Overview

Major environmental problems threaten our planet and evoke within us a need to act – a need to do something, no matter how small, to slow the damage. But what kind of action? Businesses, governments and some environmental groups tell us that buying environmentally friendly products while living more lightly on the planet is a winning strategy. Do the little things for the earth, the story goes, and others will follow, creating an environmental tsunami of change in norms, values and behaviors. The planet will thrive. Michael Maniates isn't buying it. He believes the mantra of “buy green, live lean, save the planet” is a con of recent and unseemly origin. It fosters pernicious assumptions about social change, separates individuals from their real power in the world, and fuels damaging consumption. It thrives because it meets the short-term priorities of governments and business, not the long-term needs of the planet's human and non-human inhabitants. Environmentally concerned individuals can make a meaningful difference in the world, and living green is a start. But alone, it can do more harm than good. We must embrace more rewarding and effective practices for saving the planet. This book shows us how.

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9781509527465

Table of Contents

Reviews

""Before you recycle that can, reject meat, commute by bike, or simply reduce your consumption, read this book. It brilliantly distinguishes feel-good efforts from effective political strategy. This is a critical corrective to the politics of the personal."" Paul Wapner, Professor Emeritus, American University ""We earnest planet-lovers take shorter showers and refuse plastic straws, but deep down we wonder if it makes an impact. In The Living-Green Myth, Michael Maniates explains how change is really made and where our power lies to achieve it. If you want to make a difference, there is one simple act you can take: read this book!"" Annie Leonard, creator of The Story of Stuff and former Executive Director of Greenpeace US ""As Michael Maniates explains in this brilliant and totally accessible book, even herculean attempts at green living are woefully inadequate to address climate and other threats. Worse, they can and do distract from what should be done. The Living-Green Myth is a book for our time. Highly recommended."" Gus Speth, former Dean of Yale School of the Environment and author of America the Possible: Manifesto for a New Economy �As Professor Maniates says, it's the maze, not the mouse. We live in a system that caused the climate crisis, and it's only a systems change that will address it. This book promises to make you uncomfortable enough to do what needs to be done: organize, advocate and create community action that causes long-term system change. It's not fun, or easy, but it matters. And doing something that matters is the best way to complain.� Seth Godin, founding editor of The Carbon Almanac �Live green and save the Earth. Who could possibly disagree? Yet, as Michael Maniates� spirited, inspiring book exposes, this is a dangerous myth propagated by nefarious interests. With flair and verve, The Living-Green Myth reveals what�s truly necessary to save our beleaguered planet.� Peter Dauvergne, University of British Columbia �Michael Maniates invites us to shed individual guilt around environmental responsibility and transform negative emotions into joy. This book is a must-read for all those who are seeking an exit strategy from what he calls �the trinity of despair� of ineffective environmental action, towards collective and meaningful social change.� Marlyne Sahakian, University of Geneva �Essential reading for activists, policymakers and concerned citizens alike, The Living-Green Myth challenges us to reimagine environmental engagement as a democratic struggle for systemic change rather than a solo race to the recycling bin.� Koh Lian Pin, National University of Singapore �The Living-Green Myth offers a compelling re-evaluation of modern environmentalism, challenging the widespread belief that individual lifestyle choices alone can solve our ecological crisis. This insightful work is a must-read for anyone seeking to move beyond despair and engage in truly effective environmental change.� Jessica Cheam, founder and CEO, Eco-Business �You think just making more sustainable consumption choices one small step at a time is enough to save the world? Tough luck: this truly inspiring book explains why that simply will not get us to environmentally friendly and just societies. But it also shows us how we can better invest our energy, time and creativity to help bring about effective change.� Doris Fuchs, University of Münster

""Before you recycle that can, reject meat, commute by bike, or simply reduce your consumption, read this book.  It brilliantly distinguishes feel-good efforts from effective political strategy.  This is a critical corrective to the politics of the personal."" Paul Wapner, Professor Emeritus, American University

Author Information

Michael Maniates is former Professor of Social Science and former Chair of Environmental Studies at Yale-NUS College in Singapore.  His teaching, research and writing have focused broadly on environmental politics, sustainable consumption, and oppositional forces to transformative environmental governance.  He has authored or co-authored five books and dozens of articles, opinion pieces, book chapters and review essays.  His recent work explored systems of sustainable consumption and production, social innovations for a low-growth/high-prosperity world, and the pitfalls and promise of conscientious consumption.  A teacher-scholar at heart, he is most proud of his 30+ years of working closely with undergraduate students in liberal-arts colleges (Allegheny College, Oberlin College and Yale-NUS College), and the contributions he has made to the design and implementation of empowering interdisciplinary environmental-studies programs in North America and Southeast Asia.

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