Nothing more clearly illustrates the division between old fashioned green thinking & the modern sustainability movement than Genetically Modified food. A recent clash of Tweets between author Mark Lynas (“The God Species“) and Dr Vandana Shiva (author “Soil Not Oil“) exposes just how deep the battle wounds have become. The gloves are off but maybe both are missing the point.
ISBN 978 1 900322 50 8. “Future Scenarios – How communities can adapt to peak oil and climate change” by David Holmgren was published by Green Books in 2009. Although only three or four years old this book already looks dated somehow. It is a contemporary of Rob Hopkins’ original “Transition Handbook” and Shaun Chamberlin’s “Transition Timeline“. There was a brief flurry if such publications a few years back – but, no more. Their apparent visions of imminent energy collapse proved empty. What we got instead was financial collapse. Still, there is nothing obsolete in this publishing genre. It took as a while to catch up with this publication. So, let’s take a brief walk down memory lane to remember how it all began… Continue reading
ISBN 9780099535478. “Cradle to Cradle – Remaking the way we make things” by Michael Braungart and William McDonough was published by Random House/Vintage in 2008 & 2009 (originally by North Point Press in the USA in 2002). We enjoyed one huge irony whilst reading this book: the pages started falling out. Probably the first time that has ever happened to us and a double irony in that the original US publication, ten years ago, was printed on plastic pages. This is book that people might think they know from the cover and by reputation. Some of your assumptions might be wrong. Not exactly eye-opening but what the authors stand AGAINST seems more noteworthy.
ISBN 978 1 85623 035 3. “Getting Started in Permaculture” by Ross and Jenny Mars was published by Permanent Publications in 2007. Originally published in Australia in 1994. 103 pages long and subtitled “Over 50 DIY Projects for House & Garden using Recycled Materials” this work was originally prepared for an Australian audience so it has undergone a minor conversion to make it fit the Northern Hemisphere. This book sounds really exciting and useful if you read the cover. However you do quickly tire of its “101 uses for a plastic bottle” approach. Many of the projects are better covered elsewhere – indeed some of them remind you of do-it-yourself projects from Children’s Television. Continue reading