The Eco Chick Guide to Life: How to Be Fabulously Green Review

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(More customer reviews)This is, hands-down, the best green living guide I've read to-date. It is well-organized and approachable and filled with practical information for everyday living. You'll find budget-friendly tips to fix your home and easy-to-digest explanations of today's hot topics (i.e hybrid vs. PZEV vs. electric vehicles vs. fuel cells). I LOVE THIS BOOK. This is the first and last book you'll need to help you understand the eco issues facing us today.

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SAVE THE WORLD IN STYLE!Lower your carbon footprint—in your favorite pair of stilettos—with THE ECO CHICK GUIDE TO LIFE. Here you'll find hundreds of ideas on how to be ecologically smart and still be stylish and trend-setting. You don't have to sacrifice to go green—you can eat well, dress well, and live well once you learn how to:Learn where to shop for vintage and recycled jewelry (mining practices for gold and silver are notoriously polluting).Wear sustainable threads—organic cotton, peace silk, bamboo—or look for funky reconstructed designs made from vintage fabrics.Find shoes made from naturally tanned and dyed leather, hemp, or made from recycled materials...that still look incredibly chic.Party it up- with the planet in mind! Make your next fiesta fabulous with organic beverages, seasonal food from the farmer's market, and more. Pretty-up with organic, biodegradable hair products, body washes, moisturizers, and make-up—better for you and the planet's water supplies! We'll explain why and what to look for.How to earn points while convincing your boss to go green in your office.Travel green and still see the world in style!Save cash with some Earth-loving swaps around your apartment, dorm or house.…and more. Let these and other easy-to-follow, fun and fashionable tips help you to feel great while doing good. You and Mother Nature will look fabulous!This book is printed on recycled paper.

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A Plague of Frogs : The Horrifying True Story Review

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(More customer reviews)Mr. Souder has the rare ability to bring abstruse science to life without bias or over-simplification. He is also a keen observer of the human species and its political interactions.
This is indeed "the horrifying true story," one I wish would go away; yet the author's presentation is dispassionate, thorough, and as non-alarmist as possible for a subject this spooky.
The book offers a good overview of current environmental science research in addition to its difficult detective story: what's responsible for these massive levels of gross deformities in frogs?

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Rural Renaissance: Renewing the Quest for the Good Life Review

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(More customer reviews)While I applaud the authors move to a "simpler" lifestyle, I really had a difficult time wading through this book. Filled with clichés and writing that would better suited for an overly sentimental greeting card, the pace of the book really dragged. It seemed to me that the editing could have been tighter, as the timelines were hard to follow at points, even though I tried to cross reference with their website. (Is the greenhouse finished, or isn't it?) Do I really care about the fact that they like to run around naked and are experts on all things cappuccino? If they have traveled all over the planet before "going green", they have already left a rather large carbon footprint (now they plant trees to offset their carbon production).
I found some of their math to be either hard to believe or nothing to brag about. If they are consuming fair trade coffee, Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby ice cream and Stonyfield Farm yogurt, plus buying most of their grains and dried legumes in bulk (all of which are good products in general), how can they be producing 70% of their own food? Bragging about their "super efficient" Sunfrost refrigerator having a payback time of 50 years (initial cost vs energy savings) - wow - either they or the refrigerator could be dead long before then. This wasn't going to have me running out to buy that fridge.
I did like their lists of sources and resources throughout the book, a few of which I had not seen before. I think this book would be good for urban dwellers who are just starting out "going green", if you don't mind a lot of extra verbage. I was born and raised in the country, lived in the city and suburbs, and have finally moved back to the country. I know a lot of people who have done more with less, and they're not being featured in USA Today and praised up and down by other national organizations. The authors are good at publicizing what they do, which is certainly am important part of running a successful Bed & Breakfast, I was just hoping for a more "down-to-earth" story.


