Synopses & Reviews
Hope on Earth is the thought-provoking result of a lively and wide-ranging conversation between two of the worldand#8217;s leading interdisciplinary environmental scientists: Paul R. Ehrlich, whose book
The Population Bomb shook the world in 1968 (and continues to shake it), and Michael Charles Tobias, whose over 40 books and 150 films have been read and/or viewed throughout the world. and#160;
Hope on Earth offers a rare opportunity to listen in as these deeply knowledgeable and highly creative thinkers offer their takes on the most pressing environmental concerns of the moment.
Both Ehrlich and Tobias argue that we are on the verge of environmental catastrophe, as the human population continues to grow without restraint and without significant attempts to deal with overconsumption and the vast depletion of resources and climate problems it creates. Though their views are sympathetic, they differ in their approach and in some key moral stances, giving rise to a heated and engaging dialogue that opens up dozens of new avenues of exploration.and#160; They both believe that the impact of a human society on its environment is the direct result of its population size, and through their dialogue they break down the complex social problems that are wrapped up in this idea and attempts to overcome it, hitting firmly upon many controversial topics such as circumcision, religion, reproduction, abortion, animal rights, diet, and gun control.and#160; For Ehrlich and Tobias, ethics involve not only how we treat other people directly, but how we treat them and other organisms indirectly through our effects on the environment. and#160;University of California, Berkeley professor John Harte joins the duo for part of the conversation, and his substantial expertise on energy and climate change adds a crucial perspective to the discussion of the impact of population on global warming.
This engaging and timely book invites readers into an intimate conversation with some of the most eminent voices in science as they offer a powerful and approachable argument that the ethical and scientific issues involved in solving our environmental crisis are deeply intertwined, while offering us an optimistic way forward. Hope on Earth is indeed a conversation we should all be having.
Review
and#8220;Wild Solutions argues for the conservation of natural resources from a firmly utilitarian perspective. Taking examples from a wide range of taxonomic groups, Andrew Beattie and Paul Ehrlich demonstrate how often-overlooked species are fundamental to our continuing viability. . . . An easy read, generating a momentum of energy and excitement about the potential of the natural world to solve many of the problems that face us. . . . This is an inspirational book for the general reader. . . . The destruction of biodiversity is damaging the life-support systems on which we depend, and cutting off our options for the future. By using a huge range of examples, Beattie and Ehrlich get the point across very effectively.and#8221;and#8212;E.J. Milner-Gulland, Nature
Review
and#8220;This book, about the state of the world, takes the form of a dialogue between two eloquent writers, Ehrlich and Tobias.and#160; Why read a dialogue, instead of the usual book written from beginning to end by one author?and#160; The Greek philosopher Plato figured out the answer over 2,000 years ago: a dialogue can be much more exciting than a monologue, because it offers the human interest of a conversation, and it offers two rather than just one point of view.and#160; Whether or not you think that you already understand the state of the world, youand#8217;ll enjoy and learn from this vivid dialogue.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;More rare than Coelacanths embracing, these two giants in their fields, Ehrlich and Tobias, intertwine and entertain with their discourse on the future of our world and incredibly they offer us hope.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Authored by two fine thinkersand#8212;practical ecologists and eloquent writersand#8212;this clever book shakes us with the discomforting view of how human hands are pushing the planet down the plughole, but ends up lifting us from the gloom and doom.and#160;These are eloquent arguments, beautifully written, that show a way through the minefield to a quiet, unspoiled, or reclaimed place of beauty: the Earth as it should be, once was, and can be again.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Tobias and Ehrlich are master teachers giving all seven billion of us a well-reasoned warning for what lies ahead.and#160; While their science is flawless and persuasive, their message is delivered with serenity and common sense.and#160; This is a book that will be especially effective for our oblivious young who will be saddled with the mistakes of the past.and#160; It is going to all seven of my children!and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Exhilarating! With minds ablaze, Ehrlich and Tobias begin to talk, and right away they disagree. Roaming through wilds of philosophy, history, culture, politics, religion, and science, they debate the fate of the earth. Filled with ideas, insight and personality, Hope on Earth is a joy ride for the mind.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Oh, to have been a fly on the wall during the meeting between these two environmental giants that took place during a couple of days at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory. For dedicated environmentalists, this book is the next best thing. . . . A brilliant, absorbing, and timely discussion of the most pressing issues of the day conducted by two of the worldand#8217;s foremost environmental experts.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Wild Solutions reveals a living planet so rich in astonishing detail it reads like fiction. Yet in its living detail lies our much-needed signpost towards ecological sustainability.and#8221;and#8212;Tim Flannery, Director of the South Australian Museum and author of The Future Eaters and Throwim Way Leg
Review
and#8220;For those wearied by the malaise enveloping high-level negotiations on planetary ills, these and#8216;bilateral talkand#8217;' between biologist Paul Ehrlich and ecologist Michael Charles Tobias offer relief. Their often heated dialogue on the scientific, ethical and conceptual approaches to our global predicament is cogent on details such as the realities of unsustainable livestock farming, or the broken equation of population and resources. Despite the grim litany, their action plan for humanity and#8212; such as limiting family size and#8212; is convincing.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Their dialogue is both thought provoking and easy to read, and Hope on Earth would make a great read for people who are interested in the complexities of climate change but donand#8217;t want to struggle through an academic-style book.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Hope on Earth offers a fresh look at the serious environmental challenges we face. Unlike other environmental texts, this book emphasizes the severity of the situation in an open and honest exchange between two knowledgeable thinkers. Their conversation is earthy (forgive the pun!) and even raw at times. . . . and#160;Hope on Earth leaves little doubt how much worse our environmental problems will become unless we are moved to action, and soon.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;We are on the verge of an environmental catastrophe. The growing human population, unchecked consumption, and depletion of resources could very well spell disaster. Ehrlich and Tobias agree on that, but the two environmental scientists differ on their proposed solutions. In their wide-ranging conversationand#8212;pulled from discussions over a couple of days at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratoryand#8212;the two discuss everything from culture, to science, to religion, to politics as they debate the earthand#8217;sand#8212;and ourand#8212;fate.and#8221;
Review
"Ehrlich made his first big splash in 1968 with The Population Bomb. Writer/filmmaker Tobias has also made environmental conservation his life work. Their illuminating conversation about ethics, ambiguity and how to grapple intelligently with complex environmental threats should attract anyone who despairs of reconciling reality with their ideals."
