Notes from a Dying Planet, 2004ý2006

About the Book

"Notes from a Dying Planet is a concerned, passionate, and informed survey of the environmental problems facing our planet, with gems of succinct essays interspersed with the reality of daily news. Written from the perspective of a very well informed citizen with a solid scientific background, it conveys in clear language the many challenges we face, convinces us of the folly of continuing on our present course, and suggests useful steps that each of us as individuals can take toward making our planet a sustainable habitat for all species." - Jeffrey A. McNeely, Chief Scientist, IUCN-The World Conservation Union, Gland, Switzerland

Internationally respected neuroscientist Paul Brown asks why we are doing so little about overpopulation, global warming and the current mass extinction. He describes how these three threats could end civilization as we know it, and possibly finish off our entire species, by the end of this century. Brown examines the biological and cultural evolution of our species, and how they influence our behavior. He describes some of the proposed solutions to problems like the energy crisis, explains why they're too narrow in scope, and proposes broader approaches. He also takes us week by week through crucial events unfolding around the globe. Written for a lay audience, Notes from a Dying Planet provides all the background needed for each topic.

"Paul Brown has written a book that is at once unique, scary, and exciting. It is unique because of the format, scary because the author tries to be honest with the reader, and exciting because if we all become as committed as Brown is we will reverse the environmental trends that are undermining our future." - Lester Brown, Founder and President, Earth Policy Institute, and author of Plan B 2.0: Rescuing a Planet under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble.

About the Author

Paul Brown, a professor of physiology at West Virginia University, was educated at MIT, the University of Chicago, and Cornell University. He has published three books and has had more than sixty peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals.