ENVIRONMENTAL BOOKS / HEALTH BOOKS

The Ownerless Planet   (by Akin Tekin)

Set in the future, when our planet is on the brink of environmental destruction, this "novel within a novel" spans the ages when an American family finds hope and inspiration in an ancient book. In the unearthed story, a bullied young boy seeks protection from an order of Turkish knights. They give him knowledge and training that eventually transforms him into a nature-loving, unbeatable boxer. When his father is killed by an "enemy of nature," our hero begins a battle against the destruction of nature and the overpopulation that threatens the planet. The Ownerless Planet, written by Turkish author Akin Tekin, entertains and inspires as it teaches.
Available at Amazon UK or Google Books.

Darkness Falls   (by Kyle Mills)

REVIEW:  Imagine if the world lost 1/3 of its oil supply over the course of a single year. Life in our modern petroleum-powered society would undergo drastic and difficult changes. That is exactly what the world faces in Darkness Falls, an excellent, fast-paced novel by Kyle Mills.
Read full review of Darkness Falls

Hormone Deception   How Everyday Foods and Products Are Disrupting Your Hormones—and How to Protect Yourself and Your Family

The first prescriptive book on the subject, Hormone Deception reveals where hormone disruptors come from and how they affect adults, children, and the unborn. It also provides easy, practical tips for protecting your home and your family, such as vacuuming frequently and using water filters. (by D. Lindsey Berkson)

Exposed   The Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products

The European Union has adopted strict standards for products sold there. Thanks to lobbying efforts by the US chemical industry, products developed and sold in the United States are increasingly equated with serious health hazards, and many of those products are soon to be banned from Europe and other parts of the world. Schapiro's revelations in this thought-provoking work will change the way American consumers think about everyday products—from plastic chemicals that can contribute to sexual malformations to lipstick additives that are potential toxins to the brain, liver, kidneys, and immune system. (by Mark Schapiro)

Raising Healthy Children in a Toxic World

Your home is the focal point of your child's life—it's where he learns to crawl, where he eats and sleeps, where he plays. Home represents a safe haven for him ... yet just how safe is it? Even if your home is brand new, it might not be as safe as you think it is. Get 101 suggestions for reducing your child's harmful exposures. (by Phillip Landrigan, Herbert Needleman, Mary Landrigan )

Deep Economy   (by Bill McKibben)

The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future

Bill McKibben observes that the first time in human history, more is no longer synonymous with better. Our purchases, he says, need not be at odds with the things we truly value—but we must gravitate towards new ways of thinking about the things we buy, the food we eat, the energy we use, and the money that pays for it all. We must move beyond growth as the paramount economic ideal and pursue prosperity more locally. Deep Economy offers a realistic, if challenging, scenario for a hopeful future.

The Economics of Climate Change   The Stern Review

There is now clear scientific evidence that emissions from economic activity, particularly the burning of fossil fuels for energy, are causing changes to the earth's climate. A sound understanding of the economics of climate change is needed in order to underpin an effective global response to this challenge. The Stern Review—conducted by Sir Nicholas Stern, head of the UK Government Economic Service and a former Chief Economist at the World Bank—is an independent, rigorous, and comprehensive analysis of the economic aspects of this crucial issue.

The Perverse Economy   (by Michael Perelman)

The Impact of Markets on People and the Environment

From Adam Smith to the present day, economic theory has shortchanged the workers most crucial to the functioning of human life and offered skewed views of scarcity and extraction. Perelman shows how this approach has produced a discipline in which its followers' models and representations of the world around them are so removed from reality that continuing to abide by them will jeopardize both nature and humanity.

The Worst Hard Time   (by Timothy Egan)

The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl

The dust storms that terrorized the High Plains in the darkest years of the Depression were like nothing ever seen before or since. Timothy Egan's critically acclaimed account follows a dozen families and their communities through the rise and fall of the region, telling of their desperate attempts to carry on through blinding black dust blizzards, crop failures, and the death of loved ones.

The Omnivore's Dilemma

A Natural History of Four Meals   (by Michael Pollan)

Michael Pollan asks the seemingly simple question: What should we have for dinner? Tracing from source to table each of the food chains that sustain us—whether industrial or organic, alternative or processed—he develops a portrait of the American way of eating. The result is a sweeping, surprising exploration of the hungers that have shaped our evolution, and of the profound implications our food choices have for the health of our species and the future of our planet.

