Earth Day Plus Thirty, As Seen By The Earth
by Donella Meadows
— April 20, 2000 —
If, in the thirty Earth Day celebrations we have held since 1970, the human population and economy have become any more respectful of the Earth, the Earth hasn’t noticed.
The planet is not impressed by fancy speeches. Leonardo DiCaprio interviewing Bill Clinton about global warming is not an Earth-shaking event. The Earth has no way [...]
Begging, Whining, and Getting Sensible About Oil
by Donella Meadows
— March 30, 2000 —
What an upset! Oil-burning New Englanders watch their heating bills double. Truck drivers protest higher diesel costs by jamming Washington streets with their rigs. Congress, in its wisdom, offers to combat a sixty cent jump in gasoline price with a four cent tax cut. Our Energy Secretary runs around the Middle East begging for [...]
Six Billion of Us: Boo? Hooray?
by Donella Meadows
— October 7, 1999 —
Months ago the United Nations decided to make an event out of the fact that the human population meter would soon click over another billion. They picked an arbitrary date — October 12 — and declared it the Day of Six Billion.
What kind of event should this be? A day of repentance? A celebration? [...]
How Many Experts Do We Need Before We Heed Earth’s Warning?
by Donella Meadows
— August 19, 1999 —
Dr. Jane Lubchenco, a marine ecologist from Oregon State University, has received many scientific honors, one of which was the presidency of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. For her presidential address, she looked straight out at the huge assembly of scientists and delivered an unapologetic warning:
“During the last few decades, humans [...]
The World’s Top Five Consumers in Many Categories
by Donella Meadows
— August 5, 1999 —
Singapore, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, United States, Norway. Those are the world’s five top nations, in descending order, in — well, what category would you guess?
If you say income per capita, you’re close, but no cigar. Since the 1985 oil price crash, the Middle East no longer dominates the list of the world’s richest [...]
