Phosphorusisessentialtotheproductionofourfood,anditalsotriggersalgalbloomsinlakes,rivers,andoceanswhenitslipsthroughourhands.Anunderstandingofthisessentialresourceandhowwehaveusedandmisuseditovertheyearsiscrucialtothesustainabilityofourwell-beingonourplanet.Inthisbook,worldauthoritiesonphosphorussustainabilityJimElserandPhilHaygarthexplainthiselement’sinvolvementinbiology,humanhealthandnutrition,foodproduction,ecosystemfunction,andenvironmentalsustainability.Phosphoruschroniclesthesustainabilitychallengesphosphorusbothposesandsolvesinvariouscontexts.Thebookbeginswithitsdiscoveryover350yearsago,movingtoitsbasicchemistryandtheessentialroleitplaysinalllivingthingsonEarth.Chaptersgoontoexplaintheriseintheusageofphosphorusinagricultureandhowtheincreaseintheminingofrockphosphateinthemid-20thcenturywasessentialfortheGreenRevolution.However,phosphorusemissionsfromhumanwastesanddetergentstriggeredwidespreadalgalbloomsinthe1960sand1970s.Whilesuchemissionshavebeenbroughtunderbettercontrolwithwastewatertreatment,diffuseemissionsfromfarmingcontinuetocausewaterqualitydegradation.Theauthorsexplainhowthesediffusephosphorusemissionsmayworsenwithclimatechange.Intenconcisechapters,ElserandHaygarthofferengagingexplanationsofourhistoricaluseandabuseofphosphorus,includingthephosphorussustainabilitymovementandneweffortstosustainfoodbenefitsoflimitedrockreservesfollowingthephosphaterockpriceshockin2007-2008.Highlightingnewapproachesforphosphorus,thetwo“SystemsInnovators“turntowardtheemergingsetofsustainablephosphorussolutionsnecessarytoachieveasustainable“phosphoheaven“andavoid“phosphogeddon.“Thebookprovidesaninsider’stakeonthisessentialresourceandwhyallofusneedtowrestlewiththewickedproblemsthiselementwillcause,illuminate,oreliminateinyearstocome.
