This book should be read by anyone interested in the impacts of globalization. Joseph Stiglitz, author and Nobel Prize winner for economics gives his first hand experience of life in the World Bank and the major failings of both the World Bank and the IMF’s programs. This is a fantastic, easy-to-follow book for anyone who wants to understand more about economics and the role of global financial institutions.

Stiglitz makes a strong stand and articulates the original roles of the public institutions such as the IMF, the World Bank and the WTO, criticizing how they do not live up to their supposed mandates. He exposes the disastrous policies of the IMF which had led countries after countries, on its crusade to impose the Gospel of Market-Fundamentalism, into desolation and devastation. For those who have training in economics, this is a very good book to show how economic thinking is applied to real world situations. For those who do not know much about economics, this book slowly will yield significant dividends in understanding our world and the huge stakes involved in the process of globalization.  That said, not every reader would agree with the analysis here, but to form an educated opinion it is essential to understand both sides of a debate.

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This is a book which focuses on the idea that ‘radical transparency’ regarding the origins and production processes of the goods we buy can allow us to make market choices that would create more sustainable consumption.  While examining the processes involved with creating, transporting, storing and ultimately consuming and disposing of products used in our day to day lives, author Daniel Goleman digs deep into “life cycle analysis” (LCA) of a wide range of products, and explores the environmental and social ramifications. The insights he provides are illuminating and go far beyond the usual carbon calculations.

Using an elegant story telling context, the author proposes a creative idea: every consumer can use his purchasing behavior to affect the producers. Given the extent of today’s information technology, the possibilities of analyzing the information about the ingredients of a simple product is within each consumer’s capacity.

The point made by the author is simple- most of the rules of thumb we learn about what’s best for the environment are wrong in many particular instances. Citing the example of shoppers who opt to ‘go green’ by purchasing organic cotton bags, Goleman calls such people collective victims of sleight of hand. This is because upon ecological assessment, some uncomfortable facts clearly stand out , e.g., 10,000 liters of water were required to grow the cotton for one bag, and cotton crops alone account for the use of about 10% of the world’s pesticides

While it is evident that new ideas or practices are difficult to introduce into the field of ecology the author does a fine job by making an aggressive and optimistic argument that information alone will provide the basis for people to make more rational decisions about ingredients, practices, and eliminating waste.

People looking for a good dose of non fiction will find this book brimming with insightful and helpful information. Sharp, innovative, and realistic in its approach to raising the demand for environmentally safe merchandise, this is a book which can enable people to realize what transparency can accomplish. This fascinating treatise has tremendous potential for reaching and motivating a large and diverse audience

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