Earth Fever

Book excerpt: The human species is in a rather precarious situation. Poverty, the energy and financial crises, and above all the challenge of climate change mean that our civilization has come to a dangerous edge. Our safety nets-on both collective and individual levels-havebeen removed.Can we create a future that allows for a dignified society and a peaceful world? With a change of consciousness and a new spirituality, we may. Authors Judy McAllister, Erik van Praag, and Jan Paul van Soest bring to bear their diverse experience in the fields of sustainability, leadership, and entrepreneurialism on the challenge of building a radically different belief system about life such an endeavor will require. Along with the wisdom of international opinion leaders-including management consultant Peter Senge; Jeroen van der Veer, the former CEO of Royal Dutch Shell; cultural creative Paul Ray; Herman Wijffels, former governor at the World Bank; and others-Earth Fever delves into what is needed to bring about this essential new way of thinking."Links a crisp and clear explanation of the climate problem to aspiritual quest for solutions... Earth Fever is something special... Read it and subsequently do something."-Pierre de Winter, in Platform for Managers and Professionals"Ends with a positive, hopeful scenario. Living more consciously is not only good for our planet, but also for ourselves... The fever can be decreased, we can become healthy again."-Lisette Thooft, in Happinez"Inspiring... The authors show that there is a third way, a path that weaves between doomsday thinking and unfounded optimism..."-Derk Hueting and Klaas van Egmond, in Milieu