This Moment on Earth: Today's New Environmentalists and Their Vision for the Future

Book Description

An inspiring celebration of courageous American innovators who are transforming the way we protect and care for the world we live in.

The environment, and the movement that grew up to protect it, is under attack--concerted and purposeful. Yet the need for solutions to pressing environmental problems grows more urgent each day. Teresa Heinz Kerry and Senator John Kerry traveled across the country in a national campaign to see at first hand how these issues unite people across party and ideological lines. From the San Juan Basin to the Gulf of Mexico to the South Bronx, from mothers on Cape Cod to Colorado ranchers, they found a vibrant coalition of people and communities deploying ingenuity, technology, and sheer will power to save the world they know and love. Now, in this passionate and personal book, Senator John Kerry and Teresa Heinz Kerry shine the spotlight on an inspiring crosssection of these new environmental pioneers.

The book combines intensive research with keenly observed personal experiences to present a portrait of Americans devoted to the natural diversity and spectacular uniqueness of our country. It also includes an extensive guide on where and how readers can get involved.

Customer Reviews:

May A Republican Say Something?.......2007-10-06

Senator Kerry, this is one of the best books I've read in a long time, and I read a lot of books. The common sense, lack of passion, and optimism did my old heart good. Since I'm not as optimistic as you, I believe if we're to come out of this tailspin that my party has put us in, your approach, not mine, is the key. As a Vietnam veteran who was shot down twice in Vietnam 1968-69, I hope you understand that the Swift Boat guys were exploited by sociopaths. The weak minded simply cannot refuse even the briefest moment in the limelight. They well forsake God and country without hesitation. Supporting you in 2004 has turned out to be one of the smartest things I have ever done. Believe me, it wasn't easy. It temporarily cost me the goodwill of friends and family. Thousands of Americans are still cheering Bush and Cheney not even aware that all their savings may be wiped out before these two leave office. Saudi Arabia on this very day--10/06/2007--has refused to cut interest rates in lockstep with the US Federal Reserve for the first time, signaling that the oil-rich Gulf kingdom is preparing to break the dollar currency peg in a move that risks setting off a stampede out of the dollar across the Middle East. As you know, Israel has already refused aid (free money) in Dollars. When Americans turned their backs on International laws, they turned their backs on God's laws as well. The price for doing so will be incomprehensible for most. Another book, please.

Required Reading.......2007-08-08

The material in this book should be put in the public's face daily via media, billboards, etc. It should be required reading. Every mother should understand that a disposable diaper takes 500 years to biodegrade (and as those chemicals in the diaper biodegrade, they pollute and cause potential carcinogens).

I would not call the book "bipartisan" as per some of the other reviews, and I think its bashing of the Bush administration (even though I am not a fan) detracted from the overall book. However, it is important reading; it had an impact on my behavior.

Stories of Hope.......2007-08-02

I was a little skeptical with this book being written by John Kerry. I wasn't sure what to expect. It gives some really good stories of everyday people who just wanted to make a change for the better. They weren't any sort of extremists or hippies. Just people with common sense and the determination to stand up for their right to live in a clean world.

KERRY gETS IT RIGHT.......2007-06-18

Kerry analyzes today;s environmental experts and gets it right. The book is passionate, well researched, spot on and well written. I was pleasantly surprised.

I think Kerry was at his best early in the book when he evaluated some of the current plans for saving the Earth. He got a little off track as the book progressed, then veered back on track in the last 100 pages.

I highly recommend this book for anybody who cares about the planet. Also recommended: "Earth In The Balance" by Al Gore. Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit

Encouragement for activism.......2007-06-09

This book is both inspiring and upsetting. Inspiring for the stories of success in opposing pollution and degradation of the environment and restoration to a more healthy one. It is upsetting to read of the abuses and pollution creating dangerous places to live.

It is a call to action that we all need to consider. I got many good ideas about issues I hadn't thought about and it made me think about my local situation. It's good to know people have won battles and corrected abuses.

Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before

Average customer rating:

Planet Earth.
Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before
A Great Coffee Table Book
magnificent
Glorious

Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before
Alastair Fothergill
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series
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Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series [HD DVD]
Ocean

ASIN: 0520250540

Book Description

A visual odyssey that will change the way we see our planet, this remarkable book, companion to the acclaimed Discovery Channel/ BBC series, is an enduring and awe-inspiring record of one of the most ambitious natural history projects ever undertaken. Using the latest aerial surveillance, state-of-the-art cameras, and high definition technology, the creators of Planet Earth have assembled more than 400 stunning photographs of wondrous natural landscapes from around the globe, including incredible footage of the rarely spotted, almost mythical creatures that live in these habitats. Many of the images reveal inaccessible places that few have seen and record animal behavior that has never been filmed or photographed before. With the help of this highly advanced technology and the world's premier wildlife photographers, the book takes us on a spectacular journey from the world's greatest rivers and impressive gorges, to its mightiest mountains, hidden caves and caverns, and vast deserts. Planet Earth captures breathtaking sequences of predators and their prey, lush vistas of forests viewed from the tops of towering trees, the oceans and their mysterious creatures viewed from beneath the surface, and much more--in a magnificent adventure that brings unknown wonders of the natural world into our living rooms.
Copub: BBC Worldwide Americas

Customer Reviews:

Planet Earth........2007-08-14

Wow!!! my 8 year old loves this DVD. Very interesting to watch. Does have some parts that my 8 year old has a trouble watching, this is the section of life and death in the food chain. Otherwise highly recommended, in HD DVD is Awesome....

Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before.......2007-08-10

I have not had a chance to even break the seal on this new book as yet. I skimmed this book at a bookstore, and then decided to buy it. If you saw the mini-series on Discovery or Animal Planet, you will be impressed with this book as well. For those with children, this book is a must.

A Great Coffee Table Book.......2007-08-04

A great companion book to the dvd series.

magnificent.......2007-07-30

Amazing photos and wonderous facts regarding everything imaginable to the unusual. Our family has enjoyed this educational and spellbinding photography.

