Negative Positive
Title: A Balanced Look at the impact of environmental catastrophe
Review: I enjoyed the authors somewhat balanced view of the impact of environmental catastrophe on many societies throughout history. Though we can guess on which side of many environmental issues that he leans, he does well in positioning both sides of many questions.The example of Easter Island is exceptionally chilling. The inhabitants basically denuded their island of trees to build the impressive stone statues they left to show their power. The author asks what could the person who chopped down the last tree been thinking? With no trees there were no more canoes to catch fish and dolphins, no more rope, and with soil erosion depleted gardens. The population fell from several thousand to several hundred by the time the first european explorers arrived.The author takes the lessons of the past and shows how fragile our modern first world economy really is in the long term.
Is the review positive or negative? 