Subjects:  1. Ecology    2. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    3. Environmentalism    4. Green movement    5. Natural Resources    6. Nature    7. Nature/Ecology    8. Sustainable development    9. Environment; political science; ecology    10. Globalization    11. Nature / Ecology   

Reviews (3)

Visionary - Uncompromising - Accessible
Simply put, this book serves up excellent insights into the only future of architecture and the hope for our injured environment... sustainable design. McLennan is more than an author or advocate... he is a deep green thinker who practices on a daily basis what he preaches. Of the many great books available on this subject I found this one the most comprehensive. The Philosophy of Sustainable Design encompassing not only the materials, technologies, and methods available to green designers but it highlights the leaders, champions and innovators who are driving the green building movement forward. This book offers information (and inspiration) for the seasoned and the novice. Read it, share it and read it again!

The Quintessential Green Warrior
Jason is the quintessential green warrior.Young, enthusiastic, exceedingly bright, and seemingly undaunted at the prospect of swimming against the current, Jason shares with us his passion for sustainable design.Having spent the formative years of his career working with the veritable giants of the sustainable design field, Jason shares his unique perspectives and experiences that today's up and coming green warriors can only dream of.
Better than Natural Capitalism
This book is the new heavyweight contender of green building titles. If you liked Natural Capitalism by Hawkins and Lovins, you'll enjoy this book. It's more comprehensive and uses facts and figures more judiciously. I'm impressed with the author's courage to make predictions in a chapter on the future of sustainability. This book should be required reading for all architecture students. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Applied ecology    2. Environmentalist thought & ideology   

Reviews (3)

Excellent and Comprehensive Intro and Education.
I have been looking for a book that would educate me on exactly what green building is, whether it is actually practical and whatit would take to achieve it.This book answered all those questions.I think it has filled a void in the information market.So many people are not satisfied with current building practices especially in the US yet finding one comprehensive source for reliable answers is extremely difficult.There is lots of experience bound up in the very well-written, easy flowing text.The mass of photos is extremely instructive and attractive.This book is not clouds-in-the-sky, blindly pro-environment babble.Neither is it full of the marketing lies that exploit the "green" movement.It is useful for normal people who are interesting in trying to build earth-friendly but practical, efficient and affordable homes.The writers are very honest in their educated opinions and recommendations.And they actually built a small green building in order to write this book.So you get the useful, hands-on advice that they learned themselves the hard way even with their past, extensive building experience in the US.I appreciate their effort and book very much, and can't recommend it highly enough as one every non-expert should read if they have a possible interest in green building in the future or even in just building a marginally more efficient home.

Nicely presented intoduction to several green techniques
A very nicely presented 'survey' of several green building techniques with a practical and mainstream perspective.Less inspiring and holistic (in terms of presenting an overall philosophy of building AND living) than the likes of The Hand-Sculpted House (Evans, Smiley and Smith), etc. but the beautiful photography and clear writing is a powerful tool to use in convincing the skeptical that green building is a legitimate and aesthetically pleasing option in construction.Really more of a 'complete introduction' than a 'complete how-to guide' in my estimation- if you are really going to build you'll need to suppliment your knowledge with additional in depth books on the particular system(s) you choose to use, but this book will expose you to some of the options and provide you with an informational foundation to 'build' on (pun intended).

An essential natural/alternative building manual!
At last - a comprehensive and attractive manual that clearly shows us how to employ 4 different natural building methods; cob, straw bale, cordwood and modified stick frame.
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Subjects:  1. Architecture And Energy Conservation    2. Building Construction    3. Construction - General    4. Design & Construction    5. Design and construction    6. Do-It-Yourself    7. Do-It-Yourself - General    8. Ecological houses    9. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    10. Home Improvement / Construction    11. House & Home    12. Sustainable buildings    13. Technology & Industrial Arts    14. Building construction & materials    15. Environmentalist thought & ideology    16. House & Home / Do-It-Yourself    17. JUVY-WORKBOOKS - JUV WORKBOOKS   

Reviews (4)

Absolutely fascinating work
This book took me into the grassroots level work of the newest Nobel Peace Prize winner.I was glad to get a glimpse into what the world is just recognizing as the new frontier - the hope that comes from action at the local level which makes real course changes in our world as a whole.I enjoyed the very practical outline of this movement's accomplishments and connections to the growing consciousness for earth's slow, steady salvation.

