Consider 1% for the Planet as You Plan Your Philanthropic Gifts

As we approach the holiday season when many citizens make charitable donations, please keep in mind an organization Cosimo often works with, 1% for the Planet during your selections this month.

Cosimo joined 1% for the Planet in 2012, an organization of over 1,200 companies in 48 countries that support sustainable causes by donating 1% of their sales to a network of almost 3,700 approved environmental organizations worldwide. To date over $100 million has been donated to this network of environmental organizations.

As Cosimo's mission is to create a smart and sustainable society by publishing books covering wisdom through the ages, it was a natural step to join 1% for the Planet. In recent years, Cosimo has helped support the following organizations:

- EcoHealth Alliance
- charity:water
- Green Map System
- ioby
- Just Food
- Oceana
- Solar One
- The Turtle Conservancy
- World Monuments Fund
- and more!



About 1% for the Planet
Started in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard, founder and owner of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, owner of Blue Ribbon Flies, 1% for the Planet is a growing global movement of member companies that donate to environmental organizations worldwide. As a network, the 1% community has become a front runner in funding the work of environmental groups around the world. Readers can find out more, straight from Yvon and Craig, in this video.

1% is Looking Ahead

This summer, 1% will be launching their first consumer-facing campaign to inspire individuals to take measurable actions on behalf of our planet. Watch their Facebook page for the latest news and updates.

April eBook of the Month: Earth Fever

Earth Day is Saturday, April 22, and because of this great day, we at Cosimo would like to highlight Earth Fever: Living Consciously with Climate Change by Judy McAllister, Erik Van Praag, and Jan Paul van Soest as our eBook of the month. 

The human species is in a rather precarious situation. Poverty, the energy and financial crises, and above all the challenge of climate change (not to mention the rollback of major policies affecting the environment) mean that our civilization has come to a dangerous edge.

Our safety nets — on both collective and individual levels — have been removed. Can we create a future that allows for a dignified society and a peaceful world? With a change of consciousness and a new spirituality, we may.  The authors of this fascinating book bring to bear their diverse experience in the fields of sustainability, leadership, and entrepreneurialism on the challenge of building a radically different belief system about life such an endeavor will require. 

Along with the wisdom of international opinion leaders — including management consultant Peter Senge; Jeroen van der Veer, the former CEO of Royal Dutch Shell; cultural creative Paul Ray; Herman Wijffels, former governor at the World Bank; Princess Irene of the Netherlands, and others — Earth Fever delves into what is needed to bring about this essential new way of thinking.

Purchase this eBook at any of the retailers below.

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April Book of the Month: Natural Power by Rock Brynner

Due to its historic and current importance, we are once again nominating Natural Power by Rock Brynner as our April Book of the Month.

The Power Authority made its debut in Natural Power recently here at Cosimo, but is back in the headlines with the National Geographic documentary Edison vs Tesla, which documents some of the history of natural power in New York. Also, with Governor Andrew Cuomo's recent speech on the State of the State (of New York) where he stressed the importance of renewable energy as well as the goal of 50 percent of New York's electricity come from renewable energy sources by 2030. And not to mention April is when Earth Day is celebrated, and the first ever March for Science!

Natural Power: The New York Power Authority's Origins and Path to Clean Energy tells the story of the history, mission, and values of the Power Authority of the State of New York. Beginning with the birth of generated electricity in New York State, Natural Power emphasizes the role of inventors like Edison, Tesla, and Westinghouse; investors like J. P. Morgan; and government figures like Franklin D. Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower played in helping to spread electricity from a luxury to a necessity in America.

At its core, the Power Authority played an essential role in establishing public power over the private sector and greatly influenced the development of power from natural resources. It created affordable, sustainable alternatives for citizens across the state with the construction of the Niagara Falls and St. Lawrence River power plants, and provided a template for the rest of the country to establish public power services. Today, this essential public service provides almost a quarter of New York State's power, dedicates much research and development to environmentally-friendly power sources, and consistently leads the vanguard of utilities in sustainability and modernization in the 21st century.

Natural Power is a fascinating read for readers, historians, environmentalists, journalists, and policymakers interested in the birth of electrification, the founding of the New York Power Authority, its role as a public entity and the importance of clean energy when the threats of climate change are obvious to New Yorkers.

About the Author 
Rock Brynner is a writer and historian who lives in Pawling, New York. He earned an M.A. in Philosophy at Trinity College, Dublin, and a Ph.D. in U.S. History at Columbia University and has taught US history at Marist College and Western Connecticut State University. This is his tenth book.

About New York Power Authority
New York Power Authority  is the country's largest state public power organization, producing some of the cheapest electricity in North America. NYPA is a leader in promoting energy efficiency and the use of renewable-fuel technologies.

