Synopses & Reviews
We donand#8217;t have an energy crisis. We have a consumption crisis. And this book, which takes aim at cherished assumptions regarding energy, offers refreshingly straight talk about whatand#8217;s wrong with the way we think and talk about the problem. Though we generally believe we can solve environmental problems with more energyand#8212;more solar cells, wind turbines, and biofuelsand#8212;alternative technologies come with their own side effects and limitations. How, for instance, do solar cells cause harm? Why canand#8217;t engineers solve wind powerand#8217;s biggest obstacle? Why wonand#8217;t contraception solve the problem of overpopulation lying at the heart of our concerns about energy, and what will?
This practical, environmentally informed, and lucid book persuasively argues for a change of perspective. If consumption is the problem, as Ozzie Zehner suggests, then we need to shift our focus from suspect alternative energies to improving social and political fundamentals: walkable communities, improved consumption, enlightened governance, and, most notably, womenand#8217;s rights. The dozens of first steps he offers are surprisingly straightforward. For instance, he introduces a simple sticker that promises a greater impact than all of the nationand#8217;s solar cells. He uncovers why carbon taxes wonand#8217;t solve our energy challenges (and presents two taxes that could). Finally, he explores how future environmentalists will focus on similarly fresh alternatives that are affordable, clean, and can actually improve our well-being.
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Review
“For those who want to understand what sustainable agriculture is all about, Crisis and Opportunity is a major tour de force. Ikerds book is a profound source of information, perspective, and inspiration.”—Fred Magdoff, professor emeritus of soils at the University of Vermont and coeditor of Hungry for Profit Choice
Review
“Ikerd counters the efficiency model of industrial agriculture and presents a more rational path that leads to opportunity in agriculture and a more civil society. The book is well written and easy to read, it challenges us to a higher order of thinking.”—James E. Horne, president of Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture Inc. and coauthor of The Next Green Revolution Larry Yee
Review
"Clearly defines the crisis and opportunities present today in American agriculture."—D. L. King, Choice D. L. King
Review
“An amazing collection of essays that reveal some of the clearest thinking on the sustainability of food and farming systems. This is a clarion call to come to our senses about our own future health and well-being as well as that of our communities and the planet that sustains us.”—Larry Yee, director of the University of California Cooperative Extension, Ventura County, and co-chair and cofounder of the Association of Family Farms Fred Magdoff
Review
"A bold look at the downside of green technologies and a host of refreshingly simple substitute solutions."and#8212;Kirkus
Review
"What set Zehner's work apart from the glut of other environment-related titles are his fresh ideas and superlatively engaging prose."and#8212;Carl Hays, Booklist Online
Review
"With chapter subtitles like "Step Away From the Pom-Poms" and epigraphs from the likes of Dr. Seuss, Zehner is a delightful apostate in the church of green energy."and#8212;Sarah Rothbard, slate.com
Review
"This book is a must read for anyone concerned with sustainable living."and#8212;Daniel J. Benor, International Journal of Healing and Caring
Review
"All Americans should read this book."and#8212;K. J. White, Choice
Review
"As a nation, we have hard decisions before us. We need to find actual, tangible solutions that will make a real difference. Our path begins with critical thinking and informed choices. This book helps us get started."and#8212;Jonathan Hladik, Great Plains Research
Synopsis
With the decline of family farms and rural communities and the rise of corporate farming and the resulting environmental degradation, American agriculture is in crisis. But this crisis offers the opportunity to rethink agriculture in sustainable terms. Here one of the most eloquent and influential proponents of sustainable agriculture explains what this means. These engaging essays describe what sustainable agriculture is, why it began, and how it can succeed. Together they constitute a clear and compelling vision for rebalancing the ecological, economic, and social dimensions of agriculture to meet the needs of the present without compromising the future. In Crisis and Opportunity, John E. Ikerd outlines the consequences of agricultural industrialization, then details the methods that can restore economic viability, ecological soundness, and social responsibility to our agricultural system and thus ensure sustainable agriculture as the foundation of a sustainable food system and a sustainable society.
About the Author
John E. Ikerd is professor emeritus of agricultural economics at the University of Missouri. He is the author of Sustainable Capitalism, A Return to Common Sense, and Small Farms are Real Farms.