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Seven-Plus Wonders of Sustainability
by Donella Meadows
— August 26, 1999 —
A couple of years ago, while I was doing something else, I heard snatches of a radio program in which Alan Durning, the director of Seattle’s Northwest Environment Watch, talked about the “Seven Sustainable Wonders of the World.” Clever concept, I thought, but afterward I could only remember three of his wonders:
The bicycle — [...]
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 [...]
Whom Do We Blame, As We Watch Nature Dry Up?
by Donella Meadows
— August 12, 1999 —
Early this summer, long before the word “drought” was mentioned in the media, our household of farmers was ready to strangle the weather forecasters. “A gorgeous sunny day coming up,” they’d warble. “Another beeyootiful weekend!” To us that meant a day of blistering sun, a beeyootiful weekend of irrigating.
“City folk!” we’d mutter, as the [...]
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 [...]
Two Mindsets, Two Visions of Sustainable Agriculture
by Donella Meadows
— July 29, 1999 —
“I guess you must be in favor of pesticides,” concluded a Monsanto public relations guy, after I objected to his company’s genetically engineered potato.
“I guess it’s OK with you if people starve,” said a botanist I deeply respect, with whom I have carried out a fervent argument about genetic engineering.
Accusations like these astonish me. [...]
