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162nd out of 228 books
—
234 voters
Eco Barons: The Dreamers, Schemers, and Millionaires Who Are Saving Our Planet
by
Edward Humes
From Pulitzer Prize winner Edward Humes comes Eco Barons, the story of the remarkable visionaries who have quietly dedicated their lives and their fortunes to saving the planet from ecological destruction.
While many people remain paralyzed by the scope of Earth's environmental woes, eco barons--a new and largely unheralded generation of Rockefellers and Carnegies--are havi...more
While many people remain paralyzed by the scope of Earth's environmental woes, eco barons--a new and largely unheralded generation of Rockefellers and Carnegies--are havi...more
Hardcover, 384 pages
Published
March 3rd 2009
by Ecco
(first published February 20th 2009)
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Eco Barons is a well-written and profoundly moving collection of inter-linked real-life stories that is surprisingly dramatic and engaging in its concise chronicling of the lives of these heroes who are making it their life’s work to save the planet in their own outrageous, touching and sometimes idiosyncratic, but always genuine ways.
There are thousands of environmentalists and activists doing important work in America and around the world. But a few of them go farther—these dreamers, schemers,...more
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Really good book. Really interesting biographies.
The book highlights several individuals who exceed the environmental call of duty. Ordinary treehuggers, like myself, or TINO (treehuggers in name only), like Al Gore, don't make the cut.
People, like Doug Tompkins, exemplify the single-minded commitment to preservation of the world around us. He ensures the world would be a better place for all of us, no matter how foolishly we undermine his actions.
His life, arguably, personifies the maximizatio...more
The book highlights several individuals who exceed the environmental call of duty. Ordinary treehuggers, like myself, or TINO (treehuggers in name only), like Al Gore, don't make the cut.
People, like Doug Tompkins, exemplify the single-minded commitment to preservation of the world around us. He ensures the world would be a better place for all of us, no matter how foolishly we undermine his actions.
His life, arguably, personifies the maximizatio...more
A quick and compelling read that spawned in me inspiration for and from the Eco Barons themselves, contempt for the policy makers and industrial complexes that have placed profit above Earth, and a inward focus and examination of my own role in the global environmental decline.
I photograph primarily because I was exposed to so much nature as a kid, my Dad always dragging us to the national parks and monuments. And in my little town on the coast is a beautiful estuary where, as kids, my friends a...more
I photograph primarily because I was exposed to so much nature as a kid, my Dad always dragging us to the national parks and monuments. And in my little town on the coast is a beautiful estuary where, as kids, my friends a...more
I agree with the reviewer who complained about sloppy reporting. There were a few things in the footnotes that hinted that there was another side to some of the stories, but they were not expanded on and did not make it into the main text. The book was basically hero worship. Granted, there were definitely some inspiring people in the text, but a good writer would have idolized less. After all, if the work that these people are doing is so important, why do they need the extra bump to their repu...more
Inspiring stories describe the spectacular results achieved by conservation's selfless and ardent supporters. Doug Tompkins, founder of The North Face and Esprit directs his $200M fortune towards protecting and restoring the Chilean Patagonia wilderness, for donation back to the Chilean government. Roxanne Quimby, founder of Burt's Bees, uses her $400M sale proceeds to create a de facto park in the Maine Woods for donation back to the national park service. Suspenseful storytelling compels the r...more
Good book about people who have improved the planet with their conservationism. Even though the title says "millionaires", not all the people were millionaires.
Here are some of what I learned.
-- owls are a great index species. "If owls are thriving, the theory goes, the food chain is intact, top to bottom and the whole ecosystem is likely to be thriving".
-- there have been 5 major extinction events in history. We are currently int he sixth event called the Holocene which is not yet complete. It...more
Here are some of what I learned.
-- owls are a great index species. "If owls are thriving, the theory goes, the food chain is intact, top to bottom and the whole ecosystem is likely to be thriving".
-- there have been 5 major extinction events in history. We are currently int he sixth event called the Holocene which is not yet complete. It...more
Although occassionally lapsing into hagiography, The Eco Barons offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives and motivations of a dozen or so individuals -- all american -- who are devoting their lives and, in many cases, fortunes to environmental causes -- from protecting endangered species and preserving ecosystems to creating parks and fighting climate change.
Doug Tompkins, co-founder of Esprit clothing, is a major figure in the book, devoting his $200 million fortune to preserving wilderness...more
Doug Tompkins, co-founder of Esprit clothing, is a major figure in the book, devoting his $200 million fortune to preserving wilderness...more
Very quick read, kind of fluffy, and really feels like it only tells the rosy half of the stories. I'd be much more interested in hearing the full story good or bad.