June Organization of the Month: 1% for the Planet

Cosimo is proud to announce 1% for the Planet as our Organization of the Month for June.

Cosimo joined 1% for the Planet in 2012, an organization of over 1,200 companies in 48 countries that support sustainable causes by donating 1% of their sales to a network of almost 3,700 approved environmental organizations worldwide. To date over $100 million has been donated to this network of environmental organizations.

As Cosimo's mission is to create a smart and sustainable society by publishing books covering personal development, environment and social responsible business, it was a natural step to join 1% for the Planet. In recent years, Cosimo has helped support the following organizations:


- EcoHealth Alliance
- charity:water
- Green Map System
- ioby
- Just Food
- Oceana
- Solar One
- The Turtle Conservancy
- World Monuments Fund
- and more!



About 1% for the Planet
Started in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard, founder and owner of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, owner of Blue Ribbon Flies, 1% for the Planet is a growing global movement of member companies that donate to environmental organizations worldwide. As a network, the 1% community has become a front runner in funding the work of environmental groups around the world. Readers can find out more, straight from Yvon and Craig, in this video.

1% is Looking Ahead

This summer, 1% will be launching their first consumer-facing campaign to inspire individuals to take measurable actions on behalf of our planet. Watch their Facebook page for the latest news and updates.

About Cosimo
Cosimo, Inc., is a New York based specialty publisher of books and publications that inspire, inform and engage readers. Cosimo's mission is to create a smart and sustainable society by connecting people with valuable ideas. In Cosimo's catalog, one can find a wide range of books describing innovative ways towards achieving a sustainable society, including Water, the Blood of the Earth by Allerd Stikker, Our National Parks by John Muir, and The Tierra Solution -Resolving the Climate Crisis Through Monetary Transformation by Frans Verhagen and many more. In addition, Cosimo has a history of dedicating proceeds of specific books to non-for-profit organizations, such as A Dream Come True by David Kahn and We're Global Citizens by Steffi Schütze benefiting respectively The Aid for Traumatized Children Project and International House of New York.

May Organization of the Month: Praxis Peace Institute

Cosimo would like to highlight the Praxis Peace Institute as our Organization of the Month for May.

Praxis Peace Institute, based in Sonomo, California, is a non-profit peace education organization dedicated to deep inquiry, creative problem solving, and informed civic participation. In bringing together leading educators, researches, activists, and elected representatives, Praxis Peace Institute has established itself as a vehicle for practical workshops, cutting-edge conferences, and civic education. Their goal is to understand the failed mechanisms of the old systems in order to nurture the visions and alternative structures that support the evolution of systemic peace, social justice, and responsible stewardship of our planet.

Since its founding in 2001, Praxis Peace Institute programs have addressed some of the most relevant social challenges of our time. These areas include communication and conflict transformation, inquiries into the effects of culture and propaganda, participatory democracy and peace building, solutions to species' extinctions, and the exploration of what an economic system that supported peace would look like.

Praxis Peace Institute Imprint
Another initiative by Praxis, was when it responded to the libertarian conspiracy film Thrive with a pamphlet titled "Uncivil Liberties: Deconstructing Libertarianism," in which it carefully and concisely laid out the problems inherent in libertarian philosophy and why it is so appealing to today's society. In order to broaden the reach of this pamphlet, Praxis made it into a full fledged book that was published by Praxis's own imprint,  established with the help of Cosimo B2B - see below -.  As we are approaching the congressional elections later this year, this book is a must-read for anyone invested in modern politics and the future of the United States. Uncivil Liberties is available from most online bookstores.

Upcoming Praxis Conference
What: The Economics of Sustainability - Emerging Models for a Healthy Planet
When: October 6-9, 2014
Where: Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA

About: This Praxis conference will showcase the economic and environmental models that have a proven track record in establishing a sustainable relationship with our planet and its inhabitants. Recognizing the severity of the environmental crises we face, the link between economics and environmental policies is a critical factor in achieving sustainable policies and lifestyles. For more information about the conference, panels, speakers, and how to register, please visit Praxis' events page.


Cosimo B2B
Cosimo B2B is Cosimo's services unit, that offers publishing services to organizations such as Praxis Peace Institute, who are considering setting up their own publishing company, in order to reach worldwide readership and enhance their brand name. We welcome those organizations and institutions that are aligned with Cosimo's mission of creating a smarter and more sustainable society by connecting people with valuable ideas. If your organization wants to know more about the benefits of having its own imprint and is interested in working with us to create such an imprint, please visit our private imprint page.

