Available:*
Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury) | TEEN 551.6 FLA | Searching... Unknown |
Bound With These Titles
On Order
Summary
Summary
Every young person who cares about preserving the planet needs to know what's inside this book -- and follow the authors' call to action. (Age 14 and up)
First published for an adult readership, THE WEATHER MAKERS received critical kudos for its solid science and powerful message. Now this accessible new edition speaks directly to young adults, offering a clear look at the history of climate change, how it will unfold over the next
century, and what we can do to prevent a cataclysmic future. Here is an immediate and hard-hitting look backward -- and forward -- in climate history, bolstered by models and projections of current data. It includes interviews with people whose livelihoods have been directly affected by climate change, as well as individuals who make new technology and renewable resources a part of daily life. Newly featured are twenty-five practical tips that give readers the tools for living a greener lifestyle -- at home, in school, in the community, and ultimately, on Earth.
Back matter includes source notes, a bibliography, and an index.
Author Notes
Tim Flannery is an internationally acclaimed scientist, explorer, conservationist, and author. A contributor to the NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW and THE TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT, he is also a familiar voice on ABC Radio, NPR, and the BBC. He lives in Adelaide, Australia.
Sally M. Walker is the author of more than fifty nonfiction books, including SECRETS OF A CIVIL WAR SUBMARINE, winner of both the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award and the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, and WRITTEN IN BONE: BURIED LIVES OF JAMESTOWN AND COLONIAL MARYLAND. She lives in Dekalb, Illinois.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-This adaptation of Flannery's 2005 adult publication shows the results of meticulous research and superb grounding in scientific facts. It lays out, in great detail, the ways in which humans have changed our weather and the possible outcomes for us and our planet if we continue as we are going. Clearly labeled illustrations accompany difficult concepts and greatly aid in understanding the sometimes-complicated climate models. Each chapter ends with a "Call to Action" describing how humans can make relatively simple changes in our lifestyle to reduce our impact on the planet. Yet, despite the many great aspects of this book, one issue clearly reduces its usefulness. The research and issues surrounding global warming are changing at an incredible pace and the adaptation presented here, while doing some updates, is not sufficiently current. For example, Chapter 22 covers the Kyoto Protocol, which, though mightily relevant in 2005, is being eclipsed by the upcoming Copenhagen (December 2009) conference, where the United States is poised to play a much more involved role. The Copenhagen Climate Conference is not mentioned. Some of the research on animals (harp seals, for example) that are endangered does not update past 2005. Additionally, the sections entitled "Call to Action" are often aimed at adults rather than teens. Not many teens will be weatherproofing their homes, checking water heaters, or buying new appliances-just yet anyway-and this disconnect is jarring.-Denise Schmidt, San Francisco Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Arguing that climate change and global warming affect us all and that we can be part of the solution, this comprehensive look at the issue includes a clear explanation of the mechanism of the carbon cycle, the role of greenhouse gases on Earth, historical instances of climate change and their causes, descriptions of effects on a variety of habitats, future scenarios and suggestionsboth personal and globalabout what might be done. An adaptation for teen readers of Flannery's highly regarded and influential adult title (The Weather Makers, 2006), Walker's readable and convincing rewrite follows the original organization but tightens up the text, shortening chapters and addressing the intended readers with action suggestions between each chapter. It includes new research and four examples of institutions and groups whose actions have made a difference in greenhouse-gas emissions. Endnotes and an extensive bibliography support the argument. A copy belongs in every middle- and high-school library. (index) (Nonfiction. 14 up) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Adapted by award-winning science writer Walker, this youth edition of Flannery's adult title, The Weather Makers (2005), speaks straight to the generation who will act on global warming about the realities of climate change and the devastating consequences if humans don't alter their behavior to protect Earth's atmosphere, its great aerial ocean. The language is both blander and more direct than in Flannery's adult book: an opening section originally titled Gaia's Tools has been changed to Earth's Carbon Cycle and You, for example. What remains are the lucid explanations of science, illustrated with numerous examples, including many chosen specifically for this youth edition; and each chapter ends with suggested ways that young people can reduce the carbon emissions in their homes, schools, and communities. Unfortunately, the dull format, featuring grainy, dim, black-and-white photos and cramped charts and maps, isn't a great advertisement for the eco-friendly printing process that produced this book; but the comprehensive coverage of issues and urgent call to action make this a must-have resource for both school and public libraries.--Engberg, Gillian Copyright 2009 Booklist
