Author Description

How much would you spend to protect the environment? That s the starting and ending point for most mainstream economists when they talk about environmental issues and that s part of the problem. In twenty-four engaging and informative articles, The Environment in Crisis offers progressive perspectives on the environment and debunks the myths broadcast by the business press and neoclassical economists. The book starts with a discussion of how mainstream economics shortchanges the environment, breaking down the murky science of cost-benefit analysis, the twisted logic behind the Gross Domestic Product and other economic measures, and the wishful thinking of proponents of endless growth. In Chapter Two, the contributors look at how environmental advocates are being attacked by corporate polluters in the media, the marketplace, and the workplace. In Chapter Three, we see how the environment has played out in the political arena, from Kyoto to rising gas prices, and how the largest corporate polluters control the agenda. Chapter Four takes a look at the growing battles over global resources like fresh water and fish, showing how mainstream economic analysis distorts the debate and keeps the best solutions off the table. Chapter Five examines how people in poor countries are forced to deal with the waste from over consumption in wealthy countries. The book concludes with a series of articles that imagine a way to change the status quo and build an environmentally sustainable economy.