A High Uintas Bookshelf

In this column we’ll list 2-4 interesting articles, books or the like that have caught our attention. They aren’t necessarily recent or recently read-- sort of a random compilation. Within a year, hopefully, we’ll have an established and detailed reading list. It won’t be complete without your additions. Please send suggestions and a descriptive sentence or two.

This month's reviews are by Dick Carter

Ecological Integrity. Integrating Environment, Conservation, and Health. David Pimentel, Laura Westra and Reed F. Noss, eds., Island Press, 2000. While this is a long and complex book broken into sections dealing with the definition of ecological integrity, philosophical foundations, sustainability of natural resource systems, human health, economics and a remarkably and deep synthesis, it is worth every day of reading. By far, it is the most comprehensive effort yet at trying to understand, define and harmonize the content and context of ecological integrity. Not always a happy read-- the troubles facing us are exceptionally deep an d the time to deal with them shallow-- it is a crucial read!

"The Virtue of Restraint," Gary Gardner. World Watch, March/April 2001. Commoditization, also dealt with in the book, Ecological Integrity, reviewed above, is the focus of this nicely written article. Read it, pass it around, hope someday that we figure it out!

"Toxic Fertility," Danielle Nierenberg. World Watch, March/April 2001. "Over the past half century, the amount of biological active nitrogen circulating through the world's living things has probably doubled. In unnatural excess, an essential nutrient is becoming a kind of ecological poison." The opening paragraph says it plainly, particularly as tens of thousands of us prepare to apply that dose of fertilizer to turn the lawn we shouldn't have green!