This is an interesting environmental book in that you do not want to slit your own throat after reading four pages; in fact, you can come away feeling that we are not on the eve of destruction, that progress is being made and that we have the ability to continue on a positive path. For this alone, Shellenberger will be shunned by the majority of environmentalist. That however, would be a mistake for his CV is excellent; he was a Time magazine “Hero of the Environment”, winner of the Green Book Award from the Stevens Institute of Technology’s Center for Science Writings in 2008 and an invited expert to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. More than that, he has traveled extensively, lived, and worked in some of the poorest part of the globe, attempting to balance the environment and the material progress of the poor. Finally, he is, (be prepared), pro-nuclear and has managed to set up his office in the heart of Berkeley!
What makes this book so interesting is that he addresses real life concerns of underdeveloped nations with real life solutions. He does not ignore the corruption in many nations, nor does he ignore that many well-meaning NGOs deal with those corrupt nations leaders and have little to show for the effort. At the same time, unlike some environmentalists, he balances the needs of the environment with the needs of real people who like everyone else, desire a better life (adequate food, education, medical care, etc.). In short, he does not see man as a blot or fungus on the Earth.
Throughout the book, he gives examples of how transitions from fuel source to fuel source has not only increased consumption and raised the standard of living, but also allowed more of the earth to begin to revert to its natural state. As an example, he points out that wood is an inefficient type of fuel; it does not give off enough energy per pound, requires a lot of water to produce and is creates a lot of pollution. Coal is more efficient given its energy per pound of weight. Coal by providing more energy allows better transportation which increases the growth of markets and the standard of living. Of course, coal also pollutes, but it has provided for the next step, petrochemicals which provide even more energy per pound, and this has led to more efficient farming which means less forest is destroy and so forth. He works from the basis of efficiency and the growth of mankind as opposed to the false premise of Malthus. To make matters worse, today’s environmentalist has taken the theory of Malthus and turned it completely around to justify they position in the face to the disproof of Malthus. The logical next step to save the earth can come from atomic power, but only if the science, which has been ignored, is followed.
It is just not the corrupt politicians and NGOs of the third world who faces his disappointment, but also the corrupt green politics in Europe and the U.S. In a recent administration, ten members of the chief finance committee and twelve of the top fundraising bundlers (each of whom raised a minimum of $100,000), benefited by receiving $16.4 billion of the $20.5 billion in green stimulus loans. Not a bad investment. If you will recall the name Solyndra (and their failure), they received $573 million and 35% of it was owned by George Kaiser, a billionaire donor and fundraiser. Amazing!
If you wish to believe that something can be done that will not cause us to all boldly march backward into the 16th century, this volume will be a welcome treat. I am not sure if many of todays environmentalist could stand the positive message of the book, but it would certainly be worth a try. If you read this book, you will come away with facts but also a better understanding to the alternatives of the doom and gloom orchestra that we hear each day.
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