Glorious.......2007-07-27

Beautifully photographed and informational, this book should be on every nature lover's shelf. The "Planet Earth" series, which I watch weekly on Animal Planet, is even more jaw-dropping. I thank the generous and unbelievably courageous people who have the cojones to make this possible!

Julie Townsend
Metairie, LA

Green This! Volume 1: Greening Your Cleaning (Green This!)

Average customer rating:

Green Your Lives and Live Healthy and Longer!!!1
Perfect information for environmental cleaning
Not the whole story...
Do this for your family's health
Very useful!

Green This! Volume 1: Greening Your Cleaning (Green This!)
Deirdre Imus
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Cleaning, Caretaking & Relocating | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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Green Clean: The Environmentally Sound Guide to Cleaning Your Home
The Imus Ranch: Cooking For Kids And Cowboys
The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time
Joy Bauer's Food Cures: Treat Common Health Concerns, Look Younger & Live Longer
The Naturally Clean Home: 100 Safe and Easy Herbal Formulas for Non-Toxic Cleansers

ASIN: 1416540555
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Book Description

Change the way you clean and keep your family's home wholesome and healthy with the help of expert and activist Deirdre Imus.

We all grew up thinking chemical smells like bleach and ammonia signaled "clean." But as Deirdre Imus reveals, some of the chemicals we use to maintain our homes are doing us and our families much more harm than good. In Greening Your Cleaning, the first in her Green This! series, Deirdre shows how cleaning house the environmentally responsible way can be as effective and often cheaper than the more traditional, toxic, means. This volume includes:

Simple, efficient cleaning methods for every room of the house

Spotlights on everyday products (all purpose cleaner, glass/window cleaner, laundry detergent) and the toxic ingredients you should be wary of

Summaries of the latest research on the toxic effects of ordinary chemicals

Resource lists of widely available "green cleaning" products and retailers

Filled with tips and testimonials, Greening Your Cleaning will show you how to streamline your cleaning products and practices, and how easy it is to make "living green" your way of life.

Customer Reviews:

Green Your Lives and Live Healthy and Longer!!!1.......2007-10-05

Deirdre Coleman Imus is married to sharp-tongued fired radio broadcaster, Don Imus. She is the mother of Frederick Wyatt Imus better known as Wyatt. Mrs. Imus has done her homework. She was an aspiring actress before meeting Don Imus and she has turned his whole world around for the better. With her in his life, they have created and built a working cattle ranch for children with cancer, siblings of SIDS, and other diseases. While the children only get to spend a week, the Imuses go the extra mile when they hear of a child's loss from cancer by attending their funerals. Deirdre and Don are truly genuine people and this book came out at the worst time. The proceeds from this book benefit charities and not the pockets of the Imuses. This book is her promotion of household cleaning products because they contain cancer-causing effects. Deirdre started this greening craze when she learned that hospitals used toxic products for cleaning materials. Her idea morphed into something far beyond our imaginations because she has developed with the assistance of others in the field to use non-toxic and healthier products for us to clean our homes. The Imuses practice what they preach. They are vegeterians and use the products in their own home. Unfortunately, her husband's spoken phrase got him fired at a time when they raising money for children's charities including cancer, the CJ Foundation for kids with SIDS, and another charity in a radiothon. The Imuses have paid dearly but they still enjoy their lives in New Mexico and New York City. Deirdre Imus is no trophy wife. She might be younger and more beautiful but she has always spoken her mind with Don and everybody else. Buy this book, maybe it will help clean up your life and home for the better.

Perfect information for environmental cleaning.......2007-09-14

Not only is this a extremely useful book, Deirdre and Don Imus do fantastic work with everything they are involved with. Especially the Imus Ranch!
Buy this book!

Not the whole story..........2007-09-05

I'm a huge fan of cleaning with more natural products, and use baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, etc to do so. In that way, I totally agree with the author's message. However, I don't agree with the presentation of the book. An example is the section on fabric softeners and dryer sheets. The author warns that these commercial products may contain limonene and linalool...as suggested alternatives, she mentions essential oils, such as lemon, lavender, bergamot, and rosewood. Throughout the book, she states that these chemicals, limonene and linalool, are scary and toxic...and then suggests essential oils which themselves have these chemicals in their makeup. (The recommendation of rosewood is another issue altogether as the author recommends it (several places) despite environmentalists' growing concerns for its endangered status and for the protection of the rain forests. Not a very "green" thing to do, IMO.) Her own commercial line of cleaning products contain essential oils as well, and I'm betting limonene and linalool can be found in them as a result.

There are dangerous products on the market, no doubt about that. And we as a society are guilty of "over kill" when it comes to "germs". And natural alternatives versus "man-made" chemicals are likely safer and better. I don't disagree with any part of that message.

Again, I am a fan of essential oils, however one must also understand that anything can be dangerous if applied incorrectly or without due care. I felt that many of the suggestions were overboard and failed to include proper warnings. For example, there are some essential oils that shouldn't be used around pets. Most, if not all, shouldn't be used around cats due to a cat's special physiology and the cumulative toxic effect the oils can have on a cat's liver. I didn't see this mentioned anywhere.

The author talks about the dangers of artificial fragrances, but doesn't acknowledge that many of the "dangers" can and do apply to essential oils as well. She constantly mentions "dousing" and "saturating" items with essential oils...which I makes me wonder if she has really ever been around them. Essential oils are powerful and I can't imagine ever having to "douse" anything with them. Generally, a few drops will do. I could go on and on, unfortunately. In the end, I was left feeling that the "homework" the book was based on had been incomplete and that it failed to tell the whole story. A shame as I said I do agree with the author's basic message. But regardless of where the profits go, I have to be honest with my review. I hope that it will be appreciated.

