Mainstream economists and nearly everyone else promotes growth—economic growth, which means population growth. They specifically want a minimum percentage growth per year, which means exponential, which, contrary to popular conception, means a specific pattern more than just a lot. Exponential growth can’t last forever on a finite planet. Even if you think reaching other planets will help, it won’t help the people on this planet after others leave, and we’ll[…] Keep reading →

First, for attendees interested in the slides so you can practice the exercise, here they are. Here is the post I mentioned with videos of me doing the exercise with Marshall Goldsmith and a link to the chapter in my book. The attendees asked great questions in today’s workshop with Columbia’s alumni. I wanted to follow up with one: “What other resources do I recommend?” While I mentioned my book,[…] Keep reading →

A friend recently distinguished between happiness in the moment and, her words, “true happiness.” I asked her the difference. She said that true happiness endured, whereas the other kind was fleeting. I asked if she could give an example of true happiness. She thought and realized she couldn’t, because any happiness, however deep, she felt, would eventually give way to other emotions. Friends, food, and wine bring happiness I used[…] Keep reading →

Many who serve in the military become leaders in business, politics, entrepreneurship sports and many other places. Why? What does the military teach so well in leadership? I believe that lack of effective leadership is the greatest impediment to effective environmental action. That’s why I have this podcast Leadership and the Environment. If you want to improve your leadership, this conversation will tell you all you have to do. You’ll[…] Keep reading →

Last month I attended the Summit, an multi-day event something like a mix of TED and Burning Man for entrepreneurial types. Nearly everyone I spoke to there about the environment described themselves as caring about the environment. Quoting the Summit’s site, “The Summit community has a strong history of commitment to conserving our land and ocean natural resources and spaces.” On one of its initiatives: “Summit Institute’s mission is to[…] Keep reading →

When I was in junior high school, Philadelphia’s Central High School for boys went co-ed. Its former sister school, Girls’ High across the street, remains all female. I was in the first class that included girls all four years. Around the same time, Columbia College went co-ed. Barnard College across the street remains all female. The cub scouts and boy scouts of America became co-ed this year. Girl scouts remains[…] Keep reading →

Stewardship is Jethro’s core message, as I heard—of his community, especially children in it, his country, and the natural world we share. This world is a beautiful, abundant gift we could wreck if we don’t steward it as we know we can. He cares about being an effective steward—not just talk but action. Wait until you hear this Alaskan’s commitment to live by this value. WARNING: if you’re full of[…] Keep reading →