TY - GEN AU - Washington, Haydn TI - Demystifying sustainability: towards real solutions SN - 9781138812697 U1 - 333.717 PY - 2015/// CY - New York PB - Routledge KW - N1 - CONTENTS List of figures Foreword WILLIAM REES Acknowledgments 1.Introduction: sustainability - seeking clarity in the mist The 'old' sustainability: a story of listening and harmony A history of caring 8 Modernism and the decline of harmony 11 Tlie revolt against modernism 12 C onclusion 14 2.The 1960s to the present: key conferences and statements The fabulous 1960s and 1970s 17 Key conferences and reports 20 3.Rise of the 'new' sustainability - the weak and the strong Destination or journey? 29 Is 'sustainable development' a code for sustainable growth? 30 Docs 'sustainable development' equal sustainability? 33 Sustainability - the 'weak', the 'strong' and the 'strongest' 38 Conclusion 42 4.Economic sustainability: coming to grips with endless growth 47 Tlie underlying assumptions of neoclassical economics 51 The steady state economy 54 Degrowth and the circular economy 55 Endless growth and 'growthmania' 56 Reductionism, economic modelling and the 'fallacy of misplaced concreteness' 58 ' Resources are infinite', techno-centrism and substitution 59 The ethics of economics 60 Tlie 'green' economy 61 Wliat should economic sustainability mean? 62 5. Ecological sustainability - essential but overlooked Do we have a problem? 72 Human dependence on Nature 73 Tlieory and the 'balance of Nature' 79 Wfiat should ecological sustainability mean? 86 6.Social sustainability - Utopian dream or practical path to change? 94 Introduction 94 Utopia 95 Wliat is fair? Equity and equality 96 Wliat is just - and for whom? 99 Social cohesion and capital - keeping it 'together' to act 100 Democracy 101 Governance 101 War and conflict 104 Tlie practicality of social sustainability 104 Wliat should social sustainability be? 106 Overpopulation and overconsumption Overpopulation 114 Dealing with consumerism and overconsumption 119 Dematerialising our economy 122 Beyond 'triple bottom line', 'eco-efficiency' and the 'small and easy' approach 125 Alternatives to the consumer society 129 Dealing with the heresy of more 129 Worldview and ethics in 'sustainability' Worldview, ethics, values and ideologies 137 Anthropocentrism 141 Anthropocentrism in 'sustainable development' 143 Ideologies - modernism 144 Intrinsic value and the revolt against modernism 144 Deep ecology 145 Ideologies - postmodernism 146 Questioning reality and 'Nature scepticism' 147 A sense of wonder 149 Anti-spirituality in Western culture 151 How do we bridge the great divide? 151 9 An unsustainable denial Believing in stupid things 160 Scepticism vs denial 161 Denial is common 161 The history of denial 163 I deological basis for denial 166 Psychological types of denial 167 Ways we let denial prosper 170 Conclusion 172 10.Appropriate technology for sustainability Appropriate technology 177 Renewable energy technologies 180 Inappropriate technologies 184 Conclusion 187 11. Solutions for sustainability Can we know what future generations will want? 191 Solutions - pluralism vs specificity 192 Demystification - what meaningful sustainability cannot be 193 Wliat sustainability should be? 195 Is it too late? Optimism, pessimism and realism 196 Solutions 199 Worldview, ethics, values and ideologies 199 Redesigning ourselves to enable change 200 Population 201 Consumerism and the growth economy 202 Solving climate change 202 Appropriate technology: a renewable future 203 Reducing Poverty and inequality 204 Education and communication 205 The politics of it all 207 The Great Work 208 Can we demistify sustainability 208 Index 215 ER -