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Environment
One of the most critical problems created by
capitalist expansion is enviromental devastation. Some believe that the culture of
capitalism is incapable of sacrificing capital accumulation (profits, wages, goods, etc.)
for environmental reform. These sites should provide you with lots of information
from which to form your own opinions.
AirNow
http://www.epa.gov/airnow/
As part of the Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and
Community Tracking (EMPACT) initiative, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has
created this site to keep the public informed about air pollution and its effect on
health. (Scout Report, 9/4/98) What are some of the health and environmental
consequences of ozone levels? Why should we be concerned about it?
All
You Can Eat—EWG
http://www.foodnews.org/
"Just what’s on that apple, or in that
salad or ice cream? Although they are unlikely to be happy with what they find, users can
now discover which and how many pesticides are likely to be on the food they eat. Provided
by the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG), this site allows users to match
selections from hundreds of food items with more than 90,000 government lab tests."
Check out the collection of press releases for lots
of good information on pesticides in the environment. (The Scout Report, 1/22/99)
 Anti-Environmental Myths
http://members.aol.com/jimn469897/myths.htm
Jim Norton exposes many of the myths that
anti-environmental forces use to argue against environmental action.
Attack of the
Killer Weeds_ -- EWG [.pdf, 621K]
http://www.ewg.org/pub/home/reports/killerweeds/killer-foreword.html
Press Release
http://www.ewg.org/pub/home/reports/killerweeds/press-release.html
This new report from the Environmental Working Groups (EWG)
is a spirited expose of what it describes as hypocrisy on Capitol Hill regarding the Food
Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA). The EWG claims that, under the influence of
pesticide company lobbyists, members of Congress have worked to expand loopholes and delay
children’s health protections mandated by the FQPA. While certainly written from a
specific viewpoint, the report makes interesting and at times disturbing reading. Users
can access the full text of the report in .pdf format or by chapter in HTML format. (Scout Report 12/17/1999)
Climate Action Now
http://www.imaja.com/change/can/can.html
"The magnitude of the climate crisis requires nothing
less than an all-out emergency effort to convert western economies away from fossil fuel
dependence. To build a truely sustainable economy and eliminate human interference with
global climate cycles, the Climate Action Now will present a wide range of resource access
for activists, educators and journalists, and opportunities for personal involvement in
what must become one of the greatest mobilization efforts in human history. "
Check out the background
summary of the issue of global warming.
Consumer Center
http://www.ucsusa.org/less/index.html
The Union of Concerned Scientists provides this
Website to illustrate the relationship between consumption and environmental
pollution. One of the highlights of the site is the Great Green Web Game that
allows you to test your knowledge of the affects of your consumption patterns.
Demographic, Environmental, and
Securities Issues Project (DESIP)
http://www.igc.org/desip/
Ronald Bleier's site defines its purpose " to
emphasize the connection between rising population pressures, environmental degradation
and political and violent conflict." There is a definite emphasis on the
threat on population growth to the world (and some letters refuting those who argue
otherwise). There is some excellent information on current military occupations,
and links to other population, environmental, sites. The site also emphasizes
Middle Eastern political developments.
Dieoff Website
http://dieoff.com/page1.htm
A site maintained by Jay Hanson that contains a host of
resources (articles, bibliography, etc.) on the relating largely to the relationship
between population growth and environmental destruction. Lots of information on the
themes of "limits to growth," and "carrying capacity."
Earth Island
www.earthisland.org/
Excellent souce for news and articles on environmental issues
such as global warming and sustainable development. Check out the article on Sustainable Alternatives to the
Global Economy.
Earth
Summit +5--United Nations
http://www.un.org/esa/earthsummit
The followup to the 1992 Brazil summit on the environment
sponsored by the United Nations. On this site you can find out how well signed
agreements have been implemented. Check out, for example, the Kyoto Protocol designed to halt
global warming (the United States was one notable dissenter to the agreement).
Earth Times
http://www.earthtimes.org/
- "The Earth Times is the leading independent international
nonpartisan newspaper
on the environment and sustainable development, and such interrelated concerns
of the international system as population, conflict-resolution, governance,
human-rights,
trade, and women's and children's rights. Published by the not-for-profit Earth
Times
Foundation, the newspaper specifically explores the subject of change--how
individuals
and institutions work in their own societies to tackle their challenges and
generate
positive change in social and economic conditions."
