Saving Energy, Growing Jobs: How Environmental Protection Promotes Economic Growth, Profitability, Innovation, and Competition by David B. Goldstein, Olympia J. Snowe (Foreword by)

From the Publisher

The idea that we must choose between a healthy environment and a healthy economy is a myth, says David Goldstein. Not only do well-conceived environmental regulations create more jobs, in the long run they contribute to more efficient designs and less expensive products. Standing between us and a cleaner, more prosperous society is the resistance of economic incumbents and a misplaced ideological opposition to any kind of regulation, even though it might prove beneficial.

Publishers Weekly

Challenging the myths that aggressive environmental protections necessarily undermine the American economy and that corporate America must oppose progressive environmental policies, MacArthur ("genius award") fellow Goldstein aims for the middle ground in this pragmatic, heavy-going effort. The energy program director for the National Resource Defense Council, Goldstein favors didactic analysis and footnote-buttressed assertion over illustrative anecdote-though a paragraph about his kitchen redesign, which used reflected rather than directed light to make reading cookbooks easier while cutting energy use by 95%, does add a personal touch. For general readers, the book's most accessible section recounts the success of energy efficiency mandates and technological advances, such as light-emitting diodes used in traffic and Christmas tree lights; smaller, more efficient air conditioning units that comply with 1992 nationwide standards; and refrigerator redesigns forced by regulations starting in 1977 that have cut the cost of a new fridge in half. "If business and environmentalists work together... we can improve competitiveness and growth while we make the world a place we can leave to our grandchildren with a sense of pride," Goldstein concludes. (Feb.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kristin Whitehair - Library Journal

These three works argue that economic success is not at odds with environmental interests. Streever, formerly a research ecologist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, takes readers on-site to nine ventures where environmental interests are economically succeeding, including a Georgia carpet plant and the New Orleans water system. This approach offers limited background and contextual information about the overall environmental movement. Throughout the text, Streever clearly identifies the major obstacle to a green economy: the fact that environmental costs are not internalized. However, no solution is offered.

Economist Henderson and journalist Sethi, the producer and host/scriptwriter of Ethical Markets, respectively, feature numerous profiles of companies and individuals who are leading the environmental movement. Following each chapter is a brief interview with a leader in the area addressed by the chapter. Just as in Streever's book, the numerous quotes from various individuals here fail to provide background information and analysis supporting arguments advanced by the authors.

Goldstein (energy program director, Natural Resources Defense Council) effectively takes an alternative approach through three main areas, further dissecting the subject by citing examples and data regarding national and international trends. Moving beyond Streever's and Henderson and Sethi's scant analysis, Goldstein offers in-depth discussion of the economic situation and government regulations. Additionally, he readily acknowledges problems of the "real world" and offers workable solutions to address these problems. Although all three works make the same argument and are intendedforpublic and undergraduate libraries, only Goldstein's lays a sound foundation for this contention and provides substantial evidence and historical examples to support it; only his book is recommended.

Product Details

• ISBN: 0972002162
  
• ISBN-13: 9780972002165
• Format: Paperback, 333pp
• Publisher: Bay Tree Publishing
• Pub. Date: April 2007
• Sales Rank: 331,912

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents