Comments on: Sustainable development, for real http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/01/21/sustainable-development-for-real/ This blog is about the impact of business on society. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:08:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Articles and Blogs about Donating Cell Phones | Recycling for Charities http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/01/21/sustainable-development-for-real/comment-page-1/#comment-283613 Articles and Blogs about Donating Cell Phones | Recycling for Charities Sun, 13 Sep 2009 03:24:35 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=490#comment-283613 [...] Sustainable development, for real | Marc Gunther [...] [...] Sustainable development, for real | Marc Gunther [...]

]]> By: Zayed Future Energy Prize awarded to Dipal Chandra Barua | the daily john http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/01/21/sustainable-development-for-real/comment-page-1/#comment-92889 Zayed Future Energy Prize awarded to Dipal Chandra Barua | the daily john Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:42:46 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=490#comment-92889 [...] Marc Gunther takes note of the prize announcement to applaud the work of Barua and Grameen Shakti, and quotes from his interview with Barua at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi. Barua told me that about 70% of the 150 million people who live in Bangladesh have no electricity. They typically use polluting kerosene lamps to light their homes at night. [...] [...] Marc Gunther takes note of the prize announcement to applaud the work of Barua and Grameen Shakti, and quotes from his interview with Barua at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi. Barua told me that about 70% of the 150 million people who live in Bangladesh have no electricity. They typically use polluting kerosene lamps to light their homes at night. [...]

]]> By: Tracy W http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/01/21/sustainable-development-for-real/comment-page-1/#comment-90084 Tracy W Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:21:49 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=490#comment-90084 If you are worried about Grameen Shakti’s customers wanting iPods and dishwashers, where's the development in "sustainable development"? Are there any durable consumer goods that you would describe as sustainable? If you are worried about Grameen Shakti’s customers wanting iPods and dishwashers, where’s the development in “sustainable development”? Are there any durable consumer goods that you would describe as sustainable?

]]> By: Zayed Future Energy Prize awarded to Dipal Chandra Barua « Knowledge Problem http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/01/21/sustainable-development-for-real/comment-page-1/#comment-88724 Zayed Future Energy Prize awarded to Dipal Chandra Barua « Knowledge Problem Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:37:17 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=490#comment-88724 [...] Marc Gunther takes note of the prize announcement to applaud the work of Barua and Grameen Shakti, and quotes from his interview with Barua at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi. Barua told me that about 70% of the 150 million people who live in Bangladesh have no electricity. They typically use polluting kerosene lamps to light their homes at night. [...] [...] Marc Gunther takes note of the prize announcement to applaud the work of Barua and Grameen Shakti, and quotes from his interview with Barua at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi. Barua told me that about 70% of the 150 million people who live in Bangladesh have no electricity. They typically use polluting kerosene lamps to light their homes at night. [...]

]]> By: Darren Toth http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/01/21/sustainable-development-for-real/comment-page-1/#comment-88722 Darren Toth Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:22:43 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=490#comment-88722 I agree with Dave Gardner that slowing the population would definitely help the planet, but how we go about doing that...it's a tricky issue. Is it a matter of getting contraceptives to the third world or trying to change cultural ideologies about the size of one's family? Either way, one would be stepping on a lot of deeply held beliefs. The real problems may arise when organizations like Grameen Shakti or the Heifer foundation improve conditions in these places, and therefore make people more willing to have more children, and within a generation or two, be back where they started. It is a complex and interesting issue, and I plan to check out "hooked on growth...". But really, just because there are possible ways this could backfire, giving solar and more sustainable ways of producing energy is a solid start. I agree with Dave Gardner that slowing the population would definitely help the planet, but how we go about doing that…it’s a tricky issue. Is it a matter of getting contraceptives to the third world or trying to change cultural ideologies about the size of one’s family? Either way, one would be stepping on a lot of deeply held beliefs.
The real problems may arise when organizations like Grameen Shakti or the Heifer foundation improve conditions in these places, and therefore make people more willing to have more children, and within a generation or two, be back where they started.
It is a complex and interesting issue, and I plan to check out “hooked on growth…”.
But really, just because there are possible ways this could backfire, giving solar and more sustainable ways of producing energy is a solid start.

]]> By: Dave Gardner http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/01/21/sustainable-development-for-real/comment-page-1/#comment-88639 Dave Gardner Thu, 22 Jan 2009 13:43:37 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=490#comment-88639 Excellent insights. It's nearly impossible to bring people out of poverty without increasing their ecological footprint. That's why we should make every effort to speed the day that global population stabilizes and then begins to decline. Fewer impoverished AND fewer superconsumers makes a lot more sense for our planet! Dave Gardner Producer/Director Hooked on Growth: Our Misguided Quest for Prosperity Excellent insights. It’s nearly impossible to bring people out of poverty without increasing their ecological footprint. That’s why we should make every effort to speed the day that global population stabilizes and then begins to decline. Fewer impoverished AND fewer superconsumers makes a lot more sense for our planet!

Dave Gardner
Producer/Director
Hooked on Growth: Our Misguided Quest for Prosperity

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