Ecosystems as Models for Restoring our Economies, 2nd Edition

Ecosystems as Models for Restoring our Economies, 2nd Edition

To a Sustainable State

$24.95

Publication Date: 1st April 2025

Ecosystems as Models to Restoring Our Economies appeals to a broad range of people across ages, values and political beliefs, and will change the way we pursue a resilient and sustainable economy. Just when you think there are no good paths forward, the knowledge of ecosystems guides the way.

Read More
-1 in stock

Ecosystems as Models to Restoring Our Economies appeals to a broad range of people across ages, values and political beliefs, and will change the way we pursue a resilient and sustainable economy. Just when you think there are no good paths forward, the knowledge of ecosystems guides the way.

Read More
Description

Appeals to a broad range of people across ages, values and political beliefs, and will change the way we live our lives

Integrating the fields of ecology and economics with practical business and conservation experience, this book delivers a clear path to restoring our economies to a sustainable state. The result is not a decline in our freedoms, values, and quality of life, but a means to sustaining them in a turbulent 21st century.
Students, business owners, and consumers have read this book and attended John’s seminars only to remark, “Why haven’t we learned this in our traditional coursework?” or “This book brings so much clarity to the fields of sustainability and environmental sciences.”
Intuitively, many of us sense some universal relationships exist between Earth’s ecological and economic systems. For Giordanengo, the most insightful relationships were not the ones he first imagined as a business and ecology student in the early 1990s. This book not only unveils critical new insights into ecology and economics, but integrates them with global case studies to make a bold case for redesigning our economies according to the immutable rules of nature. For example, viewing theories such as ecological succession through an economic lens, we discover the root causes of the wealth gap, while gaining clarity on the role of economic diversity in productivity growth and innovation gains.
Timely, Giordanengo melds centuries of research with decades of business and ecological experience to reveal three simple components common to ecosystems and economies: diversity, energy, and trade. The proper management of these foundational components is perhaps the greatest obstacle to resolving tensions between society, nature, and the global market economy. The scale at which diversity, energy, and trade must be managed is not global, nor is it hyper local. The scale of a sustainable economy lies somewhere between these two extremes, the subject of part II.
Part III of this book outlines a path for restoring our economies, guided by humanity’s shared experiences in ecological restoration. The essential process of ecosystem recovery (i.e., succession) is one such pathway. Unwittingly, the United States and other developed nations manage economic succession in ways that lower their productivity growth and resistance to future disturbances, while concentrating wealth into fewer hands. With such knowledge in hand, however, nations can also move the succession dial toward the productive and diverse center, where wealth and resources are recirculated quickly, new business opportunities are created, wealth is naturally distributed, and resilience and resistance are fortified—a stout shield in the face of global economic turmoil.
From regenerative agriculture to regional-scale manufacturing, and from endogenous energy systems to ecological conservation, practical business strategies and government policies are woven throughout this seminal book.
Consumers will find sound evidence to support a sustainable future.
Students will discover not just theoretical and systems knowledge, but applied economics, ecology, and conservation centered around actionable pathways.
Business and industry leaders will find novel solutions that balance financial responsibilities with social and environmental well-being.
One of nature’s most primeval rules is that times of great turbulence favor the evolved model, not the model of the past.

Details
  • Price: $24.95
  • Pages: 358
  • Carton Quantity: 20
  • Publisher: Anthem Press
  • Imprint: Anthem Press
  • Publication Date: 1st April 2025
  • Trim Size: 5.5 x 8.5 in
  • ISBN: 9781839993190
  • Format: Paperback
  • BISACs:
    SCIENCE / System Theory
    BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Development / Sustainable Development
    BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Environmental Economics
Reviews

“Comprehensive, timely, and urgent, Ecosystems as Models for Restoring Our Economies by John Giordanengo outlines irrefutably the fact that ecosystems and economies are not at odds with one another. Ecosystems are the source and supply of all natural resources and as such are the foundation of all economies. ‘The restoration and care of one system ensures the health of the other.’ A must read and share!” — Mark Shepard, Author, Restoration Agriculture, Water for Any Farm, Acres USA



“Giordanengo’s proposal of economic restoration […] will likely bring environmental, climatic, eco-nomic, and social benefits to nation states and to the global community. His book is a welcome food for thought for policy makers in a post-globalized world who are looking for an alternative.” —Dr. Igor Matutinovic, the University of Zagreb, Croatia



“Giordanengo’s treatise inspires—detailing how nature’s example can guide the critical restoration of our vulnerable economies. The author expertly interweaves insights from diverse disciplines into the most innovative proposal to restore our economy I know.” — Dr. Peter Sherman, Prescott College, Arizona, USA



