Cooper's Comprehensive Environmental Desk Reference

From The Critics

This dictionary of more than 1,000 environmental terms is an expanded version of a self-published work ("Cooper's Pocket Environmental Reference") and includes a computer disk containing an environmental spell checker in WordPerfect 5.1. The book's format is straightforward and includes eight sections. The main section, which takes up nearly 70 percent of the volume, is the dictionary. Terms are arranged from "A/E services" ("See architectural and engineering services" ) to "zymogenous". The author makes every effort to be as comprehensive as possible, including terms that are not environmental in origin, such as "branch", "architectural design", and "army base", but he makes no effort to present these terms in an environmental context. Entries range in length from one line to a paragraph to as much as 600 words. There are numerous cross-references The other sections include a list of acronyms and abbreviations; a list of hazardous air pollutants with their case and number and chemical name; data conversion tables; a list of chemical elements; Environmental Protection Agency data, including addresses for regional offices; a sample environmental site assessment; and "Environmental Jargon Finder" (a topic index), which lists the dictionary entries under 10 headings, such as "Air Quality and Related Issues"; "Emergency Response, Man-made and Natural Disasters"; "Environmental Professions, Professionals, and Related Issues"; and "Water Resources and Related Issues" The book has no comprehensive index, which would be useful. At times, the author's effort for comprehensiveness lessens the book's utility. For example, definitions of such words as "exploitation", "event", and "exit" should have been excluded. However, this work has useful information that should appeal to environmentalists, scientists, urban planners, and state and government bureaucrats. Recommended for special and research libraries.

Booknews

A specialized reference to the standard jargon used by environmentalists, planners, compliance officers, bureaucrats, professionals, and others in the environmental field--being an expanded version of a self-published work (Cooper's Pocket Environmental Reference) started in 1991. The first and primary section (762 pages) defines environmental terms and terminology in thousands of alphabetical entries. Subsequent sections are devoted to acronyms and abbreviations; Phase I Environmental Site Selection; hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) list; data conversion factors; chemical elements; EPA data; and environmental jargon finder (topic index). Includes a spell check disk (WordPerfect 5.1). Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)