Plan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization

by Lester R. Brown

Book Overview

As fossil fuel prices rise, oil insecurity deepens, and concerns about climate change cast a shadow over the future of coal, a new energy economy is emerging. Wind, solar, and geothermal energy are replacing oil, coal, and natural gas, at a pace and on a scale we could not have imagined even a year ago. For the first time since the Industrial Revolution, we have begun investing in energy sources that can last forever. Plan B 4.0 explores both the...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393337197
• ISBN13: 9780393337198
• Release Date: October 2009
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.2" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

very very good book on new technologies

very easy read but not too simplistic. covers most areas of today and tomorrow's "green" energies. must read.

Plan B 4.0

Lester Brown consistently puts out extremely well researched, insightful reviews of the state of civilization. The most important insight of this book is that several important and inter-related trends, including climate change, water shortages, loss of topsoil and agricultural land, and population growth are conspiring to produce a future that could very well be frightening for our children and grand children if we don't make dramatic changes to business as usual. Fortunately, he also describes the fix in detail, and the opportunity it presents us to build a sustainable economy that will save civilization from a fate similar to the Mayans or Easter Islanders.

An analysis recommended for any social issues collection

PLAN B 4.0: MOBILIZING TO SAVE CIVILIZATION has been substantially revised and offers an analysis of food shortages and how they can bring down civilization. From trends of falling water tables, eroding soils and rising temperatures to how world food prices are rising and millions are going hungry, this provides an analysis of a dangerous new food era marked by shortages and rising prices, and makes for an analysis recommended for any social issues collection.

Another Spectacular Version of Plan B

Plan B 4.0 continues in a long line of great books that Lester Brown has put out. It is his 4th edition of Plan B, and is a valuable update to this series. It includes some new and alarming trends since 3.0, including a discussion of farmland deals which are poised to exacerbate the social crisis to follow the pending food shortages. As with the previous editions, he begins by outlining in amazingly concise and stark terms the problems we will (and already do) face on our present course with regard to water, food, energy, and security and exactly why and how these have developed in different regions. He then outlines the opportunities to change course and deploy smarter decisions, technologies, policies, and choices to avert these extremely serious problems which could soon grow to a scale which is unmanageable. I have found that this book receives a good audience among people who are not typically aware of these issues and among people of various political leanings. I strongly recommend it for anybody who is interested in understanding the defining problems of the 21st century.

The best book on building a viable global future

This is the best book in print that provides a comprehensive global solution to today's environmental problems. Too many environmentalists have great visions of doom but few practical solutions. I think Brown is overly optimistic but he at least does have a plan that is connected to reality. The most important part of the book is Part III, The Great Mobilization. Specifically, America needs to do a total mobilization of its economic resources as it did for World War II. Nothing less will be adequate. Only a global level he has compiled a budget for what is needed which you can read on page 263. You should read the footnotes for this to see how he got this. He has a global energy plan on page 254. If you want to know more about Brown look up his organization Earth Policy Institute on Google. Hopefully, Obama will heed Brown's advice. You might want to watch the following National Geographic special to see what the stakes are National Geographic: Six Degrees Could Change the World.