Fast Food Nation

The Dark Side of the All-American Meal   (by Eric Schlosser)

Fast food has hastened the "malling" of our landscape, widened the chasm between rich and poor, fueled an epidemic of obesity, and propelled American cultural imperialism abroad. Fast Food Nation tears into the juicy underbelly of the greasy beast, unearthing a trove of fascinating, unsettling truths—from the unholy alliance between fast food and Hollywood to the seismic changes the industry has wrought in food production, popular culture, and even real estate.
Also available: Fast Food Nation movie

Plan B 3.0

Mobilizing to Save Civilization   (by Lester Brown)

Modern economics rarely puts value on the products and services of earth's ecosystems—other than from a resource exploitation or development perspective. For instance, ignored are the benefits of forests, grasslands, wetlands, and coral reefs for purifying water, conserving soil, sequestering carbon, buffering coastal infrastructure against hurricanes, and providing spawning areas for fish. In Plan B 3.0, Lester Brown makes it very clear that we cannot continue to allow earth's essential systems to be "externalities" in the economic equation. To do so imperils civilization itself.  Read full review of Plan B 3.0

The Last Forest   The Amazon in the Age of Globalization

With a landmass larger than the continental US west of the Mississippi and with the richest diversity of plant and animal species on earth, the Amazon has always struck its explorers and would-be exploiters as infinite and largely impenetrable. But today, as developers and environmentalists clash over the region's future, the seemingly endless forest is fast disappearing in fires, rampant mineral extraction, rogue logging operations, and encroaching urban sprawl. As The Last Forest chronicles the region's transformation, we're stuck with the fundamental question: Is it too late to strike a balance in the Amazon between economic sustenance for the twenty-one million Brazilians who live there and protection for the world's last great forest? (by Mark London, Brian Kelly)

The Smithsonian Atlas of the Amazon

This illustrated atlas of the Amazon River and the surrounding rain forest presents full-color maps and nearly 300 spectacular photos. Along the way, the authors explore many intriguing topics such as why some of the Amazon's tributaries have black water, what happens when the freshwater of the Amazon reaches the salty ocean, and why we all should be concerned about the deforestation that contributes to the loss of species biodiversity. (by Goulding, Barthem, Ferreira)

Rain Forest   (a DK 24 Hours book)

Around the Clock With the Animals of the Jungle

Ages 9-12. This beautifully illustrated guide invites reader to spend a day with the animals and plants that inhabit one of the world's most fascinating environments—the rain forest.

Manifestos on the Future of Food and Seed

Manifestos on the Future of Food and Seed  is a collection of essays that goes to the heart of our existence—what we eat and how we grow it. We live in a world with 80,000 edible plants, but only about 150 are cultivated; a world of agricultural abundance and rampant obesity, yet 800 million still suffer from malnutrition; a world where food is modified to travel long distances rather than to be nutritious and flavorful. Manifestos offers prescriptions to reverse perhaps the worst food crisis faced in human history. (edited by Vandana Shiva)

Kitchen Literacy

How We Lost Knowledge of Where Food Comes from and Why We Need to Get It Back   (by Ann Vileisis)

Ask most people where food comes from, and they'll probably answer: "the supermarket." How our foods are raised and what happens to them between farm and supermarket shelf have become mysteries. How did we become so disconnected from the foods that nourish us every day? Ann Vileisis' answer is a sensory-rich journey, covering the dark corners of industrialized eating—health and environmental problems, including food-borne pathogens, toxic pesticides, pollution from factory farms—and revealing how knowledge of food can be regained, leading consumers to healthier, more sustainable choices.

Food to Live By   The Earthbound Farm Organic Cookbook

This full-color cookbook by Earthbound Farm co-founder Myra Goodman offers an appealing new casual style of cooking based on using the best ingredients—organic or otherwise. The dishes are irresistible: Sweet Corn Chowder; Spinach/Feta/Mushroom Quiche; Foggy Day Chili; Ginger Lime Salmon; Blue Cheese Smashed Potatoes; and many more. Bring the organic revolution to your dinner plate in delicious, exciting ways! (by Myra Goodman)

What to Eat   (by Dr. Luise Light)

The Ten Things You Really Need to Know to Eat Well and Be Healthy

If you're a health-conscious consumer, one of the hardest questions you face is "What should I eat?" Former USDA nutrition director Luise Light answers with this basic, balanced, and user-friendly food plan that cuts through the confusion and controversy of the latest fad diets, federal guidelines, and agribusiness propaganda. Its ten simple rules are also adapted for a wide variety of nutritional needs—including weight loss, fibromyalgia, diabetes, and gastrointestinal disorders.