Review
and#8220;The conversation in Hope on Earth is strongest when it redirects our ethical attention to issues that matter for the planet, and it does that on nearly every page. Itand#8217;s openness to different approaches and#8211; its reliance on virtue ethics and#8211; is refreshing even though it never calls it by that name.and#8221;
Review
andldquo;The bookandrsquo;s length, level, and content make it suitable for a wide audience, especially policy makers and laypersons.and#160; Highly recommended.andrdquo;
Synopsis
In this fascinating and abundantly illustrated book, two eminent ecologists explain how the millions of species living on Earthand#151;some microscopic, some obscure, many threatenedand#151;not only help keep us alive but also hold possibilities for previously unimagined products, medicines, and even industries. In an Afterword written especially for this edition, the authors consider the impact of two revolutions now taking place: the increasing rate at which we are discovering new species because of new technology available to us and the accelerating rate at which we are losing biological diversity. Also reviewed and summarized are many and#147;newand#8221; wild solutions, such as innovative approaches to the discovery of pharmaceuticals, the and#147;lotus effect,and#8221; the ever-growing importance of bacteria, molecular biomimetics, ecological restoration, and robotics.
and#147;An easy read, generating a momentum of energy and excitement about the potential of the natural world to solve many of the problems that face us.and#8221;and#151;E. J. Milner-Gulland, Nature
and#147;Must-reading for everyone.and#8221;and#151;Simon A. Levin, author of Fragile Dominion: Complexity and the Commons
and#147;An engaging book clearly intended to impress upon a lay audience the practical value of biological diversity. . . . An outstanding work.and#8221;and#151;Ecology
and#147;A most stimulating read for all those budding science students from secondary through graduate schools.and#8221;and#151;Science Books and Films
Synopsis
We live on an unexplored planet, ignorant of more than eighty percent of the species that share our world. In this fascinating and abundantly illustrated book, two eminent ecologists discuss the biological diversity of the Earth, showing how the natural systems that surround us play an essential role in protecting our basic life-support systems.
Andrew Beattie and Paul Ehrlich tell us about the millions of species providing ecosystem services that maintain the quality of our air and water and the fertility of the soil, dispose of domestic, industrial, and agricultural waste, and protect crops from pests. The authors also describe how biological diversity opens the way for new medicines, pharmaceuticals, construction materials and designs, and manufactured goods. They point to innovative industries that harness species for the biological repair of damaged landscapes, biological mining, biological pest control, and biomonitoring of the environment. The organisms upon which these activities are foundedalthough often microscopic, obscure, or bizarreprovide natural capital that is worth infinitely more than anyone has previously guessed. The authors urge us to protect the biological wealth of our Earth and keep it from being destroyed by human activity.
"
Synopsis
Nearly every major topic of ecological and ethical substance is touched upon in this finely tuned debate by very serious and compassionate scientists and humanists. This unique project shows how scientists approach the great ethical problems of our time without the jargon and complexity that can intimidate some readers. Their audience includes all readers concerned about saving the environment, the treatment of animals, and the fate of the planet for future generations.and#160; Itand#8217;s a powerful and ultimately positive book which in its brevity has something in to surprise, provoke and inspire nearly everyone.Though Ehrlich and Tobias come from the same ethical space, ecologically-speaking, there are marked differences in their approaches and data sets; differing moral positions and heated stances that set their worldviews sufficiently apart to make for fascinating and insightful points that are accessible to the general reader.
About the Author
Andrew Beattie is director of the Commonwealth Key Centre for Biodiversity and Bioresources and Christine Turnbull is research associate, both at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. Paul R. Ehrlich is Bing Professor of Population Studies in the department of biological sciences at Stanford University.
Table of Contents
Prelude
Ethical Ambiguities
Pragmatic Idealism
The Choices We Make: Moving Forward in Spite of Contradictions
Getting Oneand#8217;s Priorities Right: You Owe It to Yourself
The Biologicaland#160; Future: Climate Change in the Rockies
The Euphydryas Questions
The Lessons of Acorns: Change is Ubiquitous
Afterword
Appendix: Essential Points for Policy Makers
Suggested Resources