03246nam a2200373 i 4500 ebr10780739 CaPaEBR m o d cr cn||||||||| 130708s2014 enk ob 001 0 eng|d 9781119942535 (pbk.) 9781118697979 (e-book) CaPaEBR eng rda pn CaPaEBR TD793.9 .S64 2014eb 306.3 23 Smil, Vaclav. Making the modern world : materials and dematerialization / Vaclav Smil. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom : John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2014. 1 online resource (243 pages) text rdacontent computer rdamedia online resource rdacarrier Includes bibliographical references and index. "How much further should the affluent world push its material consumption? Does relative dematerialization lead to absolute decline in demand for materials? These and many other questions are discussed and answered in Making the Modern World: Materials and Dematerialization.Over the course of time, the modern world has become dependent on unprecedented flows of materials. Now even the most efficient production processes and the highest practical rates of recycling may not be enough to result in dematerialization rates that would be high enough to negate the rising demand for materials generated by continuing population growth and rising standards of living. This book explores the costs of this dependence and the potential for substantial dematerialization of modern economies. Making the Modern World: Materials and Dematerialization considers the principal materials used throughout history, from wood and stone, through to metals, alloys, plastics, and silicon, describing their extraction and production as well as their dominant applications. The evolving productivities of material extraction, processing, synthesis, finishing, and distribution, and the energy costs and environmental impact of rising material consumption are examined in detail. The book concludes with an outlook for the future, discussing the prospects for dematerialization and potential constraints on materials.This interdisciplinary text will provide useful perspectives for readers with backgrounds including resource economics, environmental studies, energy analysis, mineral geology, industrial organization, manufacturing, and material science"-- Provided by publisher. Description based on print version record. Electronic reproduction. Palo Alto, Calif. : ebrary, 2013. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ebrary affiliated libraries. Waste minimization. Materials. Raw materials. Electronic books. Print version: Smil, Vaclav. Making the modern world : materials and dematerialization. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom : John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2014 xi, 229 pages 9781119942535 (DLC) 2013024672 ebrary. http://site.ebrary.com/lib/rucke/Doc?id=10780739 An electronic book accessible through the World Wide Web; click to view 134451 134451