book review--Stewart Brand's "Whole Earth Discipline"

In his new book on coping with the global warming crisis, Stewart Brand changes his mind on at least three things he formerly opposed--genetically modified foods, squatter cities and nuclear energy. In taking us through these changes and honestly admitting his former prejudices and errors, he's reasonable, fair and non-panicky. He doesn't think the sky is falling but he suggests that if it ever does the people who will bring it down are ideologically driven environmentalists who can't or won't recognize that the earth is changing, the west is declining and that reasonably priced energy is a necessity for most of the world. No power source has no drawbacks whatsoever but nuclear energy runs all the time, in contrast to wind or solar. Nuclear energy, unlike wind or solar, doesn't require a lot of land area. Most of all, it's a lot better for the planet than the current alternative--coal generated power.