The Organic Food Guide   How to Shop Smarter and Eat Healthier

Trying the eat healthy these days can be downright confusing. This book steers you to healthier foods, shows you how to find the bargains, and provides answers to questions like: Is there a difference between "organic" and "all natural"? Are organic foods really healthier and safer? Do they contain more vitamins and minerals? Can pesticides cause cancer?
(by Steve Meyerowitz)

50 Ways to Save the Ocean   (by David Helvarg)

This book focuses on practical, easily implemented actions everyone can take to protect our oceans. Topics include: stopping runoff pollution; fighting off-shore oil rigs; valuing wetlands and marine sanctuaries; protecting local water tables; proper diving, surfing, and tide pool etiquette; supporting local marine education; how and where to vacation; what fish should and should not be eaten. The oceans are in trouble—you can help.

When the Rivers Run Dry   (by Fred Pearce)

Water—The Defining Crisis of the Twenty-first Century

In this book, veteran science correspondent Fred Pearce travels to more than thirty countries to examine the current state of crucial water sources. Weaving together the complicated scientific, economic, and historic dimensions of the emerging world water crisis, he provides the most complete portrait yet of this growing danger and its ramifications for us all.

An Unreasonable Woman   A True Story of Shrimpers, Politicos, Polluters, and the Fight for Seadrift, Texas   (by Diane Wilson)

When Diane Wilson, a fourth-generation shrimp-boat captain and mother of five, learned that she lived in the most polluted county in the United States, she launched a campaign against a multi-billion-dollar corporation that has been covering up spills, silencing workers, flouting the EPA, and dumping lethal ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride into the bays along her beloved Texas Gulf Coast. Find out how she braved scorn, bribery attempts, character assassination, and even death threats to finally win.

The Secret History of the War on Cancer   (by Devra Davis)

The War on Cancer set out to find, treat, and cure a disease. Left untouched were many of the things known to cause cancer, including radiation and chemicals. Proof of how the world in which we live and work affects whether we get cancer was either overlooked or suppressed. This has been no accident—the War on Cancer was hijacked by leaders of industries that made make cancer-causing products, companies that sometimes also profit from drugs and technologies used to find and treat the disease. The Secret History of the War on Cancer shows how we began fighting the wrong war, with the wrong weapons, against the wrong enemies—a legacy that persists to this day.

Fresh Air for Life   (by Allan C. Somersall)

How to Win Your Unseen War Against Indoor Air Pollution

The US EPA ranks indoor air pollution among the top five most significant environmental dangers to the public. Their research concludes that indoor air is usually 2-10 times more polluted than outside air—and sometimes far worse than that. Citing scientific evidence but writing in layman's terms, Dr. Somersall takes you through the concerns, consequences, and solutions to indoor air pollution.

Home Safe Home   (by Debra Lynn Dadd)

The level of chemical exposure we experience just by using legal household and personal products—the cleaners, laundry soaps, fabric softeners, deodorants, and shampoos that are so ubiquitously displayed on the shelves at supermarkets and drug stores—is astonishing. This book will help you work you way out of the toxic soup.

How to Get Your Lawn and Garden Off Drugs

A Basic Guide To Pesticide Free Gardening in North America

Helpful to anyone needing practical how-to information regarding pesticide-free gardening, soil health, lawn care, and how to deal with pests and plant diseases in a non-toxic manner. Well suited to newbies who just want to try it without having to go hippie. (by Carole Rubin)

The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control

Features encyclopedic coverage of the pests that bug all the planty things growing in your yard, including lawns, flowers, fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals. Excellent pictures help you identify specific diseases and pests so you can design the best pest-control program. (by Ellis, et al)

Kitchen Garden A to Z   Growing, Harvesting, Buying, Storing

Did you know that if you can't smell a strawberry, it won't have any taste? That lemon thyme is as effective a mosquito repellent as DEET? That corn with kernels in the straightest lines will taste the best? Do you know which vegetables should never go in the refrigerator? All of these questions—and many more—are answered in this indispensable guide to vegetables and fruits. (by Mike McGrath, Gordon Smith)

Hostile Takeover   How Big Money and Corruption Conquered Our Government—and How We Take It Back  (by David Sirota)

Millions of Americans overpay for inadequate health care and work for wages that have been stagnant for thirty years, even as corporate profits have skyrocketed. Jobs have been shipped overseas, pensions have been cut, clean-air and clean-water laws have been weakened or ignored, and energy is becoming unaffordable. David Sirota shows how corporate interests and our so-called "elected representatives" are causing these problems and undermining our democracy. He also lays out a plan for those of us determined to take our country back.