Krugman & Verhagen on Economic Bubbles

The well-known Noble prize winning economist, Paul Krugman, seems to be gaining more and more attention as a New York Times columnist than he had as a regular economist. Maybe in these times of unbridled admiration for fame and celebrities, Krugman should consider joining a reality show, if he wants to influence the world outside the U.S. and possibly outside our universe. Anyway, his latest column, This Age of Bubbles, questions why we've experienced so many economic bubbles since the late 70s. After the housing bubble in the U.S. and Western-Europe from a few years ago, before that the dot-com bubble, then the Asian bubble of the 1990s, and the real estate bubble (in the U.S.) of the 1980s, it seems now the BRICs with Brazil, India, and other emerging markets are hitting the proverbial economic walls.
Krugman:

"What’s going on? It’s a variant on the same old story: investors loved these economies not wisely but too well, and have now turned on the objects of their former affection. A couple years back, Western investors — discouraged by low returns both in the United States and in the noncrisis nations of Europe — began pouring large sums into emerging markets. Now they’ve reversed course. As a result, India’s rupee and Brazil’s real are plunging, along with Indonesia’s rupiah, the South African rand, the Turkish lira, and more."

After referring to the Federal Reserves policy of lowering interest rates and financial deregulation in the U.S. and around the world, Krugman concludes:

Cosimo co-sponsors Sustainable Styles Launch Party at Tesla Showroom in NY

Sustainable Styles, a new magazine venture from sustainable activist Pamela Peeters, held a launch party co-sponsored by Cosimo last Wednesday evening. Among the guests was Frans Verhagen, whose recent book, The Tierra Solution, was being raffled along with Nikola Tesla's autobiography My Inventions. The launch party was held at Tesla's namesake, the Tesla Motors Showroom, where guests were treated to a close-up look at one of the innovative electrical cars, inspired by the works and inventions of Nikola Tesla. 

If you're interested in learning more about Sustainable Styles and Pamela Peeters work, please visit their Facebook page or consider a donation to the magazine.

"As the World Burns: Can an Integrated Monetary System Save Us?" - Review of The Tierra Solution

Ethan Goffman, associate editor of the open-access journal for sustainable solutions, Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy, has written a thought-provoking review of Frans Verhagen's The Tierra Solution. You can read the original review, along with some enlightening articles about sustainability, here, but see what he has to say below.

Climate change requires an integrated global approach. Solutions cannot be isolated by borders, nor from our economic and social systems. Big thinking is needed. One recent book that thinks big is The Tierra Solution by sustainability sociologist Frans Verhagen, President of the International Institute of Monetary Transformation. The book recommends a global currency called the Tierra based on carbon. Given the severe challenge of climate change, such sweeping proposals are needed to create a larger vision and stimulate discussion. And clearly, a major shift in our monetary system is needed for a stable, sustainable planet. Still, the book is simplistic in its claims for a singular solution and understates the huge political challenges.

The Tierra would abandon our current floating currency, in which dollars, euros, renminbi, pesos, and other currency fluctuate relative to one another, oftentimes wildly so. While such volatility is economically stressful, Verhagen points out that the gold standard, the classical stable unit of currency, suffers from the artificial nature of gold, which itself ebbs and flows in price. As an international currency based on carbon, the Tierra would be both comprehensive and stable. It would also be tied to the environment, encouraging responsible behavior globally. As Verhagen explains, “[T]he proximity of a nation’s decarbonization level to the [Tierra] standard would determine the...value of its currency.”

Alas, the book leaves a hole as to how a transition to such a standard would take place. It does, however, describe a more complete system of which the Tierra is only one part, albeit the central one. Controlled by a global monetary institution, the Tierra would be a credit-based currency integrated with an exchange of wealthy countries’ ecological debts and poorer countries’ financial debt, and working alongside a carbon tax.

Read the rest of the review on the Sustainability blog, here. And don't forget to leave a comment here or there with your own thoughts on the issue!

Bookbuzz Blog Radio with Frans Verhangen: Discussing His New Book on Climate Change and the Financial Crisis

Last week, Frans Verhagen, author of The Tierra Solution (Cosimo's June Book of the Month) had a conversation with Susanna Greenberg on BlogTalk Radio about the book and the state of the climate. Verhagen discussed the current climate crisis and what is currently being done to solve those problems, currency problems and moving toward a standard currency, what a carbon standard is and why it is more beneficial than any other standard, and the benefits of the Tierra Fee and Dividend System.


This book and talk comes on the heels of the Rio+20 conference in Brazil, where "world leaders, along with thousands of participants from governments, the private sector, NGOs and other groups, [came] together to shape how we can reduce poverty, advance social equity and ensure environmental protection on an ever more crowded planet to get to the future we want."