Lester Brown's book, Plan B 4.0.

Dear Friends:

I have this week placed in the church library a copy of Lester Brown's book, Plan B 4.0., published by The Earth Policy Institute. The book describes what is being done globally to stabilize climate, stabilize population, eradicate poverty, and restore the economy's natural support systems. The Plan states that to accomplish these things will require a budget of 187 billion dollars, which is one-third of the annual current military budget of the USA, or 13% of global military budgets. As of mid-2009, direct U.S. appropriations for the Iraq war...have totaled some 642 billion dollars. Implementing Plan B 4.0. is not a matter of scarce resources, but of national and international priorities as to how available resources should be used.

If you are someone who has faint hope that these things can be done, I recommend you begin by reading Chapter 10 of Plan B 4.0, titled, "Mobilizing to Save Civilization." Things are being done that give us reasons to hope and inspiration to act.

You may also want to put the Earth Policy Institute's website - www.earthpolicy.org - into your bookmarks on your computer and to check it regularly. You will find updates on what is being done globally to address these four interrelated challenges: stabilize climate, stabilize population, eradicate poverty, and restore the economy's natural support systems.

If you are involved with education in any way - schools, churches, service clubs, or book clubs, the Earth Policy Institute provides free, downloadable resources for your use in PDF and PowerPoint formats, including chapters of Plan B 4.0.

I heard Lester Brown speak at UCSB about four years ago on Plan B 4.0. He is worth hearing, worth reading. Plan B has changed as the planet has changed over the past four years. Keep informed and stay involved!

Grace and peace, Wes