ROCHESTER 50 years ago, Dennis Meadows, a Rochester native, co-authored a book which sounded an alarm about the environment.
The Limits to Growth, published in 1972, was a bestseller that described the pace at which we consume natural resources, produce food, and create pollution.
The book has been published in 35 languages and has been read more than 30 million times. It was a catalyst for the creation of environmental groups and provided environmental advocates with a wealth of research. It stated that infinite growth could not be sustained on a planet with finite natural resources if data and computer modeling are used.
It didn’t change anything.
Meadows stated that the main people who had read it were those who believed it anyway, 50 years later. They were not in positions of power.
Meadows, a 1960 John Marshall High School graduate, said that he has always been interested in history. The couple traveled from England to Sri Lanka after Meadows completed his PhD at MIT. His wife, however, finished hers at Harvard. Meadows traveled through the heart of empires which lasted millennia. This experience inspired him to join the Club of Rome to project what the next 200-years will look like for the U.S.A. and other industrialized countries.
The models indicated that the rate of population and consumption growth would stop if there were no major societal changes. This would occur sometime between the 2020s and 2060s.
Other models showed that Western industrial nations could bring down their consumption to levels the planet can sustain after 2100.
Meadows stated that this was predicated on the fact that we would make major policy changes.
Meadows argued that such changes would have needed to be made decades ago. These changes could be made now to prevent a decline in living standards and resources.
Meadows answered, “No,” in a simple answer. What do you see that suggests infinite growth?
Many solutions, including building electric vehicles (which requires growth of the auto and transportation industries), are based upon more growth and won’t work long-term.
Meadows said that sustainable growth is an exaggeration.
What happens if the resources and materials used to consume cannot be generated at greater rates or, as modelled, at lower rates at higher cost?
Meadows said that they were already seeing the benefits.
The world has reached its peak oil production. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine seems motivated partly by resources. The fragility of supply chains was revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said that we were witnessing these shock events. They are what it will be like for the rest of our lives.
Contributed photo
We can build resilience to these shocks. Resilience could mean being able to grow your own food or generate your own power. He added that it can also be very small efforts.
He said that everyone who reads this article can make their home more resilient.
Meadows fills his car’s fuel tank when it is half full, rather than waiting until it is nearly empty. Meadows can use this benefit to show some resilience in the event that he has to travel far away at short notice. He also mentioned that having a pantry or freezer to store more food longer is another example of resilience. These are small, personal, and community-level actions. But, the most basic building blocks and resilience are all around.
He said that social networking is an important part of resilience. It helps to build a network with friends who trust and care about each other.
A group of people in Southeast Minnesota are trying to create a network of connection and resilience.
The Southeast Minnesota Urban Homesteaders are a growing group of people
Sharing their knowledge and best practices in growing food, and integrating sustainable and resilient methods into their homes.
Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin
Transition Rochester, a sustainability advocacy organization, will host a discussion and event about Earth Day and the anniversary. Gray Duck will host the event on Wednesday, and Meadows will be giving a video address.
Ivan Idso, Rochester resident and member of the Homesteading Group, stated that Meadows book was one reasons he has worked hard to make his home stronger.
He proved that he was resilient with his solar generating ability shortly after a Texas cold snap caused energy grids in Texas to collapse in 2020
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Idso stated that we are all trying to make things work for ourselves here.
Meadows explained that small pockets of resilience can help build communities resilient to the future shocks of end-of-expanding growth and climate change.
He said that by putting centers of resilience in a system, it makes the whole system more resilient.
What: Limits To Growth, a Transition Rochester event
When: 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 20, 2022.
WhereGray Duck Theater & Coffeehouse, 619 Sixth Ave. NW
How much?: $5. Tickets available at
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