Index

Tons of organic chemicals produced in the USA in 1930: 1,000,000

In 1990: 500,000,000

Annual cost to British commerce of rectifying customer orders wrongly despatched by semi- literate workers: pounds 4,300,000,000

Cost of a 20-year licence to operate a McDonald's burger bar: pounds 250,000

Ratio of women who die from childbearing complications in northern Europe: 1:9,850

In Africa: 1:21

Years within which the population of Italy is set to double: 3,466

Of China: 60

Estimated unnamed species of life in the unexplored deep sea: 10,000,000

Full cradle-to-grave environmentally and socially costed net annual deficit of Britain's private car fleet: pounds 50,000,000,000

Kilometres of new motorway planned for the EC before 2002: 12,000

Year by which Japan expects to halve its already comparatively low industrial environmental impact: 2030

Sources: US V-P Al Gore, 'Earth in the Balance', Earthscan '92; ibid; Ernst & Young Ltd, 'Literacy, Education & Training'/The Bookseller 4581; Business Age 37; New Scientist 1,985; ibid; Population Reference Bureau (Washington DC '93)/Worldwatch Institute; ibid; 'Global Marine Biological Diversity' report/New Scientist 1,985; Environment & Forecasting Unit, Heidelberg/Geographical (DM6,000 pa per car); EC Transport Commissioner/Geographical; MITI (Japan's Industry Ministry)/New Scientist 1893/RITE (Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth, Kansai Science City).