Fundamentals of practical environmentalism / Mark B. Weldon.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Drawing on some 20 years of professional engineering experience, resource conservation engineer Weldon (PepsiCo, Cedar Rapids, Iowa) introduces readers to a valuable tool for improving their daily interactions with the environment. Written for activists, policymakers, researchers, resource managers, government agencies, and students, the text opens with an overview of practical environmentalism and its four main components--environmental degradation, resource conservation, economic progress, and personal benefit--followed by a concise history of environmentalism in the US, environmentalism ethics, and elements that make environmental decision making difficult. Subsequent chapters explain each of the components in detail, including their combination into a holistic metric to guide environmental actions. Using real-world examples, Weldon demonstrates use of the metric to conduct practical and meaningful analyses of environmental issues and actions, both the individual and large scale.