Intentional Communities Newsletter: August 14, 2010

Promoting Community Living & Cooperative Lifestyles
Communities magazine, Directory, Video and more

Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future, by Bill McKibben
2008; 272 pages; 8.0" x 5.2", paperback; ISBN 978-0805087222

Most of my adult life, I've been involved with sustainability work of some sort. At some point, I started to understand that technology and minor lifestyle changes alone wouldn't save us: if we are truly going to get a sustainable world, we need to also be willing to engage social, spiritual and economic understandings of how we relate to the world. My current favorite book from Bookshelf, Bill McKibben's Deep Economy , is my choice for best layperson's articulation the economics of sustainability.

McKibben is one of those rare writers who can write with depth and complexity while keeping it incredibly readable, and not a moment too soon; because what he is really all about is helping individuals and communities do what we need to do to head off climate change disasters. Deep Economy is both a thoroughly researched text and a manifesto calling us all to action. He makes no bones about the scale of the problems, but also recognizes that without hope nothing will change, and he gives it to us.

This book is the perfect primer for folks who want to understand the links between our daily choices, our cultural training around money and the impacts both have on the planet. The nugget that has stuck with me most strongly is about happiness and money. We all like to say that money can't buy happiness, but is that really true? Apparently it is...after a certain point. That critical tipping point is about $10,000 a year US equivalent. In other words, up to that line, money does make you happier; after that, though, it is all just chasing the ephemeral. What if we could all recognize our happiness point and create a life of simplicity that fit within a $10,000 per year budget? McKibben makes a compelling argument that that would go a long way to fixing our global problems.

This book is literally chock full of such enlightening tidbits, held in a cohesive analysis. This is essential reading for anyone who is looking at sustainability holistically, or wants a firm foundation for understanding community-based economics.

Regular price $14.00    Special price $11.00