U of I Lecture: E. O. Wilson October 08, 7:30 p.m. University of Iowa (location to be announced) I heard it will be at the Englert Theatre Iowa City, Iowa For more information: http://lectures.uiowa.edu/details.php?ID=445 Mike Carberry Sierra Club Chair Iowa City Area Group State ExCom 2029 Friendship St. Iowa City IA 52245-4553 office: 319.338.8820 cell: 319.594.6453 -------------------------------------------------- From: "Bill Witt" <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Friday, September 26, 2008 9:46 AM To: <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: E.O. Wilson discusses population > The fallacies run deeper than "growth" as the end-all of "prosperity." > The billions being spent on hurricane recovery will register as positives > to our GDP. The millions Iowa farmers have spent on 900,000 miles of > drainage tile also show up as "growth." The cleanup and reconstruction > costs downstream are factored in as "growth." Jack buys dynamite and > blows up Joe's barn. The added profit to the dynamite company is > "growth." The lumber yard's profit for lumber to rebuild the barn is > "growth." > > For economic theorizing only slightly more sophisticated than this, > Milton Friedman got a Nobel Prize. > > > Bill Witt > > > Quoting daryl andersen <[log in to unmask]>: > >> I agree with your comments. A really good read on this is The Last >> Hours of Ancient Sunlight by Thom Hartmann. As he notes, The end of >> oil will be a main factor in adjustment. The earth can sustainably >> accommodate approx 1 billion people living somewhere between our >> lifestyle and an indigenous lifestyle. Another great read is >> Sustainable Operating Systems/ The Post Petrol Paradigm by Michael >> Richards. If all else fails read Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer. >> Daryl Andersen >> On Sep 25, 2008, at 10:56 PM, Thomas Mathews wrote: >> >>> Cindy, >>> >>> You note that ". . . economic prosperity, as we currently define it, >>> depends on growth." >>> >>> This summarizes the problem perfectly. Our mainstream economists >>> define a healthy economy as being a growing economy. A recession is >>> defined as a cessation of economic growth. >>> >>> Yet it occurs even to bright middle school students that on a finite >>> planet endless growth is impossible. But being an "adult" means >>> denying this obvious fact. >>> >>> In an underdeveloped country, economic growth is needed just to >>> provide enough for everyone. But in over-developed regions like the US, >>> growth serves mainly to provide more wealth for the already rich. And >>> despite the events of the past two weeks, it is the rich who run the >>> country, including its media, and who keep alive the myth that growth >>> equals prosperity. >>> >>> We clearly need a new economics, one which defines prosperity as >>> sufficiency, not growth. >>> >>> Richard Douthwaite has written a very good book whose title >>> summarizes these issues. (The Growth Illusion: How economic growth has >>> enriched the few, impoverished the many, and endangered the planet, >>> New Society Publishers, 1992, 1999.) >>> >>> Tom >>> >>> >>> >>> Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial challenges? >>> Check out WalletPop for the latest news and information, tips and >>> calculators. >>> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To >>> unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: IOWA- >>> [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv >>> Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/ >>> lists/faq.asp To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: >>> http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp >> >> >> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >> To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: >> [log in to unmask] >> >> Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: >> http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp >> >> Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship >> e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's >> latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent >> editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/ > > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: > [log in to unmask] > > Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: > http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp > > Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship > e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's > latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent > editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/ > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/