Do this for your family's health.......2007-09-01

I have always been concerned with the 'fumes' that I inhale when I am cleaning with the products you buy in the supermarket/chemists... although we have started to convert our various cleaning products to e-friendly; but after reading this wonderfully educating book - I just binned all the other products and went straight to my health store and replaced them with ecover. we love ecover products- the creme cleaner really cleans the greasy parts of the kitchen without scratches and it is e-friendly too. I always wondered why this country has such high rates of cancer and illnesses and could never pin down a reason ... our inside environment is so toxic and we thought we were keeping a clean house! I love this book as it re-educates you on what clean really means and that it is really quite simple. I have wasted so much money on toxic products and harming our health! Thank you for re-educating us and keeping life simple. I wish the supermarkets would stock -efriendly products as well. I am lucky that I have access to over four health shops within easy access to home.

Very useful!.......2007-08-12

I saw Diedre Imus promoting this book on the Today Show, and was only able to get a few tips out before the went onto the next guest. So I went onto Amazon and checked out the book, and it seemed interesting enough to order. I have gotten so many ideas that I rarely use any chemicals in the house anymore. I have killed insects naturally. I rarely see a roach, when I had a big roach problem, I clean rust and my drains naturally, and even my laundry. A great book overall. If not for the evironment, do it for your own health.

An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It

Average customer rating:

Incedibly Riveting, Powerful Warning!
All fluff, no content
SO..... what caused the Mini-ice-age of 1250-1850?
One more example of religious fundamentalism and its not Christian or Muslim
An Incoherent Crock

An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It
Al Gore
Manufacturer: Rodale Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1594865671
Release Date: 2006-05-26

Product Description

An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It

Customer Reviews:

Incedibly Riveting, Powerful Warning!.......2007-10-15

I came here to write a review and was surprised to see some of the negative comments, especially those written in the style of an elementary school student. Al Gore has written an incredibly revealing look into what lies before us if we leave things the the way they are and ignore the majority of reputable scientists who have the same predictions that Gore espouses. Any idiot can see that the pace of damage that we are experiencing now in the environment cannot be equated to any other time in history. The pictures in Gore's book are not fake. He is not the only one who discusses the issue of future loss of land due to the rising waters. The biggest problem for him is that being involved in politics unfortunately invites those who are on the other side of the aisle to criticize him, even when they know he's right. It's an infantile attitude - one that may very well be responsible for the ultimate destruction of our world as we know it. Next, they will be attacking the Nobel Prize Committee for giving their award to Gore. He well deserves it for his hard work and worthy work. Shame on those who find the need to put their childishly damning comments on here. It reveals so much more about them than it does about Gore.

All fluff, no content.......2007-10-14

There is a great deal of fluff and hysteria, accompanied by lots of heatstring-jerking pictures, in this book. Unfortunately, there is no useful/factual content: the only relevant graph amounts to a prime example for the book "How To Lie With Statistics".

Essential facts which Gore ignores and which destroys his case: (1) the long-term change feared is just one degree per _century_, (2) carbon dioxide is plant food, and (3) climate changes - cope.

SO..... what caused the Mini-ice-age of 1250-1850?.......2007-10-14

Between the years 1250-1850, the earth experienced a Mini Ice Age that froze-over rivers, destroyed England's wine industry, and nearly starved Europe (until they discovered how to use potatoes for nourishment). Al Gore admits in this book, "I don't know."

And that's the fundamental problem.

How can scientists claim, "We can predict future weather", when they don't even know how to explain the past weather events? They know there was a Mini Ice Age, they know the effects it had on humanity, but they don't know WHY it happened. The scientists don't know.

Until scientists learn to explain past Climate Changes,
they shouldn't be making guesses about the future.

One more example of religious fundamentalism and its not Christian or Muslim.......2007-10-14

Wind farms covering the great plains, how many birds do you want to kill, oh come on already! More corn farming driving up food prices. Solar cells that produce more toxic waste in manufacture than the petroleum products they deplore. And the only solution, nuclear power, buried in the fine print. Truly these people are loony , there are conspiracies everywhere, and I have to buy a rowboat now so I can get to Wall Street in few years. Please, 500 years ago the Thames was frozen over. Get a grip, give Al a pill, and remainder this nonsense.

An Incoherent Crock.......2007-10-13

What is important to remember above all else is that Al Gore is a politician and a journalist. He is decidedly NOT a scientist. In short, he is not even remotely qualified to be discussing the science behind global warming. Well, I suppose he's qualified to give a lecture to the average 3rd grade class, but that's about it.

So how do we explain the fact that so many gushing, starry-eyed brethren embrace Gore as some kind of prophet of global warming? More than anything, I suspect it is a reflection of just how incredibly ignorant and naive the American people are. Remember, a British court has ruled that his book is riddled with factual errors (and it is likely worse than the court's ruling). It is a real life manifestation of P.T. Barnum's famous dictum that "A sucker is born every minute."

Our society needs to stop equating fame with expertise. Gore is a famous politician, and his true expertise is as a con man. The scientific arena is the last place he either understands or belongs.

I suspect that in 25 years time the expression "the sky is falling" will pass out of vogue, to be replaced by "that's an inconvenient truth."

I wish I could have rated this piece of scat zero stars.

