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Live an Eco-Friendly Life (52 Brilliant Ideas)
Natalia Marshall
New York: Perigee, 2008
239 pp., $15.95, paperback
ISBN: 978-0-399-53396-9

 

Wake Up and Smell the Planet – The Non-Pompous, Non-Preachy Grist Guide to Greening Your Day
GRIST.ORG, Edited by Brangien Davis with Katharine Wroth
Seattle, WA: Skipstone, 2007
175pp., $14.95, paperback
ISBN: 978-1-59485-039-4

When Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” gave credence to the concept of global warming, many in the environmental movement stood up and cheered. Finally the mainstream was dealing with this serious global issue. Coupled with the extremely horrific hurricane season that gave us Katrina – and left thousands of residents of New Orleans and elsewhere homeless, we now have a nation serious about tackling our environmental crisis. But the question by many is, “What can I do?”

The answer is surprisingly simple – live a greener livestyle. Now many say that it is easier to say than do, but I think they’ve never tried. I’m not talking the extreme green lifestyle – very few have the will to succeed in this. But there are little things that you can do every day that can accomplish this. But for those who need some hints, two new books come to your rescue: Live and Eco-Friendly Life by Natalia Marshall, and Wake Up and Smell the Planet by grist.org. In both you will find inspiration, and some irreverence, as you make the changes in your life.

Live and Eco-Friendly Life is part of Perigee books 52 Brilliant Ideas series. Divided into 52 chapters, it guides you step by step into a greener lifestyle. For those who have never considered a green lifestyle before (or those who want to make their lifestyle even more environmentally conscious), chapter one is the place to start. Take a little quiz in this the aptly titled chapter “Saint or sinner?” Find out if you are a green god or goddess, or a walking eco-disaster. If you are like many of us who need help, this book is full of great ideas. From taking care of your home – insulation, detoxing your home, and recycling, to taking care of your community – greening your neighborhood, in addition to greening your own behavior. It also includes a chapter of “green” beauty products – how green are they? Here’s a hint – the word “organic” in the title trumps “natural” every time. And for those cat and dog owners out there, you can even green your pet. However, I have some questions about their composting of pet waste – the articles I’ve read say not to do this. Overall, this is an excellent reference book for those who are serious about greening their lifestyles.

For a different look at greening your life, there is Wake Up and Smell the Planet, grist.org’s entry into the book market. Grist.org is an online environmental news site. For those new to grist, the best description of them comes from their website:

“Grist: it's gloom and doom with a sense of humor. So laugh now -- or the planet gets it.”

In other words, Wake Up and Smell the Planet is both completely serious, and completely irreverent. The book is divided up into a “day in the life” type format. From greening your morning routine (showers, hygiene) through the evening (dinner, lighting), and even greening your working weekends (green lawn care – a safer way to care for your yard, and your health). Wake Up even gives you pros and cons of different eco-friendly options. In addition, this book is full of little tidbits such as e-waste recycler GreenDisk. They handle such technically obsolete items like cassette tapes and VHS tapes, to newer items like DVDs and MP3 players. Hmm…I wonder if I can convince my packrat husband that it's time to let his tapes go “green.” This book also has a smaller footprint – seriously. It’s only 6 inches by 7 inches, and is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper. It’s an easy fit into a purse or backpack, so take it with you and learn about greening your world – though don’t be surprised when folks look at you strangely as you laugh hysterically at some of their green suggestions.

– ANNETTE AGUAYO

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ORDER FROM:

Live an Eco-Friendly Life
Perigee, a division of the Penguin Group
us.penguingroup.com

Wake Up and Smell the Planet
Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201
Seattle, WA 98134
(206) 223-6303
www.mountaineersbooks.org