|KICKING THE CARBON HABIT Global Warming and the Case for
Renewable and Nuclear Energy New York: Columbia University
Press, 2006 William Sweet is senior editor of Spectrum, the
general news and features magazine of the Institute of
Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). As such, he
describes global warming and its energy implications in a
competent, well organized, and comprehensive way. He divides the
subject into three parts. First, he gives us the historical
background and current status of our environment, explaining how
coal came to be and how burning it affects our world. (Other
carbon-based fuels have similar effects, but coal is the chief
culprit.) Next, he lays out the scientific argument that our use
of coal and other fossil fuels is the principle reason for
today's global warming trend. Finally, he examines the various
options for cutting back on carbon-dioxide emissions, and their
prospects for realization. The whole book is good, but
personally I enjoyed Part II the most. In preparing it, he