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things

Average customer rating:

Required reading
Great bookI
A pleasant read
A must for anyone developing products
2107: "You People Lived in Filth!" - A sort of book review of Bill McDonough and Michael Braungart's Cradle to Cradle

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things
William McDonough , and Michael Braungart
Manufacturer: North Point Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Environmental Science | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Conservation | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Recycling | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0865475873

Amazon.com

Paper or plastic? Neither, say William McDonough and Michael Braungart. Why settle for the least harmful alternative when we could have something that is better--say, edible grocery bags! In Cradle to Cradle, the authors present a manifesto calling for a new industrial revolution, one that would render both traditional manufacturing and traditional environmentalism obsolete. Recycling, for instance, is actually "downcycling," creating hybrids of biological and technical "nutrients" which are then unrecoverable and unusable. The authors, an architect and a chemist, want to eliminate the concept of waste altogether, while preserving commerce and allowing for human nature. They offer several compelling examples of corporations that are not just doing less harm--they're actually doing some good for the environment and their neighborhoods, and making more money in the process. Cradle to Cradle is a refreshing change from the intractable environmental conflicts that dominate headlines. It's a handbook for 21st-century innovation and should be required reading for business hotshots and environmental activists. --Therese Littleton

Book Description

A manifesto for a radically different philosophy and practice of manufacture and environmentalism

"Reduce, reuse, recycle" urge environmentalists; in other words, do more with less in order to minimize damage. As William McDonough and Michael Braungart argue in their provocative, visionary book, however, this approach perpetuates a one-way, "cradle to grave" manufacturing model that dates to the Industrial Revolution and casts off as much as 90 percent of the materials it uses as waste, much of it toxic. Why not challenge the notion that human industry must inevitably damage the natural world, they ask.

In fact, why not take nature itself as our model? A tree produces thousands of blossoms in order to create another tree, yet we do not consider its abundance wasteful but safe, beautiful, and highly effective; hence, "waste equals food" is the first principle the book sets forth. Products might be designed so that, after their useful life, they provide nourishment for something new-either as "biological nutrients" that safely re-enter the environment or as "technical nutrients" that circulate within closed-loop industrial cycles, without being "downcycled" into low-grade uses (as most "recyclables" now are).

Elaborating their principles from experience (re)designing everything from carpeting to corporate campuses, the authors make an exciting and viable case for change.

Customer Reviews:

Required reading.......2007-10-11

This book should be required reading by all CEOs, and all engineering, architecture and design students. (I read it as a class assignment in Sustainable Interior Design). The author dismisses the idea that "ecological" has to equal "sacrifice" and points out that our problems will require more than band-aid type fixes. He proposes a radical rethinking of the way we approach design and manufacturing and backs it up with rational thought and real world examples. Despite its heft (literally, it weighs a ton because of the unusual paper stock), it's not a "heavy" read. It's very engaging and thought provoking. Highly recommended.

Additional recommendations: watch the movie "Who Killed the Electric Car"

Great bookI.......2007-10-09

I'm a student so it's really hard for me to find time to read books that aren't required for a class. No time! Anyway, great book, easy to read and compelling ideas. Definitely recommended.

A pleasant read.......2007-09-24

Definitely would recommend this to anyone who would like to learn about how societies will/should change to conform to the processes of nature. Significant change need to occur to shape a planet where humans can survive for a longer duration (than the current forecast). This means alleviating environmental threats that were initially caused by our own doing.

A must for anyone developing products.......2007-09-19

This book put a new light on the manufacturing process. I am currently studying to be an engineer, and upon reading this book, I feel I have gained important insight into how to ethically create products. The focus of the book is to show that being "less bad", as the current way of thinking promotes, is not the right mentality to have. Instead the book proposes that products need to be looked at in a renewable sense, that is, how can it be completely reused to make something new when its useful life has been spent (hence Cradle to Cradle and not Cradle to Grave). I found the book to be very inspirational and look forward to applying its ideas in my career.

2107: "You People Lived in Filth!" - A sort of book review of Bill McDonough and Michael Braungart's Cradle to Cradle.......2007-08-18

One hundred years isn't a long time. Yet, in the last one hundred years we can account for radical changes in the expectations that we - in the West at least - have concerning the standards of the food we eat and the conditions that we live in. We readily expect that our waste will neatly leave our homes, our malls, our schools, workplaces, and public spots en route to some place where it disappears from sight and smell forever. In fact, we rarely think about whether our waste ends up burnt, buried, or recycled, nor whether the food we dine on is thoroughly inspected and safe. We can think back to 1907 as a period in which there was nothing in the way of food safety standards (though a movement in that direction was initiated as a result of Upton Sinclair's novel The Jungle, which was published that same year). Nor was there any notion of labor rights, environmental protection, and many of the sanitation procedures that we often take for granted nowadays.

Looking back through history ever further, to the crowded city streets of Paris, London, or Rome in the 17th and 18th century, reveals a more distasteful reality of how people lived. The blood of slaughtered animals, along with human excrement and other waste flowed through the sewers of these magnificent cities. "How did people live like this?" we might wonder. We shutter to think about living in such conditions, which allowed for the rapid spread of pestilence and sickness, not to mention unthinkable stench. While this may still be the experience of too many in the developing world, a signal of the progress and greatness of the modernized West has been our ability to escape the condition of living in our own waste.

Yet I've wondered recently how those living in 2107 will look upon the collective condition of the world as it stands today? Will they think that we live in filth? Despite the fact that we can split atoms, fly space crafts around the solar system, cure many illnesses, make electricity from the sun's rays, and communicate with each other in a myriad of digital ways, I wonder if they will ask why we still chose to live in our waste? I think that they will find it extremely perplexing that a society as developed as ours, who has the self awareness and knowledge about the harm that we inflict on ourselves and for posterity - not to mention the multitude of living systems that we are embedded in - refused to develop a different course for humanity.

When I say that we live in filth I mean that we continue to choke on unsafe air from the cars we drive and the outdated and dangerous ways that we engage in mass industrialization. I mean that we continue to produce millions and millions of consumable products made from an array of unsafe chemicals that we know little about and which we simply burn or bury after we use them one or two times. I find it so perplexing that industry continues to spends so much time and energy developing products that will only be used for a small fraction of time by consumers, yet will spend hundreds of years in landfills (I'm thinking especially of the enormous amount of plastic packaging that most products come in, only to be discarded immediately).