EcoJustice Network
http://www.igc.org/envjustice/
- One of the issues addressed in Global Problems and the Culture of
Capitalism is the degree to which people on the periphery of the culture of
capitalism disproportionately suffer from the consequences of environmental devastation.
At the EcoJustice Network you can find out how some groups are fighting back and
resisting environmental exploitation. The site contains up-to-date reports on
trouble spots as well as links to other organizations representing groups affected by
environmental exploitation.
Ecological Footprints
of Nations
http://www.ecouncil.ac.cr/rio/focus/report/english/footprint/
"This 'Footprints of Nations' report compares the
ecological impact of 52 large nations, inhabited by 80 percent of the world population. It
also shows to what extent their consumption can be supported by their local ecological
capacity. One key finding is that today, humanity as a whole uses over one third more
resources and eco-services than what nature can regenerate. In 1992, this ecological
deficit was only one quarter."
The Ecologist Online
http://www.gn.apc.org/ecologist/
One of the best magazines addressing environmental issues.
This address will take you to the main site where you can read articles from the
latest issue or search back
issues. You don't get all the articles that are included in the print edition, but a
good sampling.
"Ecology and Capitalist Costs of
Production: No Exit" , by Immanuel Wallerstein[Keynote address at PEWS
XXI, "The Global Environment and the World-System," Univ. of California, Santa
Cruz, Apr. 3-5. 1997]
In this essay, Immanuel Wallerstein, considered the
originator of world-systems theory, offers his analysis of origins of the environmental
crisis, and offers some solutions to it. Why, from his perspective,
is the environmental crisis inherent in global capitalism? What is the "dirty
secret" of capitalism? What solutions does Wallerstein offer to solve the
problem?
Economics
for Conversation
http://home.earthlink.net/~durable/index.html
A hyperlink article by Barry Brooks that focuses on the
conflict between the need for perpetual economic growth and the need to perserve the
environment. As Brooks puts it, "There seems to be a dilemma in the need to
stimulate the economy to make jobs which is opposed to the need to slow the economy to
avoid upsetting the natural balance too much. Federal reserve policy is being used to slow
the economy, while congressional tax/borrow and spend is being used to stimulate the
economy. It's like driving with the brakes and the accelerator pressed together.
Our inconsistent use of use of fiscal vs. monetary policy implicitly confirms that we
can't continue economic growth, but we can't give it up either. "
Economics of Biodiversity [.pdf]
http://economics.iucn.org/
"The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural
Resources (IUCN) manages this clearinghouse on the economics of biodiversity in support of
equitable and sustainable natural resource use. IUCN arranges their discussion papers in
full-text by theme, and a mixture of relevant economic, legal, and policy information is
highlighted throughout the site." (Scout Report for Business and Economics, 4/8/99)
Economy
and Environment--EPA [.pdf]
www.epa.gov/docs/oppe/eaed/eedhmpg.htm
The Environmental Protection Agency's site on the program
that "carries out research and analyses of the interactions
and relationships between the economy and environmental pollution control as well as other
aspects of environmental economics. This includes determining the economic benefits and
costs of pollution control, the use of economic incentives for pollution control, and the
size, composition, and impacts of the pollution control industry." The site
promises to explain the purpose of the agency, but you have to work your way through
various pages to get at the goals, which assume that economic costs and benefits can be
applied to environmental destruction. Check for yourself at how the EPA does Economic Analysis.
Eco-Portal Search Engine
http://www.eco-portal.com/
"Those interested in the environment can carry out full text searches
through an extensive list of reviewed environmental Internet content. This premier content
has been fully indexed to make it searchable from one search screen. This goes well beyond the typical "Portal"
site, composed of lists of links to sites of varying information quality. Eco-Portal
searches allow you to explore the entire content of hundreds of different environmental
sites at the same
time—for free. Portal searches are currently available for the Best in Forest,
Rainforest, Temperate Forest, Biodiversity, Water, Climate Change and Ozone Layer web
sites."
Eldis: the Electronic Development and Environment Information System
www.ids.ac.uk/eldis/eldis.html
A comprehensive collection of documents and Websites on the
environments. For example, you can select a country and get information on the
environmental situation. You can also select a subject and do a comprehensive search
for online documents.