Planetary Citizenship   (by Hazel Henderson, Daisaku Ikeda)

Your Values, Beliefs and Actions Can Shape A Sustainable World

This book explores a wide variety of issues, including: sustainable development; economic justice; respect for indigenous peoples and their traditional lands and resources; democratization of international institutions; corporate accountability; and conserving the Earth's biodiversity, water, air quality, and climate. The authors present a practical yet profound optimism in human potential and our ability to build a brighter future.

Green to Gold   How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage  (Esty, Winston)

Based on the authors' years of experience and hundreds of interviews with corporate leaders around the world, Green to Gold shows how building environmental thinking into companies' business strategies generates lasting value, cuts costs, reduces risk, increases revenues, and creates strong brands. The authors not only highlight successful strategies but also make plain what does not work by describing why environmental initiatives sometimes fail despite the best intentions.

The Essence of Chocolate   (by Scharffenberger & Steinberg)

Recipes for Baking and Cooking with Fine Chocolate

The Essence of Chocolate features more than 100 spectacular—and often simple—recipes drawn from top pastry chefs. Arranged by chocolate intensity, the book is filled with helpful tips, sumptuous photographs, and the story of how chocolate is really made. Top picks include That Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Pudding Cakes, Chocolate-Chocolate Cupcakes, and Chocolate Mousse. Yum!

Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light

It turns out that science says chocolate is actually good for you—it's packed with antioxidants and triggers important brain chemicals. Delve into the complex world of chocolate—from the chocolates of ancient Mexico to those of contemporary France to the dark side of the chocolate trade to the factories of Hershey and Godiva. This book melts in your mind, not in your hand! (by Mort Rosenblum)

Chocolate Obsession   (by Michael Recchiuti, Fran Gage)

Confections and Treats to Create and Savor

In Chocolate Obsession, Michael Recchiuti, owner of a famous artisanal chocolate company in San Francisco, divulges his professional secrets and techniques, allowing home cooks to reproduce his exquisite confections in their own kitchens. The book includes a discussion of chocolate, from bean to bar; detailed instructions for delights like dipped chocolates, truffles, and molded chocolates; with over 60 recipes in all.

Clean Water   An Introduction to Water Quality and Pollution Control

Clean Water is a book for anyone concerned about this precious resource who wants to become better informed. In straightforward language, Kenneth Vigil provides a comprehensive introduction to the many scientific, regulatory, cultural, and geographic issues associated with water quality and water pollution control. (by Kenneth M. Vigil)

Water Pollution   (True Books series)

For ages 4-8. Covers the basics of water pollution in a kid-friendly format. Topics include the types of water pollution, including dumping, fertilizer, and pesticides; effects of water pollution; solutions to water pollution; and ways that kids can get more info on the topic. (by Rhonda Lucas Donald)

Water Wars: Privatization, Pollution, and Profit

Do we all have a right to plentiful, low-cost fresh water? With population and usage growing and water being used at unsustainable rates, some corporations see water as a potential source of profits. The author provides ideas on how we can avoid a water-poor future.
(by Vandana Shiva)

Nobody Particular   (by Molly Bang)

One Woman's Fight to Save the Bays

Diane Wilson lived a fairly ordinary life until she learned that she lived in one of the most polluted counties in the US. She launched a campaign against an international chemical company, determined to protect the Texas bays on which she, her father, and her grandfather had made their living. Graphic-novel format; for younger readers.

In Amazonia: A Natural History   (by Hugh Raffles)

The cast of characters in this rich, engaging book includes explorers from the 1500s; naturalists and ecologists from the last 200 years; logging companies; and the industrious, river-altering inhabitants of a remote jungle village. Raffles provides the history, science, and politics of the Amazon, presenting the majestic region as a tapestry that has been in a constant state of re-weaving for a long time.

Remarkable Trees of the World   (by Thomas Pakenham)

Thomas Pakenham loves trees, and this book is a labor of love. In it you will find photographs of 60 of the planet's most majestic, ancient, huge, and downright interesting trees, as well as a fascinating narrative to walk you through the tree-lined tour.

