Most philanthropy and aid decisions are made based on persuasive sounding narratives, and we relish taking part in those stories, even if the actual results are mixed. But the results of the most pragmatic approach, built on statistics and economic analysis rather than narrative, can be stunning.
Bjorn Lomborg does cost/benefit analysis on global good. There are surprises when you examine what are the highest-yield targets in the domains of health, poverty, education, reduced violence, gender equality, climate change, biodiversity, and good governance. Reducing trade restrictions floats to the top: $1 spent yields $2,000 of good for everyone. Contraception for women is close behind, with a whole array of benefits. For health, go after tuberculosis, malaria, and child malnutrition. For climate change, phase out fossil fuel subsidies and invest in energy research. For biodiversity, focus especially on saving coral reefs. Lomborg is author of Prioritizing the World (02014), Cool It (02007), and The Skeptical Environmentalist (02001). "From Feel-Good to High-Yield Good: How to Improve Philanthropy and Aid," Bjorn Lomborg, SFJAZZ Center, Hayes Valley, San Francisco, 7pm, Monday, March 13. The show starts promptly at 7:30pm. To be sure of a seat: • Long Now Members <https://longnow.org/membership/> can use the discount code on the Lomborg Seminar page to reserve 2 free seats <http://longnow.org/seminars/02017/mar/13/feel-good-high-yield-good-how-improve-philanthropy-and-aid/>. • You can purchase tickets for $15 each <http://longnow.org/seminars/02017/mar/13/feel-good-high-yield-good-how-improve-philanthropy-and-aid/>. • Seminar at SFJAZZ Center <http://www.sfjazz.org/visit/directions> 201 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102 • Tune into the live audio stream <http://longnow.org/live/> for Long Now Members at 7:30 PT - become a member <https://longnow.org/membership/> for just $8 a month. Share this talk: Bjorn Lomborg, "From Feel-Good to High-Yield Good: How to Improve Philanthropy and Aid" Long Now talk on 3/13 https://goo.gl/1CvRFO <https://goo.gl/1CvRFO> Talks coming up: April 10 (Mon.) - Frank Ostaseski, What the Dying Teach the Living <http://longnow.org/seminars/02017/apr/10/what-dying-teach-living/> June 5 (Mon.) - James Gleick, Time Travel <http://longnow.org/seminars/02017/jun/05/time-travel/> July 24 (Mon.) - Carolyn Porco, Looking for Life in the Solar System <http://longnow.org/seminars/02017/jul/24/searching-life-solar-system/> Nov 20 (Mon.) - Elena Bennett, Seeds of a Good Anthropocene <http://longnow.org/seminars/02017/nov/20/seeds-good-anthropocene/> High-quality videos of the talks and other benefits (such as priority tickets) are available to Long Now members. Membership, which starts at $8/month ($96/year), helps support the series and other Long Now projects. Joinable here <https://longnow.org/membership/>. This is one of a monthly series of Seminars About Long-term Thinking (SALT) organized by The Long Now Foundation. Free audio and my summaries of all previous talks are available for download here <http://longnow.org/seminars/> (or stay up to date with the podcast here <http://longnow.org/seminars/podcast/>). You'll find a range of long-term thinking items on our Blog <http://blog.longnow.org/> (RSS <http://feeds.feedburner.com/longnow>). If you would like to be notified by email (like this one) of forthcoming talks, go here <http://list.longnow.org/mailman/listinfo/salt> to sign up online. Any questions, contact Danielle Engelman at Long Now -- 415-561-6582 x1 <tel:415-561-6582%20x1> or danie...@longnow.org <mailto:danie...@longnow.org>. SALT talk videos are made possible by Whole Earth Films together with a grant from Margaret & Will Hearst, and are a production of FORA.tv Studios <http://fora.tv/services/foratv-studios/> in association with Sustainability Media <http://sustainabilitymedia.com/>. You are welcome to forward this note to anyone you think might be interested. --Stewart Brand s...@longnow.org <mailto:s...@longnow.org> -- The Long Now Foundation -- http://longnow.org/ <http://longnow.org/> Seminars & downloads -- http://longnow.org/seminars/ <http://longnow.org/seminars/> Interval Events -- http://theinterval.org/events/ <http://theinterval.org/events/> •Twitter <https://twitter.com/longnow> - up to the minute info on tickets and events •Long Now Blog <http://blog.longnow.org/> - daily updates on events and ideas •Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/longnow> - stay in touch through our fan page
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