E. F. Schumacher Cited in Time Magazine

Dear E. F. Schumacher Society Friend,

The cover story for the current issue of "Time" magazine (April 9, 2007)
presents a fifty-one point "Global Warming Survival Guide." Contributing
authors outline steps that range from the simple act of using compact
fluorescent light bulbs to the emerging science of geoengineering (earth-
system-altering technology). All these steps make clear that a new vision
of stewardship for the planet is arising.

In the midst of astounding advances in environmental policy and science, the
message presented in step fifty-one stands out.

51. Consume Less, Share More, Live Simply
by Coco Masters

"The chance to buy a carbon offset--in essence, an emissions
indulgence--appeals to the environmental sinner in all of us. But there is
an older path to reducing our impact on the planet that will feel familiar
to Evangelical Christians and Buddhists alike. Live simply. Meditate.
Consume less. Think more. Get to know your neighbors. Borrow when you need
to and lend when asked. E. F. Schumacher praised that philosophy this way in
Small Is Beautiful: 'Amazingly small means leading to extraordinarily
satisfying results.'"’”

This final point serves as a summary of the actions that preceded it in the
article. Changing your light bulbs, using public transportation, and
creating limits to carbon dioxide emissions represent efforts to consume
less and put less burden on our neighbors. The statement "Small is
beautiful," as used by E. F. Schumacher, is acknowledged in all these
actions. Small is beautiful in our use of non-renewable resources. Small
is beautiful in the emission of gases contributing to global climate change.
Small is beautiful in the use of pesticides on crops. Small is beautiful in
the number of car trips we make per week. Small is beautiful in the amount
of waste brought to the landfill. Small is beautiful in the productive
capacity of a farmer. And small is beautiful in our relationships with
others. Schumacher wrote, "Man is small, and, therefore, small is
beautiful. To go for giantism is to go for self-destruction."

The E. F. Schumacher Society continues to herald Schumacher's message by
stewarding his personal library and unpublished papers, by conducting an
annual lecture series in his honor, and by creating model economic programs
that place his theories into practice-- such as the Community Land Trust in
the Southern Berkshires and BerkShares local currency.

Schumacher's voice remains a vital force in the dialogue about our
relationship with the Earth, in part because of generous membership support
for the E. F. Schumacher Society. Your tax-deductible donation
(https://merchantz.zenn.net/EFSS/donation_form.html) will help us ever
better champion his message of hope and possibility in a desperate time.

Sincerely,
Susan Witt, Christopher Lindstrom, Peter Tiso,
Michael Gordon, and Kristen Fix
E. F. Schumacher Society Staff
140 Jug End Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
(413) 528-1737
efssociety@smallisbeautiful.org
http://www.smallisbeautiful.org

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Hildegarde Hannum, Eric Harris-Braun, Constance Packard, Joseph Stanislaw,
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Dreier, Hazel Henderson, Wes Jackson, Amory Lovins, John McKnight, David
Orr, Michael Shuman, Cathrine Sneed, Lewis Solomon, John Todd, Greg Watson,
and Arthur Zajonc.