Originally published in 1962, Our Synthetic Environment explores the negative effects that chemicals and other toxins in the environment have on human health. From the degradation of our food and soil due to industrial agricultural methods, to how pollution and radiation are the causes of illnesses like cancer, this book was visionary in its anticipation of many of the ecological problems our planet currently faces. Written by one of the leading eco-thinkers of the twentieth century, Our Synthetic Environment is as vital a read today as it was when it was first published. This new edition of Our Synthetic Environment features an introduction by Bill McKibben. Ig Publishing Murray Bookchin (1921 – 2006) was an American anarchist, political philosopher, trade-union organizer, and educator. A pioneer in the environmental movement, Bookchin formulated and developed the theory of social ecology and urban planning, within anarchist, libertarian socialist, and ecological thought. He was the author of two dozen books covering topics in politics, philosophy, history, urban affairs, and social ecology. Among the most important were Our Synthetic Environment (1962), Post-Scarcity Anarchism & (1971), The Ecology of Freedom (1982) and Urbanization Without Cities (1987). His ideas influenced many modern social movements since the 1960s, including the New Left, the anti-nuclear movement, the anti-globalization movement, and Occupy Wall Street, among others.