Author Thomas Fisher introduces the idea of fracture-critical design and provides many solutions for how we can design to avoid major disasters.

Disasters by Design provides an alternative and sustainable way to view, study, and manage hazards in the United States that would result in disaster-resilient communities, higher environmental quality, inter- and intragenerational equity, economic sustainability, and improved quality of life. This volume provides an overview of what is known about natural hazards, disasters, recovery, and mitigation, how research findings have been translated into policies and programs; and a sustainable hazard mitigation research agenda. Also provided is an examination of past disaster losses and hazards management over the past 20 years, including factorsâ€"demographic, climate, socialâ€"that influence loss. This volume summarizes and sets the stage for the more detailed books in the series.

This volume addresses the impacts of the Aral Sea disaster; disappearance of what was the world's fourth largest inland body of water. It argues this was the result of deliberate policy decisions. This volume is essential reading for everyone concerned with averting environmental disaster and in creating livable, sustainable communities.

Never experience a disaster again—ever. Hurricanes, wildfires, mass shootings, and pandemics are a reality for 21st century families and small businesses. But here’s the truth: Not one of these has to be a disaster. What determines whether an unexpected event becomes a disaster is you. In Design Any Disaster, certified emergency manager and master business continuity practitioner Patrick Hardy reveals to you the secrets of disaster preparedness that helped him build the largest and most successful small business and family disaster planning company in the world. He explains why: You should never, ever “remain calm” during a disaster. 99% of all disaster plans are a complete waste of time. Fancy disaster equipment and supplies actually leave you less prepared. Design Any Disaster is not a survival manual. It’s a revolutionary approach to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery for families and small businesses that can be used whether you live in the middle of a big city, in a quiet suburban neighborhood, or in a rural county with more cows than people. Using the powerful C3 Method Hardy uses with his clients, from Fortune 500 CEOs to average families, you will discover how to get ready (plan effectively), react (focus without panicking), respond (protect yourself and your possessions), and recover (overcome swiftly). And in a revolutionary section you will not find in any other disaster book, Hardy also reveals how to reverse disaster, converting the experience into an opportunity to become wiser and happier. Control the disaster so that it doesn’t control you—that’s how you Design Any Disaster.

Companies and institutions depend more than ever on the availability of their Information Technology, and most mission critical business processes are IT-based. Business Continuity is the ability to do business under any circumstances and is an essential requirement faced by modern companies. Both concepts - High Availability and Disaster Recovery - are realized by redundant systems. This book presents requirements, concepts, and realizations of redundant systems on all abstraction levels, and all given examples refer to UNIX and Linux Systems.

Ten years after the publication of the first edition of this influential book, the evidence is even stronger that human economies are overwhelming the regenerative capacity of the planet. This book explains why long-term economic growth is infeasible, and why, especially in advanced economies, it is also undesirable. Simulations based on real data show that managing without growth is a better alternative

The thrill of victory…the agony of defeat. We're not talking about just any failure. Design failure. So public. So humiliating. How do designers who are really, really good (we swear!) turn a disaster into a triumph? Read this book and find out, as dozens of top names reveal the heartbreaking—and sometimes hilarious—mistakes they have made and talk about how they were able to grow from the experiences. Self-delusion, overcommitment, procrastination…they’re all here. Poor communication, missed deadlines, enraged clients…yes, they’re here too. Read Design Disasters and weep? No! Read Design Disasters and be inspired to find the silver lining in even the cloudiest situation. Featuring essays by: Henry Petroski • Alissa Walker • David Barringer • Allan Chocinov • Peter Blegvad • Ross MacDonald • Robert Grossman • Ina Saltz • Warren Lehrer • Rob Trostle • Ralph Caplan • Richard Saul Wurman • Marian Bantjes • Rick Meyerowitz • Amanda Bowers • David Jury • Veronique Vienne • Francis Levy • Colin Berry • Nick Curry • Debbie Millman, and more!