Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic (UK PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS Management / Business) - Softcover

"The way to end a nightmare is to wake up, and Affluenza is an alarm clock. We have created a world that dishonors all that is honorable, good, and meaningful. There is another possibility." - Paul Hawken,, author of Ecology of Commerce and Natural Capitalism; "Using humor, facts and compelling stories, Affluenza exposes the disease of over-consuming that threatens our health, families, budgets, friendships, communities and the environment.... But it doesn't stop there; it offers concret ideas that can contribute to healthier, happier lives and a more livable planet. I was mightily impressed by the film "Affluenza," but the book digs even deeper to illuminate the epidemic that's eating [the planet]. You should read it. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you might even change your life - or extend it!" - David R. Brower, Chairman, Earth Island Institute, and Founder, Friends of the Earth

Affluenza is about the personal, social, economic, and environmental costs of over-consumption - and what we can do to beat the "all-consuming bug" that's infecting the planet. While many people think the fight against affluenza will require us to "give up" the good life, the authors assert that we're already giving up the good life, by sacrificing personal health and sanity, family closeness, and ecological stability for electronic gadgets, fantasy vacations, cheap socks and underwear. Affluenza presents symptoms (such as Stress of Excess and Family Convulsions; historical and cultural data; and proven cures. An accessible, even humorous overview of a difficult subject, Affluenza suggests strategies for rebuilding families and communities, and for respecting the earth and its biological rules. The book has hit a nerve with people around the country. Affluenza reveals symptoms of the larger disease of over-consumption. Symptoms include: social inequity, loss of human and biological diversity, and helath effects from "keeping up with the Joneses." Affluenza offers practical guidance for adopting lifestyles that are more sensible and satisfying, and shows, through stories and interviews, that "the best things in life aren't things."