ENN (Environmental News Network)
Online
www.enn.com/
Imagine a newspaper that gives the latest news on the
environment the same priority as the mainstream press gives sex scandels and high profile
murders. This is it. There are many interesting articles.
EnviroLink Network
www.envirolink.org
Created in 1991 by Josh Knauer, while he was a freshman at
Carnegie Mellon University, Envirolink Network us "a grassroots online community that
unites hundreds of organizations and volunteers around the world with over 375,000 users
daily in more than 150 countries. EnviroLink is dedicated to providing you with the most
comprehensive, up-to-date environmental resources available."
The Environment: A Global Challenge
http://library.advanced.org/26026/
The Environment: A Global Challenge describes itself as "the web's most
comprehensive site on the environment. With 400 articles and 811 pages, the site
covers every aspect of the environment and provides many interactive features."
The site was the product of students working on a Web Site contest sponsored by Thinkquest. Lots of good
stuff.
- Environment News Service
- http://ens.lycos.com/
A good place to keep up with news on environmental
concerns. You can find out how some states allow sewage to be injected into ground
water, or how herbicides are poisoning indigenous groups in Southeast Asia. If you
are interested in keeping up with environmental news, this is a good place to do it.
Environmental Defense Fund (Acess
to Chemical Scoreboard)
www.edf.org
Do you want to find out whether or not there are polluting
chemicals being released in your community? Check the Chemical Scoreboard at the Environmental Defense Fund
site (I checked on my area and found 4 polluters releasing chemicals more hazardous
than most). You will also find much more information about environmental
issues and past problems, including the continuing dangers posed by the nuclear disaster
at Chernobyl.
Environmental
Working Group
http://www.ewg.org/
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a leading
content provider for public interest groups and concerned citizens who are campaigning to
protect the environment. At the site you can find information on governmental
environmental laws and ways that pesticide and herbicide industries find to circumvent
them. Areas of special emphasis at EWG have been the threat posed to infants and
children by pesticides and other toxic chemicals; the environmental and economic
implications of Federal farm programs; drinking water contamination by pesticides and
other pollutants; wetlands conservation; budget and appropriations policies affecting the
environment, and the impact of campaign contributions on environmental policy.
The EPA on Fuel Economy
Light-Duty Automotive Technology and Fuel
Economy Trends [.pdf, .zip,.wpd]
http://www.epa.gov/oms/fetrends.htm
EPA Fuel Economy Site [.pdf]
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/
Arguably the greatest threat to the environment is the
automobile. These two sites from the United States Environmental Protection Agency
provide information on fuel efficiency of, first, US light duty automotive
technology and fuel economy trends for model years 1975 through 1999, and, second, on
automobiles. You can also find out why fuel economy is importan, review of current
and future fuel conservation technologies, and review a collection of FAQS; and tips
on maintaining your
car and driving more efficiently. (see Scout Report, 10/8/99)
Food Finder
www.olen.com/food/
Fun site. Check out the total calories, and the amount
of fat, salt, etc. in typical fast food meals.
Fooling with
Nature (PBS)
www.pbs.org/frontline/shows/nature/
PBS Frontline site to complement the show on the affects of
man-made chemicals in the environment on human beings, particularly the reproductive
process. Check out the article, titled "Disruptive
Behavior: Endocrine Disruptors, Sperm Counts and Breast Cancer".
Friends of the Earth
International
www.xs4all.nl/~foeint
"Friends of the Earth International is a
federation of autonomous environmental organisations from all over the world. Our members,
in more than 50 countries, campaign on the most urgent environmental and social issues of
our day, while simultaneously catalysing a shift toward sustainable societies.
" You can find links to many other sites.
Global Environment Outlook:
United Nations Environment Programme
http://www.grida.no/geo1/
The site of the United Nations Environmental Programme with
its special reports on the state of the global environment. Check out the global overview and, for a more sobering
appraisal, look at the section on future
trends.
"Global
Environmental Protection in the 21st Century" http://www.foreignpolicy-infocus.org/papers/environment/index.html
Posted by the
Foreign Policy in Focus gateway, this special report examines the deterioration of the
environment since the promises for global environmental improvement made at the 1992 UN
Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED or the "Earth Summit").
