Taking sides. Clashing views on controversial environmental issues

Included Index.

Part 1. General philosophical and political issues: Should a price be put on the goods and services provided by the world's ecosystems? ; Does wilderness have intrinsic value? ; Is the U.S. Endangered Species Act fundamentally sound? ; Should environmental policy be redesigned to cure environmental racism? ; Is limiting population growth a key factor in protecting the global environment? ; Does environmental regulation unnecessarily limit private property rights? ; Will pollution rights trading effectively control environmental problems? --
Part 2. The environment and technology: Is biotechnology an environmentally sound way to increase food production? ; Do environmental hormone mimics pose a serious health threat? ; Is the Environmental Protection Agency's decision to tighten air quality standards for ozone and particulates justified? ; Should pollution prevention and reduction be a focus of agricultural policy? --
Part 3. Disposing of wastes: Hazardous waste : should the "polluter pays" provision of Superfund be weakened? ; Municipal waste : is recycling an environmentally and economically sound waste management strategy? ; Nuclear waste : should the United States continue to focus plans for permanent nuclear waste disposal exclusively at Yucca Mountain? --
Part 4. The environment and the future: Will voluntary action by industry reduce the need for future environmental regulation? ; Do the projected consequences of ozone depletion justify phasing out chlorofluorocarbons? ; Are aggressive international efforts needed to slow global warming? ; Are major changes needed to avert a global environmental crisis?

Introduces students to controversies in environmental policies and science. The readings reflect a variety of viewpoints and are staged as "pro" and "con" debates. Selections are organized around the areas of general issues, the environment and technology, and disposing of wastes.