Treasures of the earth : need, greed, and a sustainable future / Saleem H. Ali.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ali, Saleem H. (Saleem Hassan), 1973-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Consumption (Economics)--Environmental aspects.

Consumption (Economics).

Consumption (Economics)--Moral and ethical aspects.

Sustainable development.

Environmental policy.

Natural resources--Environmental aspects.

Natural resources.

Raw materials--Environmental aspects.

Raw materials.

Conservation of natural resources.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (320 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

New Haven ; London : Yale University Press, c2009.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Would the world be a better place if human societies were somehow able to curb their desires for material goods? Saleem Ali's pioneering book links human wants and needs by providing a natural history of consumption and materialism with scientific detail and humanistic nuance. It argues that simply disavowing consumption of materials is not likely to help in planning for a resource-scarce future, given global inequality, development imperatives, and our goals for a democratic global society. Rather than suppress the creativity and desire to discover that is often embedded in the exploration and production of material goods-which he calls "the treasure impulse"-Ali proposes a new environmental paradigm, one that accepts our need to consume "treasure" for cultural and developmental reasons, but warns of our concomitant need to conserve. In evaluating the impact of treasure consumption on resource-rich countries, he argues that there is a way to consume responsibly and alleviate global poverty.

Contents:

Frontmatter

CONTENTS

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION: ALCHEMY OF A MATERIAL WORLD

PART I. THE PLEA SURE OF TREASURE

PART II. TOIL AND TREASURE

PART III. MEASURE FOR MEA SURE

APPENDIX: NOTABLE MINERALS AND THEIR HUMAN USES

NOTES

INDEX

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1-282-35236-9

9786612352362

0-300-15567-0

OCLC:

586149784