Lester R. Brown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lester R. Brown
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Lester Brown in 2003.
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Lester Russel Brown
March 28, 1934 Bridgeton, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Education | Rutgers University (B.S., 1955) University of Maryland (M.S., 1959) Harvard University (M.P.A., 1962) |
| Occupation | Global environmental analyst, author |
| Years active | 1963–2015 |
| Known for | Analysis of global warming, food shortages, water depletion and energy shortages |
Lester Russel Brown (born March 28, 1934) is an American expert who studies the environment. He is famous for starting the Worldwatch Institute and the Earth Policy Institute. These are groups that research global environmental issues. A BBC radio host once called him "one of the great pioneer environmentalists."
Brown has written or helped write over 50 books about problems facing our planet. His books have been translated into more than forty languages! One of his recent books, The Great Transition (2015), talks about how the world is moving from old energy sources like fossil fuels to clean energy like solar and wind power. Another book, Full Planet, Empty Plates (2012), was about food shortages.
Lester Brown believes that rising food prices can cause big problems for countries, especially poorer ones. He has said that food shortages could even "bring down civilization." In a magazine called Foreign Policy, he explained how food issues contributed to revolutions in different countries in 2011.
Many people consider Brown a very important thinker. The Washington Post called him "one of the world's most influential thinkers." As early as 1978, he warned about dangers from how humans treat nature. He spoke about overfishing, cutting down too many forests, and turning land into desert. In 1986, the Library of Congress asked for his personal papers because his ideas had already strongly influenced how people thought about world population and resources. Even former President Bill Clinton suggested that "we should all heed his advice."
In the mid-1970s, Brown helped create the idea of sustainable development. This means using resources wisely so that future generations can also have them. He has received many awards, including the 1987 United Nations Environment Prize and the 1994 Blue Planet Prize for helping solve global environmental problems. In 1995, he was named one of "50 Great Americans" by Marquis Who's Who. He retired in June 2015 and lives in Washington, D.C..
Contents
Early Life and Farming Roots
Lester Brown grew up on a farm in Bridgeton, New Jersey. His family's farm didn't have running water or electricity. He loved to read and was especially interested in World War II and biographies of famous people like Abraham Lincoln. From a young age, he worked hard on the farm, milking cows and cleaning stables.
He was very creative and started several small businesses with his younger brother, Carl. They raised pheasants and chickens to sell. In 1951, they started a tomato business that grew very large, selling over 1.5 million pounds of tomatoes a year! Brown later said that farming was all he ever wanted to do. He felt it was a great job because it required knowing about soils, weather, plants, insects, and even politics.
Education and Early Career
After studying agricultural science at Rutgers University, Brown graduated in 1955. He then spent six months living in rural India through a special program. This experience showed him firsthand the challenges of food and population issues. His time in India changed his life and made him want to work on global food problems.
To do this, he decided to work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). He earned a master's degree in agricultural economics from the University of Maryland in just nine months. In 1959, he joined the USDA as an international agricultural analyst. He later earned another master's degree from Harvard University.
In 1963, Brown published a book called Man, Land and Food. It was the first detailed look at world food, population, and land resources for the future. The book caught the attention of the Secretary of Agriculture, Orville Freeman, who offered Brown a job on his staff. Brown's main role was to advise the secretary on global agricultural policies and help increase food production in developing countries.
In 1969, he left the government to help start the Overseas Development Council. He also believed in the "Green Revolution," which used better seeds and farming methods to fight poverty and hunger. However, he later realized that fast population growth in many countries was making it hard for food production to keep up.
Becoming an Environmental Leader
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In 1974, Lester Brown started the Worldwatch Institute. This was the first research group focused on global environmental issues. At the institute, he created important reports like the annual State of the World and Vital Signs. These reports helped educate people and governments about environmental problems and suggested solutions.
The Worldwatch Institute became known as a respected "think tank" for environmental information. Brown believed their job was to bring together insights from many different experts. He was even given a special "genius award" by the MacArthur Foundation in 1986 for his work.
In 1991, Brown spoke about two big environmental challenges: population growth and the decline of our planet due to unsustainable economic activities. He believes that solar power is the best long-term choice for humanity because of the problems with nuclear power, such as cost, safety, and waste. He said, "We have the opportunity as a generation to build an economic system that can last as long as the sun. It's an exciting challenge; it's doable."
In 2001, he left the Worldwatch Institute to create the Earth Policy Institute. His goal was to develop a plan to help save civilization. At this institute, he wrote important books like World on the Edge (2011) and the Plan B series. His last book, The Great Transition (2015), focused on the shift to solar and wind energy.
