Just Read: Break Through

www.betterworld.com

I loved this book! And I would say that it's a must-read not just for environmentalists, but also for those interested in politics, particularly of the left.

From the blurbs on the back of the book:

Nordhaus and Shellenberger are right. The Industrial Age gave us an environmentalism of limits and a politics of 'no.' The Creative Age requires a politics and culture of 'yes' - one that rekindles human aspirations for a better future and unleashes the vast human potential all around us to accomplish it.
~Richard Florida, author of Rise of the Creative Class

Environmentalists, along with many other causes of the left, often focus on very specific issues, declining to address a multitude of situations that may be involved in any one problem. How can we protect the Amazon, the authors argue, when many people who live in Brazil have not had their basic needs met? How can we address high asthma rates in cities by trying to reduce pollution when secondhand smoke or mold in inadequate housing may be a bigger trigger? How can we combat or prepare for global climate change when we embed the message in sacrifice rather than economic possibilities? How can we garner support for universal health care when many people are worried that adding additional burdens on the system would make their own coverage even more insecure?

This book is a fascinating compilation of social science theory, history, and so much more. The authors suggest how environmentalism and politics can be redefined in a way that will work better. In ways that might finally achieve more fuel efficient cars, more access to health care and insurance, and more possibilities for the economic and ecologic future.

Addressing global climate change starts with economic investment and development. No matter how you feel about it, money is more motivating to people than guilt and sacrifice. In fact, the authors discuss how guilt immobilizes people and how couching things in economic opportunity and potential addresses people's insecurity.

"Whereas guilt drives us to deny our wealth, gratitude inspires us to share it. It is gratitude, not guilt, that will motivate Americans to embrace the aspirations of others to become as wealthy, free, and fortunate as we are."

Check this book out from your local library!