State of the World 2004: Progress Towards a Sustainable Society FROM THE PUBLISHER
A Bangladeshi child eats a bowl of rice. An American child plays with a plastic doll. A woman in Finland talks on a cell phone. A man in Zimbabwe fills his car with gasoline. Think of the objects you buy and use in any given day. Now try to imagine there are more than 1.7 billion human beings in the consumer society -- and their numbers are growing yearly. In many cases, excessive consumption burdens societies with bulging landfills, declining fish stocks, and rising obesity levels. Meanwhile, there are still another 2.8 billion people who consume too little and who suffer from hunger, homelessness, and poverty. On the Worldwatch Institute's thirtieth anniversary, this special edition of State of the World examines how we consume, why we consume, and what impact our consumption choices have on the planet and our fellow human beings. From factory-farmed chicken to old-growth lumber to gas-guzzling cars, many of the things we buy support destructive industries. But businesses, governments, and concerned citizens can harness this same purchasing power to build markets for less-hazardous products, including fair-traded foods, green power, and fuel-cell vehicles. With chapters on food, water, energy, the politics of consumption, and redefining the good life, Worldwatch's award-winning research team asks whether a less-consumptive society is possible -- and then argues that it is essential.
SYNOPSIS
How and why people consume and what impact consumption choices have on other human beings and the planet are the pivots for this year's edition. Chapters look at food, water, energy, governance, economics, the power of purchasing, and redefining the good life. The research teams asks if a less-consuming society is possible, and concludes that it is essential. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
FROM THE CRITICS
School Library Journal
Adult/High School-From the moment they awake in the morning to bedtime at night, Americans are among the 1.7 billion people who are the megaconsumers, using most of the world's energy and eating almost all highly processed food. Unfortunately, that leaves 2.8 billion people living in poverty, hunger, and on a planet running out of resources. Sponsored by the World Watch Institute, this book should be read by every stakeholder on Earth, who will never take the everyday consumption of industrial products for granted again. Included in the dozens of issues covered is the environmental toll made by the annual production of four trillion plastic trash bags, and luxury foods such as shark-fin soup. The authors also offer thought-provoking solutions for solving the environmental issues presented. Even though it's chock-full of statistics and details, the book is fascinating and flows well. Its focus on the negative aspects of our consumer society, and the resulting excessive consumption will help teens relate to how their individual actions directly affect the global environment. A wonderful book for students interested in environmental issues and to stimulate class discussions.-John Kiefman, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
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