GREEN BELT MOVEMENT
I found this book to be an enlightening and educating account of the background and work of the current Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Wangari Maathai.THE GREEN BELT MOVEMENT is currently the only volume that provides as much insight on this topic.
Depressed about the environment?Read this book!!
The Green Belt Movement by Wangari Maathai is a wonderful, informative and user-friendly book that gives a good sense of the movement's history and the person behind it. Just as Maathai in her work likes to keep her hands in the dirt planting trees, in her book she cuts directly to the meat and bones of what the Green Belt Movement is about and how it functions practically on the ground.
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Subjects:  1. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    2. Environmental Studies    3. Green Belt Movement (Society :    4. Green Belt Movement (Society : Kenya)    5. Kenya    6. Natural Resources    7. Nature    8. Nature/Ecology    9. Tree planting    10. Trees & Forests - General    11. Africa    12. Environmentalist, conservationist & Green organizations   

Editorial Review

Paper or plastic? Cloth or disposable? Regular or organic? Every day, environmentally conscious consumers are faced with the overwhelming catch-22 of a capitalist society--reconciling the harm we do by consuming, while still providing ourselves and our families with the goods and services we need. It's enough to make a city dweller crazy. Fret no more! The Union of Concerned Scientists has put together a well-researched and eminently practical guide to the decisions that matter. The authors hope that the book will help you set priorities, stop worrying about insignificant things, and understand the real environmental impacts of household decisions. For instance, you may be surprised to learn that buying and eating meat and poultry is much more harmful to the environment than the packaging the meat is wrapped in, even if it's Styrofoam. This guide takes on both sides of the consumer-impact argument, goring sacred cows of the environmentalist movement (like the strident emphasis on recycling) and the industrialist perspective (like the relentless message to buy more, more, more). If you're confused and overwhelmed by all the environmental decision-making in the modern world, you'll find new inspiration in this book. Read more

Reviews (21)

Pratical Advice
This book offers a lot of scientific input of our environmental problems, but I think it also gives people a choice to whether they want to make it. I would say that this is a helpful book in gearing people to make smarter choices, but at the same time almost tells people that somethings are not a big deal. Which can be debated.Read it and enjoy.

Strange omission
This was an interesting enough book, if slightly repetitive. The best part about it was telling people not to sweat the small stuff like deciding between paper and plastic bags. But what I found particularly odd was that there was absolutely no mention of cigarettes anywhere. It's strange because tobacco is a crop like fruits and vegetables and therefore effects land use, water pollution, and stuff like that. It's clearly a personal health risk (cancer), and it may contribute to air pollution since there's tar and other toxic chemicals that are released into the air when they're smoked. I can't believe it's more important to eat organic foods than to stop smoking. Why such a glaring omission??

great and practical advice
i agree with all the other reviewers.
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Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Consumer Behavior    3. Consumer Behavior - Consumer Guides    4. Consumer goods    5. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    6. Environmental Engineering (General)    7. Environmental Science    8. Environmental aspects    9. Green products    10. Nature    11. Nature/Ecology    12. United States    13. Consumer guides & advice    14. Environmentalist thought & ideology    15. Nature / Environmental Conservation & Protection   

Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. Biography    3. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    4. Environmental Science    5. Environmentalism    6. Germany    7. History    8. History Of Science    9. Nature    10. Science    11. Science/Mathematics    12. Scientific expeditions    13. Scientists    14. United States - General    15. History / United States / General   

Reviews (4)

Everyone should read this!
This is one of my all time favorite books--even though much of it I had to read and re-read several times to get a clear understanding of some of the points it makes.I believe everyone should read this...several times---it has some truly fascinating information in it and is an excelent book to really get you thinking and appreciating the nature of this planet we live on!
Understand and how to treat water.
If somebody have some interest in water must read that book.
enlightened textbook for environmental studies
Living Energies gives the understandings necessary for revitalizing Planet Earth -- for understanding which human actions either enhance or destroy the vitality of our forests, soils, air and water.I tell people about Living Energies more often than I promote my own books! Living Energies is the best book in the world for understanding the extensive wisdom of the Austrian forester and genius Viktor Schauberger. Academics, politicians and many other decision-makers should all study this book, if they can set aside any prejudices they might have regarding some inclusions of spirituality in a science book. It's the big picture! Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Life Sciences - Ecology    3. Science    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Environmentalist thought & ideology    6. Management of land & natural resources   

Reviews (6)

