Between a rock and a hard place? What the structure of New Zealand society means for greens & the Greens.

8 Tribes: The Hidden Classes of New Zealand (by Jill Caldwell & Christopher Brown) is a thought provoking little book about New Zealand society. It certainly has some significant gaps and omissions – lumping most Maori, Polynesian and other large-family non-European immigrant New Zealanders into the ‘Otara’ tribe is one of them, and silence about [...]

The economy as an environmentally and socially destructive treadmill

To make progress on sustainability, greens, environmentalists, conservationists, nature lovers, and outdoor recreationists must recognise that simply espousing and advocating sustainable development is not nearly enough to bring it about in any meaningful way.
It is necessary to understand the logic of the existing economic system, its political and social institutions, and what drives this system [...]

Economics for a Crowded Planet

The global challenges of poverty, environmental degradation, and climate change, can seem overwhelming – even downright depressing – when faced squarely. The problems are big, and achieving international cooperation to do anything about them can seem a forlorn hope faced with a global political culture of distrust and myopic self-interest.
So it is encouraging to read [...]

The New Scientist on “Why our economy is killing the planet”

In its issue of 18 October 2008, the New Scientist published a collection of nine short commentaries on the folly of growth. They are now on open access and make for essential reading for anyone concerned about the future of planet Earth.
For greens in particular, the articles provide welcome backing for a founding principle of the [...]