September 17th, 2008
The main thesis of this book is that never ending economic growth turns out not to be such a wonderful idea. There’s lots of discussion about how local economies are good and far flung supply lines are liable to get disrupted, especially with cheap liquid transportation fuels getting expensive.
Most of the examples used to illustrate this are from agriculture, and so the book covers a lot of the same ground as The Omnivore’s Dilemma which I read a little while ago.
It’s probably a good book for someone who hasn’t already read a lot of books about sustainability, but I got bored, and felt like the author was preaching to the converted.
Nonetheless, I did learn a few interesting things, like how Bhutan stopped caring about Gross National Product, and replaced it with Gross National Happiness, and how non-mechanized farming actually produces more food per acre (but less per dollar) than industrial agriculture.
Knowing this kind of trivia makes me very popular at cocktail parties.
I give Deep Economy 4 Jihadis out of 5.
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September 16th, 2008
It’s getting chilly in the morning. I wore my long pants for the ride in today.
Today: 10 miles
Sept: 102 miles
2008 Utility Miles: 317
2008 Total Miles: 637 miles
Posted in Cycling, Ride Reports | No Comments »
September 15th, 2008
Today: 10 miles
Sept: 92 miles
2008 Utility Miles: 307
2008 Total Miles: 627 miles
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September 13th, 2008
I went for a ride down to the Camp Hill Giant to see Brandi and eat some grilled eggplant off the “Mediterranean Bar”
It was hot and miserable out today. I’m wiped out.
Today: 28 miles
Sept: 82 miles
2008 Utility Miles: 297
2008 Total Miles: 617 miles
Posted in Cycling, Ride Reports, vegetarianism | 2 Comments »
September 12th, 2008
This book is a biography of a local gentleman who was kind of a pioneer in forest management with the state forest service. He invented our state “conservation areas” by donating 350 acres of his own land to the state.
It’s always weird to read a biography of a guy who’s still living, and this one gushes with glowing adoration. The author obviously looks at Ibberson as a hero. You’d think the guy never made an enemy or a mistake in his whole life.
I’m not saying that Ibberson isn’t a hero, he is, but I don’t think it’s the mark of a good biographer to have things so one-sided.
Nonetheless, there’s some good history about the early days of the forestry service, including some political intrigue such as when Penn State took over the Forestry Academy at Mont Alto and caused a nasty schism between rangers trained at Mont Alto and those from Penn State.
Pretty dorky reading, to be sure, but I like that kind of thing.
I give A Forester’s Legacy 3 Jihadis out of 5
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