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Right Relationship

Building a Whole Earth Economy

Peter G. Brown and Geoffrey Garver

Berrett-Koehler, 2009

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Many books decry human greed, describe the degradation of the environment and end with a few short pages recommending reform. This isn’t that type of book. Instead, from the first page, Canadian environmentalists Peter G. Brown and Geoffrey Garver agitate for a revolution in the way people use natural resources. They present an admirably solid case that the relationship between the Earth and the global economy must change, and soon. Whether their idealistic prescription (global governance institutions?) is realistic, however, remains to be seen. getAbstract recommends this book to leaders who seek a fresh perspective on sustainability and the economy.

Summary

Applying Quaker Teachings to Global Sustainability

As civilization takes an ever-greater toll, Earth’s ecosystem is on the verge of collapse. Every one of the planet’s billions of inhabitants cannot feasibly live a rich-world lifestyle, with cars, plane trips and large, air-conditioned homes. But, all those billions can’t live as hunter-gatherers, either. Humanity must strike a balance and find the “right relationship” between economics and ecology – because, for too long, society has avidly pursued the “wrong relationship.”

Intriguingly, economics and ecology have at their root the Greek word œcos, meaning “home,” but they are not at home with each other. Global warming is a direct result of the conflict between these two areas of study. Now, each individual must question the very idea that rapid economic growth and frenzied money making are inevitable, or that they’re the only way for capitalism and human society to function. Reversing man-made damage is a moral issue. For centuries, people considered greed unsavory, if not sinful. But in recent decades, greed has become an end in itself for many modern cultures. This overarching, unsustainable push to use...

About the Authors

Peter G. Brown, Ph.D., is a professor at McGill University’s School of Environment, and author of Restoring the Public Trust and Ethics, Economics, and International Relations (published in North America as The Commonwealth of Life). Geoffrey Garver is an environmental consultant in Montreal and a trustee of the Quaker Institute for the Future.

Right Relationship

Building a Whole Earth Economy

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Applying Quaker Teachings to Global Sustainability

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