Good hagiography of a controversial man
This is a good introduction to the theories and life of Viktor Schauberger, an Austrian naturalist and inventor. Born in 1885, Schauberger started life as a forester who tried to understand and copy Nature. From watching mountain streams he developed unorthodox theories based on vortex movement about water and its use. He started out designing highly efficient log flumes that used water in vortex motion and at its densest temperature of 4 degrees Centigrade. He then proposed cleaning up the Rhine River by rebuilding the natural curves which stimulate vortex motion in the water. He said that this vortex motion in the Earth caused spring water to be more alive than plain water. He believed that plants grew better in this living water and developed laboratory sized egg-shaped water energizers to activate water. Perfect Start for anyone interested in Learning about Water
I agree that this book is only a brief introduction into the thoughts of Schauberger but hopefully many people are inspired by this book to move forward into the area of water research in an effort to uncover many more truths about what really makes water healthy. An Excellent Appetizer, Please Pass the Main Course
This is an excellent, brief introduction to the thought of Viktor Schauberger, and I hope it inspires works which are more complete. Callum Coates' books reach in this direction, but what is really needed are more people to read these books, synthesize their information, and come up with new and original books which take us further into depth in these areas. This will probably involve synthesizing the work of Schauberger, Grander, Bienveniste, and others.Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    3. Life Sciences - Ecology    4. Natural Resources    5. Naturalists, Gardeners, Environmentalists    6. Nature    7. Nature/Ecology    8. 20th century    9. Biography: general    10. Conservation of the environment    11. Environmentalist thought & ideology    12. Sustainability    13. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (28)

A good book, but it may be time for a new edition.
I've been organic gardening for several years and I find this book contains very useful information for the gardener who wants to work with Mother Nature instead of against her. As described by the author (and others elsewhere), permaculture uses organic gardening principles to deal with big as well as little problems.
Best garden design book I've seen
A friend loaned me this book and I'm ordering my own copy.Or rather a new one for her since we've used hers so much.A great book if you're starting a new garden and want to match your landscape to the surrounding countryside, as we do, especially since we have oak savannah, like the author.Super vegetable garden ideas, great landscaping ideas, good stuff on swales, windbreaks, nurse plants, lots of good concepts you can use now.

inspiring, clear, very well-written book
Hemenway is amazingly realistic and practical while being very inspiring. He is easy to follow and understand while including scientifically grounded and very technically sound explanations. Read this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Gaia hypothesis    3. Garden Design    4. Gardening    5. Gardening / Horticulture    6. Landscape gardening    7. Natural landscaping    8. Organic    9. Organic gardening    10. Permaculture    11. Techniques    12. Cookery dishes & courses    13. Environmentalist thought & ideology    14. Natural & wild gardening   

Reviews (9)

Earth as an Organism
Lovelock is certainly an out-of-the-box thinker.The main point Lovelock drives home is that Earth behaves as an organism.The aim is to get the reader thinking that Earth is alive, and does have the same functions an organism.For example, the chemistry of the atmosphere and the ocean are controlled by life for the purposes maintaining the planet as a haven for life's continuance.
Not even good science
I ordered this book hoping for some scientific evidence supporting what I already knew from personal experience; that there is a gestalt emerging from all of the beings in the universe. An emergent property that some call `the spirit that moves through all things' and some call `god' and I was hoping that this book would call it Gaia. Bah! The author totally ignores the metaphysical evidence and misrepresents the impact of civilization on the natural world. He also misrepresents the relationship tribal aka primitive cultures had with the natural world. Furthermore, this isn't even good science. Typically I pass books on to friends or trade them at a used bookstore. The best thing about this book was how easily the pages tore out to become kindling for my fire. If I could I would give it a negative rating -- don't pollute your mind with this trash.

Brilliant hypothesis, poorly presented
In essence, Lovelock says that since evolution started eons ago, all forms of life evolved together resulting not only in balance among themselves and their surroundings, but also in such a way that they regulate the environment, controlling the atmosphere, the salinity of the seas and the temperature. This complex eco-system is presumably an inevitable consequence of the algorithm of evolution running successfully. Want to know if there is life on another planet? Easy, look at the atmosphere.
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Subjects:  1. Biology    2. Biosphere    3. Ecology    4. Environmental Science    5. Gaia hypothesis    6. Life Sciences - Biology - General    7. Life Sciences - Ecology    8. Nature    9. Nature/Ecology    10. Philosophy    11. Philosophy Of Biology    12. Science    13. Conservation of the environment    14. Environmentalist thought & ideology    15. Life Sciences | Ecology    16. Nature / Ecology   

