Includes bibliographical references (pages 223-242) and index.
Contents:
Introduction -- Anthropocene winners -- Nature at work -- Inadvertant domestication : the pets we didn't want -- Anthropocene invasions -- The unlucky : Anthropocene extinctions -- Human exceptionalism? -- Coexistence -- Valuing our Anthropocene partners.
Summary:
Fruit flies, silverfish, dandelions, and crabgrass are the bane of many people and the target of numerous chemical and physical eradication efforts. In this compelling reassessment of the relationship between humans and the natural world, John Hainze, an entomologist and former pesticide developer, considers the fascinating and bizarre history of how these so-called invasive or unwanted pests and weeds have coevolved with humanity and highlights the benefits of a greater respect and moral consideration toward these organisms. With deep insight into the lives of the underappreciated and often reviled creatures that surround us, Hainze's accessible and engaging natural history draws on ethics, religion, and philosophy as he passionately argues that creepy crawlies and unwanted plants deserve both empathy and accommodation as partners dwelling with us on earth.
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.