Business and economics books have influenced business managers, CEOs and, in some cases, entire political economies. But they have also propelled us forward blindly at an ever-increasing pace towards ecological destruction.
The Ecology of Commerce by Paul Hawken tips the scales the other way. The environmentalist and entrepreneur joins the dots between our production and consumption activities and the destruction of the natural environment that enables them. I chose it partly because its influence on CEOs of large corporations is well documented, but also because of a personal connection.
The Ecology of Commerce was originally published in 1993, and a revised edition was published by Harper Business in 2010. Its easy-to-read and non-judgemental style makes it accessible to business students and managers.
