The Conundrum : How Scientific Innovation, Increased Efficiency, and Good Intentions Can Make Our Energy and Climate Problems Worse Paperback - 2012
by Owen, David
- Used
The Conundrum is a mind-changing manifesto about the environment, efficiency and the real path to sustainability.
Hybrid cars, fast trains, compact florescent light bulbs, solar panels, carbon offsets: Everything you've been told about living green is wrong. The quest for a breakthrough battery or a 100 mpg car are dangerous fantasies. We are consumers, and we like to consume green and efficiently. But David Owen argues that our best intentions are still at cross purposes to our true goal - living sustainably and caring for our environment and the future of the planet. Efficiency, once considered the holy grail of our environmental problems, turns out to be part of the problem. Efforts to improve efficiency and increase sustainable development only exacerbate the problems they are meant to solve, more than negating the environmental gains. We have little trouble turning increases in efficiency into increases in consumption.
David Owen's The Conundrum is an elegant nonfiction narrative filled with fascinating information and anecdotes takes you through the history of energy and the quest for efficiency. This is a book about the environment that will change how you look at the world. We should not be waiting for some geniuses to invent our way out of the energy and economic crisis we're in. We already have the technology and knowledge we need to live sustainably. But will we do it?
That is the conundrum.
Description
Details
- Title The Conundrum : How Scientific Innovation, Increased Efficiency, and Good Intentions Can Make Our Energy and Climate Problems Worse
- Author Owen, David
- Binding Paperback
- Edition Original
- Condition Used - Good
- Pages 272
- Volumes 1
- Language ENG
- Publisher Penguin Publishing Group, New York
- Date 2012-02-07
- Features Price on Product - Canadian, Table of Contents
- Bookseller's Inventory # GRP102293456
- ISBN 9781594485619 / 1594485615
- Weight 0.42 lbs (0.19 kg)
- Dimensions 7.08 x 5.05 x 0.58 in (17.98 x 12.83 x 1.47 cm)
- Ages 18 to UP years
- Grade levels 13 - UP
-
Themes
- Topical: Ecology
- Library of Congress subjects Sustainable living, Green technology
- Library of Congress Catalog Number 2011028855
- Dewey Decimal Code 363.7
About Better World Books Nevada, United States
Not everyone has access to a book the way you do, which is why Better World Books cares. We have donated millions of books and raised millions of dollars to support literacy, libraries and education. Every Better World Books purchase you make contributes. Oh yeah, great prices, fast delivery, unique titles and a generous return policy - we’ve got that too. Thank you for shopping with us!
Better World Books wants every single one of its customers to be happy with their purchase. If you are not satisfied your purchase or simply find out that it was not the book you were looking for, please e-mail us at: help@betterworldbooks.com. We will get back to you as soon as possible with directions on how to return the book to our warehouse. Please keep in mind that because we deal mostly in used books, any extra components, such as CDs or access codes, are usually not included. CDs: If the book does include a CD, it will be noted in the book's description ("With CD!"). Otherwise, there is no CD included, even if the term is used in the book's title. Access Codes: Unless the book is described as "New," please assume that the book does *not* have an access code.
Summary
The Conundrum is a mind-changing manifesto about the environment, efficiency and the real path to sustainability.
Hybrid cars, fast trains, compact florescent light bulbs, solar panels, carbon offsets: Everything you've been told about living green is wrong. The quest for a breakthrough battery or a 100 mpg car are dangerous fantasies. We are consumers, and we like to consume green and efficiently. But David Owen argues that our best intentions are still at cross purposes to our true goal - living sustainably and caring for our environment and the future of the planet. Efficiency, once considered the holy grail of our environmental problems, turns out to be part of the problem. Efforts to improve efficiency and increase sustainable development only exacerbate the problems they are meant to solve, more than negating the environmental gains. We have little trouble turning increases in efficiency into increases in consumption.
David Owen's The Conundrum is an elegant nonfiction narrative filled with fascinating information and anecdotes takes you through the history of energy and the quest for efficiency. This is a book about the environment that will change how you look at the world. We should not be waiting for some geniuses to invent our way out of the energy and economic crisis we're in. We already have the technology and knowledge we need to live sustainably. But will we do it?
That is the conundrum.
From the publisher
Media reviews
Citations
- Booklist, 02/15/2012, Page 16
- Kirkus Reviews, 01/01/2012, Page 0
- Publishers Weekly, 12/05/2011, Page 68