When Voluntary Simplicity was first published in 1981, it quickly became recognized as a powerful and visionary work in the emerging dialogue over sustainable ways of living. Nearly three decades later, as the planet''s environmental stresses become more urgent than ever, Duane Elgin has revised and updated his revolutionary book.Voluntary Simplicity is not about living in poverty; it is about living with balance. This book illuminates the pattern of changes that an increasing number of people around the world are making in their everyday lives—adjustments in day-to-day living that are an active, positive response to the complex dilemmas of our time. By embracing a lifeway of voluntary simplicity—characterized by ecological awareness, frugal consumption, and personal growth—people can change their lives. And in the process, they have the power to change the world.

The sequel to Duane Elgin''s bestselling classic Voluntary Simplicity, which changed the lives of thousands and was called the "bible" of the simplicity movement by the Wall Street Journal, Promise Ahead looks beneath the headlines to reveal the deeper currents now changing our lives.Elgin sees two powerful sets of trends converging in the coming decades. The first set he calls "adversity trends." These include1. Global climate changes that threaten our food supply2. Massive human population3. Mass extinction of species4. Rapid depletion of crucial natural resources5. Civil unrest caused by global poverty.The second set he calls "opportunity trends." These include1. Recognition of the universe as a living system2. The quiet revolution toward simpler ways of living3. Use of the Internet as a tool for social awareness and change4. Growing efforts toward reconciliation of racial, gender, religious, and other differencesIf we meet these unprecedented challenges, we can make a dramatic leap in our evolutionary journey and will have a very promising future.

When Voluntary Simplicity was first published in 1981, it quickly became recognized as a powerful and visionary work in the emerging dialogue over sustainable ways of living. Nearly three decades later, as the planet''s environmental stresses become more urgent than ever, Duane Elgin has revised and updated his revolutionary book.Voluntary Simplicity is not about living in poverty; it is about living with balance. This book illuminates the pattern of changes that an increasing number of people around the world are making in their everyday lives—adjustments in day-to-day living that are an active, positive response to the complex dilemmas of our time. By embracing a lifeway of voluntary simplicity—characterized by ecological awareness, frugal consumption, and personal growth—people can change their lives. And in the process, they have the power to change the world.

The sequel to Duane Elgin''s bestselling classic Voluntary Simplicity, which changed the lives of thousands and was called the "bible" of the simplicity movement by the Wall Street Journal, Promise Ahead looks beneath the headlines to reveal the deeper currents now changing our lives.Elgin sees two powerful sets of trends converging in the coming decades. The first set he calls "adversity trends." These include1. Global climate changes that threaten our food supply2. Massive human population3. Mass extinction of species4. Rapid depletion of crucial natural resources5. Civil unrest caused by global poverty.The second set he calls "opportunity trends." These include1. Recognition of the universe as a living system2. The quiet revolution toward simpler ways of living3. Use of the Internet as a tool for social awareness and change4. Growing efforts toward reconciliation of racial, gender, religious, and other differencesIf we meet these unprecedented challenges, we can make a dramatic leap in our evolutionary journey and will have a very promising future.