Includes bibliographical references (p. 305-356) and index.
Contents:
The legacy of nuclear testing -- Perfecting the art of terror -- The strontium-90 odyssey -- Experiments on humans -- Nuclear accidents -- Training for war, while wasting nature -- Sowing seeds of protest -- Ravaging landscapes and seacoasts -- Mercury -- Wasteland or wilderness? -- The business of pesticides -- Capitalizing on innocence -- Without warning -- The ddt dilemma -- What is acceptable risk? -- Breathing toxic air -- Airborne menace -- Who is most at risk? -- The trouble with diesel -- Lessons learned and emerging threats -- Forgotten lessons -- The quiet revolution in plastics -- Green intelligence -- Epilogue: taking personal control.
Summary:
"We live in a world awash in manmade chemicals, from the pesticides on our front lawns to the diesel exhaust in the air we breathe. Although experts are beginning to understand the potential dangers of these substances, there are still more than 80,000 synthetic compounds that have not been sufficiently tested for us to interpret their effects on human health. Yale University professor John Wargo has spent much of his career researching the impact of chemical exposures on women and children. In this book, he explains the origins of society's profound misunderstanding of everyday chemical hazards and offers a practical path toward developing greater "green intelligence.""--BOOK JACKET.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.