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In the '60s it was called the "back to the land" movement, and in Helen and Scott Nearings' day, it was "living the good life." Whatever the term, North Americans have always yearned for a simpler way. But how do you accomplish that today?Blending inspiration with practical how-to's, Rural Renaissance captures the American dream of country living for contemporary times. Journey with the authors and experience their lessons, laughter and love for the land as they trade the urban concrete maze for a five-acre organic farm and bed and breakfast in southwestern Wisconsin. Rural living today is a lot more than farming. It's about a creative, nature-based and more self-sufficient lifestyle that combines a love of squash, solar energy, skinny-dipping and serendipity . . .The many topics explored in Rural Renaissance include: "right livelihood" and the good life organic gardening and permaculture renewable energy and energy conservation wholesome organic food, safe water and a natural home simplicity, frugality and freedom green design and recycled materials community, friends and raising a family independence and interdependence wildlife conservation and land stewardship.An authentic tale of a couple whose pioneering spirit and connection to the land reaches out to both the local and global community to make their dream come true, Rural Renaissance will appeal to a wide range of Cultural Creatives, free agents, conservation entrepreneurs and both arm-chair and real-life homesteaders regardless of where they live.Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko are innkeepers, organic growers, copartners in a marketing consulting company, and have previously published books. John is also a photographer. Former advertising agency fast-trackers, they are nationally recognized for their contemporary approach to homesteading, conservation and more sustainable living. They share their farm with their son, two llamas, and a flock of free-range chickens. Rural Renaissance also offers a foreword by Bill McKibben.

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Ecodesign: The Sourcebook Review

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(More customer reviews)this book is cool - lots of pictures, the text is brief. there is a good mix of concepts and production products ( concepts are always more fun to look at and have more pure ideas. production parts show how it all works in the real world). in fact, the best part of the book is that it finds positive things about a lot of products. it isn't demanding that we stop using plastic or batteries - just finds the best examples of products that use them wisely.
One important section is buried in the back. pages 327 - 330 give eco-design strategies. the are brief desicriptions of how to design an "eco" product. for example, one says "self-assembly: designs that are assembled by the consumer, therefore saving valuable space in transport and storage". most writers would take several pages to say the same thing.

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Practically Green: Your Guide to Ecofriendly Decision-Making Review

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(More customer reviews)I am a very green person to begin with so a lot of the chapters in this book were about subjects I was already familiar with. But I love it for the recipes and I think it would be a great book for anyone who's thinking about living a greener lifestyle. It's well-written and well-organized so you can green up your life one step at a time.

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Practically Green takes the guesswork out of reading labels and will show you how to make smart, healthy purchases for your family without spending tedious hours researching the pros and cons of all of the products available on the market today. Each chapter is broken down into "Buy It" and "Do It" sections. The "Buy-It" section provides key information about everyday purchasing decisions and includes clip-out checklists for you to reference while shopping. The "Do It" section gives DIY ideas for how to make things that are good for your family and good for the environment, such as simple sewing projects, non-toxic cleaning products and luxurious, homemade beauty products.Plus, the author shares some of her favorite recipes that are sure to please the entire family!

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Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork and What You Can Do about It Review

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(More customer reviews)Many of you thinking about buying this are expecting somethng similar to the "Diet for a Small Planet", which is, in part, a cookbook for vegans and vegetarians. There are no recipes in this book.
What this is, is a very well done discussion of green farming, agribusiness, and what to do to eat greener. There are several chapters discussing the greenwashing of agribusiness, and how marketing makes us think that products are "green" which inherently are not. It's fascinating reading.
Specifically, there has been an enormous amount of discussion in the popular press in recent years about how agribusiness-grown foods are better for the planet because they're more efficiently grown--which isn't true; the numbers that have been manufactured to make agribusiness look good don't take into account the sheer volume of fossil fuels required to transport food.
There are also some interesting discussions about how to get sustainable beef: the author talks about carbon sinks in grassland; some ecologists have noted that large swaths of grassland hold even more carbon than forests. If we could just keep cows out of feedlots, then it would be a lot more o.k. to eat beef.
Then, the author goes off on a "green farming" tangent that is a little hard to stomach because her ideas about real farming aren't realistic; the author goes into a long discussion of green farming and rhapsodizes at great length about "growing what would grow there naturally."
No offense, but you know what grows in much of the breadbasket of the United States (California and Texas) without huge amounts of transported water? Nothing.
Despite some of the unrealistic ideas, there are some neat ideas in the chapters on green farming.
The author tells you what to actually eat near the end of the book. It's the usual, "Food, mostly plants." to quote Pollan, and preferably local.
This is very well thought-out, analytically sound, reference for anyone interested in farming or ranching in a sustainable way. It's much better logically than much of what gets published in the popular press.
Who would like this: ecologists, farmers, ranchers, owners of small family farms, people involved in urban planning, and anyone who wants a more in-depth discussion of green farming techniques.
Who wouldn't like this: PETA apologists, and vegan evangelists. She has some negative things to say about them.

