In "Treading Softly: Paths to Ecological Order," SNRE Professor Thomas Princen offers an alternative to boundless materialism, economic expansion at all costs and the relentlessly drawing down of natural resources. In the book, published this spring by MIT Press, Princen proposes a "new normal" of economical and ecological living grounded in the natural world and with an emphasis on self-reliance and satisfying work, rather than on simply using more resources and buying more stuff.

"So many environmental books are either screeds about how stupid people are or Pollyanna-ish in their prescriptions, offering easy steps for solving the problem of living sustainably. And then such books typically conclude by stating that we need to rethink humans' relationship to the environment," Princen said. "This book is about the rethinking."

The rethinking entails imagining the environment not as a source of raw materials but as a life-support system. Through examples, narratives, suggestions and conceptual tools, "Treading Softly" helps redefine what it means to live "the good life." "In the U.S., the good life has come to mean consuming more and more and working more and more at jobs that aren't rewarding," he said. "Overcoming a highly individualistic conception of í¢â‚¬Ëœsuccess' is important to rethinking our relationship with the environment."

The belief that easy actions such as buying the right green products, voting for the right leaders or donating money to the right organizations will lead to sustainability hinders real progress, he says.

In "The Times Higher Education" (London), which named "Treading Softly" Book of the Week, reviewer Laurence Coupe called it "a salutary and beautifully simple book." As a scholarly book, "Treading Softly" is extensively researched; the book is also abundantly readable, appealing to a broad audience, one that is already informed about global environmental problems but skeptical of what Princen calls "facile solutions."

Unlike pessimistic books about doing without, cutting back and paying the price for wasting natural resources, "Treading Softly" ultimately inspires with its fundamentally simple approach. "It's about a positive sacrifice," Princen said. "The flip side of consuming a whole lot less is having moreí¢â‚¬”more time to socialize, to think, to express oneself, and to travel, and more of things like food grown in healthy soil."

What the "new normal" might look like is anybody's guess, Princen said. "I am one who believes in the infinite adaptability of human beings," he added.

About Thomas Princen
Thomas Princen is an associate professor of Sustainable Systems, Environmental Policy and Planning, and Environmental Justice at the School of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Michigan. He is also the author of "The Logic of Sufficiency" (2005) and "Confronting Consumption" (2002), both published by MIT Press. Both books won the Harold and Margaret Sprout award for "best book in the study of international environmental problems." Previous books include "Environmental NGOs in World Politics: Linking the Local and the Global" (Routledge, 1994) and "Intermediaries in International Conflict" (Princeton University Press, 1992/1995). http://www.snre.umich.edu/profile/tprincen

About the School of Natural Resources and Environment
The School of Natural Resources and Environment's overarching objective is to contribute to the protection of the Earth's resources and the achievement of a sustainable society. Through research, teaching and outreach, faculty, staff and students are devoted to generating knowledge and developing policies, techniques and skills to help practitioners manage and conserve natural and environmental resources to meet the full range of human needs on a sustainable basis.
http://www.snre.umich.edu/