Europe

by Kevin Hillstrom and Laurie Collier Hillstrom

Published 13 August 2003

A concise yet thorough overview of the environmental issues, problems, and controversies facing the world's most densely populated continent-Europe.

Europe, one of six titles in The World's Environments series, tackles the tough issues, the complex problems, and the political controversies surrounding the continent's environmental past, its complicated present, and its uncertain future.

Europe looks at the catastrophes-in January 2000, a massive spill of cyanide and heavy metals from a gold mining operation in Romania destroyed all biological life in the Tisza, Hungary's second biggest river. The poisons traveled 1,000 kilometers through Hungary and Yugoslavia, where they wreaked havoc on the Danube. It also examines the progress-European society has shown a greater interest in renewable energy technologies than most other industrialized regions in the last 30 years. Serving as both a blueprint for the future, as well as a roadmap of the past, this book offers a gripping look at Europe's ecological history.


Interesting sidebar articles, tables and figures, and photographs

Overview maps of the continent and a listing of environment-related organizations on the Internet



Africa & the Middle East

by Kevin Hillstrom

Published 17 November 2003


A concise yet thorough overview of the environmental issues, problems, and controversies facing the vast and diverse continent that is North America.

North America, tells the story of this environmental awakening and the continuing problems that the continent faces. It tackles the tough issues, the complex problems, and the political controversies of the North American environment.

According to some estimates, one out of every nine barrels of oil used in the world every day is consumed by a North American motorist. In 1996, World Wildlife Fund Canada estimated that the country was losing wilderness to development at a rate of more than one acre every 15 seconds. Today, this pace of destruction has been faulted for eroding much of the continent's fabulous natural wealth, and new emphasis is being placed on finding a more appropriate balance between development and conservation.


  • Interesting sidebar articles, tables and figures, and photographs
  • Overview maps of the continent and a listing of environment-related organizations on the Internet