The People's Forests   (by Robert Marshall)

Who owns America's forests? Lumber companies? Tree huggers? The government? Robert Marshall, a prominent thinker and administrator of forest policy in the 1920s and 1930s—and a clear foe of forest exploitation—thought the forests belonged to all citizens of the US and that they should be administered accordingly.

Collapse

How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed   (by Jared Diamond)

What caused some of the great civilizations of the past to collapse into ruin? Moving from the Polynesian cultures on Easter Island to the flourishing American civilizations of the Anasazi and the Maya, and finally to the doomed Viking colony on Greenland, Diamond traces the fundamental pattern of catastrophe. How can our modern civilization avoid the same fate?

Limits to Growth: The 30-Year Update

Based on analyses by MIT scientists (the authors), this book discusses the limits to the planet's carrying capacity, i.e. how many of us humans the planet can sustain. They see trouble ahead, with the major factors being population growth and global warming. They discuss resource trends and strategies, assess a variety of possible outcomes, and offer hope that humanity can reverse course. (by Meadows, Randers, Meadows)

One With Nineveh   Politics, Consumption, and the Human Future

Is our cherished Western civilization doomed to go the way of Mesopotamia and other civilizations that perished because of unexpected environmental shifts or their own arrogance, greed, and ignorance of perilous circumstances? Quite possibly. The authors cover the political, media, and social causes of the problem, and conclude that there is hope—see solutions within... (by Paul Ehrlich and Anne Ehrlich)

Organic, Inc.   Natural Foods and How They Grew

What is organic food? Is it really better for you? Where did it come from, and why are so many of us buying it? Business writer Samuel Fromartz traces organic food back to its anti-industrial origins more than a century ago; then he follows it forward again, spotlighting the successes and examining how the industry now risks betraying the very ideals that drove its success. (by Samuel Fromartz)

Diet for a Dead Planet   How the Food Industry Is Killing Us

Corporate consolidation of farms and supermarkets, the drive to increase productivity, misplaced subsidies for exports, and inadequate regulation have all combined to produce a grim harvest. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 75 million Americans fell sick last year from the food they ate. Cook argues that there are better ways, including organic food, farmers' markets, and food cooperatives. (by Christopher D. Cook)

Your Organic Kitchen   (by Jesse Ziff Cool)

The Essential Guide to Selecting and Cooking Organic Foods

Nationally known chef Jesse Ziff Cool first explains why you should choose organic, how to stock your organic pantry, and how to make the most of seasonally changing produce. Then she offers up 160 of her favorite recipes, culled from her 25 years in the restaurant business. Monge! Enjoy!

Garbage Land   On the Secret Trail of Trash

By melding science, anthropology, and a strong dose of clear-headed analysis, Garbage Land lifts the lid off the little-though-of world of trash and reveals its surprisingly complicated underbelly. The investigation shows us what really happens to the things we dispose of, reminding us that our decisions about consumption and waste have a very real impact—and that, like it or not, the garbage we create will always be with us. (by Elizabeth Royte)

The Better World Handbook

From Good Intentions to Everyday Actions   (by Jones, Haenfler, et al)

It would be a perfect world if everyone could quit their jobs and devote themselves fully to the causes they believed in—but they can't. The Better World Handbook shows caring, busy people how to live according to their progressive values but still "have a life." Areas covered include planet-friendly ways to shop, eat, bank, invest, drive, get news, and more.

LifePlace: Bioregional Thought and Practice

Robert Thayer brings the concepts and promises of the growing bioregional movement to a wide audience in a book that passionately urges us to discover "where we are" as an antidote to our rootless, stressful modern lives. LifePlace is a provocative meditation on bioregionalism and what it means to live, work, eat, and play in relation to a naturally defined area rather than a politically defined area. (by Robert L. Thayer Jr.)

Home Enlightenment   Practical, Earth-Friendly Advice for Creating a Nurturing, Healthy, and Toxin-Free Home and Lifestyle (by Annie Bond)

REVIEW: Home Enlightenment is a smorgasbord for the senses. Annie Bond's experiences, quotes, references and advice are as soothing and warm as a nice cup of java on a crisp, clear chemical-free morning. This book is an encyclopedia of information on everything from air quality in the home to Yak fibers. The little fluorescent bulb will light over your head repeatedly as each chapter gives you practical advice for healthier living with the elements. Home Enlightenment is not just about the home; it's about treading lightly on this earth while treating yourself well, too. It's organic soup for the soul.

