Confessions of an Eco-Sinner
Synopsis: You bought your jeans at a local boutique, sure - but where do they really come from? Curious journalist Fred Pearce tracks the origins of his purchases (his coffee, his computer, his socks…) and learns about the impacts of buying stuff, first-hand, from the people who are most affected by it.
About the author: Considered one of Britain's best science writers, Fred Pearce is a former news editor at New Scientist who's currently serving as its environment and development consultant. He won the British Environment and Media Award for Environment Journalist of the Year in 2001, and was nominated for it three more times. He's written for Audubon, Popular Science, Time, the Boston Globe, and Natural History, and has written five other books, including The Last Generation, When the Rivers Run Dry, and Deep Jungle.
About the author: Considered one of Britain's best science writers, Fred Pearce is a former news editor at New Scientist who's currently serving as its environment and development consultant. He won the British Environment and Media Award for Environment Journalist of the Year in 2001, and was nominated for it three more times. He's written for Audubon, Popular Science, Time, the Boston Globe, and Natural History, and has written five other books, including The Last Generation, When the Rivers Run Dry, and Deep Jungle.
Reading Selection Week 4:(August 24-28) Part 6, Ch. 23 through Part 7, Ch. 29 (End); 64 pages.
Wrapping Up
Today is the last day of our Confessions of an Eco-Sinner book club. Toshio and I would like to thank author Fred Pearce for his participation this month, as well as you, bookies, for being part of our first ever summer Biter Book Club series.
If you have a favorite book that you love to see in our next book club, feedback on what you'd like to see more of/less of, or ideas on how to make the book club better, please leave us some comments - we'd love to hear from you.
Happy Biting!
If you have a favorite book that you love to see in our next book club, feedback on what you'd like to see more of/less of, or ideas on how to make the book club better, please leave us some comments - we'd love to hear from you.
Happy Biting!
Submitted by hsnavely on Thu, 08/27/2009 - 11:00pm.
The Elephant in the Green Room
Nobody wants to tell parents-to-be that having a kid is possibly the worst thing they could do for the environment. Think of all the waste that baby will create over its lifetime, or its energy use, or even something as specific as its printer paper use.
But it's great to hear that population rates will decline around 2050 due to the fact that people are starting to have fewer children, as Pearce highlights in Chapter 29. One of the positive side effects it might have: causing us all to be less xenophobic. For example, maybe in the U.S. we'll be more willing to accept refugees from war-torn countries to make up for the decline. Whatever happens, we've got a helluva long way to go before we get to the ideal 500 million people prescribed by the somewhat-creepy Georgia Guidestones. So don't forget your condom.
What do you think?
But it's great to hear that population rates will decline around 2050 due to the fact that people are starting to have fewer children, as Pearce highlights in Chapter 29. One of the positive side effects it might have: causing us all to be less xenophobic. For example, maybe in the U.S. we'll be more willing to accept refugees from war-torn countries to make up for the decline. Whatever happens, we've got a helluva long way to go before we get to the ideal 500 million people prescribed by the somewhat-creepy Georgia Guidestones. So don't forget your condom.
What do you think?
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The world is certainly overpopulated at present, although I doubt that we will ever see such a population decline without some major catastrophe. One thing is for sure - the human race is doing their best right now to decrease the longevity of our planet. reclaim credit card charges
It is really going to take until 2050 for the population to decline? I don't know how well that is going to work because it seems like it keeps growing and growing. By 2050 I think it will be too late.
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This seems like a great club. It is definitely very interesting at the least.
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Label Me
On Monday, Pearce posed the question: "What part of my book shocked or provoked you the most?" I've been meditating on this question quite a bit this week, and if I answered it today, I think I would say that generally, Confessions got me thinking about how often I just take labels for granted - fair trade, made from recycled materials, organic cotton, bamboo - without thinking about what these processes really mean.
One of the greatest upsets lately has been the debunking of bamboo by the FTC. In question: the way it is often harvested, processed, and then replanted. "The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, wants you to know that the soft “bamboo” fabrics on the market today are rayon. They are made using toxic chemicals in a process that releases pollutants into the air. Extracting bamboo fibers is expensive and time-consuming, and textiles made just from bamboo fiber don’t feel silky smooth."
Do you think this will affect your bamboo purchasing habits?
One of the greatest upsets lately has been the debunking of bamboo by the FTC. In question: the way it is often harvested, processed, and then replanted. "The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, wants you to know that the soft “bamboo” fabrics on the market today are rayon. They are made using toxic chemicals in a process that releases pollutants into the air. Extracting bamboo fibers is expensive and time-consuming, and textiles made just from bamboo fiber don’t feel silky smooth."
Do you think this will affect your bamboo purchasing habits?
Submitted by hsnavely on Tue, 08/25/2009 - 11:00pm.
Changing Your Eco-Sinning Ways
I wouldn't call Confessions a cheery picture of our resource use and waste, but it seems like a pretty accurate one, considering all the incredible firsthand research Pearce did.
Chapters 24 and 26 look at the burgeoning recycling industry in China and improved farming methods in Africa, respectively, so if you're a glass-half-full person like me, you can't help but see possibility for positive change in the midst of all the negatives. And it's cliche, but the change can start with us.
After finishing up the book, do you think you'll reconsider any of your buying habits?
Chapters 24 and 26 look at the burgeoning recycling industry in China and improved farming methods in Africa, respectively, so if you're a glass-half-full person like me, you can't help but see possibility for positive change in the midst of all the negatives. And it's cliche, but the change can start with us.
After finishing up the book, do you think you'll reconsider any of your buying habits?
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Final Question from the Author
What part of my book shocked or provoked you the most?
-From the author, Fred Pearce
-From the author, Fred Pearce
Submitted by mroemer on Sun, 08/23/2009 - 11:00pm.
The heartless actions of big, conscience-less corporations always get to me, so my vote goes to the chapters discussing the African mines and sweatshops in Asia - the fact that people are dying for our gold-accented drop earrings and nautical-themed pashmina Afghans.
The argument for incinerating paper rather than recycling it. My father, the ultimate dark greenie, has shown a lot of recycling skepticism over the years, but I always chalked it up to general old man cynicism. Now, I'm having second thoughts.
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