Lester Brown officially retired in June 2015 and closed the Earth Policy Institute. His work and ideas will continue to live on. Rutgers University, his old college, now has a special "Lester R. Brown Reading Room" with his books and awards. The Library of Congress also keeps his personal papers from his long career.
Environmental Warnings and Solutions
Issuing Important Warnings
In 2008, a college newspaper called Lester Brown an "environmental Paul Revere." This means he was like a messenger, warning people that "unless civilization changes its ways, its end is truly near." He explained that we are in a race between natural "tipping points" (like when glaciers melt too fast) and political changes. He stressed that the market needs to show the true environmental cost of things.
Brown pointed out that ignoring environmental costs is like a company hiding its expenses, which can lead to big problems later. He talked about fast population growth, deforestation (cutting down too many trees), and rising food and oil prices. He noted that as oil prices go up, grain prices often follow.
Offering Solutions for a Better Future
In 2001, Brown suggested a "tax shifting" idea. This would mean lowering income taxes and instead taxing activities that harm the environment, like carbon emissions. He called this creating an "honest market." For example, a carbon tax would make companies pay for the hidden costs of climate change.
This idea would also make people pay for the environmental costs of things like toxic waste, using too many raw materials, and creating too much garbage. Brown believes that if we keep these environmental costs hidden, society risks facing big problems, just like a company that hides its major expenses. He later added that this tax shift would help create an economy that tells the "ecological truth."
In 2008, Brown also shared ways to create new jobs. He suggested that governments invest in renewable energy (like solar and wind) and in technologies that make energy use more efficient. He showed how these investments could lead to many new jobs.
Key Books by Lester Brown
Lester Brown has written or co-written over 50 books, which have been translated into about 40 languages. Some of his earlier books include Man, Land and Food and World Without Borders.
In May 2001, he started the Earth Policy Institute to offer a plan for a sustainable economy. In November 2001, he published Eco-Economy: Building an Economy for the Earth, which was praised by famous biologist E.O. Wilson. Other important books include 'Plan B 4.0' (2009) and World on the Edge (2011). In 2012, he published Full Planet, Empty Plates.
Who Will Feed China?
In this 1995 book, Brown talked about the pressure on world resources as more countries, especially China, grow and develop. He warned that to feed its huge population, China might need to import so much grain that it could cause world food prices to rise very high.
In 2014, he updated his prediction, noting that China had indeed become a major grain importer, buying millions of tons each year.
Outgrowing the Earth
This book, published in 2004, explains how human demands are using up the Earth's natural resources too quickly. It shows how this environmental damage is hurting food production worldwide. Brown wrote that less crop production is happening because of global warming, water shortages, less cropland in developing countries, and a growing world population.
Plan B 4.0
Published in 2009, this book continues the ideas from his earlier works. It serves as a final warning for world leaders to start "mobilizing to save civilization." It stresses that time is running out.
At California State University, Chico, Plan B is now a required book for all new students. It is used in many different courses, from history to political science.
Breaking New Ground: A Personal History
In 2013, Brown published his autobiography, Breaking New Ground. In this book, he shares the important events in his life that led him to create the first research institute focused on looking at global environmental issues from many different angles. Many people have praised the book, calling him a "true American hero" and an "inspirational story."
The Great Transition: Shifting from Fossil Fuels to Solar and Wind Energy (2015)
This book talks about the fast growth of a global energy revolution using renewable sources. Countries are moving away from coal and nuclear power and choosing clean energy like solar and wind. Solar energy, once used mostly for small homes, is now powering huge projects around the world. Some wind farms can produce as much electricity as several nuclear power plants. New transportation systems, like those in China, are also using more electricity, and more people are riding bicycles for local travel.
Awards and Recognition
Lester Brown has received many awards and 25 honorary degrees. He is also an honorary professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
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- 1965 Superior Service award, United States Department of Agriculture
- 1987 UN Environmental prize
- 1989 World Wildlife Fund for Nature - International
- 1991 Humanist of the Year award, American Humanist Association
- 1994 Blue Planet prize, Asahi Glass Foundation
- 1995 Rachel Carson Environmental Achievement award
- 2002 Italian Presidential medal
- 2009 Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Award
- 2012 Earth Hall of Fame Kyoto
- 2012 Green Carpet Award for Distinguished Service, Harvard University
- 2013 Green Leadership Award, American Renewable Energy Institute
- Honorable mentions
- 2010 and 2011 Named one of the top 100 global thinkers by Foreign Policy magazine
- Literary Awards
- Christopher Award for By Bread Alone
- A.H. Boerma Award, FAO, for writings on the world food problem
- Best Translated Book, award from the Ministry of Culture, Iran, for Full House
- National Library of China book award for Plan B (Chinese edition)
See also
In Spanish: Lester R. Brown para niños
