Rarely do I find a book discussing the perils of resource depletion, climate change, accumulation of toxic wastes, and the unraveling of the social fabric of yesteryear that is, in the end, as uplifting as “Deep Economy” by renown author Bill McKibben. While the book may seem like yet another cautionary tale in a litany of doom and gloom prophesies currently on the bookshelves, McKibben’s gem walks the reader through discussions of the problems we face and, in a somewhat optimistic tone, points to where we, as members of a global community, might want to start heading on our ontological trail. McKibben states early in the book that there are three converging crises that confront us: first, the depletion of Earth’s resources and the excessive burden we’re starting to place on the ecological services the planet provides; next, the consequences of global climate change, especially the human-induced part of that change; and, finally, the challenge of being “happy” in a world whose paradigm seems to be “more = better.”

It is this last crisis that contains McKibben’s thesis for much of the book. He states that for most of human history, our economic development has been growth-oriented, with its principles of economies of scale, ignorance of externalities such as finite resources and sinks (for waste processing), excessively wide arrays of consumer choices, wealth based on imagined future returns on investment, and the favoring of independence over interdependence. The result of the continual application of these Keynesian classical economic principles has manifested in a world where “happiness” correlates positively with income up to about $10,000, but above that figure, the correlation fades away. The book introduces the reader to concepts of Ecological Economics as an alternative to Classical and Neo-Classical economics, as put forth by Bob Costanza, Brian Czech, Herman Daly, E. F. Schumacher, Kenneth Boulding, and others.

The book is organized into an introduction to the author’s premise that “More no longer implies Better,” followed by three chapters on the topics of food, community, and global interdependence.

The chapter on food discusses the multitude of benefits of shopping (and eating) local. The concepts of stewardship of the planet, positive health consequences, superior taste and nutrition, and connection to the chain of life are eloquently laid out here. Also, the notion of how a farmers market can be the nexus of community rang true form me, as it is there that I have the most meaningful and provoking conversations of the week.

McKibben’s writing style is neither condescending nor pessimistic. It is not didactic or threatening. He sees the opportunity for transcendence from a house-of-cards culture of glut to a durable and just global community based on economic reality and interdependence. In “Deep Economy,” he shows us short, anecdotal glimpses of a world that is not only possible, but perhaps necessary to continue on our ontological journey into the future.

I fully recommend “Deep Economy” as a primer on the challenges confronting the species wrought on by blind faith in a growth- and debt-based economy. Consider presenting it as a gift to latent supporters of the relocalization movement to bolster their convictions. Or, perhaps pass it along to a skeptic, and consider debating the salient points McKibben so deftly expresses. Or, simply read it yourself to remind you of the mission ahead, including its gravity and its rewards.