Dennis Meadows, author of The Limits to Growth gave a bit of wake-up call of an interview to der Spiegel as the Copenhagen conference kicked off. It featured this gem of an exchange:
"SPIEGEL ONLINE: How do you deal with the fact that your analyses have failed to bring about any real changes?Meadows: A long time ago I thought we would have to achieve a total utopia in order to avoid total collapse. Today I am somewhat more balanced. For me personally it is enough if I make the world a little better than it would have been without me. Everyone should rethink their own lifestyle, their carbon footprint and try to think one step ahead into the future.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: What has the reaction been to this kind of advice?
Meadows: A fashion editor once asked me about lifestyle changes. I asked her how many pairs of shoes she had. It was 18. I advised her that three pairs would be enough. Unfortunately the article was never published. Many habits are deeply rooted and it takes practice to get rid of them."
A far meatier presentation of Mr Meadow's views comes in this speech he gave last November at the Central European University in Budapest. Uncomfortable stuff.
...ONLY eighteen pairs??!?! She obviously wasn't counting house slippers, hiking boots, wellies, yoga shoes, running shoes, and the canvas Converse All-Stars in several colours which no one in their right-mind would call "shoes"......
-Cassie
oh yeah, and Uggg's are NOT shoes either (according to my daughter)
-C
Meadows: How many pairs of shoes do you have, my dear?
Fashion hack: [Great question. He means, like, non-couture] That'd be 18, Dennis.
In truth, pretty rare things, shoes.
-RJH-