The Last Refuge: Patriotism, Politics, and
the Environment in an Age of Terror
David W.
Orr, 172 pages, hardcover $20.
Island Press, 2004.
David Orr, professor of environmental studies and
politics at Oberlin College, explains how our centralized,
industrialized, corporate way of life makes us more vulnerable to
acts of terrorism. But he offers a solution: He envisions replacing
our extract-and-consume lifestyle with a stable economy that
accounts for “natural capital,” the forests, soils and watersheds
on which we all depend. It would be hard, he says, but the
consequences of continuing on our current path are likely to be
much harder.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline The Last Refuge: Patriotism, Politics, and the Environment in an Age of Terror.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
