A review by blackcatbibliophile
The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet by Ramez Naam
5.0
I won this through the first reads giveaway.
At this point (5/21/13) I'm a 3rd of the way done. And let me tell you I'm terrified! The first 3rd of this book talks about all the problems our planet faces - global warming, oil shortages, water wars, human over-population, mass extinctions, etc. With facts and figures to back up everything that is being put forth to the reader. And it is very, very scary. The good part is that the author doesn't just give us the gloom and doom, but also hope that with our increasing technology and innovation we can meet and exceed these demands on our planet. So I can't wait to keep reading!
Update! 5/23/13 I've finished the book and I would absolutely recommend this to anyone interested in global warming/climate change or anyone interested in environmental science. This book was so insightful. I have completely changed my opinion on quite a few topics and learned many new and interesting things. Like did you know that nuclear energy is less deadly and less costly than coal is? Coal kills more people than nuclear power yet because nuclear disasters are so sensationalized people fear them. Another factoid that I learned is that GMOs have been studied EXTENSIVELY. Being a biologist, I was always worried about the consequences of inserting foreign DNA into the food that we eat, and since this too has been discussed as being "poison for your body" its hard to find real information. The few studies that have shown some risks have been retracted or have been discredited by the scientific community. Those are just a few of the many things that I have learned from this book!
The overall message of this book is that there is hope. We have overcome grave challenges is the past - CFC depleting the ozone layer - Reagan signed the Montreal Protocol even though his administration told him it would bankrupt the country and there would be no refrigeration. Yet because this law was implemented correctly, it actually forced inovation and the price tag ended up being 1/10 of what was predicted. And we still have refrigeration! So yes, we as a global community face many challenges in the near future, but with our power to innovate we can overcome all of these challenges that we face, just like we have in the past.
At this point (5/21/13) I'm a 3rd of the way done. And let me tell you I'm terrified! The first 3rd of this book talks about all the problems our planet faces - global warming, oil shortages, water wars, human over-population, mass extinctions, etc. With facts and figures to back up everything that is being put forth to the reader. And it is very, very scary. The good part is that the author doesn't just give us the gloom and doom, but also hope that with our increasing technology and innovation we can meet and exceed these demands on our planet. So I can't wait to keep reading!
Update! 5/23/13 I've finished the book and I would absolutely recommend this to anyone interested in global warming/climate change or anyone interested in environmental science. This book was so insightful. I have completely changed my opinion on quite a few topics and learned many new and interesting things. Like did you know that nuclear energy is less deadly and less costly than coal is? Coal kills more people than nuclear power yet because nuclear disasters are so sensationalized people fear them. Another factoid that I learned is that GMOs have been studied EXTENSIVELY. Being a biologist, I was always worried about the consequences of inserting foreign DNA into the food that we eat, and since this too has been discussed as being "poison for your body" its hard to find real information. The few studies that have shown some risks have been retracted or have been discredited by the scientific community. Those are just a few of the many things that I have learned from this book!
The overall message of this book is that there is hope. We have overcome grave challenges is the past - CFC depleting the ozone layer - Reagan signed the Montreal Protocol even though his administration told him it would bankrupt the country and there would be no refrigeration. Yet because this law was implemented correctly, it actually forced inovation and the price tag ended up being 1/10 of what was predicted. And we still have refrigeration! So yes, we as a global community face many challenges in the near future, but with our power to innovate we can overcome all of these challenges that we face, just like we have in the past.