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A review by squirrelfish
Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto by Stewart Brand
5.0
I loved this book. Some of the things he said I started off agreeing with (re: nuclear power), some of the things I started off greatly disagreeing with (re: genetic engineering) but he said a lot of things worth considering. I will definitely regard the issue of GE differently, and think of his points, even if I still end up disagreeing. He makes a great argument for rethinking some of environmentalists long-held positions.
The book is placed as an engineers approach to climate-change - the crisis as a solvable problem. He doesn't propose concrete answers but instead he proposes a tool-box of methods. I enjoyed the anecdotes about the progression of science and approaches to local challenges around the world. I was amazed at the number and breadth of sources he cites and examples of work being done. From Indonesian rice-patties to African staple crops and personal work against invasive weeds in the Bay Area his knowledge of the challenges facing human habitats is informative.
I am not convinced that these methods are all perfect, I am convinced they deserve another look by environmentalists rather than being dismissed out of hand.
The major technologies/concepts he pushes to help the environment are: urbanization, nuclear power, genetic engineering, and investigating geo-engineering.
The book is placed as an engineers approach to climate-change - the crisis as a solvable problem. He doesn't propose concrete answers but instead he proposes a tool-box of methods. I enjoyed the anecdotes about the progression of science and approaches to local challenges around the world. I was amazed at the number and breadth of sources he cites and examples of work being done. From Indonesian rice-patties to African staple crops and personal work against invasive weeds in the Bay Area his knowledge of the challenges facing human habitats is informative.
I am not convinced that these methods are all perfect, I am convinced they deserve another look by environmentalists rather than being dismissed out of hand.
The major technologies/concepts he pushes to help the environment are: urbanization, nuclear power, genetic engineering, and investigating geo-engineering.