Viewing the way of life in rich countries as unsustainable, this book looks at the forms a sustainable society might take. It shows that practical and attractive alternatives exist and that, although the transition to an ecologically sustainable and just world must involve huge changes, it could yield a higher quality of life than most people, North and South, currently experience. The book outlines the viable alternatives available regarding housing, food production, energy, the design of settlements, the development of a new economy and the shift to new values. It emphasizes throughout that the essential principles for sustainability must be more materially-simple living standards and small-scale, self-sufficient local economies. The author also discusses actual examples of alternative communities, and offers a strategy for people to begin moving their own localities in that direction.