Finally, my friend John de Graaf’s marvelous documentary film “Econoclast,” about the life and thought of pioneering ecological economist Herman Daly, has been released. John is an icon himself in the sustainability and documentary world, so it was entirely fitting that he make this movie. The world needs this film, especially now. Thank you, John! … Continue reading New Film a Fitting Tribute to Economics Icon Herman Daly
Sustainable Development
Change to improve long-term, systemic conditions for humans and nature
TO: Donella Meadows, FROM: Alan AtKisson, SUBJ: Return to Balaton
Dear Dana, I know you are dead, but I thought I would write to you anyway. Because, well, you never know. The view from the café, Csopak, Hungary. Low water in Lake Balaton. September 2026. The 44th meeting of the Balaton Group, that network of sustainability researchers and systems thinkers that you and Dennis Meadows … Continue reading TO: Donella Meadows, FROM: Alan AtKisson, SUBJ: Return to Balaton
Why I am so disappointed with the Swedish election
I started to write a long article about the Swedish election — the campaign, not the outcome — but I gave up. It was too painful. One word is enough. Disappointing. So little vision. Such disdain for facts, knowledge, expertise. So little respect for democracy and the intelligence of voters. Such meanness and disdain. Such … Continue reading Why I am so disappointed with the Swedish election
The climate march went backwards. Stood still. Then surged forward. Symbolic?
I do not like being in marches or demonstrations. They make me nervous. But I forced myself to join the 50,000 people marching in Stockholm yesterday to call attention to climate change. It was uncomfortable — but it also felt good. Waiting for the climate march to begin in Stockholm. We had to move back … Continue reading The climate march went backwards. Stood still. Then surged forward. Symbolic?
Our AIs Prioritize Success Over Ethics. Are We Surprised?
Summary: Recent “rogue AI” news is the result of very basic design flaws. But companies are designed the same way. That will make the problem hard to fix. “Hugging Face” is a weird name for a company, but these are weird times. A rogue AI recently hacked into Hugging Face — which calls itself “the … Continue reading Our AIs Prioritize Success Over Ethics. Are We Surprised?
Foreign aid began to disappear. The world blinked.
In Yoko Ogawa’s haunting novel The Memory Police, ordinary things — whole categories of things, such as birds, hats, and boats — begin to disappear from an island community. The few people who try to preserve those things, and who still have the capacity to remember them, are rounded up and interred. Most people, however, … Continue reading Foreign aid began to disappear. The world blinked.
I have Seen “The Odyssey”. I’m Furious.
I knew the movie was going to be infuriating. I made a prophecy to that effect. “The Odyssey is going to make me really mad,” I said to my wife, in the car on the way to the local cinema. Not because of what’s in it. The film turned out to be a relatively faithful, … Continue reading I have Seen “The Odyssey”. I’m Furious.
A Thank-You Letter to ICAI, 34 Years Later. Who is ICAI?
You have (most likely) never heard of ICAI, the Institute for Cultural Affairs International. A relatively tiny outfit, but with branches all over the world, it is one of those pioneering non-profit organisations that has never gotten enough credit for its groundbreaking contributions to global sustainability practice, because we now take those contributions completely for … Continue reading A Thank-You Letter to ICAI, 34 Years Later. Who is ICAI?
The Art of Looking Away
Recently I declared a particularly pleasant, sunny day to be a “Day of Enjoyment”. I decided not to think very much about global problems: the “polycrisis” of climate, biodiversity loss, senseless wars, terrible political leaders and the like. I listened to birdsong. Messed around in the garden. Watched grebes parenting their young in the local … Continue reading The Art of Looking Away
Earth Day is So Yesterday. Or Is It?
Yesterday, April 22, was Earth Day. I forgot about it completely, until I was reminded of it by doing a word puzzle in my New York Times app, late in the evening. Of course the puzzle had some classic, now almost ancient environmental words in it, like reduce, reuse, and recycle. The whole experience was … Continue reading Earth Day is So Yesterday. Or Is It?