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Slice of Organic Life Review

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(More customer reviews)Not only is this book a completely shallow coffee table book, it gives actively bad advice. For example, taking a cruise is in no way an environmentally-friendly alternative to flying (pg. 74). Furthermore, I wouldn't be surprised if a few people get botulism or other kinds of food poisoning after following her lackadaisical advice about canning - jar sterilization gets half a sentence in a sidebar. The author cheerfully offers 2-4 page guides on buying chickens, bees, ducks, geese, and goats when any livestock purchase requires significantly more research - not a fact she mentions; it all sounds very easy and pleasant.
I guess it's pretty, though. Just make sure you actually get some proper instruction on things that are a bit more serious than "buying natural fabrics".

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Featuring over 90 self-contained projects, from growing your own food organically, cooking home-grown produce, keeping selected livestock, and leading a more sustainable lifestyle, this down-to-earth, yet practical guide is the perfect start for someone looking to go "green." The team of experts offer options for city dwellers with little space, for those living in the suburbs with a bit of land, and for those who have acres of land and no ideas on how to use them.The book includes a foreword by alice Waters. AUTHOR BIO: Concerned by the poor quality of food on offer, Sheherazade Goldsmith started up an organic delicatessen that soon began to specialize in home-cooked food for babies and young children.

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Green Your Home: The Complete Guide to Making Your New or Existing Home Environmentally Healthy Review

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(More customer reviews)Jeanne Roberts does a wonderful job in this book explaining how to make your home environmentally friendly, and Roberts explains why everyone should look into doing this. The book opens by telling that our fuel supplies are diminishing, particularly the fossil fuels like coal and oil. Roberts goes on to explain that our large-scale use of these supplies has caused, according to scientists, a 1.08 degree Fahrenheit increase in the earth's temperature, and tells many scientists predict that the earth's temperature may increase by 10 degrees F. by the time we hit 2100.
Because of these frightening predictions, Roberts explains in the book what efforts we as humans can make to reverse this escalating temperature. Roberts opens by describing the important basics which can reduce your energy bill like switching from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescents. In another very informative section, Roberts also describes how to fill your home with green friendly appliances.
Additionally detailed are the more expensive efforts which homeowners can take such as installing a green friendly roof. Such a roof is very beneficial because it can significantly reduce your heating and cooling costs all the while it will filter out pollutants and carbon dioxide from the air that is in your house. Roberts, also, does a great job detailing which type of roof to buy and how to go about buying and installing it. Additionally, the appropriate, energy-efficient type of refrigerator is discussed as well as dishwashers, trash compactors, and clothes washers and dryers. Every part of your home which you can make green friendly is described in this book. Also, the book is written in very clean, easily understood language that is rife with cost comparisons that show just how financially beneficial of going green can be. Therefore, all who are thinking about how they can make their home more green friendly or are contemplating building a new home, certainly need to read this book.


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This book has thousands of ways to make your home environmentally healthy and will help you make ecologically aware supply choices. From recycling to alternative cleaning materials, minor changes can add up to real benefits. Greening your home means finding things you can do to reduce your impact on the planet. We dissected your house, looking for easy (but not always obvious) ways that homeowners can conserve energy, water, and money at the same time.

