Originally a wacko, hippy-esque ideology, 'sustainability' - aka 'eco-friendly' or 'green' - has now become globally accepted. But as what - an environmental urgency, a political issue, a technical problem, a historic destiny, a new world order? And what are the consequences of this acceptance? The sustainability consensus is dangerous since the concept has no political content and can be used for any cause. Carbon neutrality and zero emissions are like magic formulas, cover-ups for complicated ethical questions about the inequalities in our societies.

Yet striving for zeros or hiding in neutrality does not lead to a better life in a more desirable house in a superior city for everyone. After Zero is not about design inspired by the fear of tsunamis or Katrinas. Volume proposes an understanding of our society beyond zero. To kick off we discuss two perspectives: sustainability in a post-capitalist city and the potential of urban agriculture.

Editorial
Arjen Oosterman

Sustainable is Good, Sustainable Luxury is Better
Christophe Catsaros

Beyond Zero
John E. Fernandez

Next Nature
Koert van Mensvoort

Counter-Histories of Sustainability
Panayiota Pyla

The Enterprising Civil Engineer
Interview with Adriaan Geuze

Destroyed Japanese Welfare
Tokyo Genso

Get the Balance Right!
Ronald Sean Wall

The Complex History of Sustainability
Amir Djalali with Piet Vollaard

Censorship Today
Slavoj Zizek

Afterculture
Scott Hocking

Down from the Stand
Stefano Boeri

Food not Bombs
Monica Nouwens

Population Thinking in an Age of Bio-Politics
Peter Trummer

Yes We Can... Up to a Point
Interview with John Roberts

Back to the Future: the Edo Biosphere
Thomas Daniell

Pig Story
Christien Meindertsma

Oil Story
Harriet Russell

Prison Break in a Ruined Tower
Gianluigi Ricuperati

Post-Capitalist City

Tagging Cloud
Clare Butcher and Joost Janmaat

Detroit Unreal Estate Agency
Andrew Herscher

Glossarial Comments on the Post-Capitalist City
Mireille Roddier

Survival Strategies and Community Building in Post-Capitalism
Marjetica Potrc

Investing in the Quality of Live
Interview with Peter Blom

Aesthetics of Catastrophe
Aric Mayer

Disruptive Innovation
Interview with Dorothea Seebode

Untying Cradle to Cradle
Aetzel Griffioen

DIY 2.0
Interview with Sherry Lassister

Urban Agriculture

Cultured and Landscaped Urban Agriculture
Debra Solomon

Metropolitan Agriculture and Global Food Problems
Steef Buijs

Continuous Productive Urban Landscape
Katrin Bohn and Andre Vilijoen

Food and the Randstad Metropolis
Van Bergen Kolpa Architects

Loisaida Gardens
Michela Pasquali

Sustainability in Practice
Erika Jacobs Lord

Vanitas. Venice Biennale 2008
Michael Stanton

Colophon

Extra

Green Architecture Guide
Andrea Brennen and Zachary Lamb

The Markermeer
Territorial Agency