We dump many of the items that we have no more use for into ever expanding landfills that are getting closer and closer to the places we live and the sources of water we eventually come to drink. We are, in effect, living in our own waste. We put zero amount of effort into thinking of ways to design the same products that we rely on daily so that they are not harmful for humans or the environments in which we live. Scratch that, we have the technology and the know how for making safer and better products, however we lack leaders (both political & business) with the will, courage, and vision to bring humanity into the next industrial revolution. The first industrial revolution centered on extracting resources from the Earth (with little thought of replacing them) and putting these resources through production processes that have amounted to harming both human and non-human life for many years to come. The next industrial revolution will be about reengineering the production of consumer goods so that the stuff we make is in accordance with our natural environment. It will be about plastics that are biodegradable and the eradication of materials that are not. It will be about more intelligent approaches to designing buildings, which will utilize natural light, wind patterns, and the surrounding ecosphere to produce happier places to work and live, and which no longer rely on burning fossil fuels for cooling, heating, and sanitation. It will be about re-conceptualizing how we design, plan, and imagine the cities that most of humanity has come to chose to live in.

I'm currently drinking a soda out of a plastic bottle made from polymers derived from petroleum. This bottle, which not only is derived from the most contested resource of our time (though clean water is quickly taking its place) will be intact for those living in 2107 to view and touch as an artifact of an era which may be known in the future as one of reckless disregard, ignorance, and waste. Even the popular notion of recycling many of the products that we use only serves to slow down the rate in which we are harming ourselves. Recycling for many products is really a process of downcycling - a term coined by Bill McDonough and Michael Braungart in their book Cradle to Cradle. The process of recycling a product essentially causes it to loose its quality each time it is put through the recycling process (assuming that individuals keep recycling each new plastic reincarnate). Even though I will recycle this bottle, and it will become another plastic product again, it will eventually have to be disregarded after going through a few recycles. Alas, we are really just slowing down the rate by which synthetics eventually reach our waste graveyards or incinerators. In addition, while it is thought to be a socially responsible activity, the process of recycling releases into the atmosphere dangerous toxins emitted by the burning of plastics during the recycling process.

What is radically different about the world from 1907, or 17th century European cities, is that we fully understand the consequences of continuing down the path we are on. Furthermore, we have the knowledge and creative ideas of how to alter that path. What we lack, sadly, is the will to cause massive social change in how we consume and live. McDonough and Braungart's text urges product designers, city planners, and architects to approach their designs with the future of humanity in mind. Interestingly, they are not saying that we need to save the planet, for the planet will still be here long after homo sapiens has expired. Their message is that we need to save ourselves from the harm we are inflicting on ourselves. Their cradle-to-cradle philosophy urges designers to make products that can easily be disassembled after their use and put back into the production cycle as something else. In this sense, products should have an immense shelf life, being able to become that same product again or easily transformed into some other consumer product. The idea is to rid ourselves of the current approach to production which is based on a cradle-to-grave approach: extract resources from the Earth to make consumer products which are then discarded (thrown away) into landfills or burnt up in incinerators, expelling unknown synthetic chemicals into the ecosphere which we rely on for life.

It's time for us to recognize that the approach to mass production and living brought on by the industrial revolution is antiquated. If anything, it's insulting that humanity has yet to update itself from what seems to be such an archaic paradigm of not only how we make things, but what are relationship ought to be with the multitude of living systems that we are embedded in. All other living species exist in an interdependent cyclical system in which their "wastes equals food" for some other set of beings. It's high time that we apply this age old and ubiquitous principle to how we manufacture and produce all the things that we need to live as well.

Average customer rating:

perfect book for young and old
Reading level: Ages 9-12 - I don't think so!?!
Great for beginning birders
Great book
Cool Book!

Bird Songs
Les Beletsky
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1932855416

Book Description

Drawing from the collection of the world-renowned Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Bird Songs presents the most notable North American birds including the rediscovered Ivory-billed Woodpecker in a stunning new format. Renowned bird biologist Les Beletsky provides a succinct description of each of the 250 birds profiled, with an emphasis on their distinctive songs. Lavish full-color illustrations accompany each account, while a sleek, built-in digital audio player holds 250 corresponding songs and calls. In his foreword, North American bird expert and distinguished natural historian Jon L. Dunn shares insights gained from a lifetime of passionate study. Complete with the most up-to-date and scientifically accurate information, Bird Songs is the first book to capture the enchantment of these beautiful birds in words, pictures, and song. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, located in Ithaca, New York, is a nonprofit institution focused on birds and whose mission is to interpret and conserve the earth's biological diversity through research. The Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab is the major source of sound recordings of birds for research, education, conservation, the media, and commercial products.

Listen here
Trumpeter Swan
Laughing Gull
Eastern Bluebird

Customer Reviews:

perfect book for young and old.......2007-10-17

I bought this for my wife and my grand daughter. They love it and the sounds authentic and the book is easy to use.

Reading level: Ages 9-12 - I don't think so!?!.......2007-10-01

Great book for my coffee table for people to press the bird numbers. My favorite is the Northern Mockingbird, and my cats never fail to perk up their ears at it.

I've seen birds in my back yard react to different bird songs I played, so I can imagine that a lighter weight book would be great to take on field trips for attracting certain birds.

Some of the owls are eerie sounding, but I love owls (they eat mice, right?), so I play them often. There are others I haven't even heard of, not being a birder. But I'm handling the learning curve, and it's certainly fun!

Great for beginning birders.......2007-09-27

This is now our favorite coffee table book-- although we have to tear it out of the hands of guests in order to have conversation about something else. The sound is excellent. Gave a copy to my sister who also loves it.

Great book.......2007-09-27

Great book. The pictures and writeups for each bird are good and the sound is pretty good. I wish there were even more calls included for each bird. Great gift for any bird lover.

Cool Book!.......2007-09-26

It is true, the birds will respond if you play the songs outdoors-It caught the attention of many of the woodpeckers In my backyard..I know the birds by sight but needed help with the songs and calls and this is perfect! Great Idea for a book and a must for beginning birdwatchers or just birdlovers....

Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century

Average customer rating:

Interesting but not what I expected
This book could change your world
Good reference
brilliant!
A smart and inclusive book, really recommendable!

Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century
Alex Steffen
Manufacturer: "Harry N. Abrams, Inc."
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0810930951

Book Description

Worldchanging is poised to be the Whole Earth Catalog for this millennium. Written by leading new thinkers who believe that the means for building a better future lie all around us, Worldchanging is packed with the information, resources, reviews, and ideas that give readers the tools they need to make a difference. Brought together by Alex Steffen, co-founder of the popular and award-winning web site Worldchanging.com, this team of top-notch writers includes Cameron Sinclair, founder of Architecture for Humanity, Geekcorps founder Ethan Zuckerman, sustainable food expert Anna LappÃ©, and many others. Renowned designer Stefan Sagmeister brings his extraordinary talents to Worldchanging, resulting in a book that will challenge readers to personally redefine the conversation about the future.

Each chapter offers readers new answers to key questions, such as:
Why does buying locally produced food make sense?
What steps can I take to influence my workplace toward sustainability?
How do I volunteer, advocate, and give more effectively?

From eco-building to responsible shopping, political action to humanitarian relief, Worldchanging
puts the power to solve problems into the readerÂ's hands.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting but not what I expected.......2007-09-14

This is more like an encyclopedia than "a users guide for the 21st century". The hefty volume includes hundreds of short topical articles on lots of different things but doesn't go into a lot of detail on any. I was hoping for more practical examples of things I could do to survive in a changing world but was disappointed. For example, there is a section on Green Rooftops. You would think that a "users guide" might give you practical advice on creating one. Instead it talks about how they are great for saving energy and creating gardens. Okay... I get that and I agree but maybe a little more info please?

All and all the writing is good and it does cover a lot of topics I just think that the description when buying it leads one to believe there is a bit more depth than there actually is.

This book could change your world.......2007-08-29

This publication is worth it's weight in something quite valuable. It provides a mass of information on all sorts of subjects relating to changing your outlook and how to live within the planets available resources. It has some surprisingly useful tips on things like how to make a small apartment look and feel big by using great space saving ideas; how to use less of the planets scarce resources in many ways.

My only beef is that it looks like a self published volume and so lacks gravitas somehow. For example it does not have any information on the inner fly page about the book, such as year of publication, publisher, ISBN Number, and other essential info. Another problem I found was actually finding some of the reference works in the text. Not enough info to enable the reader to trace sources adequately.

I found it very difficult for example to find the publisher of one work I was interested in. Google hadn't even heard of the publisher. I did find them and the book eventually but had to try very hard and boy, was it obscure.

Even though the jacket and outer are quite attractive, they reek of self-publishing. This is not good for the image of a book on such an important subject.

Sorry chaps, only 6 out of 10 from me.

Good reference.......2007-07-15

Some info is out of date and biased, ie article on Vancouver (my home town). Lots is covered, not in much depth but there are lots of references for further reading. Would be a great addition to everyone's reference section.

brilliant!.......2007-07-12

For a "users guide" I actually expected something more "portable"... its brilliant in its content and design!!

A smart and inclusive book, really recommendable! .......2007-07-03

The book contains small articles about everything between heaven and earth all within the envionmental scope of interest. You find your self reading it, flipping through the pages wanting more info...A fun concept between an excellent encyclopedia, interesting facts book and a nice coffee table book. Only con might be the size, making it a bit bulky to read for more than a short while...

The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World

Average customer rating:

A Fascinating Read
Too much information
Just buy this book.................
We are the world
human psychology in the garden

The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World
Michael Pollan
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Ecology | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

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ASIN: 0375760393
Release Date: 2002-05-28

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Working in his garden one day, Michael Pollan hit pay dirt in the form of an idea: do plants, he wondered, use humans as much as we use them? While the question is not entirely original, the way Pollan examines this complex coevolution by looking at the natural world from the perspective of plants is unique. The result is a fascinating and engaging look at the true nature of domestication.

In making his point, Pollan focuses on the relationship between humans and four specific plants: apples, tulips, marijuana, and potatoes. He uses the history of John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed) to illustrate how both the apple's sweetness and its role in the production of alcoholic cider made it appealing to settlers moving west, thus greatly expanding the plant's range. He also explains how human manipulation of the plant has weakened it, so that "modern apples require more pesticide than any other food crop." The tulipomania of 17th-century Holland is a backdrop for his examination of the role the tulip's beauty played in wildly influencing human behavior to both the benefit and detriment of the plant (the markings that made the tulip so attractive to the Dutch were actually caused by a virus). His excellent discussion of the potato combines a history of the plant with a prime example of how biotechnology is changing our relationship to nature. As part of his research, Pollan visited the Monsanto company headquarters and planted some of their NewLeaf brand potatoes in his garden--seeds that had been genetically engineered to produce their own insecticide. Though they worked as advertised, he made some startling discoveries, primarily that the NewLeaf plants themselves are registered as a pesticide by the EPA and that federal law prohibits anyone from reaping more than one crop per seed packet. And in a interesting aside, he explains how a global desire for consistently perfect French fries contributes to both damaging monoculture and the genetic engineering necessary to support it.

Pollan has read widely on the subject and elegantly combines literary, historical, philosophical, and scientific references with engaging anecdotes, giving readers much to ponder while weeding their gardens. --Shawn Carkonen

Book Description

Every schoolchild learns about the mutually beneficial dance of honeybees and flowers: The bee collects nectar and pollen to make honey and, in the process, spreads the flowers’ genes far and wide. In The Botany of Desire, Michael Pollan ingeniously demonstrates how people and domesticated plants have formed a similarly reciprocal relationship. He masterfully links four fundamental human desires—sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control—with the plants that satisfy them: the apple, the tulip, marijuana, and the potato. In telling the stories of four familiar species, Pollan illustrates how the plants have evolved to satisfy humankind’s most basic yearnings. And just as we’ve benefited from these plants, we have also done well by them. So who is really domesticating whom?

