Solutions Journal: Spring 2011—“Best of” Amory Lovins Arrives in June

U.K. publisher Earthscan is set to release The Essential Amory Lovins in June, featuring a selection of 34 essays, articles, white papers, poems, and letters written between 1962 and 2010 by RMI’s chairman, chief scientist, and cofounder.

The 384-page book (ISBN 9781849712262) is divided into nine sections: “Into the Wildness: Mountain Climbing, Wales, and Fighting a Copper Mine”; “Resources and Energy: Efficiency, Analysis, Policy, Potential”; “Nuclear Power: Fission and Confusion”; “Vehicles and Oil: Goodbye Crude World”; “De Architectura: Building Better, Building Smarter”; “Energy Security and the Military: Blood and Treasure (and Opportunities)”; “Business and Climate: Making Sense, Making Cash, Making Good”; “Miscellany: Letters, and a Poem”; “Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right Path.”

For many fans of Amory’s writing, his greatest contribution has been to help turn “environmentalism” on its head—creating a new sort of enviro-rationalism that uses empirical and logical rigor to make a powerful argument (even a business case) for more environmentally benign paths. Many of the selections were written in the 1970s, when the environmental movement was rapidly expanding; the section “Resources and Energy,” areas in which Amory made his biggest mark, accounts for roughly a third of the book. The strong emphasis on economy and security reminds us, too, that Amory’s focus, like RMI’s, spans many diverse concerns and opportunities beyond environment.

“I hope this book brings a whole new generation of fans to Amory’s thinking,” says Cam Burns, the book’s editor. “His thinking, documented long ago, is still completely valid today, especially in suggesting solutions that have only gained force and cogency over the years.”

The book will retail for £19.95 in the U.K. and $34.95 in the U.S., and will be available on Amazon.