Table of Contents
| Introduction: The Buzz about Global Warming | p. xi |
| Part 1 Earth and the Carbon Connection | p. 1 |
| Chapter 1 Earth's Carbon Cycle and You | p. 3 |
| Carbon as one of the keys to controlling Earth's atmosphere | |
| Call to Action: Lead the Green Charge | p. 9 |
| Chapter 2 The Ocean in the Sky | p. 10 |
| Layers in Earth's atmosphere and what is in the air we breathe | |
| Call to Action: Energy Star | p. 20 |
| Chapter 3 The Greenhouse Story | p. 21 |
| CO 2 in a positive-feedback loop, in carbon sinks, and as absorbed in the ocean | |
| Call to Action: Start a Low-Carbon Car Diet Today | p. 29 |
| Chapter 4 A Grand Discovery | p. 31 |
| Milankovitch's theory of glaciation based on Earth's tilt, orbit, and wobble | |
| Call to Action: Happy (Green) Holidays! | p. 38 |
| Chapter 5 Time's Gateways | p. 40 |
| Correlating events in the geologic record to environmental evidence found in ancient rock and ice cores | |
| Call to Action: Plug the Leaks | p. 48 |
| Chapter 6 Markers of Change | p. 49 |
| Examining ancient evidence for shifts between ice ages and warm interglacial periods | |
| Call to Action: The Sweater Test | p. 59 |
| Chapter 7 An Energy Blast from the Past | p. 60 |
| Obtaining and burning fossil fuels | |
| Call to Action: Reduce the Hidden Oil in Your Life | p. 68 |
| Part 2 Endangered Habitats | p. 71 |
| Chapter 8 The Unraveling World | p. 73 |
| Julia Cole's magic gates mark changes in the patterns of El Niños and La Niña, wind and water currents, and ecosystems on land | |
| Call to Action: Time to See the Light | p. 84 |
| Chapter 9 Peril at the Poles | p. 86 |
| Changing ecosystems in the Antarctic and Arctic and effects on animal populations | |
| Interview: Testament to Environmental Changes on Baffin Island | p. 90 |
| Call to Action: Choose Green Power | p. 95 |
| Chapter 10 Australia's Great Stumpy Reef? | p. 96 |
| Coral bleaching at the Great Barrier Reef | |
| Call to Action: Urge Local Businesses to See the Light | p. 104 |
| Chapter 11 A Warning from the Golden Toad | |
| Evidence of climate-induced extinctions from the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve in Costa Rica | |
| Call to Action: Save the Animals | p. 114 |
| Chapter 12 Liquid Gold: Changes in Rainfall | |
| Floods and droughts in Africa's Sahel, Southwest Australia, and the American West | |
| Call to Action: Eat Locally | p. 127 |
| Chapter 13 Weather Gone Wild | p. 128 |
| The tropopause and extreme-weather events | |
| Interview: Katrina Survivor Now Takes Hurricane Warnings Seriously | p. 132 |
| Call to Action: Energy-Smart Schools | p. 138 |
| Chapter 14 The Rising Ocean | p. 139 |
| Sea level rise caused by thermal expansion; melting sea ice, ice shelves, and land ice; and heat from changes to Earth's albedo | |
| Call to Action: Is Your Home Adequately Insulated? | p. 151 |
| Chapter 15 Leveling the Mountains | p. 152 |
| Climbing temperatures, climbing habitats-what is the height of extinction? | |
| Call to Action: The Phantom in Your House | p. 157 |
| Part 3 What's to Come? | p. 159 |
| Chapter 16 Model Worlds | p. 161 |
| Global circulation models and the science and accuracy of predicting Earth's climatic future | |
| Call to Action: Computer Conservation | p. 172 |
| Chapter 17 A Dangerous Commitment | p. 173 |
| Can Earth's climate be stabilized? | |
| Call to Action: Use Recycled Paper | p. 177 |
| Chapter 18 Fleeing Climate Change | p. 178 |
| Migration or extinction of flora and fauna | |
| Call to Action: Stop the Junk Mail | p. 184 |
| Chapter 19 Three Tipping Points | p. 185 |
| Collapse of the Gulf Stream, collapse of the Amazon rain forest, and methane release from the seafloor | |
| Call to Action: Celebrate Arbor Day | p. 194 |
| Chapter 20 Civilization: Big City versus Small Town | p. 195 |
| Relationship of climate variability to population size and sustainability | |
| Call to Action: Stop Pouring Energy Down the Drain | p. 202 |
| Chapter 21 The Ozone Hole: A Success Story | p. 204 |
| Causes and health effects of a hole in the ozone and how the Montreal Protocol worked | |
| Call to Action: Make Your Voice Heard-Make Your Vote Count | p. 210 |
| Chapter 22 The Kyoto Protocol | p. 212 |
| Setting limits on CO 2 emissions, the U.S. stance, and the cost of doing nothing | |
| Call to Action: Can It! | p. 220 |
| Chapter 23 What to Believe? | p. 222 |
| Findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change | |
| Interview: Building a Portable, Eco-Friendly House | p. 223 |
| Call to Action: Read, Learn, Decide | p. 229 |
| Chapter 24 Engineering Solutions | p. 230 |
| Geosequestration, coal gasification, sustainable agriculture, and animal husbandry | |
| Call to Action: Bag That Bag! | p. 235 |
| Chapter 25 So What's the Story with Fuel? | p. 237 |
| Oil to natural gas to hydrogen and effects on carbon emissions | |
| Call to Action: Time to Hang Out | p. 243 |
| Chapter 26 Soar with the Wind-Bask in the Sun | p. 244 |
| Sustainable renewable energy sources | |
| Call to Action: A Tip from Down Under | p. 250 |
| Chapter 27 What about Nuclear? | p. 251 |
| Expense, risks, and disposal of nuclear waste; geothermal energy alternative | |
| Call to Action: The Virgin Earth Challenge: $25 Million Prize | p. 258 |
| Chapter 28 Hybrids, MiniCATS, and Contrails | p. 259 |
| Decarbonizing our transportation systems | |
| Call to Action: Your First Set of Wheels | p. 264 |
| Chapter 29 We Took Action | p. 265 |
| Alaska Youth for Environmental Action | p. 266 |
| Portsmouth Abbey School | p. 269 |
| The Seattle Public Library | p. 273 |
| Northern Illinois University | p. 276 |
| Source Notes | p. 281 |
| Bibliography | p. 289 |
| Credits | p. 298 |
| Index | p. 300 |
