Worldlog week 20 – 2013

Last week I talked about the wonderful, heart-warming reception we had in Istanbul from our sister party Hayvan Partisi. Last week, one of Turkey’s biggest newspapers the Hurriyet dedicated quite a few column inches to our visit and the Zaman Daily also wrote a long story. Mission accomplished! I am really looking forward to the international conference we are organising in The Hague on 2 and 3 June for sister parties in other countries.

The National Forest Service’s nature reserve auctions took place last week and will be held again next week. The National Forest Service is an organisation that manages nature in the Netherlands and they have to sell the reserves off because the government has cut its budget by 100 million Euros for this government’s term of office. As I told you last week, we have started a crowd funding campaign so we can buy these nature reserves to prevent nature from falling into the wrong hands.

It’s sad to see nature with a ‘for sale’ sign on it. The government doesn’t seem to realise that nature has a lot greater value than simply what the ground is worth! I’ll fill you in next week on how the auction went!

Nature with a ‘for sale’ sign.

I’m preparing to present my book MÉÉR (MORE) on 27 May in the Upper House’s historical meeting room.

‘MORE!’ book cover

I have found 15 scientists who are prepared to turn their talents to highlight the dead end goal of unbridled economic growth, and I asked them to find alternatives.

The result is a fantastic book that provides insight into a different economic future. People’s initial reactions to the book they were given to review have been great! Here’s a small selection of what they had to say:

Méér! is a strident call for awareness and to reconsider the concepts of prosperity and success.

Annemarie Postma, writer

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Marianne Thieme uses these essays to spell out the truly important subjects of our era.

Paul Cliteur, Professor of Jurisprudence, philosopher, columnist, publicist

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This book will inspire politics to tackle unemployment and promote sustainability, without incurring additional expenses.

Jan-Peter Cruiming, founder of the Nationale Vacaturebank website, director of Jobbird.com

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This book is a savvy exploration of the unavoidable changes that everyone is dealing with.

Christiaan Weijts, writer and columnist for NRC.Next and Groene Amsterdammer

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If only parliament would take a week-long recess for this book – and then hold a proper and really in-depth debate about all the relevant themes therein…

Maurits Groen, sustainable entrepreneur, member of the Club van Rome advisory body

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One stroke of a pen to write off monetary debts would solve the financial crisis. But the real debt – leaving behind an unliveable planet for our grandchildren, cannot be erased. Anyone who makes the merest mention of conventional economic growth after reading this book is an accessory to this crime.

Hans de Geus, stock exchange correspondent for the television programme RTL Z

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More is a rebellious, truly heretical book that takes the dogma of economic growth to task. This book shows how disastrous the consequences of believing in growth can be.

Hans Bouma, writer

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Your money or your life? A better economy, or the contents of the earth? We know what is important, but are blinded by greed and self-interest. It’s time to not just read, but take action too.

Guido Weijers, cabaret performer

If you think my book would do well in your language, let us know at info@partijvoordedieren.nl. It will contribute to the planet-wide point of view that growth is not the solution to the current crises, but the problem!

See you next week!