Vital Signs 2002: the Trends That Are Shaping Our Future.

THE WORLDWATCH INSTITUTE IN COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME This annual, produced by the environmental watchdog group The Worldwatch Institute and UNEP, highlights trends in the world's environment, economy, and public health. In this year's volume, the authors report on an upsurge in consumer demand for eco-friendly products. This translates into the increased sale of energy-saving compact fluorescent lamps that has eliminated the need for 40 medium-size coal-fired power plants. Another trend: Seafood counters increasingly feature fish harvested under environmentally responsible management. On the downside, old cell phones and computers are filling landfills with electronics waste that potentially poisons groundwater. Cruise ships also come under attack for discharging more than 33 million tons of raw sewage and garbage into the oceans each year. Norton, 2002, 215 p., b&w photos/illus., paperback, $14.95.