Carl N. McDaniel

This is an in-depth study of the results of intensive phosphate mining in Nauru and how it evolved. The end result is that the ecosystem of Nauru has been destroyed. The thin coastal strip supports the entire population of about 10,000 so that instead of being self-sustaining as they were for centuries, the islanders are now dependent on the market system. Their values, culture, and lifestyle have been changed forever. Most native species have been made extinct and about half of those remaining are endangered. While reading McDaniel's book it's not difficult to see that Nauru's story is representative of what is happening to the entire planet. Recommended for anyone interested in the protection of our environment.

"What was once a tropical paradise was changed to a jagged, uninhabitable desert of coral tombstones. Our sad history serves as a poignant example for the rest of the world of what can happen when humans disregard the good earth that sustains us."
-- Kinza Clodumar, former president of Nauru

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