Teaching
and Learning about Sustainability and Simplicity
The
Cost of Living
By Arundhati Roy, The Modern Library, New York, 1999. In two
essays titled The End of Imagination and The Greater Common
Good, the award-winning author of the The God of Small Things
harshly critiques the Indian Government on two key issues:
the nuclear arms race it has recently entered with Pakistan,
and the building of a mega-dam that threatens to uproot hundreds
of thousands of indigenous peoples. She describes a society
where the lives of many are sacrificed for the comforts of
a few, peeling away the mask of democracy and prosperity to
show the true costs hidden beneath.
The
Ecology of Commerce: a Declaration of Sustainability
By Paul Hawken, HarperBusiness, New York, 1993. In this now
classic treatise, Hawken makes the case that business must
be responsible to environmental concerns if we are to sustain
our civilization. Though he foresees a bleak future if we
do not act soon, Hawken's vision of the present is hopeful
and ennobling. It breaks down the business vs. environment
dichotomy to show that a healthy planet is not revolutionary,
but essential to sustaining life.
The
Hungry Spirit: Beyond Capitalism, a Quest for Purpose in the
Modern World
By Charles Handy, Broadway Books, New York, 1998. From one
of the world's most respected business and social philosophers,
this is a groundbreaking book that challenges us to question
our reliance on traditional definitions of success and inspires
us to find meaning and fulfillment in our professional, personal,
and spiritual lives.
This
Place on Earth: Home and the Practice of Permanence
By Alan Durning, Sasquatch Books, Seattle, WA, 1996. After
traveling the world, Durning returned to Seattle to focus
on the local in a global world. His journey asks questions
like, how do we create an environmentally sustainable society,
and what does it mean to practice permanence? He offers his
views in this inspiring, hope-filled book.
Your
Money or Your Life
By Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin, Penguin, New York, 1992.
In this practical guide to stepping out of the work more/spend
more cycle, the authors offer their personal plan for taking
back control of their lives. Their nine-step program tells
how to get out of debt, develop savings, reorder material
priorities and live well for less, resolve inner conflicts
between values and lifestyles, convert problems into opportunities
to learn new skills, attain a wholeness of livelihood and
lifestyle, and save the planet while saving money.
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