Orr interviewed on sustainability and hope at the Huffington Post
October 23, 2014
Post Carbon Fellow David Orr was interviewed by the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in the Huffington Post.
From the interview:
Omega: In 2011, you published Hope Is an Imperative, an essay collection that explores some of the dilemmas around the various sustainability movements. If we’re to judge a book by its cover, at least by its title in this case, why is “hope” such an imperative and a necessary part of all of these movements?
David: Well, you know, I think when you look at the trend lines going down or up for carbon emissions or, you know, crime or whatever, if you are optimistic, you just don’t know enough. You haven’t paid enough attention. If you’re pessimistic, then you’re going to be totally ineffective. But in either case, you don’t have to do a damn thing. You just put your feet up on the top of the coffee table and neither despair nor optimism will move you, but hope may move you. Hope is, as I said in the collection, a verb with its sleeves rolled up. If you’re hopeful, you have to do something…