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Victim of Success: Civilization at Risk - Hardcover

McManners, Peter J.

 
9780955736919: Victim of Success: Civilization at Risk
Hardcover
ISBN 10: 0955736919 ISBN 13: 9780955736919
Verlag: Susta Press, 2009

Inhaltsangabe

Humans are the most successful species ever to have occupied planet Earth - and the most destructive. We are putting the planet under enormous pressure. For the ecosystem to survive intact human society must change direction. Part 1 consists of ten short chapters outlining the future for humanity on its current course. It is predicted that the world will enter another period of economic growth. This boom will then end as three issues come to a head at the same time: climate change, population growth and the end of oil. There will be no easy escape from the collapse of civilisation that is likely to follow. Part 2 explains and describes real measures to change direction. These do not arise from the idealism of the green movement but from a clear-eyed analysis of a selfish world. Tough choices have to be made. For example: stop breeding, ban fossil fuel and take action that virtually destroys the current aviation industry. As we start to build a better society we must harness the power of community, insist that we do not compromise over food quality and eliminate the throw-away society. Above all we must build cities for people, not cars. Part 3 argues that we are teetering on the edge, close to the point at which human society enters a period of terminal decline. The author explains his vision of sustainable living, but then argues that we should not be fooled into thinking that a sustainable world will be Utopia. A sustainable society will still reflect human nature. Choosing to live sustainably requires that we adopt a different attitude, but we cannot change the way we are. All people will not suddenly become kind and caring. A sustainable world will have countries and regions that are beacons of success but also others that are sinks of despair. To shift to a sustainable lifestyle, and insist that other people do the same, will require robust and resolute action despite these difficulties. In the final chapter, Peter asks the question whether those with power and influence today are villains or heroes. They will go down in history as villains if they ignore the problems we face. On the other hand, they can be acclaimed as heroes if they accept the need for change and start the process of altering society. He argues that his generation must make the choice.

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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Peter McManners is described as both a 'green business guru' and a 'hard-edged environmentalist'. His views over the transition to a sustainable society are radical and uncompromising. The seeds of his ideas were sown in the late 1970s as a young engineering student at Durham University where, in designing a solar water heating system, he was surprised that such systems were not universally applied. Peter's interest in the environment continued to grow as he pursued a military career. His interests led him to become a military mapping expert, surveying remote parts of the world. He was smitten with the beauty of the continent of Africa but ashamed of much of the negative influence exerted by other outsiders and concerned for the environmental damage being caused. This was the spur to starting research into global databases and environmental monitoring, graduating from Edinburgh University's MSc in Geographic Information Systems with distinction. After completing an MBA in 2000, Peter started to commit to paper the central ideas which had been starting to coalesce; drawing on lessons from engineering, environment, business and other areas. In 2002 he won a prize in the Oxford Science Writing Competition for his article 'Is Carbon the Culprit?' From summer 2004 until summer 2008, McManners lived with his family in Finland to have more time to write. His first book, Adapt and Thrive: The Sustainable Revolution was published in 2008. The Finnish newspaper Etela-Suomen Sanomat said of the book: 'Governments and businesses who are currently unable to see beyond the current political term/share price will oppose this book, but in twenty years they will be quoting it as the Bible for SurvivalA"...' Recent papers include: 'Cities for People: Removing Cars from Urban Life' to a conference at the London School of Economics 2007; 'Putting an Economic Value to Land in Its Natural State' at the Institute of Green Economics Conference, Oxford University in 2008 and 'Adapt and Thrive: The Sustainable Revolution' at the Institute of Green Economics Conference, Oxford University in 2009. The next book by Peter McManners is Green Outcomes in A Real World published by Gower books in their green economics series. McManners is a regular columnist on sustainability issues and writes a weekly blog at www.petermcmanners.com.

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Verlag
Susta Press
Erscheinungsdatum
2009
Sprache
Englisch
ISBN 10 
0955736919
ISBN 13 
9780955736919
Einband
Gebundene Ausgabe
Anzahl der Seiten
282
Kontakt zum Hersteller
Nicht verfügbar
Verantwortliche Person
Nicht verfügbar