“Giordanengo provides a comprehensive synthesis of ecological foundations and economic structure, sorely lacking in our quest to develop sustainable economies in the face of growing economic and environmental turmoil. From the roots of ecological restoration, this book delivers a clear path to restoring the American economy, in a way that speaks in a universal language to policy makers, business owners, academics and the next generation. The identification of three drivers of highly resilient and productive economies and ecosystems—diversity, energy, and trade—is perhaps the most important insight to resolving growing tensions between society, nature, and the global market economy. This book provides hope for species, ecosystems, and the planet.” —Kingsley Dixon, vice chair of the global board of directors, Society for Ecological Restoration



“Ecosystems as Models for Restoring Our Economies, 2nd Edition: To a Sustainable State appeals to a broad range of people across ages, values, and political beliefs, and will change the way we live our lives. I’ll be sending this book to many people in my life moving forward, and believe it should be required reading for high schools, colleges, and any other educational program.” —Morgan Day, urban planning and sustainability writer



“Finding the ‘win-win-win’ solution that optimizes economics, environmental sustainability, and human well-being is an essential and urgent task facing all of us. Giordanengo approaches this problem with his unique background of scientist, NGO leader, and business owner. He makes credible arguments and presents credible scenarios to solve the crisis, offering empirical solutions that resonate and build up from the local to global scales. John writes with a level of clarity not common to his colleagues and has created a treatise well worth reading.” —Tim Seastedt, professor emeritus, University of Colorado, Boulder

Author Bio

John H. Giordanengo is a founder and principal restoration economist of Economic Restoration Services, and principal restoration ecologist of AloTerra Restoration Services. John has 33 years of professional and academic experience in ecological restoration, business conservation, and economics, and has delivered over 250 professional talks, paper and books for audiences around the globe. He is resides in Fort Collins, US.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments; Foreword; Tables and Figures; Introduction; PART I: THE STRUCTURE OF A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY (AND THE CHALLENGES OF CAPITALISM TO BUILD IT), 1 The Challenges of Capitalism in a Poorly Structured Economy; 2 The Global Market Economy: Failing to Deliver in a Rapidly Changing World; 3 The Obscure Structure of Highly Complex Systems; 4 The Archetype of a Self-Regulating (Sustainable) Economy; PART II: THE FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENTS OF A SELF-REGULATING (SUSTAINABLE) ECONOMY, 5 The Untapped Power of Diversity; 6 Energy’s Influence on Diversity; 7 The Balance of Trade; 8 Scale Matters: The Natural Geography of sapiens; PART III: A NATURAL ROADMAP FOR ECONOMIC RESTORATION, 9 Evolution, Succession, and Economic Restoration; 10 Restoring the Foundations of Our Economies: Agriculture; 11 The Coevolution of Manufacturing and Waste-to-Resources; 12 Restoring an Energy-Neutral Economy; 13 Transitions to a Restored Economy; 14 The Fringe Benefits of Economic Restoration; 15 The Path of Most Resistance; Glindex

Appeals to a broad range of people across ages, values and political beliefs, and will change the way we live our lives

Integrating the fields of ecology and economics with practical business and conservation experience, this book delivers a clear path to restoring our economies to a sustainable state. The result is not a decline in our freedoms, values, and quality of life, but a means to sustaining them in a turbulent 21st century.
Students, business owners, and consumers have read this book and attended John’s seminars only to remark, “Why haven’t we learned this in our traditional coursework?” or “This book brings so much clarity to the fields of sustainability and environmental sciences.”
Intuitively, many of us sense some universal relationships exist between Earth’s ecological and economic systems. For Giordanengo, the most insightful relationships were not the ones he first imagined as a business and ecology student in the early 1990s. This book not only unveils critical new insights into ecology and economics, but integrates them with global case studies to make a bold case for redesigning our economies according to the immutable rules of nature. For example, viewing theories such as ecological succession through an economic lens, we discover the root causes of the wealth gap, while gaining clarity on the role of economic diversity in productivity growth and innovation gains.
Timely, Giordanengo melds centuries of research with decades of business and ecological experience to reveal three simple components common to ecosystems and economies: diversity, energy, and trade. The proper management of these foundational components is perhaps the greatest obstacle to resolving tensions between society, nature, and the global market economy. The scale at which diversity, energy, and trade must be managed is not global, nor is it hyper local. The scale of a sustainable economy lies somewhere between these two extremes, the subject of part II.
Part III of this book outlines a path for restoring our economies, guided by humanity’s shared experiences in ecological restoration. The essential process of ecosystem recovery (i.e., succession) is one such pathway. Unwittingly, the United States and other developed nations manage economic succession in ways that lower their productivity growth and resistance to future disturbances, while concentrating wealth into fewer hands. With such knowledge in hand, however, nations can also move the succession dial toward the productive and diverse center, where wealth and resources are recirculated quickly, new business opportunities are created, wealth is naturally distributed, and resilience and resistance are fortified—a stout shield in the face of global economic turmoil.
From regenerative agriculture to regional-scale manufacturing, and from endogenous energy systems to ecological conservation, practical business strategies and government policies are woven throughout this seminal book.
Consumers will find sound evidence to support a sustainable future.
Students will discover not just theoretical and systems knowledge, but applied economics, ecology, and conservation centered around actionable pathways.
Business and industry leaders will find novel solutions that balance financial responsibilities with social and environmental well-being.
One of nature’s most primeval rules is that times of great turbulence favor the evolved model, not the model of the past.

