Common Theme Project : IUPUI

Bibliography

Here is a sampling of the many books related to some of the topics in this year's Common Theme: economics, design, energy, simple living, spirituality, Whole Food/Slow Food movement. Thanks to Anne Roberts, a Mary F. Crisler Scholar in the School of Liberal Arts, for compiling these resources.

If you would like to suggest books to add to this list, please send author, title and brief description to Anne Roberts at: annrober@iupui.edu.

Economics
Barry Carter	*Infinite Wealth: A New World of Collaboration and Abundance in an Age of Knowledge* With advances in information technology people are being empowered to connect, collaborate, create wealth and self-order without bureaucracy or representative government. Infinite Wealth shows how the frantic change within organizations over the past twenty years, is part of a process of creating a new type of wealth creation enterprise enabled through the Internet. The transition from bureaucracy to mass privatization is part of a shift from an Industrial Age to an Information Age civilization. Two hundred years ago we did the same thing as all of the Agricultural Age social institutions were replaced by those of the Industrial Age. Today we are witnessing a shift towards owning partners or networks of self-directed teams connected through the Internet. It is a win/win collaboration where the more an individual partner wins the (financially and otherwise) more the organization, partners, customers and all stakeholders win. As we move closer to mass privatization, Internet based organizations arise with thousands of independent owning partners specializing in various niches.
Bill Devall	*Deep Ecology* This classic text of the environmental movement has influenced groups as diverse as The Nature Conservancy, Greenpeace, and Earth First! Devall and Sessions explore the emotional and spiritual underpinnings of humanity's ties to the earth in this deeply philosophical work. They link a plethora of sources in their exploration of Deep Ecology, including numerous religions, the words of such notables as David Brower, Aldo Leopold, and Edward Abbey, and the perspectives of many cultures. Despite all of this, though, I found it somewhat lacking. Not present is the graceful beauty of Aldo Leopold, nor the raw passion of John Muir. Perhaps this book might grow dog-eared with use in the library of a Philosophy Professor or a career activist, but I suspect that most people, like me, will find this book a bit dull. Call me simpleminded, but I was more deeply moved by Leopold's heartfelt musings on the chickadee in "A Sand County Almanac" than by Devall and Sessions' philosophical ruminations.
Jared Diamond	*Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed* Diamond chronicled the rise of human civilizations since the Ice Age. This time, he turns over the log and probes the rotted side—the demise of once-productive societies such as the Maya, Easter Islanders and Greenland Norse. He also sounds the alarm on environmental practices undermining modern societies, including China, Russia, Australia and the United States. Narrator Murney has his work cut out for him, even though this audiobook is abridged. The narrative, which spans the globe and the ages, is dense, overwhelmingly so at times. Diamond parses myriad ecological, geographical and biological impacts, from weather patterns to deforestation to sperm count. But Murney rises to the occasion. His engagement never flags, and he strikes all the proper notes of concern and warning. The delivery feels effortless, his tone a blend of newsreel narrator and professor-at-the-lectern. Diamond teaches geography at UCLA, and his prose style, unsurprisingly, contains shades of the lecture hall. In fact, given such abundant and oft-alarming information, listeners may feel the urge to take notes for the final exam. Though grounding materials such as photographs and maps would have made this audiobook easier to follow, their absence is a minor fault in an overall fine production.
Thomas Friedman	*The World is Flat* Thomas L. Friedman is not so much a futurist, which he is sometimes called, as a presentist. His aim in The World Is Flat, as in his earlier, influential Lexus and the Olive Tree, is not to give you a speculative preview of the wonders that are sure to come in your lifetime, but rather to get you caught up on the wonders that are already here. The world isn't going to be flat, it is flat, which gives Friedman's breathless narrative much of its urgency, and which also saves it from the Epcot-style polyester sheen that futurists—the optimistic ones at least—are inevitably prey to. *Hot, Flat and Crowded: Why We Need Green Revolution and How it Can Renew America* Friedman explains how global warming, rapidly growing populations, and the astonishing expansion of the world's middle class through globalization have produced a planet that is "hot, flat, and crowded." Already the earth is being affected in ways that threaten to make it dangerously unstable. In just a few years, it will be too late to fix things—unless the United States steps up now and takes the lead in a worldwide effort to replace our wasteful, inefficient energy practices with a strategy for clean energy, energy efficiency, and conservation that Friedman calls Code Green.
Van Jones	*The Green Collar Economy* As the "ecological crisis nears the boiling point," human rights activist and environmental leader Jones (president of the national organization Green For All) lays out a visionary, meticulous and practical explanation of the two major challenges the U.S. currently faces-massive socioeconomic inequality and imminent ecological catastrophe-and how the current third wave of environmentalism, the "investment" wave, can solve both.
Ugo Mattei and Laura Nader	*Plunder: When the Rule of Law is Illegal* "Without doubt this is an important book … Mattei and Nader have produced a courageous, intellectually refined, and superbly critical book about one of the main instruments of society-building in our culture. The book should find a wide audience in law classes, and in graduate courses of sociology, anthropology, and political sciences." (Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute)
