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The Ecology of Commerce: A Declaration of Sustainability Paperback – January 1, 1994

by Paul Hawken (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 321 ratings
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Provides a visionary blueprint for a marketplace where businesses and environmentalists work together, showing companies how to redesign and manufacture products in innovative ways, reeducate customers, and work closely with government toward a profitable, productive, and ecologically sound future. Reprint.
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  1. Part of series
    Collins Business Essentials
  2. Print length
    272 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    HarperBusiness
  5. Publication date
    January 1, 1994
  6. Dimensions
    5.25 x 0.75 x 8 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0887307043
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0887307041
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Paul Hawken, the entrepreneur behind the Smith & Hawken gardening supplies empire, is no ordinary capitalist. Drawing as much on Baba Ram Dass and Vaclav Havel as he does on Peter Drucker and WalMart for his case studies, Hawken is on a one-man crusade to reform our economic system by demanding that First World businesses reduce their consumption of energy and resources by 80 percent in the next 50 years. As if that weren't enough, Hawken argues that business goals should be redefined to embrace such fuzzy categories as whether the work is aesthetically pleasing and the employees are having fun; this applies to corporate giants and mom-and-pop operations alike. He proposes a culture of business in which the real world, the natural world, is allowed to flourish as well, and in which the planet's needs are addressed. Wall Street may not be ready for Hawken's provocative brand of environmental awareness, but this fine book is full of captivating ideas.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperBusiness
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 1, 1994
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Reprint
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0887307043
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0887307041
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.75 x 8 inches
  • Part of series ‏ : ‎ Collins Business Essentials
  • Best Sellers Rank: #4,076,559 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 321 ratings

About the author

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Paul Hawken

Paul Hawken

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Paul Hawken has written nine books published in some 50 countries in 32 languages, including five national and NYT bestsellers--The Next Economy, Growing a Business, The Ecology of Commerce, Blessed Unrest, Drawdown, and

Regeneration.. He founded several companies, including Erewhon, the first food company in the US that relied solely on sustainable agricultural methods. He has served on the board of environmental organizations, including Point Foundation—publisher of the Whole Earth Catalog, Center for Plant Conservation, Trust for Public Land, Conservation International, and National Audubon Society. He lives with his wife, flocks of nuthatches, red-tail hawks, and coyotes in the Cascade Canyon watershed in Northern California.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
321 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find this book thought-provoking and inspiring, with one noting it provides a clear look into the future of mankind. Moreover, the book receives positive feedback for its sustainability approach, with one customer highlighting its combination of ecology and economics, while another appreciates its practical solutions and road maps. Additionally, customers value its knowledge base, with one mentioning it's chock full of great examples, and consider it important reading that's worth every penny. However, the readability receives mixed reviews, with some finding it a great read while others note it's not the easiest to read.

Select to learn more

Thought provokingSustainabilityKnowledge baseReading levelValue for moneyAdviceIdeasReadability
15 customers mention "Thought provoking"15 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and inspiring, with one customer noting it provides a clear look into the future of mankind.

"...reading this book, I was continuously floored by his analysis, his insight and his prescription for the future...." Read more

"A brilliantly written, thought provoking, system changing book...." Read more

"It is a quality book. Very inspiring." Read more

"...Hawken's ideas are original and provacative. It is an easy book to read even if economy or ecology are of no concern to you." Read more

12 customers mention "Sustainability"10 positive2 negative

Customers appreciate the book's approach to sustainability, with one customer highlighting its combination of ecology and economics, while another notes it goes beyond environmental concerns.

"...This book approaches the subjects of business, sustainability, the environment and our role in how those elements intertwine...." Read more

"...provided by Hawken are priceless for the creating of a sustainable future on planet Earth. It is a book about balance and solutions, not blame...." Read more

"...What I got, however, was so much more. This book is not only about the environment, but about how the environment integrates with global business..." Read more

"...consider to be the classic on growing our economy and sustainably in terms of our environment, is that it is chock full of great examples of how..." Read more

6 customers mention "Knowledge base"5 positive1 negative

Customers appreciate the book's knowledge base, with individual reviews highlighting its comprehensive overview, detailed analysis, and numerous examples.

"Very interesting book and great read! Very good data for those folks who are supportive regarding the sustainability of our planet..." Read more

"...and sustainably in terms of our environment, is that it is chock full of great examples of how companies have successfully altered their practices..." Read more

"...Throughout reading this book, I was continuously floored by his analysis, his insight and his prescription for the future...." Read more

"...It's the type of book you could read multiple times and gain new knowledge from each time...." Read more

6 customers mention "Reading level"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book important, with one customer describing it as required reading for everyone on the planet and another noting it's a must-read for those interested in sustainability.

