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Book review |
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Dictionary of Environmental Science and Technology, 3rd Edn. Andrew Porteous. John Wiley and Sons Ltd., 2000. £15.99 paperback; 682pp. ISBN 0-471-63470-0.
Dictionaries are usually assumed to be a collection of impartial definitions of words and terms that is the product of recognized experts in their field. The expression of opinions and the making of value judgements regarding the topic under consideration does not usually have a place in conventional dictionaries. This is not the case with this work in which the author admits to having made his own judgements as to which data are relevant or not. Thus this dictionary is, and is intended tobe, something of a hybrid, part dictionary, part encyclopedia and part text book.
The
book is about environmental science, which the publisher defines in its
catalogue entry as a multidiscipinary subject that deals with all
aspects of understanding the environment. Among the topics listed are
biology, ecology, chemistry, geography, geology, engineering,
economics, politics and sociology. However, the book does not deal with
each aspect equally and in particular the few geological entries that
are included are defined poorly. For example a mineral is defined thus:
‘A naturally occurring material with a local constant chemical
composition. Usually a solid crystalline substance but can embrace
SILT, CLAY and SEDIMENTS’. Other important geological terms that
are relevant to an understanding of environmental science such as fault
dip, bedding, fold are missing entirely. Methane is described as a
problem in the ventilation of mines but its wider problems as
