Sustainable Lifestyles

If They Give You Lined Paper, Write Sideways.

In "Ishmael," Daniel Quinn offered new ways of seeing and understanding human history, and our collective future. His message was transformative for millions of people, and "Ishmael" continues to attract tens of thousands of new readers each year. Subsequent works, such as "The Story of B" and "My Ishmael," expanded upon his insights and teachings, but only now does he finally tackle the one question he has been asked hundreds of times but has never taken on: "How do you do what you do?" In "If They Give You Lined Paper, Write Sideways "Quinn elucidates for readers the methods behind his own thought processes, challenging and ultimately empowering them to view the world for themselves in creative, perhaps even revolutionary ways. "If They Give You Lines Paper, Write Sideways" also includes Quinn’s never-before-published essays "The New Renaissance" and "Our Religions." There is a scientific consensus that global warming is approaching a tipping point beyond no return faster than had previously been predicted. Quinn has long portrayed humans as "a species of beings, which, while supposedly rational, are destroying the very planet they live on." So what are we to do? There has never been a plan for the future – and there never will be. But something extraordinary will happen in the next two or three decades; the people of our culture will learn to live sustainably – or not. Either way, it will be extraordinary. The sooner we understand this reality, the greater the chances that human society will transform itself so that the human race might have a future.

In his bestseller “Affluenza,” David Wann and his co-authors diagnosed the debilitating disease of over-consumption. In “Simple Prosperity” he shows readers how we can overcome this disease by investing in a variety of real wealth sources. To recapture a more abundant and sustainable lifestyle, try: – Creating a richer life story through personal growth incentives – Forming higher-yield friendships and stronger bonds through social capital – Taking preventive healthcare measures to build up wellness reserves – Balancing the biological budget through “greener” currency – Caring for people, not just cars, to improve your neighborhood wealth index – Resolving that pesky carbon conundrum through energy savings – Celebrating instead of desecrating Cultural prosperity futures value the earth as a sacred place In our age of hedge fund hysteria, “Simple Prosperity” is a new way of investing that will save our sanity and the planet.

Based on two highly acclaimed PBS documentaries watched by 10 million viewers, “Affluenza uses the whimsical metaphor of a disease to tackle a very serious subject: the damage done — to our health, our families, our communities, and our environment — by the obsessive quest for material gain. In cleverly titled chapters like “Swollen Expectations” and “A Rash of Bankruptcies,” the authors examine the origins, evolution, and symptoms of the affluenza epidemic. Yet they also explore cures and suggest strategies for rebuilding families and communities and for restoring and respecting the earth. Demonstrating that now, more than ever, Americans need ways of fighting the affliction, this edition includes a new introduction and updated figures, adds information on the impacts of stress and overwork, and provides an in-depth look at various campaigns and movements offering solutions for today’s problems. Engaging, fast-paced, and accessible, it reexamines a serious, far-reaching issue for a wide audience.

In “Simple Prosperity,” Dave Wann showed readers how to have an abundant, sustainable life. In “The New Normal,” he challenges us to do some heavy lifting and transform our non-sustainable culture by transforming ourselves. For Wann, our current “old normal” lifestyle – buying water in disposable bottles, allowing the government to ignore global warming – will not preserve the planet. To nurture our world, he challenges us to rethink our lives, stand up for a healthy planet and move towards a “new normal” lifestyle in an agenda that includes: – Initiating local business alliances that actively lobby for local buying.- Creating an investment strategy that values the balance of nature.- Supporting the design, manufacture, and use of products made with natural chemicals.- Publicly advocating a more efficient use of water by placing a higher cultural value on wetlands, streams, rivers, and lakes.The New Normal is Dave Wann’s way forward, a blueprint for a better life that preserves our world.