Be Sure to Find Out What Paul Hawken Is Doing; and Here's What He Says about "Blinded by Progress"

Paul HawkenDo yourself a big favor! Take a free eco-trip to Paul Hawken’s website. (Read this whole blog and I’ll take you right to it.) And when you go there, you’ll have embarked on an inspiring adventure that evokes all your positive energies, filling your consciousness with what’s best in you. When I contacted Paul about my book, I was met with graciousness about my request and gratitude for it.

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T.C. Porter Urged, "Rewrite It as Narrative Nonfiction"

Way over a year ago, T.C. Porter, ‘nother writer nearby, read a couple of chapters of an earlier manuscript of my book. He said, “When you talk to me about these topics, you’re exciting; when you write about them, much of the excitement isn’t there.”

Inside of me a voice said, “He’s right.”

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Table of Contents to "Blinded by Progress"

Source: freeclipartnow.comThe hive is busy with prepublication activity. Halloween is the target date for additional Endorsements and a Foreward. I’m hoping that all these busy people will be finding time for their invaluable contributions to the release of “Blinded by Progress.” I’m setting up eBook accounts with CreateSpace, Amazon, Nook, Kobo, and iBooks. Teammate Michael Johnson is getting an ISBN. All these activities pointing to an eBook by early November and print copies soon after. Would you like to see Section One (there are three sections) from the “Table of Contents?”

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Climate Scientists Urge OneEarth Ways

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a panel comprised of 207 scientists around the world were the Lead Authors of this latest report on Sep. 27, 2013. From 1988, when the Panel first began up to now, the scientists have become increasingly convinced that humans are causing by far the most of the changes in Earth’s climate. This report says “it is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century.” “Extremely likely” has a technical definition. It means 95% certain—that’s the same certainty science has that cigarette smoke is deadly. This massive 14 chapter report from IPCC definitively reaffirms the scientific consensus that OneEarth living is our urgent necessity.

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Thanks, Marco, for Your Endorsement

Marco TavantiDelighted to receive this endorsement from Marco Tavanti, Ph.D., International Sustainable Development Professor (DePaul University, Chicago) and President of World Engagement Institute (WEI). Marco and I came into friendship through his work with Mayans in Chiapas, Mexico, at the time when the Zapatistas rose in protest to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), around 1993-1994, and other forms of neoliberal, MultiEarth economics that have been so aggressive and genocidal toward them. Marco continues to expose students at DePaul to the Chiapan experience.

Some years ago, Marco said to me emphatically, “Lee, write a book!” I express my gratitude to you, Marco, in this public forum. His encouragement continues now with this endorsement. 

“El mundo que queremos es uno donde quepan muchos mundos” - “We want a world where many worlds can coexist.” These words spoken by the Maya indigenous people in resistance add color and meaning to the important and timely message of this book. Lee Van Ham is a visionary leader who works for a world that places ‘humanity’ and ‘care’ at its core. This book highlights his vision along the contrasting MultiEarth and OneEarth worldviews. Can these two worldviews coexist? Ray Anderson, who is highlighted in this book, is also one of my heroes. He has been able to integrate economic development with sustainable practices. This effort requires personal, corporate and systemic paradigm shifts moving away from a blinded progress-rush into a more sustainable, inclusive, and humane development. This is not just a book about self-reflections. It is a guide to collectively raise our consciousness and create concrete steps toward becoming responsible citizens of one earth. This is a must read for people and communities who recognize their global responsibility toward Mother Nature, world poverty, and moral integrity.” 

Here's the Book Cover to Look For

Does the art catch your eye? We hope so. Does it give clues to the content of the book? It does.

Hats off to artist Marcelo Radulovich for creating this cover for the book that will be available in a few more weeks. Marcelo listened carefully as Michael Johnson and I talked with him in several phone conversations. Check Marcelo’s website to see both his musical and visual artistic talents. Santiago, Chile, is his birthplace.

Leave your interpretations of the art in the “Comments” below. We can let each other know what we see and feel as we let this cluster of images have their say.

For me, I see the blue planet in the dark glasses, but it’s shaded out. The consumerist images dominate, getting into our heads and muddling our worldview. Doing what we think of as Progress can so subtily separate us from our humanness. The image here is of a person, but the humanness has been displaced and covered over. What seems to improve our lives has illusion mingled in. If the blue planet in the center of the eyes can come into clear vision, will the illusion separate from reality for me?

Now it’s your turn. What do you see?

Ever Been Blinded by Progress?

It’s time to fire up this blog! I talked with David Wogahn today at Sellbox. David is “typesetting” my book now. We’re in the final stages. An indexer will go to work soon. A “Foreward” is being written. I’m eager for you to see the cover art. I’m guessing you’ll be able to get a copy by Thanksgiving.The title of the book is “Blinded by Progress.” A subtitle adds this: “Breaking Out of the Illusion That Holds Us.”

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