Where We Stand: A Surprising Look at the Real State of Our Planet

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 304 pages
• Published by: AMACOM
• Edition: 1st Edition September 26, 2007
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0814409105
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0814409107
• Book Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Weighs: 1.4 pounds

From Publishers Weekly
Garte, a professor of public health, presents a well-researched, clearly written summary of the health of our planet, with histories of lead paint, ozone and various chemicals as well as analyses of human health and planetary health; the prognosis is surprisingly optimistic, and prescriptions are encouraging. While the environmental problems hyped daily on the news are real and ongoing, things have improved-air and water are cleaner, more food is available, life spans are up and infant mortality is down, diseases are better understood and treated-and will continue to improve if efforts continue. Garte points out the fallacies in standard right- and left-wing approaches-the planet is not in imminent danger of imploding, he says, but neither will it be saved by the free market-and shows how most improvements over the past forty years have been the result of government intervention. Garte's reasoned discussion and compelling, honest tone make this a valuable tool for increasing science literacy with regards to the important environmental issues of the day; Garte's recommendations, to "continue on the paths we have been traveling and finally acknowledge the great progress that we have already made" should put new wind in discouraged environmentalists' sails, while plentiful references, data and illustrations will give skeptics material to think over.
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Product Review


"Dr. Garte does a very good job of spelling out where we're doing well, how we've failed, and what we can continue to do to improve. This book is a testament to the academics and good attitude of Dr. Garte, a professor of environmental and occupational health at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health. Hopefully, by reading it, everyone can learn something, whatever your personal or political views on the subject. I highly recommend this book!" --MilitantLibertarian.org



"For people who are put off by all the talk of global warming these days, a new book, ‘Where We Stand: A Surprising Look at the Real State of Our Planet’ by Seymour Garte, Ph.D., gives a balanced and in many ways positive view of the state of the planet. Garte, a professor of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, goes over both the critical issues still facing man, as well as the often-forgotten progress and positive developments.



Perusing the book, I find the author’s messages to be more insightful than I would have expected with a level of optimism that’s refreshing. Garte doesn’t merely give credit to environmental activities, technological progress and regulatory oversight, but also notes the importance of freedom and democracy to the well-being of the planet, citing the terribly oppressive toll Communism had on the environment in the days of the Soviet Union, which certainly rivals the environmental menace that was Saddam Hussein who we recall set oil fields on fire and just about destroyed the marshlands along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.



Indeed, the author makes a strong case that the environment is in much better hands with free peoples, so his support for more regulation might seem counterintuitive, but perhaps the truth is that ongoing public debate encourages more gradual changes in law which are essential to improving the environment without having very sudden, negative impacts on society, something that a more tyrannical government is more likely to cause with sudden strict laws.



The author notes that despite the government’s not signing onto Kyoto, industry seems to be coming around on its own to becoming more environmentally-responsible (even if it is often only a response to public sentiment). Nevertheless, both sides would have to agree that increasing public awareness and education causes a demand for more environmental compliance that is a preferable approach to regulation alone, if only because convincing the government may have force some superficial changes in industry but convincing industry leaders can actually make changes at the root of the problem.



Of course, the author notes how some problems, such as the threat of terrorism or the destruction of the rain forest, can cause significant trouble for the world in ways that are very difficult to predict or prevent, but he suggests that by noting and following the same path of success that helped to eliminate or reduce other problems, that these newer threats can too be met with positive results, which hopefully means we can look forward to one day living in a more peaceful, freer and more fruitful world."



---Green World Blog, BostonHerald.com



"Where We Stand, is an antidote for an overly pessimistic view of the future of the environmentHe presents an authoritative and compelling argument for the role of technology and scientific discovery -- an unusual stance in the ecological worldview." ---HealthNet Media

Reader Reviews
Seymour Garte has employed broad knowledge, unique experiences in science and life, and extensive research to make a really good book. It is written for a wide audience - scientists and non-scientists and those of all political persuasions. The dust jacket it says "His book is not intended to lull us into a false sense of security - it is meant to motivate us to keep going forward ..". The main message is that environmental action by people really does make a difference. The many very serious and urgent problems facing the planet are not ignored (e.g. rain forest destruction in the Amazaon, AIDS incidence in Africa, global warming), but one nevertheless comes away with some hope that there may be some way to resolve or ameliorate these problems.