A Contract with the Earth

Focusing the environmental debate on the principle of common commitment, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and eminent conservationist Terry L. Maple present A Contract with the Earth. They declare a need for bipartisan environmentalism--a new era of environmental stewardship with principles that they believe most Americans will share. While acknowledging that liberals and conservatives do not see eye to eye on many issues, Gingrich and Maple argue successfully that environmental stewardship is a mainstream value that transcends partisan politics. Their thoughtful approaches to our environmental challenges are based on three main premises: environmental leadership is integral to America's role in the world, technologically savvy environmental entrepreneurs can and should be the cornerstone of environmental solutions, and cooperation and incentives must be dramatically increased to achieve workable and broadly supported environmental solutions. Gingrich and Maple believe that most people--regardless of how they categorize themselves politically--are weary of the legal and political conflicts that prevent individuals and communities from realizing the benefits of environmental conservation. The foundation of the book--a ten-point contract with the earth--promotes ingenuity over rhetoric as the way forward.

About the Author :
Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House, is the author of several bestselling books, including Valley Forge, To Try Men's Souls, Pearl Harbor and Gettysburg (all with William R. Forstchen). He is a member of the Defense Policy Board and co-chair of the UN Task Force, is the longest-serving teacher of the Joint War Fighting course for Major Generals, and served in Congress for twenty years. He is also the founder of the Center for Health Transformation. Terry L. Maple is president and CEO of the Palm Beach Zoo and a professor of conservation and behavior at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Dr. Maple is a former president of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and coeditor of Ethics on the Ark. He was president and CEO of Zoo Atlanta from 1985 to 2003. Edward O. Wilson is regarded as one of the world's most preeminent biologists and naturalists. He is the author of more than twenty books, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Ants; he also won the Pulitzer Prize in 1979 for his book On Human Nature. Some of his other awards include the US National Medal of Science, the International Prize for Biology, the Nierenberg Prize, and the Crafoord Prize, considered the highest award given in the field of ecology. His first fiction novel, Anthill: A Novel, was published in 2010 and is a New York Times bestseller. Callista Gingrich is the president of Gingrich Productions, a performance and production company focusing on audio, video, and photographic production. She is married to Newt Gingrich.

Review :
"'Ten commitments' call for politicians to abandon adversarial politics and for businessmen and conservationists to form 'compatible partnerships.'" -- "Publishers Weekly" "Gingrich offers some good ideas." -- "E--The Environmental Magazine" "Gore and Gingrich, both enjoying their 'elder' status, now must watch as their White House-hopeful juniors wrestle with their enviro-ideas. But here's a prediction: those who follow Gingrich's techno-optimism will have an easier time than those who put on Gore's hair shirt." -- "Newsday" "Offers a new approach to the challenges of the twenty-first century." -- "NPR" "This serves as a useful reminder that the debate about environmental policy is far from over. Recommended." -- "Library Journal"