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Green Marketing: Opportunity for Innovation, 2nd Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)"In recent years most books about our environment have been dismal. Advertisers have struggled with their reputation of deviously twisting public perspectives. How refreshing it is to read about ecological, honest marketing! As an environmental fashion consultant, I consider myself knowledgeable in materials and derivative uses. Yet I learned from this book about utilizing milkweed for pillows and how natural scrap fabrics can be applied as garden mulch. I'm hoping for a third edition." -Delia Montgomery, Chíc Eco Directory Author

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Green Marketing: Opportunity for Innovation was published in 1998. An updated version entitled, The New Rules of Green Marketing is now available for order at Amazon.com and other booksellers. The book describes state of green consumerism, analyzes success strategiesand points direction for the future. Includes lively case studies and examplesshow how green marketing strategies can lead to profits,increased market shareand a means to dialogue with and educate thepublic.The first edition of Green Marketing was hailed as "the definitive work on thesubject" by the American Marketing Assocation and lauded as one of thetop business books of 1993.

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Green Marketing: Opportunity for Innovation, 2nd Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)I would have wanted to know when was the issue date of this book before purchasing it. Unfortunately, most of the references and figures are from the year 1995. Even if the green profiles segmentation is still interesting, as the book has been written before 2000 and the internet revolution, it doesn't give the up-to date vision of the " green marketing" approach I was expecting.

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Green Marketing: Opportunity for Innovation was published in 1998. An updated version entitled, The New Rules of Green Marketing is now available for order at Amazon.com and other booksellers. The book describes state of green consumerism, analyzes success strategies and points direction for the future. Includes lively case studies and examples show how green marketing strategies can lead to profits, increased market share and a means to dialogue with and educate the public. The first edition of Green Marketing was hailed as "the definitive work on the subject" by the American Marketing Assocation and lauded as one of the top business books of 1993.

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Solar Home, The (How-To Guides) Review

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(More customer reviews)As a compliment to other books on the subject this one would suffice to add some detail, but I certainly am glad it's not the only book on solar home building I own. The material seems to be presented from a limited, but technical, scope of understanding. Although some technical and accurate information has found it's way into the pages of this book, I have found it on all levels to be missing what ever mysterious combination of qualities makes a good user friendly how to book. From my reading of other books on the subject what fresh material and/or thought this book brings to the subject seems to be either contrary or obsolete. The methodology in this book seems particularly biased to a very limited way of covering the concerns of anyone interested in passive solar homes. Again this book could potentially supplement a reasonible collection, but I'm glad it's not my only book on the subject, and I'm certainly glad that it wasn't my first book on the subject! I'm not saying that this book is all wrong, but I find it to be far from alright! If you haven't bought a book on this subject yet, keep looking...I reccomend THE PASSIVE SOLAR HOUSE by James Kachadorian instead, it is more complete and more in touch!

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Your Green Abode: A Practical Guide to a Sustainable Home Review

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(More customer reviews)Add this little gem to your Holiday shopping list right away. It is jammed full of wonderful (and practical) information about how to green your home. A useful guide to cut down on household waste and improve the health of your living environment without breaking the bank.


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A down-to-earth guide to giving your home, condo, or apartment an eco-makeover.Promotes conservation practices for any home.Provides tips that save money as well as carbon emissions.Real-world advice for busy people on a budget.Author Tara Rae Miner encourages readers to start small, do what interests them, and handle only what they can afford. The process of greening a home is the process of getting to know a home, and Miner guides readers through different areas, distilling research and advice on everything from window and paint options to more effective ways to recycle to the benefits of planting a garden. With chapters on the home-planet connection, saving energy, and setting policies for a Personal Clean Air Act; she presents important information on reducing energy bills, ways to measure your, carbon houseprint, and how to eliminate toxic chemicals from your life (be gone, vinyl shower curtains!). Your Green Abode is for real people who want easy-to-understand choices that make their homes a little more earth-friendly -- without signing off on a second mortgage. It's about having realistic expectations and goals, and keeping a sense of humor while learning what makes a home tick.

