The environmental movement has often been accused of being overly negative — trying to stop "progress." The Nature of Design, on the other hand, is about starting things, specifically an ecological design revolution that changes how weprovide food, shelter, energy, materials, and livelihood,
and how we deal with waste. Ecological design is an emerging field that aims to recalibrate what humans do in the world according to how the worldworks as a biophysical system. Design in this sense is a large concept having to do as much with politics and ethics as with buildings and technology. The book begins by describing the scope of design, comparing it tothe Enlightenment of the 18th century. Subsequent chapters describe barriers to a design revolution inherent in our misuse of language, the clockspeed of technological society, and shortsighted politics. Orr goes on to describethe
critical role educational institutions might play in fostering design intelligence and what he calls "a higher order of heroism." Appropriately, the book ends on themes of charity, wilderness, and therights of children. Astute yet broadly appealing, The Nature of Design combines theory, practicality, and a call to action.