An Acid River Runs Through It

Download or read book An Acid River Runs Through It written by Eva-Lotta Jansson and published by . This book was released on 2015-08-24 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An Acid River Runs Through It documents how acid mine drainage (AMD) affects water sources and communities in South Africa. Large volumes of acidic water carrying toxic sulphates and metals such as lead, zinc, copper and radioactive uranium are released into the environment by current and past mining activities. The poisonous water flows from gold and coal mining, largely untreated, into the groundwater, and into streams and rivers. These pollutants affect water resources already under strain from water shortages due to global warming and pollution by untreated sewage and other waste water. Acid mine water pollution often most directly impacts already disadvantaged people in our society, but ultimately threatens everyone's water resources and well-being. The way I see it, it's an environmental disaster and a violation of human rights. It needs all of our attention.Although toxic, the colorful pollution sometimes creates landscapes that are eerily beautiful, including veld looking like it’s covered in snow; and, a deep-yellow lakebed filled with uranium dust. The book focuses on landscapes like these on the ground and from the air. In intimate portraits, the reader also gets to meet people who come in direct contact with the pollution, like the children playing in a pool of rusty-colored acid mine drainage flowing outside their school gates. Copyright © Eva-Lotta Jansson 2015. All rights reserved.82-page hard-cover photo book; 64 photographs; about 8,000 wordsA note about the format: This is a print-on demand book. That means each copy pays for its own printing cost. However, volume discounts are available directly from the printer, here on the purchase page. So if you work for an institution that could buy several copies for your employees or partners, it would be a great way to help distribute the work. You could also ask your university library to buy the book. (Volume discounts are available to rising degree, starting from 10, 51, and 101 copies etc.)