Bill McKibben	*The End of Nature* "Whatever we once thought Nature was—wildness, God, a simple place free from human thumbprints, or an intricate machinery sustaining life on Earth—we have now given it a kick that will change it forever. Humanity has stepped across a threshold. In his free-ranging and provocative book, Bill McKibben explores the philosophies and technologies that have brought us here, and he shows how final a crossing we have made." —James Gleick *Deep Economy* Challenging the prevailing wisdom that the goal of economies should be unlimited growth, McKibben (The End of Nature) argues that the world doesn't have enough natural resources to sustain endless economic expansion. For example, if the Chinese owned cars in the same numbers as Americans, there would be 1.1 billion more vehicles on the road-untenable in a world that is rapidly running out of oil and clean air. Drawing the phrase "deep economy" from the expression "deep ecology," a term environmentalists use to signify new ways of thinking about the environment, he suggests we need to explore new economic ideas. Rather then promoting accelerated cycles of economic expansion-a mindset that has brought the world to the brink of environmental disaster-we should concentrate on creating localized economies: community-scale power systems instead of huge centralized power plants; cohousing communities instead of sprawling suburbs. He gives examples of promising ventures of this type, such as a community-supported farm in Vermont and a community biosphere reserve, or large national park-like area, in Himalayan India, but some of the ideas-local currencies as supplements to national money, for example-seem overly optimistic. Nevertheless, McKibben's proposals for new, less growth-centered ways of thinking about economics are intriguing, and offer hope that change is possible.
Robert Thayer, Jr.	*Lifeplace: Bioregional Thought and Practice* In a world gone insanely global, this book takes us deeper into the microcosm. A bioregion is defined by nature, not by politics, and having intimate connection with your home means living within that context - historically, geographically, and culturally.
Alan Weisman	*The World Without Us* What exactly would happen to the earth if human life disappeared? The author explores a few different scenarios in great detail (including a suddenly depopulated Manhattan). Absolutely addictive reading.
Design
Jan Martin Bank	*Ecovillages: A Practical Guide to Sustainable Communities* Documenting some of the successful Ecovillages around the world, the author shows us how groups of people have come together to live out the permaculture model in both rural and urban environments.
Janine M. Benyus	*Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature* We've thus far create a modern world based on artificial ideals, but nature, which runs on sunlight and creates no waste, holds the solution to many modern problems. This isn't a "back to nature" book, but rather a book proposing thoroughly modern technologies that copy nature's best traits.
Eric Corey Freed	*Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies* Written by the founds of organicArchitect this book is a comprehensive guide to green building materials and techniques, energy and water systems, and the pros and cons of everything.
McCamant, Durett, and Hertzman	*Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves* If you think intentional communities are too much like communes, but typical modern housing creates too much isolation, cohousing may be the answer you're looking for. Explore these European neighborhoods build with the aim of fostering community while simultaneously respecting each family's personal space.
Alan Savory and Jody Butterfield	*Holistic Management: A New Framework for Decision Making* A great read for business people and managers-particularly those in charge of large areas of land. This book views people, economics and the environment as interconnected. Using holistic management techniques, we can make decisions that take all factors into account, for both short and long term.
Energy
Sherry Boschert	*Plug-in Hybrids: The Cars That Will Recharge America* A politically polarized America is coming together over a new kind of car-the plug-in hybrid that will save drivers money, reduce pollution, and increase US security by reducing dependence on imported oil.
Dan Chiras	*Power from the Wind: Achieving Energy Independence* Faced with frequent power outages, skyrocketing energy costs, and constant reminders of the impacts of conventional energy sources, homeowners and businesses are beginning to explore ways to use energy more efficiently and to generate their own electricity to reduce fuel bills and their carbon footprint and to achieve greater independence.
	*The New Ecological Home: A Complete Guide to Green Building Options* Today, a new generation of architects and builders is emerging, intent on creating homes that meet human needs for shelter while causing only a fraction of the environmental impact of conventional housing. The New Ecological Home provides an overview of green building techniques, materials, products, and technologies that are either currently available or will be in the near future. Author Daniel Chiras provides a wealth of up-to-date, practical information for home buyers, owner-builders, and anyone interested in building for a sustainable future
Simple Living
Sam Davidson and Stephen Moseley	*New Day Revolution* New Day Revolution shows you how small changes in your daily routine can make a big difference. Next time you throw out the juice carton, take five seconds to compact it and save space in the landfill, or grab an extra box of crayons for your local school when you buy a box for your child. For people who feel they have little time, this first book from the duo that launched CoolPeopleCare.org gives helpful hints, practical tips, and step by step instructions on how to make a big difference in the local community and the world at-large with whatever time you have. We can't all be Jack Bauer, running down bad guys and defusing bombs - but we can all make an impact where we are with what we've got.
