Fall 2011 Common Reader: “Plan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization”Book Title:“Plan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization” Author:Lester R. Brown About the bookPlan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization has been described as a call to action for those who believe that the health of the planet and the quality of life of all human beings can and must be improved in unison. You may have seen the PBS documentary, Journey to Planet Earth (http://www.pbs.org/journeytoplanetearth ), which is based on Plan B 4.0. What is a "common reader"?A common reader is a book that is assigned to all first-year students to read before they arrive on campus. The purpose of a common reader is to integrate you into the University learning community as early as possible. When students, regardless major area of study, read a common text, a shared learning experience is possible. A common reading allows various experiences, reactions, and perspectives to be exchanged and discussed. All first-year students are expected to read this book before arriving for fall term classes. Why was this book selected?Plan B 4.0 was selected because the author presents a well-reasoned discussion of the need for sustainable development policies which focus on the relationship between a healthy environment and the health, welfare, and dignity of all human beings. Concrete steps to stabilize growth, eradicate poverty, and protect the environment are developed in dialogue with the Millennium Development Goals. This book fits well with the philosophy of the general education curriculum that comprehensive knowledge is possible only if multiple perspectives and connections are understood. This book will also help students begin to understand the personal and social commitments necessary to address social problems and to accept responsibility for developing communities based on care and concern for others. The common reader was selected by the General Education Curriculum Committee, a 14-member group of faculty who teach general education-distribution requirements courses. How will this book be used?Many first year classes, such as Fundaments of Speech, First-Year Composition, The Meaning of History, Introduction to Sociology and Biological Foundations will use the book as part of one or more assignments. Related eventsOn October 25, 2011, Barry University will host a one-day mini-conference on “Global Hunger: Eradicating Food Scarcity/Fostering Food Justice.” This exciting all day event will include panel presentations and discussions, guest speakers from local community-based agencies, film screenings, service opportunities, and many other interesting sessions. The goal of the conference, which will be geared to undergraduate students, is to explore in depth one of the key global issues discussed in Plan B 4.0: food scarcity. Food scarcity results when populations cannot support themselves with local production. However, while developing countries are experiencing food shortages and insecurity, people in developed countries are spending more of their income on food that is often making them less healthy. In addition, because agribusiness practices are often damaging to local ecosystems, the environmental degradation that results further jeopardizes food production and escalates food costs. In the weeks after the conference, students may choose to participate in poetry/writing contest, where prize-money will be awarded for the best entries. Attending conference sessions and relating the information to the reader may be required or optional assignments for many classes. Instructors may require attendance to the conference as part of a class assignment. Buying itAvailable at the Barry Bookstore and most retail outlets. You may also access electronic copies of each chapter at http://www.earth-policy.org/books/pb4/pb4_table_of_contents About the authorLester R. Brown is President of Earth Policy Institute (http://www.earth-policy.org ), a nonprofit, interdisciplinary research organization based in Washington, D.C., which he founded in May 2001. The purpose of the Earth Policy Institute is to provide a plan for saving civilization and a roadmap of how to get from here to there. Brown has been described as “one of the world’s most influential thinkers” by the Washington Post. The Telegraph of Calcutta called him “the guru of the environmental movement.” In 1986, the Library of Congress requested his papers for its archives. Some 30 years ago, Brown helped pioneer the concept of environmentally sustainable development, a concept he uses in his design of an eco-economy. He was the Founder and President of the Worldwatch Institute during its first 26 years. During a career that started with tomato farming, Brown has authored or coauthored many books and been awarded 24 honorary degrees. His books have appeared in more than 40 languages. Brown is a MacArthur Fellow and the recipient of countless prizes and awards, including the 1987 United Nations Environment Prize, the 1989 World Wide Fund for Nature Gold Medal, Read more about the author here: http://www.earth-policy.org/about_epi/C32
Praise for this book“Lester Brown tells us how to build a more just world and save the planet “[Brown’s] ability to make a complicated subject accessible to the general “In tackling a host of pressing issues in a single book, Plan B 2.0 makes for “A great book which should wake up humankind!” “Lester R. Brown gives concise, but very informative, summaries of what |
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