Customer Reviews:

A Fascinating Read.......2007-10-07

The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan challenges the notion that mankind can control the natural world, subjugating plants to the will of the gardener. Through a discussion of four plants closely associated with human cultivation: apple, tulip, marijuana, and potato, Pollan demonstrates that organisms which possess traits desirable to the gardener have been able manipulate humans to cultivate them. Each plant has a different strategy for assuring that humans will continue to include it in their gardens. The apple, for example, is an extremely diverse species whose seeds contain millions of possible variations of both the fruit produced and the tree itself. Whether one is looking to make hard cider or munch on a crisp green fruit, the apple tree has the genetic code to produce the fruit humans look for.
In The Botany of Desire, Pollan focuses on the four plants mentioned above, placing each plant in a category, and explains how plants within that category possess characteristics which make them desirable to humans. The apple and other fruits appeal to our sense of taste, and, if fermented, our desire for inebriation. The tulip appeals to mankind's sense of beauty; marijuana, our desire to achieve an altered state of mind; the potato our need for nourishment and desire to genetically engineer crops. In short, each of these plants is successful in an evolutionary sense because it causes us to cultivate it.
Although Pollan's book is an intriguing read, I found it unsettling that he often rattles off facts and figures without citing a direct source, such as the assertion on page 219: "a potato farmer in Idaho spends roughly $1,950 an acre (mainly on chemicals, electricity and water)." Pollan does include a few pages of sources in the back of his book, but he could make a stronger argument that would stand up to academic scrutiny with the addition of endnotes.
In addition to a vast amount of research and traveling prior to writing this book, Pollan makes The Botany of Desire a quality literary work by using recurring themes to tie the four parts of the book together. Through returning to his garden at many points over the course of the book, Pollan is able to tie all four of his subjects into a common space. Approaching the reader as a fellow gardener gives him or her a sense of connection to Pollan and his garden. By the end of the book, I felt as though I knew Michael Pollan and his garden intimately. Another example of this continuity is Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and revelry. Dionysus appears in both chapters one and three, were Pollan relates him to cider, Johnny Appleseed, and mind-altering substances.
Overall, Pollan's clear style and journalistic narrative flows easily and keeps the reader entertained throughout the book. He makes effective use of descriptive details and personal experiences to relate to the reader as he argues his theme of plants manipulating humans to include them in their gardens. The Botany of Desire is a must read for anyone interested in how plants we encounter on a daily basis cause us to cultivate them around the globe.

Too much information.......2007-09-16

Started out liking the chapter on Apples, less the next and so on. It seemed like I was getting the same story in each chapter only more elaborate and wordy.

Just buy this book........................2007-09-05

I am not a botanist.Yet. But the study of evolution is quite an exciting journey, made more exciting by the mind melting,eloquent ideas posed by Mr. Pollan. Bought the audio book version, and I can't stop listining to it. From the story of Johnyy Appleseed, to Holland in search of the history of Tulips, the Amazing Marijuana Plant, and the control of the Potato. Seemed random to me. Not any more. Incredible book.

We are the world.......2007-08-31

Pollan's book is a vivid reminder of how intricately human society is woven into the ecological framework of the planet and in particular that of plants. His descriptions of how our societies have affected and been affected by just four plants opens up a series of thought-provoking questions to mull over the next time you find yourself in a garden, at the dinner table, or taking a walk outdoors. It's written with sensitivity towards those he disagrees with, and this gentle touch makes the story he's relating much more effective at prompting you as reader to engage. The weakest part of the book is the chapter on Tulips, but that is hard to criticize since the chapters on apples, marijuana and potatoes are so good.

Read this Book!

human psychology in the garden.......2007-08-02

Human psychology from the plant's perspective? Yep. That's precisely the topic of this book. When our ancestors began breeding plants to serve our desires they inevitably laid those desires bare in the phenotypes in their gardens. Pollan is impressively aware of many current themes in evolutionary biology (e.g., the function of sexual reproduction), and admirably willing to tell a story with the patience and breadth it deserves (hence four 100-page chapters instead of the usual one hundred, A.D.D. 4-page chapters). This book is not for everyone, but if you have intellectual curiosity about why some plants have come to dominate our world, this book will give you many answers and even more tools. There's nothing better I can say about a book.

Average customer rating:

great book
Great book
The Lorax
This sad tale is wonderfully creative
Graphic SF Reader

The Lorax (Classic Seuss)
Dr. Seuss , and Theodor Seuss Geisel
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Staff Favorites | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

The Sneetches and Other Stories (Classic Seuss)
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The Butter Battle Book: (New York Times Notable Book of the Year) (Classic Seuss)

ASIN: 0394823370
Release Date: 1971-08-12

Amazon.com

When Dr. Seuss gets serious, you know it must be important. Published in 1971, and perhaps inspired by the "save our planet" mindset of the 1960s, The Lorax is an ecological warning that still rings true today amidst the dangers of clear-cutting, pollution, and disregard for the earth's environment. In The Lorax, we find what we've come to expect from the illustrious doctor: brilliantly whimsical rhymes, delightfully original creatures, and weirdly undulating illustrations. But here there is also something more--a powerful message that Seuss implores both adults and children to heed.

