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Title Living on the shores of Hawaiʻi : natural hazards, the environment, and our communities / Charles Fletcher [and others]
Published Honolulu : University of Hawaiʻi Press, [2010]
©2010

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Description 1 online resource (x, 371 pages) : illustrations, color
Contents History of the land -- Volcanism among the islands -- Earthquakes and tsunamis -- Hurricanes -- Climate and water resources -- Stream flooding and mass wasting -- Sewage treatment and polluted runoff -- Climate change and sea-level rise -- Beach erosion and loss -- Reefs and overfishing -- A responsibility to nurture the land
Summary Rarely a day goes by in Hawai'i without the media reporting on environmental issues stemming from public debate. Will the proposed housing development block my access to the beach? Is the rising sea level going to cause flooding where I live? How does overfishing damage the reef? Is the water clean where I surf? Living on the Shores of Hawai'i discusses the paradox of environmental loss under a management system considered by many to be one of the most stringent in the nation. It reviews a wide range of environmental concerns in Hawai'i with an eye toward resolution by focusing on "place-based" management, a theme consistent with--and borrowing from--the Hawaiian ahupua'a system. After describing a typical situation in Hawai'i where a sandy beach is lost because a seawall has been built to protect a poorly sited home, the authors step back in time to trace land-use practices before and after the arrival of Westerners and the increased tempo of destruction following the latter. They go on to discuss volcanoes and the risk of placing homes in locations vulnerable to natural hazards and the potential dangers of earthquakes and tsunamis to a complacent public. Water issues, including scarcity, flooding, and pollution, are surveyed, as well as climate change and the possible outcomes of projected sea rise for Hawai'i. The authors explain coastal erosion and beach loss and the problems of overfishing and ocean acidification. Later chapters assess residents' risks to hurricanes, offering mitigation techniques, and provide a summary and some management conclusions. As tensions increase because of conflicting standards, misunderstandings, and contradictory ideals and actions, we put our economy and quality of life at risk. Sound decision-making begins with asking the right questions. This book addresses these questions within the context of sustainability and thus their influence on the future of Hawai'i
Notes "A latitude 20 book."
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes Master and use copy. Digital master created according to Benchmark for Faithful Digital Reproductions of Monographs and Serials, Version 1. Digital Library Federation, December 2002. http://purl.oclc.org/DLF/benchrepro0212 MiAaHDL
English
Print version record
digitized 2011 HathiTrust Digital Library committed to preserve pda MiAaHDL
Subject Coastal zone management -- Hawaii
Land use -- Environmental aspects -- Hawaii
Natural disasters -- Environmental aspects -- Hawaii
BUSINESS & ECONOMICS -- Real Estate -- General.
SCIENCE -- Earth Sciences -- Meteorology & Climatology.
Coastal zone management.
Land use -- Environmental aspects.
Natural disasters -- Environmental aspects.
Hawaii.
Form Electronic book
Author Fletcher, Charles H., author.
ISBN 9780824860905
082486090X