"...Kudos for writing such an important book! — Rob Williams, Crestone, CO" Read more

"Very important book, will be really important in the future." Read more

"...environmental literature, but is nonetheless a must read for those interested in sustainability." Read more

"...I liked about Hawken's book, which many consider to be the classic on growing our economy and sustainably in terms of our environment, is that it is..." Read more

4 customers mention "Value for money"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book worth every penny.

"...thing is that, with creative problem solving, it can actually be more profitable to be an environmentally friendly company or society...." Read more

"...Worth every penny!" Read more

"Great and excellent read that has endless value for those readers who want to be inspired and change the world." Read more

"Tough read but worth the time..." Read more

3 customers mention "Advice"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's advice, with one mentioning it provides practical solutions, while another notes it offers road maps and guidance.

"...You'll also find road maps and guidance that will help us all move towards a future that won't continue to destroy the biosphere." Read more

"...It is a book about balance and solutions, not blame...." Read more

"A Good Overview with Practical Solutions..." Read more

3 customers mention "Ideas"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's ideas, with one customer highlighting its creative problem-solving approach and another noting how every sentence reflects structural economic principles.

"...And the counter-intuitive thing is that, with creative problem solving, it can actually be more profitable to be an environmentally friendly company..." Read more

"This is a very interesting book filled with wornderful ideas regarding our economy and the effect we have on the economy when we make purchase..." Read more

"Well written and thought out..." Read more

13 customers mention "Readability"9 positive4 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's readability, with some finding it a great and interesting read, while others note that it is not the easiest to read.

"Very interesting book and great read! Very good data for those folks who are supportive regarding the sustainability of our planet..." Read more

"Great read!..." Read more

"Not a light read." Read more

"This is a very interesting book filled with wornderful ideas regarding our economy and the effect we have on the economy when we make purchase..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Olivia
    5.0 out of 5 stars Global Required Reading
    Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2008
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I don't even know how to begin describing how great this book is. It should be required reading for EVERYBODY on the planet. I learned about this book while watching the documentary, "The Corporation," and I'll have to admit, I wasn't expecting anything revolutionary in this book. I thought I'd be getting some interesting pictures and statistics relating to consumption, recycling, landfills, global warming...pretty much your standard environmental rhetoric (of which I'm a subscriber) to complement what I already know. What I got, however, was so much more. This book is not only about the environment, but about how the environment integrates with global business and economics. For some reason, the 'developed' world has created a disconnect between the environment and business. Hawken shows how the two are inextricably connected, and in order to guarantee a successful future for us, our children and all life on earth, business and the environment must work harmoniously and each stop being the bane of the other.

    His metaphor for business IS the environment: everything in nature is cyclical, which brings maximum efficiency. Nothing is more efficient than the natural world: one organism's waste is another organism's life source. If business would approach operations and resources from this perspective, waste would not be 'waste' and the benefits of increased efficiency would permeate throughout all life and systems. His metaphor is very simple but exceedingly beautiful, and only becomes more so as Hawken goes in-depth with concrete examples and further exploration of all issues from both sides. Throughout reading this book, I was continuously floored by his analysis, his insight and his prescription for the future.

    And a note about his prose: every sentence reflects structurally the economies and efficiencies it conveys ideologically. This man is concise and his style is powerful - every word packs a punch. He says so much with so little, maximizing the time spent in our reading investment. Clearly, I have nothing but the highest praise for Hawken and this book - it is truly visionary.
    15 people found this helpful
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  • Samantha Denney
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
    Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I read "The Ecology of Commerce Revised Edition: A Declaration of Sustainability" because it offers a compelling vision for integrating business practices with environmental responsibility. Hawken's insights challenge conventional thinking, advocating for sustainable economic practices that benefit both business and the planet. It's a thought-provoking read that inspires individuals and organizations to reconsider their roles in creating a more sustainable future.
    Helpful
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  • Lorel Bee
    5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring Textbook
    Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This required textbook addresses why we need to merge business with serious concerns about preserving the earth environment. Learn the real meaning of sustainability and how we can contribute to this vital and ongoing issue.
    Helpful
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  • Add to Cart Enthusiast
    4.0 out of 5 stars College required text
    Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2016
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Used at Western Washington University in 2011. This book approaches the subjects of business, sustainability, the environment and our role in how those elements intertwine. It's the type of book you could read multiple times and gain new knowledge from each time. It's definitely thought-provoking and a great foundation for conversation about how we move forward as a business-minded society. I really appreciate that it doesn't just take one side of the issue - many environmental texts seem to bash business with no exceptions - but Hawken notes that business can help the environment as much as hurt it, and proposes that we find ways to improve business rather than eliminating it. A great read for anyone.

