August 1, 2011
In this latest from the prolific author of the seminal vegetarian manifesto, Diet for a Small Planet, Lappé, a self-described "staunch, hard-core, dyed-in-the-wool possibilist," proposes that what's paralyzing meaningful action on climate change, rising food prices, and other global crises is a collective mental map "mal-aligned both with human nature and with the wider laws of nature." She believes that we need to "rethink the premises" underlying our present worldview and develop an "eco-mind," moving from "'fixing something outside ourselves to re-aligning our relationships within our ecological home." The book explores seven "thought traps," challenging their "limiting premises" with alternate transformative "thought leaps." Some of these leaps seem to be achieved mainly by rewording: an unappealing environmentalist posture like the need to limit growth can be transformed by calling growth "waste" and replacing "no-growth" with more positive ideas such as "flourishing" and "genuine progress." Others, such as the proposal that Earth's resources are not limited but rather that we've reached the limits of how much humanity can disrupt the Earth, and that reusing, recycling, and retooling what's now discarded as waste can overcome the problem of an overcrowded planet, may be less convincing. Heavily larded with Web-based references, the book tends toward pep talk, drawing on myriad concepts and inventions likely familiar to the environmentalists and burnt-out activists it targets, but Lappé's effervescent enthusiasm still inspires.
August 1, 2011
Best-selling author Lappe (Diet for a Small Planet) has had enough gloom; environmentalists are feeling doomed, and their talks, books, and blogs reflect that. After a particularly demoralizing conference, Lappe decided to begin a new chapter in environmental writing--a positive one, filled with hope. This work is unusual among books on the environment for another reason as well: it was essentially crowdsourced. Begun as a talk then posted on Lappe's website Small Planet Institute (smallplanet.org) so that readers could contribute thoughts and ideas, the result is a thoroughly researched, overarching look at the political and emotional factors holding us back from making real changes in our nation's energy use. VERDICT Well organized and filled with quotable summaries and real-world examples, this book uniquely captures how our society views itself as unable to solve major world problems and how we can overcome that view. Valuable as a general work on self-perception and the motivation to action, and essential to those feeling powerless in the struggle to reduce our environmental impact. Strongly recommended.--Jaime Hammond, Naugatuck Valley Community Coll., Waterbury, CT
Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
July 1, 2011
A pioneer of environmental education inspires advocacy on both local and national levels.
Small Planet Institute founder Lapp�, a "dyed-in-the-wool possibilist," believes the problem with seeking solutions to crises lies not in the difficulty of implementation, but in the limiting rhetoric of consumerism, blame and shortage that discourages people from learning what teamwork can accomplish. Fostering guilt for wasting resources is not the way to inspire action; she proposes that the average person will better learn to change their practices toward the earth if discussions are framed in terms of ecology rather than economy. Personalizing relationships with nature allows individuals to view themselves as participants in an evolving web with room for growth, rather than as destructive forces on a nonstop collision course. Though "eco-mind" initially sounds like a buzz word for ancient ideas of caretaking, harmony, respect, community-building and the search for more meaningful life, the concepts laid out in well-organized chapters are worth revisiting for veteran activists, or discovering anew for those who have shied from the subject. Lapp� backs positive thinking without soft-pedaling over harsher realities. She cites examples of corporate hubris, avoids dry statistics and provides ample stories of progress in countries as diverse as Brazil and India. She also encourages the effort to shift the focus from remedying wrongs to rooting out common causes. The "thought traps" frequently encountered in dialogue on the environment--most of which curtail ingenuity--are exchanged for "thought leaps," which provide starters for further exploration. Comprehensive, practical suggestions fall beyond the book's scope, though Lapp� includes a list of additional resources.
An accessible introduction to the psychology of this "historic challenge," providing an enthusiastic shove toward reflection.
(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)
September 15, 2011
In her eighteenth book, the paradigm-altering Lapp' asks why we've failed to effectively address environmental problems. Delving into neuroscience, anthropology, and history, and sharing her own extensive field experiences, she argues that perception is key. She surgically disassembles seven thought traps, or discouraging environmentalist messages that arouse guilt, fear, and despair instead of a sense of mission. On the positive side, she presents fascinating interpretations of six human traits we can count on, including cooperation, empathy, fairness, creativity, and the fact that we are doers. Brimming with useful information and analysis pertaining to developing renewable energy and eradicating waste, Lapp''s lucid extrapolation of the core lesson of ecology, that everything is connected, also offers galvanizing dissections of the intensifying influence of corporations on government and the derailment of democracy. Equally compelling are her insights into how accelerating wealth inequality contributes to environmental degradation as well as poverty and why struggling people support policies that hurt them. Lapp''s recalibrated guide to becoming ecominded affirms our capacity to rethink our world and provides many urgent reasons to do so.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)