Building Alive, Designing to Thrive

Since starting my new position in New York City, I've had the opportunity to read several books that have been on my book list: An American River The author details how a major river in New Jersey also became a major dumping site for the processes of the industrial revolution. She describes the enormous challenges and dangers within the Superfund sites throughout the river, but also inspires the readers with her visits to pristine and restored parts of the Passaic River where life is thriving. Ecology of Commerce Paul Hawken describes the perverse economic systems that allow corporations to write off their incalculable damage to the environment as the cost of doing business. This book is a little more of a reality check than Blessed Unrest, which I also highly recommend for a dose of inspiration about positive change. Regardless, Hawken describes systems that punish polluters and even net neutral businesses, and encourage regenerative and closed loop systems.