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The Non-Toxic Farming Handbook Review

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(More customer reviews)This book discusses how many current land management principles have created an imbalance in the soil, creating more problems than we realize. The authors discuss how we can use natural resources to deal with or eliminate soil erosion, and the need for herbicides and insecticides. The book explains how our soil is a living organism, and requires a good balance of nutrients to allow for proper energy transfer between nutrients, soil, and plants. The points that are brought up are very thought provoking; things that we often overlook. One such point is that weeds and insects are not so much pests, but indicators of soil and plant life. Being a cash crop farmer, wanting to know how to restore our depleted farmland, and get away from "toxic" chemicals and fertilizers, this book has been a great teacher, and no doubt will be referenced in the future.

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In this readable, easy-to-understand handbook the authors successfully integrate the diverse techniques and technologies of classical organic farming, Albrecht-style soil fertility balancing, Reams-method soil and plant testing and analysis, and other alternative technologies applicable to commercial-scale agriculture. By understanding all of the available non-toxic tools and when they are effective, you will be able to react to your specific situation and growing conditions. Covers fertility inputs, refractometers, weeds, insects, tillage, livestock nutrition, Moon cycles and subtle energies, and more. Extensive discussions of what's wrong with conventional agriculture, and the importance of proper soil testing and analysis and foliar feeding. The Non-Toxic Farming Handbook presents a lifetime of eco-consulting knowledge. The result will be an ever-improving soil fertility, healthy crops that provide their own insect and disease resistance, fields without the curse of weeds, and the satisfaction that you are a true steward of the land.

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Homesteading in the 21st Century: How One Family Created a More Sustainable, Self-Sufficient, and Satisfying Life Review

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(More customer reviews)George and Jane are back! Nash's classics "Renovating Old Houses" and"Wooden Fences", with photos by Jane, are standards in every do-it-yourselfer's library. Now these long-time homesteaders offer a how-we-did-it manual on backyard farming - everything from a small flock of hens to market-size production of eggs, veggies, cider, and other home-grown foodstuffs. It's a fun, colorful adventure, as George and Jane narrate their successes, lucky breaks, and disasters over decades of building their hillside farm; the message is that any newbie, with even the smallest backyard - or front porch - can reap the pleasures of self-reliance. This book is infused with humor, know-how, and love. Grab it and start digging!


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Not since Thoreau made his home in the woods at Walden Pond has the notion of self-sufficiency held more universal appeal. There's no question we're going through some tough economic times, but this book offers an alternative. It's a guide for anyone who imagines a better life—from struggling families tired of energy dependency to dreamers who always wished they could live off the land someday. This ultimate DIY guide holds to the premise that anyone can homestead, and raise at least a portion of their food themselves—even if they live in the city. This book is absolutely brimming with ideas on how to take control of your life by degrees—whether that means keeping chickens, growing a garden, or brewing your own beer.

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The New Seed Starter's Handbook Review

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(More customer reviews)If you want to learn how to start your own plants from seed, this is the book to own! The author covers all the variables of seed culture. I had tried to grow plants from seed before and failed. With this book I have had success after success. There is also a good section on saving your own seeds. If you're a do-it-yourselfer who is less than thrilled with the variety of plant choices available at the local nursery, this is the book for you!

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The Green Studio Handbook, Second Edition: Environmental Strategies for Schematic Design Review

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(More customer reviews)Anybody interested in sustainable design concepts will enjoy this book immensely, but it will be most useful for architects and designers looking to use its ideas in both planning and execution. It's for planning more than for AD looky-lous, but makes for plenty of ideas. There's more depth than the first GSH, but it's not a major overhaul; the conceptual detail is still there, as are the well-shot photos, but a little more of each this time out. There's a wealth of inspiration here for arch students and practising architects alike, and plenty of real-world results. Kwok and Grundzik write well, and all told this is a book bound to be frequently consulted by many designers as more and more folks demand intelligent, sustainable building.

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Learn how to integrate green strategies into your building design. This practical handbook provides an essential introduction to green design strategies--helping you to understand how to save energy, water, and material resources.

