Global Effects of Environmental Pollution

In December 1968, during its annual meeting, the American Association for the Advancement of Science convened a symposium on the Global Effects of Environmental Pollution. In the words of the organizer of this symposium, Mr. S. Fred Singer, the purposes "were to discuss the worldwide effects which may arise from local pollution and to try to uncover, if possible, hitherto unsuspected effects which might have serious consequence." The symposium papers have been augmented here by some additional invited papers and by introductions to each set of papers. The book is not as comprehensive as the title suggests; many aspects of environmental pollution are not discussed, e.g., thermal pollution of air and water from the conversion of energy by the combustion of fossil fuels. Information about environmental pollution is divided into four parts: 1) chemical balance of gases in the earth's atmosphere 2) nitrogen compounds in soil, water, atmosphere and precipitation 3) effects of atmospheric pollution on climate and 4) worldwide ocean pollution by toxic wastes. It is apparent from this classification that the primary focus of these papers is the atmospheric sciences. The discussions of the balance of oxygen and of carbon dioxide in the earth's atmosphere are particularly well done. This book should interest all students of human ecology as it provides much factual material about some of the present problems of environmental pollution. Although much of the material presented is very technical, the papers are easy to read and to understand, but those who are looking for proposed solutions to current pollution problems may be disappointed in the book because such proposals are lacking. This is a book that should find its way into the library of all scientists. It is well written and the brief concluding chapter entitled "Some Unsolved Problems: A Panel Discussion" is particularly provocative. ERIC W. MOOD