Age of Consequences by Courtney White

Age of Consequences by Courtney White (2015) Courtney White lives in New Mexico and founded Quivira Coalition, a collaboration between environmentalists and ranchers, after a long association with the Sierra Club. His book is a more philosophical sojourn through his life and across the country as he explores holistic ways to enable humankind to live sustainably within the natural environment.

Through the years many of the problems resulting from man’s increasing population and influence on the environment have resulted in conflicts between seemingly irreconcilable opposites. Governments, general economic concerns, businesses, and private interests are all involved in our relationship with the natural world – and frequently at odds. Science has helped us better understand how our environment functions and how we influence it -information often used by all sides.

White feels that any resolution to the problems faced today can be resolved only if all those disparate interests can work together. He calls this solution the Radical Center. What we do best is to dominate. Rigid orthodoxy keeps us from finding solutions. Aldo Leopold said “the oldest task in human history is how to live on a piece of land without ruining it”. Activity which degrades the land should be discouraged and what maintains, restores and expands the value should be encouraged. What is pristine? Nature is in constant flux. Bill Zeedyk makes small interventions which encourage nature to do the work, rather than looking to disruptive engineering solutions. Increase economic and environmental resilience. Ecosystem services provide human well-being.