The Age of Low Tech: Towards a Technologically Sustainable Civilization

Front Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table Of Contents -- List Of Figures And Tables -- Acknowledgements -- Preface To The English Edition -- Prologue: The Mad Dance Of The Shrimps -- Part I: The Rise And Fall Of 'engineering Miracle-workers' -- How Technology Has (always) Responded To The Shortage Of Resources -- Why High Tech Is Not An Answer This Time -- To Finish, The Latest Pet High-tech Themes -- The Triple Dead-end Of An Extractivist, Productivist And Consumerist Society -- Part Ii: The Principles Of Simple Technologies -- Challenge The Needs Truly Sustainable Design And Production -- Orient Knowledge Towards The Economic Use Of Resources -- Finding The Balance Between Performance And Conviviality -- Relocation Without Losing (good) Economies Of Scale -- De-mechanize Services -- Knowing How To Stay Modest -- Part Iii: Daily Life In The Era Of Simple Technologies -- Agriculture And Food -- Transport And Cars -- Construction And Urban Planning -- Consumer Products, Sports And Leisure, Tourism -- New Technology, Informatics And Communications Systems* -- Banks And Finance -- To Love, Live And Die In A Low-technology Age When Rubbish Bins Disappear -- And Where Is Energy In All This? -- Part Iv: Is 'transition' Possible? -- The Impossible Status Quo -- Between Wait-and-see, Fatalism And 'survivalism' -- The Major Issue Of Employment -- The Question Of Scale: Lessons From British Abolitionism -- Cultural And Moral Questions -- How To Make The Transition Desirable: Long Live Low Tech! -- Finishing On A Positive Note -- Epilogue: A Dream If Ever There Was One -- Notes -- Index -- Back Cover Philippe Bihouix ; Translated By Chris Mcmahon Originally Published In French By Editions Du Seuil In 2014 As L'âge Des Low Tech : Vers Une Civilisation Techniquement Soutenable Includes Bibliographical References And Index Electronic Reproduction. New York Available Via World Wide Web.