DEMOCRACY FOR BEGINNERS

With all the talk about “democracy” these days, it’s surprising how little time is spent concentrating on the very idea of democracy itself – the history of this political institution and the justification for it as a political institution. Democracy For Beginners looks at the history and concept of democracy as well as some challenges that democracy faces today.

Beginning with the rise of Democracy in 5th Century Athens and ending with the future of democracy with the notion of “e-democracy” and the possibility of democratic practice across national boundaries via the internet, Democracy For Beginners traces the evolution of democracy as a political concept and address some of its main critics (from Plato to contemporary social choice theory).

Democracy For Beginners is the perfect introduction to the foundation on which our country stands.

GLOBAL WARMING FOR BEGINNERS

Global Warming For Beginners provides a down to earth, easy to understand look at the topic of global warming starting with an historical perspective and ending with a call to personal actions that can be taken to help slow down the rate at which the Earth is warming. The findings of the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) are highlighted, and the reasons why the topic of global warming has been such a hot topic is described. The outcome of a High Court ruling from the British court system on the movie "An Inconvenient Truth" is also referred to. Past, present and future climate changes are discussed using an approach that centers on a systems analysis model. 

The role that human society plays in the causes of the current rates of global warming, and the solutions that can be used to offset some of the consequences of the resulting impacts of climate change are introduced using a global outlook. The role that each person has in individual emissions of greenhouse gases is explained by referring to the number of refrigerators of carbon dioxide that are emitted from various types of energy use. 

An experiment that was designed by high-school students, which demonstrates the greenhouse effect and how carbon dioxide levels affect the temperature of the air is described. You can even try it at home. After being challenged to assess your own personal ecological carbon footprint and take action to reduce it, many suggestions are provided that give options for the reader to take to implement measures in their own lifestyle that will save them money, reduce their own carbon dioxide emissions, and help the environment at the same time. If everyone can do a little, it will have a lot of effect on future generations. Change is in the air-become a part of the movement!