Authored by the Executive Director of the Center for International Environmental Law,
David Hunter, the report considers why the global environment continues to worsen and what
global changes are necessary to reverse this slide. Reasonable rather than polemical, the
report offers substantial statistics (easily accessed from a short menu on the table of
contents) documenting the state of the environment and proffers concrete suggestions
concerning US-supported geopolitical change and integration of environmental needs with
those of the global economy. The report will be published as an essay in _Global Focus:
U.S. Foreign Policy at the Turn of the Millenium_, forthcoming from St. Martin’s
Press in early 2000. (Scout Report for the Social Sciences, 11/16/1999)
Global Fires
Global Fire Monitoring--NASA
GSFC [QuickTime]modarch.gsfc.nasa.gov/fire_atlas/fires.html
Fire Detection Around the
World--NOAA NGDC
www.ngdc.noaa.gov/dmsp/fires/globalfires.html
Each year 175 million acres of forest and grassland are
burned creating greenhouse gases and aerosols and endangering species of plants and
animals. These sites provide information on the dangers of burning and up-to-date
photos that reveal current sources of fire.
Global
Warming Site of the EPA
www.epa.gov/globalwarming/index.text.html
The Environmental Protection Agency's site on global
warming. A wonderful place to learn about the phenomenon. You can find
explanations of the reasons for and the dangers of global warming, reports on how global
warming may affect everything from health to fisheries, measures that can be taken to
reduce greenhouse emissions, as well as links to other sites. You can start out by
reading about the dangers of
global warming.
Global warming Site at
the New York Times
www.nytimes.com/library/national/120197resources.html
A directory of Web links on global warming and a list of
books on the subject.
Great Green Web Game
http://www.ucsusa.org/game/index.html
This game is based on a new analysis of the
environmental impact of consumer decisions. It's premise, shared in Global Problems and
the Culture of Capitalism, is that air pollution, water pollution, destruction of natural
habitats, and global warming are the main forms of environmental damage caused by
consumer-related activities today.
The Great Green Web Game shows how you can reduce this damage through effective consumer
choices.
Greenpeace
http://www.greenpeaceusa.org/
"Greenpeace is an independent campaigning organization
that uses non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems, and
to force solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future." Best
known, perhaps, for its actions on the seas, you can find out about the history of
Greenpeace by taking a journey in its time machine.
Industry and
the Environment
www.worldbank.org/html/pic/EDSs.html
Reports on the environmental impacts of World Bank
projects. You can search by topic or by country.
International
Energy Annual 1996 [.pdf]
www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/iea/contents.html
There are many predictions of how soon, given our rate of
energy use, we will use up the world's energy resources. At this site you can check
how much energy remains and in what form, and the world carbon dioxide emmisions from
1987-1996. Check out, for example, the quantity of coal reserves that remain in the
world.
International Energy Outlook 1999 [.pdf,
224p]
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/ieo99/home.html
"This new report from the Energy Information Administration
offers an outlook for energy markets in almost every major country in the world through
2020. Designed for use by a range of analysts, planners, business associations, and
government agencies, the outlook begins with a review of global trends in energy demand
from 1970 to 1996. The report goes on to project energy consumption by source and region
and includes a review of the status of the five major fuels (oil, natural gas, coal,
nuclear power, and renewable energy) on a worldwide basis. The third section of the report
examines "energy consumption in the end-use sectors" and offers chapters on
"energy use in the transportation sector and on environmental issues related to
energy consumption." Users may download the full text of the report in .pdf format or
read the online Preface, which also offers links to five of the report’s seven
appendixes." (Scout Report, 4/9/99)
The Kosovo Conflict: Consequences
for the Environment & Human Settlements [.pdf, 106p.]
