This book, from noted materials selection authority Mike Ashby, provides a structure and framework for analyzing sustainable development and the role of materials in it. The aim is to introduce ways of exploring sustainable development to readers in a way that avoids simplistic interpretations and approaches complexity in a systematic way. There is no completely "right" answer to questions of sustainable development – instead, there is a thoughtful, well-researched response that recognizes concerns of stakeholders, the conflicting priorities and the economic, legal and social aspects of a technology as well as its environmental legacy. The intent is not to offer solutions to sustainability challenges but rather to improve the quality of discussion and enable informed, balanced debate.

• Winner of a 2016 Most Promising New Textbook Award from the Textbook and Academic Authors Association
• Describes sustainable development in increasingly detailed progression, from a broad overview to specific tools and methods
• Six chapter length case studies on such topics as biopolymers, electric cars, bamboo, and lighting vividly illustrate the sustainable development process from a materials perspective
• Business and economic aspects are covered in chapters on corporate sustainability and the "circular materials economy"
• Support for course use includes online solutions manual and image bank

• Front Cover 2
• Materials and Sustainable Development 5
• Copyright 6
• Contents 7
• Acknowledgements 13
• Preface 15
• Chapter 1 - Background: Materials, Energy and Sustainability 17
  • 1.1 INTRODUCTION AND SYNOPSIS 18
  • 1.2 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT – A BRIEF HISTORY 19
  • 1.3 MATERIALS – AN EVEN BRIEFER HISTORY 23
  • 1.4 CRITICAL MATERIALS 27
  • 1.5 ENERGY – UNITS AND QUANTITIES 32
  • 1.6 RESOURCES, CONSUMPTION, POPULATION, AFFLUENCE AND IMPACT 33
  • 1.7 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 36
  • 1.8 EXERCISES 36