Industrial Scars is the work of environmentalist and photographer J Henry Fair, who brings our attention to the tragic effects of human impact on our planet. At first, his photographs are mesmerisingly beautiful: taken at bird's eye perspective from a small plane, their shapes, colours and details give them an aesthetic quality that entrances and captures the imagination. Yet concern and horror creep in on the realisation of the true reality of the subject.
Our ever-increasing demand for energy, rapidly changing eating habits and rampant consumerism are rapidly leading to the degradation of our planet. Industrial Scars reveals unseen views of the effects of such production on our environment, exposing the secrets from oil drilling, hydro-fracking and coal-ash waste, to large scale agricultural production and abandoned mining operations.
Each of Fair's striking images, presented here in exquisite detail, are accompanied by detailed explanations. Award-winning science writer Lewis Smith writes about each of the processes in captivating detail, describing the development of each industry through time and across the world. The foreword is written by a leading environmentalist, Bill McKibben of 350.org.