Bill Devall	*Living Richly in an Age of Limits* Devall's first book, Deep Ecology, explained the deep, long-range ecology philosophy. His next book, Simple in Means, Rich in Ends, discussed suggestions for putting the philosophy to work. Now comes a progress report focusing on practical suggestions for modifications that can enrich our lifestyles without hurting the rest of the world.
Duane Elgin	*Voluntary Simplicity* Living with less "stuff" can mean living with more purpose, balance and connection. Here's the inspiration you need to scale back on material goods an make more room for the priceless things that money can't buy.
William McDonough Michael Braungart	*Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things* Why settle for a throwaway culture? This book inspires elegant design solution, stating that every single product must either go back to the earth or back into industry to be made into something else. A revolutionary way of upgrading the Industrial Revolution.
Spirituality
Carol Johnston	*And the Leaves of the Trees are for the Healing of the Nations* This booklet is a short but very clear explanation of how the Bible is green through and through: it is about the alienation of human beings from God and God's creation, and how God has acted again and again to restore right relations between God, human beings, and the rest of creation.
Steven Rockerfeller and John Elder	*Spirit and Nature: Why the Environment is a Religious Issue—An Interfaith Dialogue* This fine volume (as well as a 1991 PBS documentary by Bill Moyers) grew out of a convocation at Middlebury College that assessed the spiritual dimensions of the world's ongoing environmental crisis. Rockefeller ( John Dewey: Religious Faith and Democratic Humanism ) and Elder (co-editor of The Norton Book of Nature Writing ) assembled an excellent panel of theologians and environmentalists, representing Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Islamic, Native American and other traditions. Ismar Schorsch, chancellor of New York's Jewish Theological Seminary, reflects upon whether Judaism's legal regulation of humankind's relationship with nature might promote self-restraint and help us adapt to a world of diminished resources. Methodist theologian Sallie McFague discusses how theologians might help us reimagine ourselves by reconsidering the central images from metaphors of dominion to those of interrelatedness. The Dalai Lama suggests that we see environmentalism as a "practical ethic,"117 simply "taking care of our own house." These uniformly strong contributions offer a good start toward asking whether religion might, at once, marshal its resources and find a renewed sense of purpose in helping save the planet.
Whole Food/Slow Food Movement
Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen	*The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City* The Urban Homesteads the essential handbook for a fast-growing new movement: urbanites are becoming gardeners and farmers. Rejecting both end-times hand wringing and dewy-eyed faith that technology will save us from ourselves, urban homesteaders choose instead to act. By growing their own food and harnessing natural energy, they are planting seeds for the future of our cities.
The Findhorn Community	*The Findhorn Garden: Pioneering a New Vision of Man and Nature in Cooperation* The founders of Findhorn were guided to begin growing a garden (including tomatoes, roses and tropical's) on an infertile, sandy plot in cold coastal Scotland. The quality and quantity of what they grew stunned horticulturists around the world. Enjoy this photo-filled book and learn the surprising secret of their success.
Barbara Kingsolver	*Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life* A great read for the locavores. The author spends a year eating only from her garden, or that which is locally grown or raised. A foodie's delight, this book proves how richly one can live off the land.
Bill Mollison	*Introduction to Permaculture* The classic text on permaculture design (which is too limited to gardens, but can also be used to design homes, communities and societies in general). An excellent introduction for the aspiring student or someone who just wants to know what it's all about.
Michal Pollan	*The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals* Follow a McDonald's meal back to a cornfield in Iowa. Learn about the differences between large and small organic farms. See what it's like to hung and gather for oneself. Food is what builds our bodies-we ought to know what it takes to build our food.
Alice Waters	*Edible Schoolyard: A Universal Idea* One of America's most influential chefs Alice Waters created a revolution in 1971 when she introduced local organic fare at her Berkeley California restaurant Chez Panisse. Twenty-five years later she and a small group of teachers and volunteers turned over long-abandoned soil at an urban middle school in Berkeley and planted the Edible Schoolyard. The schoolyard has since grown into a universal idea of Edible Education that integrates academics with growing cooking and sharing wholesome delicious food. With inspiring images of the garden and kitchen and their young caretakers Edible Schoolyard is at once a visionary model for sustainable farming and childhood nutrition and a call to action for schools across the country.
David Wolfe	*Eating for Beauty* Leading raw food is David Wolfe takes that old adage "you are what you eat" to a new level. He describes how what you eat literally creates who you are, and which foods will create the most beautiful you-in body and in spirit.

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Pp. 162 - 172: "Direct Democracy"

Latest Blog Entry
Since happiness has increased with income in the past, we assumed it would do so in the future. However, it is a fallacy. McKibben’s aim in Deep Economy is relatively modest. It is to change minds, to present a new mental model of the possible. He suggests more progress toward local economies. His analysis of localization for food, radio, and energy, can be applied to almost any commodity. If we start thinking a little differently we can do the same for our democracy.

Bill McKibben, "Pursuing Prosperity and Local Sustainability"
Monday, Nov. 9,
CE – Campus Center Room: 450