Eco-Sanity: A Common-Sense Guide to Environmentalism

by Joseph L. Bast

Now in paperback—an easy-to-read primer of environmental dangers and the best way to address them.

Genres: Science, Environment, Nonfiction

332 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Joseph Lee Bast: son of LeRoy J. & Elizabeth M. Bast (m. 9.29.51); Married Diane C. Ver Voort, 8/29/81.
Catholic
Attended U of Chicago until 1984
Dir, Nomos Press 1983-88
Founding Dir, State Policy Inst 1991-97
Dir, American Conservative Union
President/CEO, The Heartland Institute
Trustee, Shimer College
State Policy Network Roe Award '94
Eagle Forum Award '98
Philadelphia Society Member 2002+
Libertarian Party Champion of Liberty
Award 2004
Published in Phi Delta Kappan, Economics of Education Review, Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily, Cato Journal & USA Today. Publishes 5 moly papers: School Reform News, Environment & Climate News, Health Care News, Budget & Tax News & IT&T News. Contributes to public policy debate, testifying before Congress against environmental legislation. Named one of “88 to Watch in '88” by Chicago's Tribune. Commissioned a Kentucky Colonel by Gov. Paul E. Patton on 6/19/96. Corecipient of the '96 Sir Antony Fisher Internat'l Memorial Award. Elected to American Conservative Union board in '07.
He was the Heartland Inst's lst employee in '84. Originally focused on policies relevant to the Midwest, since '93 it's focused on nat'l officials & opinion leaders. It features an Internet application, PolicyBot, a clearinghouse for research from other conservative thinktanks like the Heritage Foundation, American Legislative Exchange Council & Cato Inst. Criticized for having executives from ExxonMobil & Philip Morris on its board & in its PR dept, it counters that "no one on Heartland's board of directors works for a tobacco company (Roy Marden retired yrs ago) or for an oil company (Walter Buchholtz was on the board but no longer is)."

Reviews

[Jonathan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started this book with reasonably high hopes that it would offer a constructive and more economically sound approach to environmental regulation. Sadly, it offered neither. I kind of figured the book was headed nowhere good when the authors provided a general bibliography for further reading and stated that for the sake of clarity they would not provide footnotes citing their sources.

In fairness, the authors did raise some valid points about the need to view risks from environmental threats in the perspective of other threats (e.g., a lifetime's worth of living next door to a nuclear power plant is less likely to kill you than a lifetime's worth of riding in your car), but I found the book in general to be unconvincing.

Really disappointing.

[Shawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the subtitle says, this is a good common-sense approach to understanding issues with environmental issues.