http://www.grid.unep.ch:80/btf/final/index.html
UNEP Press Release on Four environmental hotspots found in
Serbia
http://www.grid.unep.ch:80/btf/pressreleases/unep1410.html
In discussions of
the reasons for environmental devastation. war is an often neglected source. Yet it
clearly is a major threat to environmental integrity. This report is about the
environmental impact of NATO’s bombing campaign in Yugoslavia. "The report
finds that the heaviest pollution is confined to industrial cities, four of which it
identifies as "hot spots" in need of immediate attention. More on these
"hot spots" can be found at the UNEP page. The BTF report itself is offered in
.pdf format and contains an introduction, chronology of the Kosovo conflict, analysis of
the state of the environment in Yugoslavia before and after the conflict, and
recommendations. A number of maps and photos are included, which can also be accessed from
the main page." (Scout Report, 10/15/1999)
Living Planet Report_ 1999 [.pdf,
MS Word] http://www.panda.org/livingplanet/lpr99/
The second edition of the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) _Living Planet Report_ (last
discussed in the October 9, 1998 Scout Report) has been placed online. The report attempts
to quantify the speed at which nature is disappearing from Earth and trace human pressures
on the natural environment. The first part of the report, the Living Planet Index (LPI),
measures natural wealth and how it has changed between 1970 and 1995. According to the
WWF, the LPI declined by 30 percent in this period, indicating that the world has lost
"30 per cent of its natural wealth in the space of one generation." The second
part of the _Living Planet Report_ examines six causes of global environmental
change related to human consumption of renewable and non-renewable resources.Users may
view an executive summary and highlights of the report or download the full text in .pdf
or Microsoft Word format in English, Spanish, or French. (Scout Report, 9/17/99)
Ozone Action
http://www.ozone.org/
A "Washington, DC based
non-profit public interest organization focused exclusively on two atmospheric threats:
global climate change and stratospheric ozone depletion." There are articles
and press-releases, and an excellent section on corporate attempts to derail measures to stop
global warming and ozone depletion.
Planet Ark
http://www.planetark.org/index.cfm
An excellent source for up-to-date environmental news with Reuters Daily World
Environment News. You can also listen to interviews with leading
environmentalists and research the latest environmental issues or search through the
archives for past reports.
Natural
Resource Defense Council: World View
http://mail.igc.org/nrdc/worldview/index.html
This is the Web site of the National Resource Defense
Council. You can find information on virtually any topic related to the environment,
including brief backgrounders on various subjects. You can even check your Eco IQ. Or send a e-mail postcard.
New Ideas in Pollution Regulation
(NIPR)
www.NIPR.org
"NIPR, short for New Ideas in Pollution
Regulation, is targeted at people and organizations interested in public policy
issues relating to the cost-effective control of pollution. This site is maintained by the
World Bank's Economics of Industrial Pollution
Control research team a part of the World Bank's Research Program."
A good place to begin learning about measures that are being taken to monitor and
regulate environmental pollution.
Pesticide Action Network
www.panna.org/panna/
The PAN has campaigned to replace pesticides with
ecologically sound alternatives since 1982. At their site you can find information on the
health and environmental risks of pesticides, and read the latest articles on the health
and environmental dangers posed by their use. Check out the article on the risks to children on
farms of pesticide use.
Population
and the Environment
http://www.nwf.org/nwf/international/pop/index.html
How many people are added to the population each hour?
How many species become extinct each day from deforestation? You can find out at
this site maintained by the National Wildlife Federation. Check out the brief
article on Population and
Consumption.
Rachel's Environment and
Health Weekly
http://www.rachel.org/bulletin/
One of the best places on the Web to keep up with global
environmental issues. You will also find links to many studies and reports on global
environmental problems.
Revisiting Carrying
Capacity: Area-Based Indicators of Sustainability
http://dieoff.com/page110.htm
In Global Problems and the Culture of
Capitalism we discuss the kinds of reductions in energy use people in core countries
would have to make to truly make a difference in preserving the environment (see p.
209ff). In this article, William E. Rees outlines the problems; for him the
"fundamental question for ecological economics is whether remaining stocks of natural
capital are adequate to sustain the anticipated load of the human economy into the next
century."
Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition
http://www.svtc.org/
Most people are unaware that the computer they are using is a
potential environmental nightmare; it contains mercury, lead, arsenic, and a host of
potentially health-threatening materials. And there are some 20 million computers
sitting in peoples basements, attics, and elsewhere and no place to dispose of them.
At this site you can find out about the environmental dangers posed by our
throw-away electronics, and industry efforts to block legislation that would force them to
take some responsibility for what they produce. You can go directly to an excellent
background piece on the problem, Just Say No to E-Waste.
State
of the World's Forests
www.fao.org/waicent/faoinfo/forestry/SOFOTOC.htm
A comprehensive report, with regional analysis, of the state
of the world's forests as of 1997. The report can be downloaded in PDF format or
accessed online.
