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Saying It Straight
By Donella Meadows
–December 16, 1999 —
Awhile ago I wrote a column full of solemn statements from august scientists and other wise persons, warning that we are trashing our planet at a sickening pace. The august persons didn’t say “trashing” or “sickening.” They spoke of “adverse consequences” and “significant geopolitical risk.”
An Alert Reader (to steal a phrase from Dave Barry), a [...]
Close Encounters With a Lifetime of Stuff
By Donella Meadows
–December 9, 1999–
My heartfelt advice to you: Never Move.
If you must move, never move to a place with lots of storage space, such as a farm full of old barns and sheds.
If you must move to such a place, never move away from it.
Guess what I’ve been doing for the last month. Right, moving from the farm where [...]
The WTO Protesters and the Powers That Be
By Donella Meadows
–December 2, 1999–
All week I’ve been cringing at the news. Tear gas. Broken windows. Bloody faces. The National Guard called in to defend Seattle against anti-WTO demonstrators. From far away, totally in sympathy with the demonstrators, I’ve been yelling at them, “No, please, get hold of yourselves! Don’t tar our cause with violence!”
Of course only a tiny fraction [...]
Why Greens Don’t Love the WTO
By Donella Meadows
–November 25, 1999–
Last month The Economist ran a frustrated editorial wondering why environmental groups would picket the upcoming World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in Seattle. The headline read “Why Greens Should Love Trade.”
Actually greens see no particular reason either to love or hate trade. They don’t share the religious beliefs of economists, who love trade as indiscriminately as [...]
The People Meet the World Trade Organization
By Donella Meadows
–November 18, 1999–
The high priests of free trade are getting nervous. Corporate and government officials from the 134 nations that belong to the World Trade Organization (WTO) have long planned to meet in Seattle at the end of this month to negotiate the next round of global trade rules. Now they discover that thousands of angry citizens will [...]
