Perspective

Paul Hawken is the author of several books and the owner of several different businesses. His idea for this book originated when he received an environmental award for one of his businesses. Hawken began thinking about the award and decided that his company didn't really deserve it. This book is the result of his thinking about the environmental problem and what needs to be done and why. Businesses are the problem for the planet. Even if every business engaged in conservation and abatement measures, it would still not stop the degradation of the environment. There is a flaw in the system itself that needs to be redesigned. This flaw leads to the exhaustion of resources and the creation of industrial wastes.

Hawken feels that there is a need for a new kind of industrial system where waste is eliminated from the production process. This requires the cooperation of...