Cheryl's Dad had a crazy plan. He wanted to build a cement boat and take the entire family, including a newborn, on a voyage around the world. They would leave their home on the eastern coast of Australia, sail to India, around Africa, and over to the United States where they spend a few months visiting relatives before returning through the Panama Canal to their home. But the crew, a lousy engine, foul weather, and other perils of the sea jeopardize the voyage. Will they survive a cyclone at sea? Or an oncoming oil tanker? Will Pierre-Paul, the bully of the crew, destroy everything on board? How will Cheryl go to school? Will they have enough food and water? Can they avoid pirates? Will they make it back to AustraliaExperience the adventure as they explore a deserted island, escape a harbor at midnight, resort to eating peanut butter and onion sandwiches, and much more. "Around the World in a Cement Boat" is a true story of adventure on the high seas told by one who lived the adventure.

A step-by-step instruction manual on how to build a lightweight 'environmentally-friendly' boat with recyclable resources. The boats simply fold up from ¼” thick cardboard obtaining their strength from the geometry of the component parts. The boats are 8-feet long, weigh about 25-pounds, and can accommodate a 250-pound person without risking structural damage. Each boat is constructed with 21-pieces of cardboard that are used to make 7-component parts. The 7 parts are assembled together with 'environmentally-friendly' contact cement and paper drywall tape. Once assembled the boats are sealed with an 'environmentally-friendly' water-based waterproof coating. No special tools are required and they are very simple to build. All of the materials used to build a boat are typically found at 'do-it-yourself' home improvement stores. The boats can be outfitted with 12-volt electric fishing motors, although they are typically propelled with traditional Kayak style paddles.

How much further should the affluent world push its material consumption? Does relative dematerialization lead to absolute decline in demand for materials? These and many other questions are discussed and answered in Making the Modern World: Materials and Dematerialization. Over the course of time, the modern world has become dependent on unprecedented flows of materials. Now even the most efficient production processes and the highest practical rates of recycling may not be enough to result in dematerialization rates that would be high enough to negate the rising demand for materials generated by continuing population growth and rising standards of living. This book explores the costs of this dependence and the potential for substantial dematerialization of modern economies. Making the Modern World: Materials and Dematerialization considers the principal materials used throughout history, from wood and stone, through to metals, alloys, plastics and silicon, describing their extraction and production as well as their dominant applications. The evolving productivities of material extraction, processing, synthesis, finishing and distribution, and the energy costs and environmental impact of rising material consumption are examined in detail. The book concludes with an outlook for the future, discussing the prospects for dematerialization and potential constrains on materials. This interdisciplinary text provides useful perspectives for readers with backgrounds including resource economics, environmental studies, energy analysis, mineral geology, industrial organization, manufacturing and material science.

At last, safe, comfortable, ocean-going power cruisers that don't cost a fortune to own and operate.