It provides the information required to make judgments about which strategy to use and includes tools to enable you to incorporate the chosen strategy during the early stages of design.

Each of the forty-two selected environmental strategies includes a description of principle and concept, step-by-step procedures for integrating the strategy, annotated design tables and charts, key issues to be aware of when implementing the strategy, and references to further resources. Over 500 sketches and color photos illustrate concepts and applications.

In this second edition, 10 new case studies are included to show successful implementation of green strategies and assessments of building performance. Site analysis and glazing strategies have been added and new tables and updated drawings simplify the application of concepts, preliminary system sizing, and integration of strategies.

Using real building projects as a guide, designers will be able to make informed choices about the most competitive and effective way to design a green building.

The Green Studio Handbook is a reference guide and source of inspiration for students in design studios and architects in professional practice.

From a review of the first edition: "An excellent starting point for aspiring students. It is also a useful tool for the experienced architect looking to communicate key ideas and principles concisely."

Alison G. Kwok, Ph.D., AIA, LEED AP, ASES Fellow, is a licensed architect and a professor of architecture at the University of Oregon. She has taught in architecture programs in California, Hawaii, Hong Kong, Japan, and New York.

Walter T. Grondzik, PE, LEED AP, ASES, and ASHRAE Fellow, is an architectural engineer and a professor of architecture at Ball State University. He has taught in architecture and architectural engineering programs in Florida, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Saudi Arabia.

Provides information required to implement green design ideas with confidence and accuracy.
Practical information provided in an easy-to-use format.
Full color images throughout.
Featured Excerpts from The Green Studio HandbookRead a case study on the green renovation of the main branch of the Cambridge Public Library

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Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands (Vol. 1): Guiding Principles to Welcome Rain into Your Life And Landscape Review

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(More customer reviews)Note that the title of this book includes the words Drylands. This book is primarily about catching rainwater for use outside of your house, i.e. watering the plants. The illustrations and descriptions are based on life in Arizona. There you want to catch all the rainwater you can get and get some use out of it rather than simply letting it flow down the street. At this purpose, the book is excellent. This is the way it should be done but rarely is.
My own experience with catching rainwater is quite different. I was living out in the swamps in Louisiana. We had plenty of water. In any direction you cared to go there was water. Average rainfall was about 65 inches per year. In fact when we went to town we went by boat.
So why rainwater? Pollution. The water that comes to Louisiana has come down through a thousand miles or more of agricultural runoff, sewage treatment plants that may not have been working so well, feedlot runoff, and God knows what else.
We used a system kind of like his drawing on page 71, but there were certainly no cactus plants around. But note carefully item number 4 in his components, what he calls a first-flush system. This is a system to vent the first few gallons of water off the roof away from the storage cistern. If you are going to drink the water it's best to get rid of the bird droppings and other stuff that accumulates on the roof between rains.
He doesn't describe the first flush system but from the drawing it looks like it might be some kind of a commercial device. Ours was a home made affair. A two foot long piece of gutter was hinged so that it stuck up in the air, held there by a spring. When this gutter was up in the air, the water dumped into a bucket. When the bucket got full it pulled the gutter down against the spring and then it directed the water into the cistern. After the rain stopped you emptied the bucket and it sat there waiting for the next rain.
Great book, not only about how to collect rainfall, but about the general problem of the shortage of clean water.

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Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands: Guiding Principles to Welcome Rain into Your Life and Landscape is the first volume ofthree-volume guide on how to conceptualize, design, and implement sustainable water-harvesting systems for your home, landscape, and community. This book enables you to assess your on-site resources, gives you a diverse array of strategies to maximize their potential, and empowers you with guiding principles to create an integrated, multi-functional water-harvesting plan specific to your site and needs. Volume 1 helps bring your site to life, reduce your cost of living, endow you with skills of self-reliance, and create living air conditioners of vegetation growing beauty, food, and wildlife habitat. Stories of people who are successfully welcoming rain into their life and landscape will invite you to do the same!

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