Review by Choice Review
All Americans should read this book. According to Zehner (visiting scholar, Univ. of California, Berkeley), the country has a consumption problem underlying its suboptimal social conditions and reckless growth economy mentality. People cannot expect technology to solve energy and pollution problems. First, the author explains why solar cells and ethanol and battery-powered vehicles are ecological disaster machines, and why alternative energy technologies do not clean the air and water, protect wildlife, lower atmospheric carbon dioxide, or replace older power plants. He discusses why real progress toward a happier lifestyle comes with less consumption and a focus on various issues, including women's rights, walkable neighborhoods, smarter building codes, preventive health care, economic reform, and a wiser consumer culture. Because buildings, not vehicles, contribute up to 80 percent of unwanted emissions in urban areas, change is needed. Perhaps the US should copy changes made by the Dutch, who enjoy longer life-spans, less poverty, less air pollution, cleaner drinking water, and a higher standard of living, all with a fraction of the energy per capita that Americans require. Americans have plenty of energy, but most is wasted. Numerous notes, references, and revealing charts support the arguments. Complete index. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. F. Potter formerly, University of California, Irvine
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
Enthusiastic supporters of green energy technologies like wind and solar often peddle them as pristine substitutes for fossil fuels and ideal solutions to stem global warming. For environmental and philanthropic consultant Zehner, however, almost all alternative power schemes have serious downsides, and their advocates in industry and politics need to face some unsettling facts before investing further time and money. In the first section of this sobering analysis, Zehner addresses those shortcomings head on, convincingly critiquing in successive chapters solar energy (panel manufacturing produces a surprising amount of waste), wind power (turbines are unsightly and loud), biofuels (ethanol production leaves a large carbon footprint), and clean coal (not much really clean about it). Fortunately, Zehner doesn't stop there and instead advises that humanity needs to bring energy consumption down and not keep pace with it, and he offers some different but achievable proposals about conservation, including designing walkable communities and, surprisingly, championing women's rights. What set Zehner's work apart from the glut of other environment-related titles are his fresh ideas and superlatively engaging prose.--Hays, Carl Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Alternative solutions to the growing energy crisis other than alternative energy. "Green" technology and energy solutions are all the rage as global warming, rising populations and unheard-of oil prices confront the world. However, asks Zehner, "do we have a society capable of being powered by alternative energy?" His answer is no. With thorough research, the author demonstrates that no amount of solar panels, wind turbines, biodiesel, nuclear plants or "clean" coal will solve these global problems. The underlying issue is not the lack of energy or a new way to generate it but overconsumption of available energy and resources. Zehner proves that many of today's "green" solutions would be prohibitively expensive on a grand scale and/or cause more environmental damage than good. The author examines "some ideas that, hopefully [will] spur some thought into how we might practically move from material and energy consumption to more durable and meaningful forms of social growth and well-being." These ideas include the creation of more "walking communities," cities in which the basic needs of citizens can be reached on foot or by bicycle. He also advocates "advancing the rights of women and girls," since contraceptive education is just one part of the puzzle of population explosion, and he suggests the creation of a "Department of Efficiency," which would be responsible for reducing the rampant waste of energy. "America has plenty of energymore than twice as much as it needs," he writes. "We just waste most of it." By offering readers numerous steps toward reaching attainable goals, Zehner hopes environmentalists will initiate a shift of focus to "women's rights, consumer culture, walkable neighborhoods, military spending, zoning, health care, wealth disparities, citizen governance, economic reform, and democratic institutions." A bold look at the downside of green technologies and a host of refreshingly simple substitute solutions.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