State of the World’s Forests 1999 (SOFO) [.pdf, 154p.] http://www.fao.org/fo/sofo/sofo99/default.htm
The latest edition of this biannual publication from the
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (last reviewed in the May 9, 1997
Scout Report offers one of the most comprehensive and up-to-date reviews of new
developments in forestry and the condition of forests worldwide. SOFO 1999 reports on a
number of significant events and developments of 1997-98, including "the latest
figures on global forest cover; current efforts to assess forest resources; the forest
fires of 1997 and 1998; recent trends in forest management; the significance to forestry
of the Kyoto Protocol of the Framework Convention on Climate Change; current and projected
forest products production, consumption and trade; recent trends in forest policy,
legislation and institutions; and the international dialogue and initiatives on forests,
among other topics." Aimed at policy-makers, academics, and the informed public, the
report is offered in .pdf format, broken down into numerous sections. While this
presentation strategy speeds initial download, it can slow navigation within the document.
(Scout Report, 6/11/99)
Trade and
Environment Database
http://gurukul.ucc.american.edu/ted/TED.HTM
The TED contains information and case studies regarding the
relationship between trade and environmental damage. For example, you can learn
about the illegal dumping of
toxic waste by U.S. corporations in Bangledesh, the relationship between opium and environmental destruction
in Burma, or between rum and
environmental damage. There are over 300 such case studies.
Turning Up the Heat: How Global Warming Threatens Life in the Sea
WWF [Word 6.0, .pdf, 47p.]
http://www.worldwildlife.org/climate/
This new report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the
Marine Conservation Biology Institute argues that rising temperatures have impacted the
world’s oceans to a far greater extent than previously acknowledged. Addressing
topics such as sea-level rise, ocean circulation, coral reefs, sea birds and
invertebrates, as well as the increasing threats to Salmon, the report predicts a
dangerous chain reaction in marine ecosystems if global warming continues unabated. On the
positive side, it also argues that decisive actions now to reduce pollution can slow the
warming and preserve the world’s oceans. Accessible from the WWF Climate Change page,
the full text of the report is available in .pdf, Word 6.0, and HTML versions. A summary
is also provided. [MD] (Scout Report. 6/18/99)
United Nations Environmental Program
http://www.unep.org/
- An excellent site to find out about environmental conditions
in various countries. For eample, check on the environmental conditions in China with one-fifth of the world's
population. What are some of the driving forces behind the state of China's
environment?
Using Market-Based Instruments in
the Developing World: The Case of Pollution Charges in Colombia—NIPR [RealPlayer]
http://www.worldbank.org/nipr/lacsem/columpres/
- A New Ideas in Pollution Regulation (NIPR) publication
(reviewed in the January 24, 1997 Scout Report), Using Market-Based Instruments in the
Developing World: The Case of Pollution Charges in Colombia is a slide presentation that
summarizes efforts by Colombia’s environmental authorities to reduce pollution at a
low cost. The presentation covers Colombia’s economic and environmental status as
well as viewpoints from major industry and community stakeholders, and users may listen to
narration and view images in free streaming video format with RealPlayer. (Scout Report
for Business and Economics, 5/6/1999)
World Conservation
Monitoring Centre: Conservation Databases
www.wcmc.org.uk/cis/index.html
A comprehensive database on conservation issues. You
can find information on rainforest preservation and destruction, species destruction, as
well as other information. Check out, for example, the status of various biological
classes and orders (be sure to refer to the meanings of each the
categores.)
WorldWatch Institute
http://www.worldwatch.org/index.html
One of the major public policy organizations active in
alterting people to what they see as the dangers of population growth, corporate expansion
and their link to environmental devastation. Their Alerts feature is worth checking
regularly.
World Wide Fund for
Nature
http://www.panda.org/wwfintlink/
"The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has recently published
the inaugural Living Planet Report. This report analyzes environmental data in conjunction
with global consumption patterns to calculate the cumulative effect that humankind has on
the earth’s ecosystems. The report consists of two major parts: the Consumption
Pressure section and the Living Planet Index. The Consumption Pressure section measures
the per capita resource consumption and pollution statistics from 152 countries to
determine humanity’s impact on earth. The Living Planet Index presents new data on
the health of the forest, freshwater and marine ecosystems around the world from
1970-1995. Two versions of the report are available from the WWF: the Enhanced Site, which
requires Macromedia Flash and RealPlayer; and the Lite Site, which provides the same
information minus the plug-ins." (Scout Report for Social Sciences, 10/6/98) The Report details the state of endangered species, focusing on consumption
pressures on the planet's resources. Check out the threatened species map.
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