Animal Rights: Current Debates And New Directions

Farm animals cannot easily be distinguished from dogs and cats in terms of intelligence and behavior. This and other uses of animals by human beings has forced uncomfortable questions to center stage: Should people change their behavior? Should the law promote animal welfare? Should animals have legal rights? Should animals continue to be counted as 'property'? What reforms make sense? An all-star cast of contributors explores the legal and political issues that underlie the campaign for animal rights and the opposition to it. (by Sunstein & Nussbaum (editors))

Lethal Laws   (by Alix Fano)

Animal Testing, Human Health and Environmental Policy

This book argues that using animals as human surrogates is not only unethical, but bad science; it shows how animal testing has been used as an alibi for the continued use of supposedly "safe" chemicals; and it shatters the myth that animal tests are accurate predictors of human health risks.

Pasture Perfect   The Far-Reaching Benefits of Choosing Meat, Eggs, and Dairy Products from Grass-Fed Animals   (by Jo Robinson)

Pasture Perfect uses scientific evidence to explain how products from grass-fed animals are safer and more nutritious than conventional ones. The animals live low-stress, more natural lives, and their meat is higher in Vitamin E, beta-carotene, and omega-3 fatty acids. Eggs and dairy have similar benefits. The book also helps you locate pasture-raised products.

Making Kind Choices   Everyday Ways to Enhance Your Life Through Earth- and Animal-Friendly Living   (by Ingrid Newkirk)

This is a practical and accessible handbook that will not only enhance your life, but those of your neighbors, your community, animals, and the earth itself. It covers everything eco- and animal-friendly, from comfortable home furnishings to safe lawn and garden care to tasty meals to fashionable clothing. There are myriad choices to be made that can have a lasting positive effect on the well-being of animals and the environment—here is your guide on how to do it.

The Beast That Ate the Earth

The Environment Cartoons of Chris Madden

A book of humorous and thought-provoking cartoons tackling the major environmental issues affecting the twenty-first century.
"If a picture is worth a thousand words, then these cartoons are rich and insightful dissertations...unique..."
    — Environmental Scientist, Institute of Environmental Scientists

Cartoon Guide to the Environment   (by Larry Gonick)

Who ever said you have to read stuffy old books to learn about the environment? This toony treatment of current environmental problems covers basics like chemical cycles and food webs, mid-level concepts such as ecosystems, and tricky topics like population growth and its impact on the planet.

America (The Book):  A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction

American-style democracy is the world's most beloved form of government, which explains why so many other nations are eager for us to impose it on them. In "America (The Book)," Jon Stewart and company serve up humor-seasoned insights into our unique system of government, dissecting its institutions, explaining its history and processes, and exploring its myths.
(by Jon Stewart and the writers of "The Daily Show")

The Stupidest Things Ever Said by Politicians

It's not a partisan thing, folks—both sides say wonderfully stupid things, such as Al Gore's "A zebra cannot change its spots" and Bob Dole's "I will not tolerate intolerance." This book is a Verbal Hall of Shame that features the idiotic utterances, ridiculous slogans, mixed metaphors, and lame excuses that have fallen from the mouths of our fearless leaders, past and present (because stupid knows no age). (by Kathryn and Ross Petras)

The Sacred Balance (text)   (by David Suzuki, Amanda McConnell)

Rediscovering Our Place in Nature

"Consume and compete!" — the message of the economic treadmill is loud and constant. But the real bottom line is not debts and deficits, but rather the physical, social, and spiritual needs that form the basis of any society that aspires to a sustainable future and a high quality life for its citizens. Those fundamentals are rooted in the earth and its life support systems.

The Sacred Balance (photos)   (by Suzuki, McConnell, Decambra)

A Visual Celebration of Our Place in Nature

This stunning collection of images explores the interconnectedness of all life. It's a visual feast that celebrates the sacred balance of life through spectacular photographs, beautiful reproductions of artwork, stunning electron-micrographs, and satellite photographs, all tied together with a fascinating narrative from David Suzuki and Amanda McConnell.

Zodiac   (by Neal Stephenson, FICTION)

Sangamon Taylor is a new-age Sam Spade who sports a wet suit instead of a trench coat. He knows about chemical sludge the way he knows about evil—all too intimately—and the toxic trail leads to some high and foul places. Not to mention danger: Taylor's house is bombed and his every move is followed. But Taylor reveals himself as a rare white-hatted good guy in a very toxic world, navigating this ecological thriller with hardboiled wit and the biggest outboard motor he can get his hands on.