Revised General Plan for Red Rock Canyon State Park

Does it Adequately Protect Park Resources? by Jeff Aardahl and Mark R. Faull The California Department of Parks and Recreation completed the revised General Plan for Red Rock Canyon State Park and Environmental Impact Report (EIR).1 Both were approved by the California State Park and Recreation Planning Commission at a public meeting on March 3, … Continue reading Revised General Plan for Red Rock Canyon State Park

Overshoot and the Incredible Shrinking Planet

A Many-Faceted Problem by William E Rees, PhD, FRSC Setting the conceptual stage Let's start with a thought experiment. Suppose you and your close family and friends, perhaps 150 people in all, were confined to an isolated island - let's call it Esperanza - characterized by landscapes and soils that were representative of average arable … Continue reading Overshoot and the Incredible Shrinking Planet

Modest Proposals for an Ecological Economy

A New Paradigm is Needed by Joshua Farley, Professor, University of Vermont Economists in general want to improve human welfare. Mainstream economists claim welfare improvements are best achieved by maximizing the monetary value of what we consume. This requires allocating raw materials to the production of goods and services with the greatest value, then apportioning … Continue reading Modest Proposals for an Ecological Economy

Wellbeing and the Psychology of Consuming Less

What Are We Being Sold by Natasha Parker Since Veblen's1 observations in the 1890's that the leisure classes consumed conspicuously to impress their peers, consumption has become a culturally dominant means of seeking happiness, success, and the good life. But amid the current backdrop of the climate and ecological crisis, reducing individual consumption is going … Continue reading Wellbeing and the Psychology of Consuming Less