Going green is all about change. Adopting a new lifestyle and habits is the ultimate goal. Books on green living explain what green consumers can do to help the planet. Here are reviews of several titles.
Going Green – A Wise Consumer’s Guide to a Shrinking Planet
By Sally Kneidel et al., this green consumer’s guide was released by Fulcrum Publishing. It offers practical advice consumers can use in their everyday lives.
A chapter is devoted to each subject. The topics include food and drink, housing and home furnishings, clothing, transportation, land use, and paper/wood products.
For each topic, the authors compare and contrast the green versus the conventional choices. They explain the ecological costs of each. While the emphasis is on green, the authors also consider ethical issues, such as labor practices and fair trade.
In the appendix is a simple checklist you can use when shopping. This covers the product’s environmental impact, its health consequences, and its resource efficiency. Throughout the book are side-bars with additional information.
Green Living for Dummies
Released by Wiley Publishing, this reader-friendly title is by Yvonne Jeffery et al. Like all the Dummies Guides, this is well-organized. For quick reference, look for the bulleted information in bold.
Throughout the book are easy to use charts and lists. There are shaded boxes with additional information.
This title covers all aspects of green living. Among the topics are gardening, travel, energy use, investments, clothing, and raising children. It goes one step further by encouraging readers to become activists. This also explains how to create a green community.
It emphasizes reducing, recycling, and reusing. One chapter is devoted to fixing and using items you already have.
The final section has lists of simple changes readers can make in their daily lives. For quick reference, use the cheat sheet at the front of the book. This lists quick steps you can take, what can be recycled, and a list of helpful websites.
The Green Gardener’s Guide-Simple Significant Action to Protect and Preserve Our Planet
This green gardening guide by Joe Lamp’l from Cool Springs Press is the definitive guide to the subject. Covering all aspects of gardening and landscaping, it explains why green gardening is the best choice.
There are chapters on conserving water, reducing the use of garden chemicals, and controlling storm runoff. This shows how a well designed landscape can reduce energy costs. The author also explains how to preserve native habitats and protect ecosystems.
Throughout the book are sidebars with additional information. At the end of each topic is a box that explains the impact of green gardening.
The final chapter encourages gardeners to become activists, and urges them to share what they’re learned with others in the community.
The appendix has a quick list of actions gardeners can take.