I think it's a good concept and nice to show people who are working for the environment instead of solely for big business, but some of their business practices are questionable.
I'd recommend this book as an introduction to names that are often tossed around the environmental world, but nothing more than that.
I think it's a good concept and nice to show people who are working for the environment instead of solely for big business, but some of their business practices are questionable.
I'd recommend this book as an introduction to names that are often tossed around the environmental world, but nothing more than that.
A really fun read. Thanks to Ellen for finding it and sending it to me. I really couldn't put it down, and before I knew it, I had finished. Favorite parts: the Burt's bees lady and the Center for Biological Diversity. I had no idea that the Endangered Species Act was such a big deal. After reading this book, I've decided I'm going to do a presentation on the endangered species of the area. Must read more on Deep Ecology...
Focus is on the U.S., (with few chapters on Chile) therefore the scope is limited. Lots of pages given to biographical sketches of successful business people, good to know for some background on how they came to be environmental champions but could be briefer. Expected more on conservation, but there are chapters on hybrid car technology, and general environmental philanthropy too - interesting but felt like a digression. The parts about Deep Ecology concept was particularly interesting for me.
Some amazing profiles of amazing people doing what they can to grab and save wild land for the sake of the planet and life's continued existence. Interesting and inspiring and beautifully written. A joy to read. Chomping at the bit even more now to follow in their footsteps. Even if only a pale shadow of what they have been able to do.
I've been reading good reviews for this book, which must mean that other readers have a higher tolerance for hero-worship, lack of foot-/endnotes, and generally sloppy reporting than I do. By that I mean that the dreamers, schemers and millionaires come in for unquestioning approval, while the Big Bad Other Side comes in for unremitting approbation. My guess is that there's a middle ground, and had this book been written there, it would have been far more instructive and interesting.
When I read...more
When I read...more
Liked this book a lot. Interesting insights into the minds, lives and businesses of people making change for the good around the world. You many not agree with all the tactics employed and philosophies lived, but one has to admire the drive and gumption of those chronicled.
For me, this book pieced together the entrepreneur/financially-minded human aspect of conservation. I really enjoyed the stories of the co-founder of Esprit, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the co-founder of Burt's Bees. They were humanizing, to say the least. The second half of the book sort of petered out. It was as if Humes didn't want to or didn't have time to write about his last subject, the Turtle Lady. Then it sort of sums up like a Self-Help book on how to make small changes.
I...more
I...more
Eco Barons: dreamers Schemers and millionaires who are saving the planet. This leaves you feeling good and optimistic and empowered.
This is an engrossing read about people who have gone to unusual lengths to protect the environment.
Very informative book regarding a great group of folks trying to do their part to conserve and preserve nature. Kind of slow at times, but interesting, especially if you are a tree hugger like me. Kudos to those individuals that found their calling by being environmentalists.
Good book that brings a little hope to this dire environmental situation that we live in.
the best way to save the earth is apparently making a lot of money exploiting it, then feeling bad about it and reforming your ways. ecce eco barons!
Very informative read on the current big names in the environmental movement, but I took issue with the perspective of "preserve as much as possible at any cost." The Burt's Bees chapter gave a good lesson--that working with stakeholders would in the long-term work better for everyone than alienating them with inflexible policies. Unfortunately, this book was less about training a new generation for environmental causes than illustrating a few extreme cases.
Jan 13, 2013
Mariella Treleven
added it
Loved this book!
Did you know that before World War I Henry Ford and Thomas Edison had plans to market electric cars, with curbside recharging stations available across the country? Some of the segments of this book were certainly more interesting than others -- besides the section on "Andy Frank and the power of the plug" I really liked the segments on "eco baronesses" -- Roxanne Quimby, founder of Burt's Bees, and Carole Allen, who was instrumental in saving sea turtles in the gulf seas off southern Texas.
Great book.
Absolutely fantastic book that shows some positives in the ugly case of our environmental decline.
A must read for anyone interested in the global warming and current state of world ecology debate!
this book is probably the most inspiring piece of literature I have ever read. Read it and weep.
Stories of Eco barons.
Rep for them, but not an exhilarating read, by any means.
Rep for them, but not an exhilarating read, by any means.
Highly recommended my dad, especially after my National Parks roadtrip
Both discouraging and hopeful, and a great read.
May 14, 2013
Melissa Rerko
marked it as to-read
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Edward Humes, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, is the author of nine books of nonfiction, most recently, Monkey Girl: Evolution, Education, Religion, and the Battle for Americas Soul and Over Here: How the G.I. Bill Transformed the American Dream. His next book, "Eco Barons: The Dreamers, Schemers, and Millionaires Who Are Saving Our Planet," will be out next year."
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