This may be tangentially relevant, but this project from the 1970s EPA could provide some clues:
https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2009/spring/documerica.html https://www.flickr.com/photos/usnationalarchives/collections/72157620729903309/ https://www.citylab.com/environment/2017/03/five-reasons-to-love-the-epa-before-it-disappears/518199/ https://academic.oup.com/envhis/article/23/1/106/4626615 All the best, Áslaug -------------------------------------------------- Áslaug Ásgeirsdóttir Associate Dean of the Faculty and Professor of Politics Pronouns: she, hers 120 Lane Hall 2 Andrews Road Bates College Lewiston, ME 04240 Phone: 207-786-6472 E-mail: [email protected] On Mon, Apr 8, 2019 at 9:47 AM Michael Schoon <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi All, > > In addition to Paul's list, there are a number of books that I use to talk > about optimism in my sustainability classes. As he notes in the above > examples, they are often Pollyannish. However, others are reasonably > clear-eyed. I use Gregg Easterbrook's "The Progress Paradox" and Pinker's > "Enlightenment Now". For interesting reads that often frustrate, there is > Ridley's "Rational Optimist" and Diamandis's "Abundance". > > Also, if you haven't seen the research program "Seeds of a Good > Anthropocene" from McGill University and Stockholm Resilience Center, it's > worth taking a look (https://goodanthropocenes.net/). > > Hope that this is helpful. > > Mike > Associate Professor > School of Sustainability > Arizona State University > https://michaelschoon.com/ > > > On Sun, Apr 7, 2019 at 5:28 AM Paul Wapner <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Hi Beth, >> >> >> >> Perhaps the challenge of finding such a list rests on interpretation. >> Many thinkers see good news everywhere, especially with environmental >> trends. Folks like Bjorn Lomborg, Johan Norberg, Ronald Bailey, Deirdre >> McCloskey, and Anders Bolling are always presenting ‘facts’ that >> demonstrate environmental improvement. Their work is controversial but >> persuasive to many. It is part of a broader orientation that tends to be >> optimistic about humanity’s fate, seeing ‘progress’ everywhere. I would >> put people like Steven Pinker, Hans Rosling, and the infamous Juliann Simon >> in this category. The New York Times Book Review recently had a piece on >> Pinker and Rosling >> >> >> https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2019/02/07/pinker-rosling-progress-accentuate-positive/. >> >> >> >> >> Aside from thinkers, there are a number of outfits that present ‘good’ >> environmental news, such as >> https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/category/news/environment/, although I >> am unsure if they track broad trends. >> >> >> >> All the best, >> >> Paul >> >> >> >> >> >> Paul Wapner >> >> Professor, Global Environmental Politics >> >> School of International Service >> >> American University >> >> [email protected] >> >> -- >> >> >> >> >> >> *From: *Gepers <[email protected]> on behalf of " >> [email protected]" <[email protected]> >> *Reply-To: *"[email protected]" <[email protected]> >> *Date: *Saturday, April 6, 2019 at 3:14 PM >> *To: *Beth DeSombre <[email protected]>, Gepers < >> [email protected]> >> *Subject: *RE: [gep-ed] Good environmental trends >> >> >> >> Hi Beth, >> >> >> >> I have seen, at some point in the past ten years, some sort of good news >> list. I cannot remember the source though I suspect it came over the >> Canadian Association of Geographers discussion list (you could post a query >> here: [email protected] . However, like one of your suggestions >> (better access to clean water), I remember finding at the time that the >> list only hailed purely anthropocentric improvements. As far as the state >> of the non-human world is concerned, I have the overwhelming sense that >> things are, across the board, going from bad to worse. >> >> >> >> I’d be happy to be proven wrong and look forward to your sharing your >> findings. >> >> >> >> Cheers, >> >> Bill >> >> >> >> >> >> *From:* [email protected] <[email protected]> *On Behalf Of *Beth >> DeSombre >> *Sent:* April 6, 2019 11:31 AM >> *To:* GEP-Ed List <[email protected]> >> *Subject:* [gep-ed] Good environmental trends >> >> >> >> Hi folks: >> >> >> >> This seems like a no brainer, but I'm having a surprisingly difficult >> time gathering a list of positive environmental trends (worldwide and over >> history). Things that have -- because of human intervention -- >> unquestionably improved, with some specific details to hang on them. Things >> like improved access to clean water, better air quality (of various types) >> in many parts of the world, etc. >> >> >> >> I'd like to not reinvent the wheel -- I could easily come up with a list >> of things I think are better now environmentally than 50 (or 25) years ago >> and go fetch the details of each, but I'm certain that one or more sources >> has already outlined them, with specifics attached. >> >> >> >> Can someone point me towards such lists/overviews/compilations? (Happy to >> share suggestions with the group afterwards). >> >> >> >> Thanks, >> >> >> >> Beth >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "gep-ed" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout >> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__groups.google.com_d_optout&d=DwMFaQ&c=U0G0XJAMhEk_X0GAGzCL7Q&r=BOzhaYdtrFx6b4S5xQEOnb05jR0rDHGlFyLMspvfa48&m=4WAElHRedlbXlxltWAHLZWS2iW0rH7h_NbEDzZYWf-A&s=IX0wyV-Ki-AxccsE91l2fc_ZnHCezrPrIyptx2uY9_Q&e=> >> . >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "gep-ed" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout >> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__groups.google.com_d_optout&d=DwMFaQ&c=U0G0XJAMhEk_X0GAGzCL7Q&r=BOzhaYdtrFx6b4S5xQEOnb05jR0rDHGlFyLMspvfa48&m=4WAElHRedlbXlxltWAHLZWS2iW0rH7h_NbEDzZYWf-A&s=IX0wyV-Ki-AxccsE91l2fc_ZnHCezrPrIyptx2uY9_Q&e=> >> . >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "gep-ed" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "gep-ed" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "gep-ed" group. 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