- Hardcover: 288 pages
- Publisher: Atlantic Books; First Edition edition (1 Jan 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1843547260
- ISBN-13: 978-1843547266
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.6 x 3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
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- #41 in Books > Scientific, Technical & Medical > Environment > Pollution
- #81 in Books > Science & Nature > Earth Sciences & Geography > The Environment > Pollution
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
The modern world has put its faith in high-tech processes that has left it weakened and ill-equipped to withstand catastrophe. "Slow-Tech" argues for a world with greater robustness, something that is possible in surprisingly simple ways.A sailor crossing the Atlantic in a small yacht would want to minimize excess baggage. But it would be unthinkable not to carry more fresh water than seemed necessary, to survive unexpected calms or storms. Yet the imperative of profit, especially over the last century, has driven modernity towards 'lean, mean' strategies in every area of life; squeezing waste out of commercial, technological and environmental systems may make money in the short term, but is our highly geared, highly strung way of life sustainable?Andrew Price, sailor, explorer and environmental scientist at the University of Warwick argues that in the long-term, spare capacity actually pays. From the destruction of New Orleans to the loss of the world's fish-stocks and intractable problems such as MRSA, "Slow-Tech" demonstrates how the reckless pursuit of efficiency and cost-effectiveness frequently backfires. It makes the case for robustness as an equally important measure of performance in fields as diverse as healthcare, military operations and engineering.Unexpected and counter-intuitive yet convincing and timely, "Slow-Tech" offers an alternative vision for life in the twenty-first century - a rounded vision of balance and robustness that would be healthier for the planet - and healthier for us.
About the Author
Dr Andrew Price is Reader in Biological Sciences at the University of Warwick. In addition, he is an advisor and consultant to governments, UN agencies, other international organisations and industry on marine and environmental issues. He is a fellow of the Linnean Society.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I heard this book discussed on Radio 4's Start the Week with Andrew Marr. Given the current concerns for the world's future this is a timely book, which examines a diverse range of issues. It provides lively case histories from Bentley cars to crises in healthcare and business. Slow-Tech is informative and very readable with some amusing anecdotes. An inspirational book warning us against always opting for the quick-fix. Highly recommended!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
At last, someone has taken the trouble to write an authorative book on a subject we should all be thinking about much more carefully.The author has used his considerable scientific expertise to raise a whole raft of important questions, mainly about the problems caused by our drive for short term efficiency.
The lure of modern technology has lead to a great many more problems than we realize, and this book deals with a whole lot of them. For example: Where are we going if we continue to allow the use of indesciminate hoovering technology that is fitted to modern fishing boats ? Fish stocks are quietly getting eliminated. And what does it cost us to clean up our water if we insist on spraying huge amounts of chemistry on 90% of our agricultural land ?
Only yesterday (20/1/09), Dominic Lawson,in the Independent Newspaper, suggested that the efficiency of computer technology was a huge contributor to our economic crisis, by simply enabling dealers to buy and sell shares without a moments thought.
While listing this kind of example, the author also points us towards technological innovation that works for us now and could work for us in the future. He discusses the need for what he descibes as robust technology, or in other words, quite old fashioned guiding principals that combine with modern technology. Importantly, the book looks towards sustainable solutions, rather than those quick fixes that continue to excite us so much and cause problems.
The lure of modern technology has lead to a great many more problems than we realize, and this book deals with a whole lot of them. For example: Where are we going if we continue to allow the use of indesciminate hoovering technology that is fitted to modern fishing boats ? Fish stocks are quietly getting eliminated. And what does it cost us to clean up our water if we insist on spraying huge amounts of chemistry on 90% of our agricultural land ?
Only yesterday (20/1/09), Dominic Lawson,in the Independent Newspaper, suggested that the efficiency of computer technology was a huge contributor to our economic crisis, by simply enabling dealers to buy and sell shares without a moments thought.
While listing this kind of example, the author also points us towards technological innovation that works for us now and could work for us in the future. He discusses the need for what he descibes as robust technology, or in other words, quite old fashioned guiding principals that combine with modern technology. Importantly, the book looks towards sustainable solutions, rather than those quick fixes that continue to excite us so much and cause problems.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
From the title of this book I was expecting a book about slow-tech, the movement for low tech solutions, craftsmanship and old fashioned quality and durability. In fact, this is much more a book about the 'robustness of ecosystems'. It's still good, it's just not really about slow-tech.
Andrew Price's theory is that our current world prizes efficiency over robustness. Our tendency is to refine and streamline things to within an inch of their lives, and clear any unnecessary baggage. The trouble is, leaving no slack in the system can prove disastrous. One recurring example in the book is the mangrove swamps around New Orleans, which were cleared and drained in the course of planning and development, but could well have saved the city when the levees broke.
Price gives numerous examples of situations where development or industry has prioritised efficiency to the detriment of the environment. Most of the examples are more about land management, planning, and stewardship than they are about appropriate technology per se.
Speaking of which, there is almost nothing in the book about 'Appropriate Technology', E F Schumacher's drive for 'human-sized' solutions. Nor is there anything about Permaculture, or Transition Towns, both of which are answers to the resilience problem Price describes. Even the slow movement, of which slow-tech is a part, barely gets a mention.
In short, an interesting book about valuing and preserving the robustness of ecosystems, but not well named.
Andrew Price's theory is that our current world prizes efficiency over robustness. Our tendency is to refine and streamline things to within an inch of their lives, and clear any unnecessary baggage. The trouble is, leaving no slack in the system can prove disastrous. One recurring example in the book is the mangrove swamps around New Orleans, which were cleared and drained in the course of planning and development, but could well have saved the city when the levees broke.
Price gives numerous examples of situations where development or industry has prioritised efficiency to the detriment of the environment. Most of the examples are more about land management, planning, and stewardship than they are about appropriate technology per se.
Speaking of which, there is almost nothing in the book about 'Appropriate Technology', E F Schumacher's drive for 'human-sized' solutions. Nor is there anything about Permaculture, or Transition Towns, both of which are answers to the resilience problem Price describes. Even the slow movement, of which slow-tech is a part, barely gets a mention.
In short, an interesting book about valuing and preserving the robustness of ecosystems, but not well named.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Fantastic!
What an interesting book...I thought he came across amazingly well on Andrew Marr's start the week. Obviously a very intellegent man with interesting ideas that are both well... Read more
Published on 13 May 2009 by Ms. Mc Price
A fresh opinion that just makes sense
An interesting and thought-provoking read, Professor Price's book certainly provides a new perspective of the direction the modern world is, and could be taking. Read more
Published on 19 April 2009 by Ms. N. A. Lloyd
Slow-tech can make sense
Slow-tech is an interesting idea well founded in observations of ecosystems and their robustness. Can these ideas realistically work in modern society? Read more
Published on 13 April 2009 by E. Wellington
A pamphlet on robust engineering
'Slow Tech' is a pamphlet on the toll 'efficient' engineering, driven by short term economic optimalization, is taking on the environment. Read more
Published on 13 Mar 2009 by Christian Jongeneel
excellent book and very upto-date
This is an excellent return to the basics of a traditional way of life, far from the culture of "pick, use and throw". Read more
Published on 15 Feb 2009 by Virginie Tilot
If only politicians and giant corporate heads would read this....
Considerable deliberation and research must have gone into this book. The result is both interesting and thought-provoking. Read more
Published on 7 Feb 2009 by Ed Stables
New Twist to the Aga Saga
What a great book to bring in the New Year - its argument for robustness over short-term efficiency in so many fields of life seems so timely and topical! Read more
Published on 6 Jan 2009 by Mrs Madeleine N Kingsley
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