Publisher Description

For more than three decades, David Orr has been one of the leading voices of the environmental movement, championing the cause of ecological literacy in higher education, helping to establish and shape the field of ecological design, and working tirelessly to raise awareness of the threats to future generations posed by humanity's current unsustainable trajectory. Hope Is an Imperative brings together in a single volume Professor Orr's most important works. These include classics such as "What Is Education For?," one of the most widely reprinted essays in the environmental literature.

Author Biography

David W. Orr is the Paul Sears Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics at Oberlin College and the author of six previous books.

Table of Contents

PART I. The FundamentalsChapter 1. Verbicide (1999)Chapter 2. Slow Knowledge (1996)Chapter 3. Speed (1998)Chapter 4. Love (1992)Chapter 5. Reflections on Water and Oil (1990)Chapter 6. Gratitude (2007)Chapter 7. Orr's Laws (2005) PART II. On SustainabilityChapter 8. Walking North on a Southbound Train (2003)Chapter 9. Four Challenges of Sustainability (2006)Chapter 10. The Problem of Sustainability (1988)Chapter 11. Two Meanings of Sustainability (1988)Chapter 12. Leverage (2001)Chapter 13. Shelf-Life (2009)Chapter 14. The Constitution of Nature (2003)Chapter 15. Diversity (2003)Chapter 16. All Sustainability is Local: New Wilmington, Pennsylvania (1994) PART III. On Ecological DesignChapter 17. Designing Minds (1992)Chapter 18. Loving Children: A Design Problem (2002)Chapter 19. Further Reflections on Architecture as Pedagogy (1997)Chapter 20. The Origins of Ecological Design (2006)Chapter 21. The Design Revolution: Notes for Practitioners (2006) PART IV. On EducationChapter 22. Place as Teacher (2006)Chapter 23. The Problem of Education (1988)Chapter 24. What is Education For? (1990)Chapter 25. Some Thoughts on Intelligence (1992)Chapter 26. Ecological Literacy (1987)Chapter 27. Place and Pedagogy (1989)Chapter 28. The Liberal Arts, the Campus, and the Biosphere (1990) PART V. On Energy and ClimateChapter 29. Pascal's Wager and Economics in a Hotter Time (1988)Chapter 30. The Carbon Connection (2007)Chapter 31. 2020: A Proposal (2000)Chapter 32. Baggage: The Case for Climate Mitigation (2009)Chapter 33. Long-Tails and Ethics: Thinking about the Unthinkable (2010)Chapter 34. Hope (in a Hotter Time) (2007)Chapter 35. At the End of Our Tether? The Rationality of Non-Violence (2008) SourcesAbout David W. Orr

Review

"Hope Is an Imperative is a compilation of some of the most provocative and poignant essays of distinguished American environmental studies professor and writer David Orr...the wisdom in this anthology can provide inspiration and ideas for how to apply sustainability principles into your teaching programs, community, and life."-- "Green Teacher"
"Like our other environmental heros, Rachel Carson and Aldo Leopold, David Orr's genius likes in his ability to bring together the practical wisdom of the ecological sciences, the moral clarity of ethics, and the power of incisive prose. Hope is an Imperative is a gift of enduring insight and imagination, a source of hope in itself."--Kathleen Dean Moore "author of Wild Comfort"

Long Description

For more than three decades, David Orr has been one of the leading voices of the environmental movement, championing the cause of ecological literacy in higher education, helping to establish and shape the field of ecological design, and working tirelessly to raise awareness of the threats to future generations posed by humanity's current unsustainable trajectory. Hope Is an Imperative brings together in a single volume Professor Orr's most important works. These include classics such as "What Is Education For?,a one of the most widely reprinted essays in the environmental literature, "The Campus and the Biosphere,a which helped launch the green campus movement,and "Loving Children: A Design Problem,a which renowned theologian and philosopher Thomas Berry called "the most remarkable essay I've read in my whole life.a The book features thirty-three essays, along with an introductory section that considers the evolution of environmentalism, section introductions that place the essays into a larger context, and a foreword by physicist and author Fritjof Capra. Hope Is an Imperative is a comprehensive collection of works by one of the most important thinkers and writers of our time. It offers a complete introduction to the writings of David Orr for readers new to the field, and represents a welcome compendium of key essays for longtime fans. The book is a must-have volume for every environmentalist's bookshelf.

Review Text

"[Orr] provides clear analysis of issues and lays out ethical and practical actions ... I gained insight and inspiration from nearly every page of this book, as evidenced by a nearly dry highlighter ... should be mandatory yearly reading for all those in the field of education... Get the book. You won't regret it ... The clarity of the arguments and the inspiration provided in this collection will increase the measure of your life's work thereafter."

Review Quote

"David Orr is a treasure trove of provocative thought as he probes the treacherous fault lines leading to unsustainable communities and ecological collapse. He challenges us to tear down the walls of separation between analytical science and intergenerational love and to ponder knowledge in search of life-sustaining wisdom."

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