The ecology of commerce

This book opened my eyes to the necessity of changing the global economy to reflect true cost and human reality. Well-written and full of practical and achievable goals, this book really brings the idealogical debate over environmentalism down to earth. Hawken effectively demonstrates that not only can capitalism be re-invented, but that it MUST be reinvented. He makes the case for businesses to pave the way to a renewable future, and we would do well to listen. Corporations and the drive to profit are not the enemy: the economic system which rewards waste and degradation of the earth is.

This is a great book that follows the consumption of goods in our society and the overall impact from the externalized costs to the way almost all commerce has a global impact.

A great read especially in these times. A good video I saw recently that would compliment this is at www.thestoryofstuff.com - check it out!

This book has been an enormous shaping influence on me since I read it in 1993 or 1994 (props to the librarians at the Uptown branch of the Minneapolis Public Library for displaying it prominently!). It was my first introduction to the concept of circular economy and social metabolism generally.