Good Reading

In “Good Reading” we’re promoting a book that can save the world!

Plan B 2.0 - Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble.

by Lester R. Brown of the Earth Policy Institute

“A great book which should wake up humankind!”–Klaus Schwab, World Economic Forum

Learn more at the Earth Policy Institute website: PLAN B 2.0

"Modern agriculture depends heavily on the use of gasoline and diesel fuel...[and] the amount of oil that food will buy is falling precipitously [and] the world farm economy--already srugglling to fed 6.5 million people--will face far greater demands" as weak food and feed crop pricesdrive commodities like vegetable oil and corn to the fuel producers. Already with the US biofuel subsidy program, people south of the border are finding it harder to afford to buy tortillas. Corn is ending up in service stations instead of in people's stomachs.

Plan B describes this and other critical problems of emerging water shortage and rising temperatures and rising sea level, shrinking forests and a socially divided world. An appropriate response is presented in the context of the exciting option of building a new economy by shifting taxes and subsidies, to making things that last and can be repaired and recycled, to voting with our wallets for environmentally responsible products,and investing in new industries and creating new jobs, including wind and solar power generation, tree-planting and aquaculture. "Those who participate in building the new economy will be the winners. Those who cling to the past risk becoming part of it....The choice will be made by our generation, but it will affect life on eareth for all generations to come."

Rincon-Vitova Insectaries joined the Plan B Team by buying 5 copies and giving them away. You, too, can join the team of people who buy 5 or more copies for colleagues, policymakers, friends, and others. A 73-year old woman in Oregon purchased 22 copies of Plan B 2.0, half of which went to her library because when she went to check out the book she found there were 11 other people ahead of her in line. She didn't want people to wait to read this important book. She also goes into schools and local stores and posts EPI's brochure on their bulletin boards.

Order PLAN B 2.0 on-line or through your local bookstore.

Single copies are $17.00.

Bulk rates are available for paperback editions

of any combination of Earth Policy books.
# books
2-4: $14 ea.
5-10: $12 ea.
11-20: $11 ea.
21-40: $10 ea.
41-100: $9 ea.
101+: $8 ea.

The other book on our must-read list:

THE PESTICIDE CONSPIRACY

Robert van den Bosch

Published 1978, the year of his death.

Biocontrol Researcher Robert van den Bosch

1950's photo of University of California Riverside Faculty

While Chairing the Division of Biological Control, University of California at Berkeley, Professor van den Bosch wrote:

“As a veteran researcher in insect control, I have long been disturbed by the dishonest, irresponsible, and dangerous nature of our prevailing chemical control strategy, but I am even more distressed by the knowledge that this simplistic strategy cannot possibly contain the versatile, prolific, and adaptable insects.” The Pesticide Conspiracy, p. 6.

 

“It took me a long time to recognize the existence of the pesticide mafia, and if I had done so earlier in my career I might have been intimidated by it and retreated into my burrow. But now I am too old to care and so I just rear back and blast away at the obscenity. I suppose that this is a dangerous game, but what can a Mafioso do to an old bombardier beetle except step on it? There are worse fates!” The Pesticide Conspiracy , p. 59.

 

"Scientists are molded to seek the truth and tell it. This ethic is the driving force of my life and I expect it in other scientists. Thus to me it is always a shattering emotional experience when I learn of some devious antic by a scientist or a scientific institution." The Pesticide Conspiracy, p. 127.

DESCRIPTION FROM UC PRESS WEBSITE

Professor van den Bosch of the University of California was one of the developers of Integrated Pest Management--the use of biological controls, improved pest knowledge and observation, and judicious application of chemicals only when absolutely necessary. His research often suggested that less or no pesticides should be applied, which made him the target of both open and clandestine attack from industry and government figures. In protest, he wrote this passionate account of what Ecology called "the ultimate social disaster of: evolving pesticide-resistant insects, the destruction of their natural predators and parasites, emergent populations of new insect pests, downstream water pollution, atmospheric pollution, the 'accidental' killing of wildlife and people, and the bankruptcies of indigenous and small farmers."

Order for $25 on-line

or Email: orders@cpfsinc.com

or call UC Press:

Toll-free: 1-800-UC-BOOKS or 1-800-777-4726
Toll-free fax: 1-800-999-1958
Customer service: 1-609-883-1759

The van den Bosch family welcomes support through book sales and contributions to the Robert van den Bosch Memorial Scholarship in Biological Control. Learn more about the Memorial Scholarship Fund at http://nature.berkeley.edu/biocon/ and soon to be published at http://www.aaie.net/ in the fall 2006 Bulletin of the Association of Applied IPM Ecologists.

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