  • Price: $24.95
  • Pages: 358
  • Carton Quantity: 20
  • Publisher: Anthem Press
  • Imprint: Anthem Press
  • Publication Date: 1st April 2025
  • Trim Size: 5.5 x 8.5 in
  • ISBN: 9781839993190
  • Format: Paperback
  • BISACs:
    SCIENCE / System Theory
    BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Development / Sustainable Development
    BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Environmental Economics

“Comprehensive, timely, and urgent, Ecosystems as Models for Restoring Our Economies by John Giordanengo outlines irrefutably the fact that ecosystems and economies are not at odds with one another. Ecosystems are the source and supply of all natural resources and as such are the foundation of all economies. ‘The restoration and care of one system ensures the health of the other.’ A must read and share!” — Mark Shepard, Author, Restoration Agriculture, Water for Any Farm, Acres USA



“Giordanengo’s proposal of economic restoration […] will likely bring environmental, climatic, eco-nomic, and social benefits to nation states and to the global community. His book is a welcome food for thought for policy makers in a post-globalized world who are looking for an alternative.” —Dr. Igor Matutinovic, the University of Zagreb, Croatia



“Giordanengo’s treatise inspires—detailing how nature’s example can guide the critical restoration of our vulnerable economies. The author expertly interweaves insights from diverse disciplines into the most innovative proposal to restore our economy I know.” — Dr. Peter Sherman, Prescott College, Arizona, USA



“Giordanengo provides a comprehensive synthesis of ecological foundations and economic structure, sorely lacking in our quest to develop sustainable economies in the face of growing economic and environmental turmoil. From the roots of ecological restoration, this book delivers a clear path to restoring the American economy, in a way that speaks in a universal language to policy makers, business owners, academics and the next generation. The identification of three drivers of highly resilient and productive economies and ecosystems—diversity, energy, and trade—is perhaps the most important insight to resolving growing tensions between society, nature, and the global market economy. This book provides hope for species, ecosystems, and the planet.” —Kingsley Dixon, vice chair of the global board of directors, Society for Ecological Restoration



“Ecosystems as Models for Restoring Our Economies, 2nd Edition: To a Sustainable State appeals to a broad range of people across ages, values, and political beliefs, and will change the way we live our lives. I’ll be sending this book to many people in my life moving forward, and believe it should be required reading for high schools, colleges, and any other educational program.” —Morgan Day, urban planning and sustainability writer



“Finding the ‘win-win-win’ solution that optimizes economics, environmental sustainability, and human well-being is an essential and urgent task facing all of us. Giordanengo approaches this problem with his unique background of scientist, NGO leader, and business owner. He makes credible arguments and presents credible scenarios to solve the crisis, offering empirical solutions that resonate and build up from the local to global scales. John writes with a level of clarity not common to his colleagues and has created a treatise well worth reading.” —Tim Seastedt, professor emeritus, University of Colorado, Boulder

John H. Giordanengo is a founder and principal restoration economist of Economic Restoration Services, and principal restoration ecologist of AloTerra Restoration Services. John has 33 years of professional and academic experience in ecological restoration, business conservation, and economics, and has delivered over 250 professional talks, paper and books for audiences around the globe. He is resides in Fort Collins, US.

Acknowledgments; Foreword; Tables and Figures; Introduction; PART I: THE STRUCTURE OF A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY (AND THE CHALLENGES OF CAPITALISM TO BUILD IT), 1 The Challenges of Capitalism in a Poorly Structured Economy; 2 The Global Market Economy: Failing to Deliver in a Rapidly Changing World; 3 The Obscure Structure of Highly Complex Systems; 4 The Archetype of a Self-Regulating (Sustainable) Economy; PART II: THE FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENTS OF A SELF-REGULATING (SUSTAINABLE) ECONOMY, 5 The Untapped Power of Diversity; 6 Energy’s Influence on Diversity; 7 The Balance of Trade; 8 Scale Matters: The Natural Geography of sapiens; PART III: A NATURAL ROADMAP FOR ECONOMIC RESTORATION, 9 Evolution, Succession, and Economic Restoration; 10 Restoring the Foundations of Our Economies: Agriculture; 11 The Coevolution of Manufacturing and Waste-to-Resources; 12 Restoring an Energy-Neutral Economy; 13 Transitions to a Restored Economy; 14 The Fringe Benefits of Economic Restoration; 15 The Path of Most Resistance; Glindex