Reinventing Sustainability

"This publication benefits from specialist research and an evangelical spirit to remind the modern world about the achievements of our ancestors, so that we learn from them as we try to combat climate change. It is a rebuttal for those many scientists and agriculturalists, economists and politicians who dismiss the economic viability of ancient technology in today's world. It is packed with innovative solutions to current problems of desiccation, soil erosion, temperature control, food security, rising water levels and many other issues, and it presents the archaeological evidence for how past culture successfully mastered the inhospitable environments they encountered." ~The Antiquaries Journal, Vol. 101

“The particular value of Reinventing Sustainability is in the examples of archaeological discoveries that illustrate important potential solutions to present day environmental and climate issues. Guttmann-Bond has a comfortable yet informative writing style. She correctly summarizes climate change in a very accessible manner (not easy to do), and gives the reader a marvelous glimpse of being in the trenches at a dig site.” ~Sustainable Museums

"...passionate, educational and very readable. [Guttmann-Bond's] background as an archeologist, environmental scientist and educator has made this book a unique addition to my library... I’d recommend using this book as supplemental material in an undergraduate lower-level environmental management class or as a key text for an environmental stewardship/education class." ~Economic Botany

"Written in a casual, often colloquial style, this book offers a valuable narrative for students, teachers, professionals, and others interested in archaeology…inspiration and insights are all in here to fuel curiosity, commitment, and critical thinking." ~European Journal of Archaeology

"Promising to be an optimistic book, 'Reinventing Sustainability' looks at examples of successful sustainability in the past and considers whether these could be reintroduced; it does not disappoint." ~Antiquity

“Reinventing Sustainability provides a ray of optimism at a time when our environmental discourse has become mired in doomist prophecy. Archaeologist Erika Guttmann-Bond paints a portrait of a sustainable future that is still within reach, teaching us lessons from the successful practices of past cultures and how we might incorporate them into our modern technological infrastructure. Read this book and be empowered to help change the world.” ~Michael Mann, Distinguished Professor, Penn State University and author of The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars and The Madhouse Effect

"Reinventing Sustainability is a vibrant, fascinating, and above all optimistic exploration of past successes in human relationships with local environments […] The book is richly illustrated and accessibly written, introducing the reader to the key disciplines of archaeology and anthropology in a way which is understandable for the non-specialist." ~Agricultural History

"…a very good introduction to the subject of sustainable agriculture, covering a wide range of practices and supported with fascinating case studies. While the range of material and the geographical span of case studies means that there is probably something to be gained by every reader, the brevity of the book leaves the reader wanting more. " ~The Archaeological Journal

"Archaeology may sometimes be consdered irrelevant to the future but this book shows how erroneous this view is… Well-written and easy to read, this book is deeply relevant for our time, with examples that give us all hope for the future." ~Current World Archaeology