The now remorseful Once-ler--our faceless, bodiless narrator--tells the story himself. Long ago this enterprising villain chances upon a place filled with wondrous Truffula Trees, Swomee-Swans, Brown Bar-ba- loots, and Humming-Fishes. Bewitched by the beauty of the Truffula Tree tufts, he greedily chops them down to produce and mass-market Thneeds. ("It's a shirt. It's a sock. It's a glove. It's a hat.") As the trees swiftly disappear and the denizens leave for greener pastures, the fuzzy yellow Lorax (who speaks for the trees "for the trees have no tongues") repeatedly warns the Once-ler, but his words of wisdom are for naught. Finally the Lorax extricates himself from the scorched earth (by the seat of his own furry pants), leaving only a rock engraved "UNLESS." Thus, with his own colorful version of a compelling morality play, Dr. Seuss teaches readers not to fool with Mother Nature. But as you might expect from Seuss, all hope is not lost--the Once-ler has saved a single Truffula Tree seed! Our fate now rests in the hands of a caring child, who becomes our last chance for a clean, green future. (Ages 4 to 8)

Book Description

"UNLESS someone like you...cares a whole awful lot...nothing is going to get better...It's not."

Long before saving the earth became a global concern, Dr. Seuss, speaking through his character the Lorax, warned against mindless progress and the danger it posed to the earth's natural beauty.

"The big, colorful pictures and the fun images, word plays and rhymes make this an amusing exposition of the ecology crisis."—School Library Journal. Illus. in full color.

Customer Reviews:

great book.......2007-10-07

everyone knows how great a book The Lorax is. We got it for our son's fourth birthday. He loves it.

Great book.......2007-10-07

What a great book for a child. In my picky opinion, the beginning is a bit slow, and the ending is a bit abrupt - but still, this is a classic. My child received this book as a gift - now I give it as a gift to other children.

The Lorax.......2007-10-02

An excellent childrens book! A great read for anyone who wants to promote conservation to childern.

This sad tale is wonderfully creative.......2007-09-20

Last week, in my Environmental Studies class, the teacher brought out this book and we had sotry time. Now, that is not normal in a University setting, but it was perfect. We'd read how Easter Island and other such places died out do to the over forestization of their small island. But nothing really gets the point across as well as Dr. Seuss can. We all giggled at first, but as the prose continued we all just listened. I have never seen a childrens book handle such a serious topic so well before. This is a fantastic book to educate youth on being environmentally concious, and I bet they'll remember the message into their adulthood decisions.

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

In amidst all the funny looking groovy trees and fuzzy creatures there is a message. In this case, it is about ecology, use of resources, and the environment.

Or, listen to what the Lorax says when you are chopping stuff down and damaging things to make a quick buck, for he is wise.

Environmental Science: Working with the Earth (with CD-ROM and InfoTrac) (Environmental Science: Working with the Earth)

Average customer rating:

great seller!
New
A great text for teaching Environmental Science
Excellent from multiple excellent thoughts ...
explains issues like population growth and global warming

Environmental Science: Working with the Earth (with CD-ROM and InfoTrac) (Environmental Science: Working with the Earth)
Jr., G. Tyler Miller
Manufacturer: Brooks Cole
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Environmental Science | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

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Geometry

ASIN: 0534424082

Book Description

In this edition of Miller's ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, a new Student CD-ROM, INTERACTIVE CONCEPTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, has been added! This groundbreaking addition integrates nearly 100 engaging animations and interactions with chapter summaries, flashcards, and Web-based quizzes. Organized by chapter, students will find links to relevant resources, narrated animations, interactive figures, and prompts to review material and test themselves. The animations show complex processes and relationships unfolding on screen, such as the effects of acid rain, smog formation, and the phosphorus cycle. Narration allows students to focus on what is changing on screen while interactions allow students to explore figures in more depth. This Tenth Edition is a significant, all-encompassing revision providing continuing focus on the basic scientific content necessary to understand environmental issues in clear, straightforward language. It provides the latest developments and reflects several major shifts in environmental science education this century. Designed as a foundational text for environmental science courses, Miller's flexible book is adaptable to almost any approach, and is the most widely embraced approach to environmental science in print. With fair and balanced coverage and Internet tools integrated throughout, the book features an extensively developed art program, writing that communicates scientific information clearly and effectively, and the most current coverage of the subject. The book's flexible organization means that it can be adapted to fit almost any syllabus. Miller's more than 30 years of research and teaching expertise make this the definitive book on the subject. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE: WORKING WITH THE EARTH, Tenth Edition is a concise alternative to G. Tyler Miller?s best-selling text LIVING IN THE ENVIRONMENT, which redefines the environmental science course and sets the standard by which every other book for this course is judged.

Customer Reviews:

great seller!.......2007-05-14

I received the product in the condition stated and in a short time.

New.......2006-07-19

Environmental Science/Tenth Edition.Excellent condition. No highlighting, torn pages or other marks. Sealed CD (Interactive Concepts in Environmental Science) included with book.

A great text for teaching Environmental Science.......2006-05-05

I began teaching with Miller's thicker text "living in the environment" but found that the main material was covered by this thinner and less expensive version. The graphics are helpful and the students enjoy reading the material as it is presented in an accessible and applicable fashion. The guest essays and case studies are from some of the top names speaking at conferences and so students are getting some really current views and information. Although there is not much of a lab book or teacher text-- there are plenty of other sources for field work and activity inspiration. The students also liked the website for activities and practice problems.

Excellent from multiple excellent thoughts ..........2006-03-01

Thyler Miller's books (I have 5 of them) are always the source of inspiration for me. I started reading his book when I took my Environmental Health Class for my Master of Public Helath Program.

The contents are clear, concise, correct, courtesy and full with critical thouught that has facilitated my curiosity to know more and more ....

Santa-Fe-Red

explains issues like population growth and global warming.......2006-02-25

Miller stresses the intricate interrelationships with the Earth's environment. Vital issues like population growth and its impact on the environment are gone into. Here, there is perhaps cautious optimism. But only if we as a species moderate our growth rate (maybe even turn it negative!) and resource consumption.

There is a natural flow from this issue to a discussion about global warming. The scientific basis for concern is explained, and the evidence for warming presented. While not absolutely conclusive, it is seen as very strong. In fact, in the 5 years since the book came out, even more evidence has appeared to indicate a continuing and possibly accelerating trend. Miller also suggests several ways that global warming might be slowed.

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