In Brian Herbert’s understanding, the environmentalism of “Dune” was partly based on conversations between his Mr. Hansen and his father. Mr. Hansen himself felt that he had “contributed many of the ideas” of the novel, his widow, Joanne Hansen, told me. “ …In Brian Herbert’s understanding, the environmentalism of “Dune” was partly based on conversations between his Mr. Hansen and his father. Mr. Hansen himself felt that he had “contributed many of the ideas” of the novel, his widow, Joanne Hansen, told me. “ …