Product Description

The idea for Eco-Pioneers came to Steve Lerner while he was attending the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Although he was moved by the vision of sustainable development evoked by citizens and officials at the summit, as a reporter he felt a need to put a human face on the rhetoric and find out what sustainable development actually looks like in the United States. He spent the next four years searching out what he came to call "eco-pioneers"--the modern pathfinders who are working in the American pragmatic tradition to reduce the pace of environmental degradation. These practical visionaries are people who are willing to push the limits of whatever tools they can find for dealing with ecological problems.Lerner provides case studies of eco-pioneers who are exploring sustainable ways to log forests, grow food, save plant species, run cattle, build houses, clean up cities, redesign rural communities, generate power, conserve water, protect rivers and wildlife, treat hazardous waste, reuse materials, and reduce both waste and consumption. Some of those profiled run businesses, some address environmental practices within their immediate community, and some combine their environmental concerns with social goals such as the creation of inner-city jobs. Together they are creating ways of living and working that many analysts believe to be essential to an ecologically sustainable future.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1978253 in Books
• Published on: 1998-07-31
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 1.02" h x 5.70" w x 9.20" l, 1.41 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 462 pages

From Library Journal
Lerner, research director of Commonweal, a health and environmental research institute, continues exploring the themes he introduced in The Earth Summit (Common Knowledge, 1991) and Beyond the Earth Summit (Common Knowledge, 1992). He presents 25 case studies on sustainable development in the United States, showcasing the efforts of "eco-pioneers" in diverse settings from inner cities to rural communities to grow food, build houses, treat wastes, and generate power in sustainable ways. The result is a nice compilation of practical examples of sustainable development that makes us believe that we can solve our environmental problems. Recommended for general collections where there is a demand.?Teresa Berry, Univ. of Tennesee Lib., Knoxville
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"This engaging, unpretentious book suggests active, do-it-yourself environmentalism is alive and well in grassroots America." Frederic Golden , San Francisco Chronicle

"For sustainability to move from theory to practice, it requires thededication and creativity Steve Lerner discovered in his 10,000 mileodyssey. Like the road to sustainability itself, Steve's journey circlesback to show that American virtures such as gumption, ingenuity andunyielding persistance can once again revolutionize the world." Paul Hawken , author of The Ecology of Commerce

Ingram
Lerner has spent four years searching out what he calls "eco-pioneers"--people who are working to reduce the pace of environmental degradation. Here he provides case studies of eco-pioneers who are exploring sustainable ways to log forests, grow food, save plant species, clean up cities, conserve water, protect rivers and wildlife, treat hazardous waste, and reduce both waste and consumption. 45 illustrations.