As the first conservation biologist in the history of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Brian Czech brought to headquarters an unusual expertise: deep knowledge about the conflict between economic growth and biodiversity conservation.
Czech's insights were welcomed-until they threatened the win-win rhetoric that "there is no conflict between growing the economy and protecting the environment." Before long, Czech received his first gag order, prohibiting him from talking about the growth-conservation conundrum. Economic growth became the "800-pound gorilla" on the conservation policy table.
Gag-Ordered No More is a fascinating account of one man's efforts to speak truth to power, advance the principles of ecological economics, and lead the U.S. government to embrace limits to growth.
