of the 1970s, Our Precarious Habitat: Fifteen Years Later thoughtfully reexamines the environmental issues and problems that emerged in the 1970s-issues and problems that are still very much with us today. From this calmer perspective, environmental expert Melvin Benarde provides surprising, scientifically documented evidence indicating that, in many cases, 'our precarious habitat' is not just liveable but is, in fact, a remarkably healthy place. Throughout, Dr. Benarde dispels environmental myth after myth as he measures today's most sensitive barometers of environmental health-cancer death rates; birth and infant mortality rates; air, water, and noise pollution; hazardous wastes; chemicals in food; pesticides; accidents and occupational health; sanitary sewage and waste water treatment; disease patterns; and more. All facts, figures, tables, and charts are derived from leading authoritative sources in the scientific community and presented in easy-to-understand layman's terms. Most importantly, Benarde gives us practical risk assessment tools and techniques to help us deal with the economic, social, political, and psychological ramifications inherent in all environmental issues. We learn the ropes of the 'politics of pollution,' and how to 'overcome our typically passive acceptance of the daily fare that is served up to us,' and replace it with a healthy skepticism toward what really is and isn't a threat to the quality of human life. With this new mindset, we can begin to ask, 'Wait a minute, what's the evidence for that?' or say 'Run that by me again.' Our Precarious Habitat is a rallying point for these kinds of questions, a source for everyone-citizens, elected officials, members of industry, and the media-to turn to for information and guidance on how to become more accountable and informed about the shared environment in which we live.Benarde, Melvin A. is the author of 'Our Precarious Habitat 15 Years Later', published 1989 under ISBN 9780471617501 and ISBN 0471617504.