Magnificent motifs reproduced from rare original edition: florals; foliates; female figures; pastoral landscapes; more. Ideas for craftspeople and designers.
#1095791 in eBooks 2013-01-30 2013-01-30File Name: B00A7IMPEE
Review
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful. We need to change the paradigmBy George PlumbThe No-Growth ImperativeWhile many books could be claimed to be the most important book of the time in my mind The No-Growth Imperative is certainly right up there.After reading this book it would be hard to imagine that anyone could claim that we must and can continue the current growth forever paradigm. The author explains very well why not only is it absolutely essential to change to a no growth economic and cultural system he also makes a strong case that it is culturally and politically possible.The book is not an easy read. It is incredibly loaded with very detailed information. In fact most of the content consists of material from other sources. The 233 page book has twenty-nine pages of footnotes! Much of the content is highly repetitive although the case could be made that repeating information is essential to people absorbing what the author is trying to say.A weakness in the book is that the author uses the traditional definition of sustainability which he encapsulates as; "...behavior capable of being sustained; maintained; or continued indefinitely." That is an inadequate definition because some human behaviors could be continued indefinitely but at the expense of other species going extinct which is already happening. A better definition is the one adopted by Vermonters for Sustainable Population in their forthcoming report on What Is an Optimal/Sustainable Population Size for Vermont? This definition is: "A sustainable human population is one where the people living in a given politically defined area (such as Vermont) do not live benot;yond the limits of the renewable resources of that area for either input (energy and matter) or output (food; material goods; and absorption of pollution). They then purchase or trade from environnot;mentally aware sources those necessities that cannot be locally satisfied either in sufficient amounts or at all. They will thereby be living in a manner that present and future generations of people and all other life native to that area; will be able to enjoy a healthy habitat over the long term."The author presents 10 difficult personal actions needed to save the world. This is refreshing because usually people writing about climate change and the environment list just the simple and easy things which dont amount to much.While he hints at some things that would make communities more sustainable such as growing more of their own food; walking and bicycling instead of using motorized transport; and better defined neighborhoods; he doesnt paint a clear picture of what those communities would really look like. Where are the millions of people living in cities going to find jobs if we no longer have an export type economy?It is wonderful to see that someone with a background in urban planning; which almost always supports the growth paradigm; recognizes that it is time to stop growth. Thanks Gabor for writing this book.