There Are Alternatives

"This book will give the reader a perspective into the core theory and practice of data mining and knowledge discovery (DM & KD). Its chapters combine many theoretical foundations for various DM & KD methods, and they present an array of examples - many of which are drawn from real-life applications. Most of the theoretical developments discussed are accompanied by an extensive empirical analysis, which should give the reader both a deep theoretical and practical insight into the subjects covered." "The intended audience for this book includes graduate students studying data mining who have some background in mathematical logic and discrete optimization as well as researchers and practitioners in the same area."--BOOK JACKET.

This book focuses on the United Nations SDG 3, SDG 12, and SDG 15. The book covers the full range of issues associated with agrochemical use from a One Health standpoint to promote a cleaner and safer alternative that leaves little to no negative legacy on Earth’s natural, social, and economic systems. The main focus of the book is to address the biodiversity and human health, food security, and socio-environmental implications of agrochemical use in food production. It deals with the need to move away from the use of harmful chemicals in agriculture. The threat to key aspects of One Health will be used as evidence in support of the need to transition to safer and cleaner food production systems as well as the social, economic, health, and environmental viability of sustainable alternatives. One Health is the innovative convergence approach that encourages collaborative, cross-sectoral, and transdisciplinary methods to monitor, assess, report, and implement shared human health, biodiversity, and environmental challenges and goals such as agrochemical use. Conventional agrochemicals are chemicals used to protect plants, improve crop yield and manage agricultural fields but also have a negative legacy on Earth’s systems. This book is of interest and useful to agricultural trainees and trainers, soil, food and agricultural institutes, food and soil systems specialists, biodiversity and environmental managers, activists, practitioners, and students. It is also a useful read for conservationists and industries interested in promoting organic agriculture for a sustainable community, regional and global development.

The U.S. military has a stockpile of approximately 400,000 tons of excess, obsolete, or unserviceable munitions. About 60,000 tons are added to the stockpile each year. Munitions include projectiles, bombs, rockets, landmines, and missiles. Open burning/open detonation (OB/OD) of these munitions has been a common disposal practice for decades, although it has decreased significantly since 2011. OB/OD is relatively quick, procedurally straightforward, and inexpensive. However, the downside of OB and OD is that they release contaminants from the operation directly into the environment. Over time, a number of technology alternatives to OB/OD have become available and more are in research and development. Alternative technologies generally involve some type of contained destruction of the energetic materials, including contained burning or contained detonation as well as contained methods that forego combustion or detonation. Alternatives for the Demilitarization of Conventional Munitions reviews the current conventional munitions demilitarization stockpile and analyzes existing and emerging disposal, treatment, and reuse technologies. This report identifies and evaluates any barriers to full-scale deployment of alternatives to OB/OD or non-closed loop incineration/combustion, and provides recommendations to overcome such barriers.

Since the world economic crisis of 2007, commentators have pointed to the dangers of a capitalistic system that seems incapable of delivering sustainable growth and well-being. This bold new book offers an exhaustive diagnosis of global capitalism across the world’s nations. David Lane examines the nature and appeal of neoliberal capitalism according to different schools of thought, and he analyses proposals for its reform and replacement from state socialism and social democratic corporatism to self-sustaining networks. Looking ahead to a novel system of economic and political coordination based on a combination of market socialism and state planning, this book offers crucial insights for scholars thinking about alternatives to capitalism. Chapters 3 and 16 are available Open Access under CC-BY-NC-ND licence.

In this collection, innovative and eminent social and policy analysts, including Colin Crouch, Anna Coote, Grahame Thompson and Ted Benton, challenge the failing but still dominant ideology and policies of neo-liberalism. The editors synthesise contributors’ ideas into a revised framework for social democracy; rooted in feminism, environmentalism, democratic equality and market accountability to civil society. This constructive and stimulating collection will be invaluable for those teaching, studying and campaigning for transformative political, economic and social policies.