    Like most people, I rely on honest product reviews to make purchase decisions. Because the experience of others has been so helpful to me, I try to provide honest, helpful reviews to assist other shoppers in selecting the right products for them. I hope my review has been helpful to you!
    15 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Carol Grosser
    5.0 out of 5 stars The only real hope for sustainability
    Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2001
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    As we all know, everyone crows on the "failure" of communism, but no one crows about the REAL failure of capitalism. It is a more slow dying weed than the "socialism" of communism, but it is a dying weed as well. When the vast majority of the population is dying a slow death from failing lungs in the form of asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema, when all the ills of our "capitalistic" economy are enumerated including increasing failure of our children to have IQ above retardation level, i.e. "Survivor", etc. and most of them have failing immune systems, how can capitalism have survived?
    Paul Hawkens, I believe, is the first real thinker to address the issue. He gets rid of those self-assured Americans who name themselves environmentalists because they put out their trash at the recycling curb while proceeding as usual otherwise.
    The other frivolous reviews you have at the first is further evidence of the old business ethic that is afraid to rethink or,indeed, to even think!
    Put my review at the first where it belongs, corporate giant, soon to be owned by Wal-Mart, the corporate giant that dots the American landscape with even more junk and cuts every tree in its path!
    12 people found this helpful
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  • white cloud blue sky
    5.0 out of 5 stars Home again only better
    Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2010
    Verified Purchase
    Having read the 1993 version dozens of times I can only be profusely grateful for an updated version from which to teach collge students. The revised version is like visiting a great city after a twenty year absence. The bones are there but there are new buildings that have evolved to reflect the times. Thank you Paul. You have given another generation another chance to wake up a world asleep at the wheel of a car headed for a cliff.

    It still reads like a collection of keynote speeches where every sentence is designed to pack a punch. It doesn't take a lot of words to be honest and direct. Ecology of commerce is not a spectator sport; if really read it is a call to action.
    7 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Greenie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Must-read-book
    Reviewed in Germany on February 26, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    This book is fantastic. Read it! Paul Hawken has created a masterpiece and will probably change your worldview. You won't be disappointed
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  • Jono
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Australia on September 13, 2015
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Amazing
    Report
  • bomble
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for those who care about our future.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 12, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Lucid, devastating, empowering, inspiring. A lot to claim of a small book but I will absolutely be recommending it to those around me and have already lent my copy to a colleague.

    I'm not sure I entirely agree with Hawken's proposals for green taxation as I tend to look for feedback in such systems and taxation on products that are not supposed to do us good (cigarettes, alcohol, aviation fuel...) don't seem to have had much impact on the population and in fact make the government the beneficiary of such activities reducing their desire to curb them long-term.

    But apart from that his call to business to look for cyclic, restorative models and stop externalising the costs of the environmental damage they do makes good business sense to me and that gives it some chance of actually permeating into culture. Hence, many years after its first publication, a growing number of companies are directly or indirectly responding to his call. Marvellous.
    Report
  • Client d'Amazon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Livre qui porte à réflexion
    Reviewed in France on February 15, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Ce livre est un formidable outil pour se lancer dans l'ère suivante qui espérons-le sera moins destructrice que les deux précédentes. Autrement, l'auteur fournit un style assez dynamique couronné de très belles statistiques !
    Merci pour cette lecture.
    Report
  • Chaitanya Sethi
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on Business' responsibility towards sustainability
    Reviewed in India on August 19, 2020
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    'The Ecology of Commerce' talks about the pressing need for business to answer to ecological sustainability. With evidence of current business practices harming people, environment, animals, and nature, it is no longer acceptable to deny responsibility. As much as they would like us to believe that if we recycle at home and buy paper cups instead of plastic cans we can control it, the fact is, without business intervention, this problem is not going to be solved.

    Paul highlights how the current democratic capitalist system is flawed - it came out of industrialization at a time when population was low enough that environmental concerns were not on anyone's mind & natural resources seemed abundant. However, that is not the case now. The way free markets operate, they emphasize low prices but do not internalize environmental costs. The incentives encourage businesses to exploit the environment. Consumers are not made aware of the supply chain of the products they purchase. The growth story sold to the world is that of large businesses leading countries out of poverty. Ecology is seen as disruptive and a barrier to free trade and environmentalists are seen as hysterical critics. It doesn't have to be that way.

    Although it was written in 1993, the ideas still hold merit. What I loved most about it was the clear, rational tone with which it was written. It did not paint anyone out as a villain but highlighted how we can all collaborate to deal with this problem. Paul's three suggestions - to redesign supply chains and product cycles on 'waste-equals-food', gradually switch from fossil fuels to alternative sources, and a feedback and accountability mechanism valuing restoration, are all excellent recommendations, made sounder by the fact that he gives examples of all of them being presently used as successful methods of running businesses, as seen in the world. I would encourage anyone with an interest in business and/or sustainability to pick it up. It's a slow read but it has a valuable pay-off.
    Report