Sustainability

Key Concepts (Polity)

by Leslie Paul Thiele

The pursuit of sustainability has generated lifestyle changes for individuals across the globe, widespread initiatives within civil society and business, historic policies for municipal, regional, and national governments, and crucial protocols and agreements by international organizations. Increasingly, sustainability provides a common language and goal for diverse peoples and nations. Yet the meaning of sustainability remains unsettled, and the term frequently serves as a PR strategy--a green veneer for business as usual--rather than a driver of fundamental change.Leslie Paul Thiele's accessible yet thorough book provides a broad-ranging introduction to the concept and practice of sustainability today. It addresses the history, scope, and contested meanings of sustainability as an ethical ideal, an ascendant ideology, and a common sense approach to living in an ever more crowded world of increasingly scarce resources. Key topics covered include environmental health and ecological resilience, the promise and unintended consequences of technology, political and legal challenges, economic limits and opportunities, and cultural change.Unlike most other approaches to this crucial topic, Thiele argues that sustainability requires innovation and adaptation as much as the conservation of resources. His book will be a valuable resource for students in a broad range of courses, including environmental studies and related areas, as well as general readers keen to grapple with one of the most pressing issues of our times.

Genres: Sustainability, Nonfiction

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Caleb Deck · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really disappointing book. The author makes a significant amount of statements that are couched by "maybe/perhaps/might/could/possibly" in a way that undermines a large portion of his arguments. He equates egocentrism with a worldview that values human welfare over biophilia. He makes underlying worldview assumptions and argues strongly and condescendingly in a way that is quite off-putting. He also quotes several.... less-than-reputable... economists, philosophers, and general thinkers multiple times which undermines credibility. The vibe of a book as a whole is a downer and in my mind does not contribute to the development of the discussion of sustainability (beyond the debating which will surely ensue). Would recommend Sustainable Energy without the Hot Air by MacKay as a much better option in a similar vein.

[Samantha Langley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wouldn’t have read this if it wasn’t for a class

[Savanah · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Sustainability, Leslie Paul Thiele explores sustainability through the lens of seven different themes - time, geography, ecology, technology, politics, economics, and culture – in order to provide novice readers with a thorough understanding of sustainability while also challenging experts to rethink and delve deeper into its challenges. Theile’s writing can be dry, drawn-out, and disheartening at times, focusing on the problems our world faces, rather than offering innovative solutions or motivational calls to action. While it is not always the most inspirational book, it is a solid work that provides a thorough academic review of the current state of worldwide environmental issues and eloquently articulates many of the core arguments made by widely-respected leaders of the sustainability movement. Readers looking for cutting-edge concepts, innovative solutions to environmental problems, and ideas that will connect with people outside academia may be disappointed with Sustainability, but readers looking for a sound academic discussion and comprehensive review of this topic will find Sustainability to be a worthy read that will serve as a solid jumping-off point into more complex and challenging discussions on sustainable development.

[Juho Salo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-written book. It's greatest fault is perhaps the worst in scientific literature: the failure to share new information (to me). However, I recommend this as an introductory book to the topic.