Ecological Intelligence
The Hidden Impacts of What We Buy
By: Daniel Goleman
Published: March 30, 2010
Format: Trade Paperback, 288 pages
ISBN: 978-0-385-52783-5
Publisher: Crown Business
"Every such object breaks down into the multitude of its parts and the constituent processes that made them",writes renowned thinker of different modes of intelligence Daniel Goleman, in his groundbreaking and thought provoking book Ecological Intelligence: The Hidden Impacts of What We Buy. The author describes how consumers have been provided little information on the environmental and ecological impact of not only the products they buy, but of the processes that create both the individual components of the products as well.
Daniel Goleman deconstructs the inputs into products, including both the components and the fabrication process, and describes how everyday items can have a negative impact on the environment. For the author, many of the products marketed as being environmentally friendly and green are actually dangerous to the ecological system. By breaking down the entire product into its constituent parts, along with examining how each input is manufactured, as well as how the product and components move through the entire chain, Daniel Goleman provides a holistic view of what consumers buy on a daily basis. Daniel Goleman considers that much of what consumers see as green is what he calls a mirage. The author points out, however, that consumers are taking notice of green claims that are not accurate, and are seeking out real environmentally friendly solutions.
Daniel Goleman (photo left} offers some real solutions to this confusion and lack of product environmental knowledge. On the business side, many companies are recognizing that they can and should do more to protect both the local and global environments. These progressive organizations have also discovered that environmental sustainability is also good business practice. On the consumer side, customers are taking learning into their own hands. They are exercising their massive purchasing power and buying products that are environmentally friendly, and not simply green washed as cover for unsustainable components and processes. Daniel Goleman understands that while consumers are taking steps toward ecological concerns, that there is still far to go in achieving complete sustainability. He offers the concept of ecological intelligence, which he describes as inborn in all people. He points out that this intelligence has been suppressed by cultural pressures, but is currently being reawakened in humanity. Through personal insights and sensitivity, this innate ability can be nurtured and discoveries shared through personal interaction and collaboration.
For me, the power of the book how Daniel Goleman challenges people's ideas about what it truly means to live green, and presents evidence that the human brain is wired for environmental sustainability. This inner sense is called ecological intelligence by the author. Daniel Goleman's breaking down of the component parts of products, and their hidden environmental impact, increases awareness of the entire ecosystem that is contained within every product. As consumers become more aware of those parts, and newer technologies show their true effects, a radical transparency as Daniel Goleman calls it, emerges for people. Since, as the author posits, that the human brain contains ecological intelligence, this information is processed readily and acted upon in cooperation with others. This intelligence forms a connection between the customer and the company. Any organization that takes ecological intelligence into consideration, will uncover a huge competitive advantage. With consumers flocking to truly green products, and companies that value and practice sustainability, any business that takes the path toward total environmental awareness and green products will gin ascendancy in the marketplace.
I highly recommend the seminal book Ecological Intelligence: The Hidden Impacts of What We Buy by Daniel Goleman, to anyone seeking a deeper understanding into the different areas and manifestations of human intelligence. The book is also essential reading for any politicians developing environmental policy, or a business person or civil servant searching for a philosophical background to developing a sustainable, environmentally friendly company. With the radical transparency that is empowering consumers, this book is a timely entry into the green business discussion.
Read the important book Ecological Intelligence: The Hidden Impacts of What We Buy by Daniel Goleman, and discover the liberating and empowering nature of ecological intelligence. The role of sustainable products, sold by ecologically authentic and transparent companies, is the market edge for the present and the future.
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