Reviews (6)

An excellent overview of "natural" building; buy it!
I've recently become interested in green building.My local library system provided a lot of interesting books, most of which weren't really worth buying.
Good Introduction
Being an architect already, I found that the book was an excellent introduction, even for me, to the various alternative building techniques emerging. It gave the author's honest opinion about many of the techniques, which was very appreciated. Don't expect it to be a precise how-to guide for any of the methods. It is an excellent overview, though, that can help you evaluate which building techniques you would like to explore further. The references at the end are vast and helpful. The Primer on Natural Building
If you're interested in building a natural home (cob, rammed earth, straw-bale, earthship, whatever), this is your primer.The author has done his homework and presents the description, pros/cons and pitfalls of each type of construction.He is very honest about just how "do-it-yourself" each type can be, and how much it will cost you.He also covers passive and active solar design, natural water capture and other alternative technologies to go with your natural home.This is an excellent overview on all these subjects.Read more

Subjects:  1. Amateurs' manuals    2. Architecture    3. Architecture and society    4. Design & Construction    5. Do-It-Yourself    6. Domestic    7. Dwellings    8. Ecological houses    9. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    10. House & Home    11. House construction    12. Reference    13. Alternative & renewable energy sources & technology    14. Building construction & materials    15. Environmentalist thought & ideology   

Reviews (1)

Excerpt of review from Electronic Green Journal Issue 18
"A psychology book dedicated to sustainable development is comprehensible for the reason that ecological problems were created,and still are, by patterns of behaviour.Thus there is a principal question that this book aims to answer:"How can psychology help in the development of a sustainable society?"The authors demonstrate that psychology has an important role in the sense of promoting sustainable values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours. The contributors show us that sustainable development involves the simultaneous pursuit of economic prosperity, environmental quality, political participation, and social equity.Read more

Subjects:  1. Applied Psychology    2. Business & Economics    3. Development - Economic Development    4. Economic Development    5. Economics - General    6. General    7. Psychological aspects    8. Psychology    9. Social Psychology    10. Sustainable development    11. Environmentalist thought & ideology    12. Psychology & Psychiatry / Social Psychology    13. Social, group or collective psychology   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Architecture    3. Architecture And The Environment    4. Architecture, Modern    5. Congresses    6. Environmental aspects    7. General    8. Methods & Materials    9. Organic architecture    10. Sociology Of Architecture    11. Architecture / General    12. Environmentalist thought & ideology    13. Regional & Area Planning    14. Theory of architecture   

Editorial Review

The image of salmon battling upstream through whitewater cataracts to spawn in their birthplace is integral to any happy vision of the Pacific Northwest. Sadly, because they face more insidious obstacles than swift currents, few people today actually witness this remarkable spectacle.Armed with exhaustive research and an ability to synthesize his findings into a concise, readable indictment of the status quo, Jim Lichatowich, a fisheries scientist for 30 years, traces the sudden decline of Northwest salmon populations following the onset of Euro-American settlement. He points a finger at the usual suspects: logging, mining, damming, grazing, irrigation, commercial fishing, and development. Moreover, he cites the political establishment for a failure of nerve. Since the shift from a Native American "gift" economy based on sustainability to a profit economy based on self-interest and short-term financial gain, the historically resilient salmon have met one adversary after another, with little or no help from the legal apparatus charged with their protection. In fact, federal and state governments have responded to the deepening crisis mainly by building fish hatcheries up and down the West Coast. Contrary to the beliefs of entrenched bureaucrats and sport fishermen, says Lichatowich, hatcheries have merely diluted the gene pools of wild stocks while allowing resource extractors to continue their multifarious operations and politicians to shirk their responsibilities. In 1960, for instance, after decades of declining runs, the Washington Department of Fisheries reported, incredibly (and characteristically), that new advanced management techniques would soon result in "salmon without a river"--more welcome news to those who would continue to exploit these iconic fish and their habitat. At the dawn of the 21st century hundreds of hatcheries still operate, yet Northwest salmon populations have decreased 95 percent. Read more

Reviews (10)

Peter Morrison
This is a must read book for anyone interested in salmon, rivers and the ecology and history of the Pacific Northwest.Excellent information and a good read.

Great read
This is an excellent book that documents the history of salmon, how native Americans viewed them and how modern Americans view them.It focuses on why the pacific northwest is facing a salmon crisis, and our failed attempts to replace what we have lost.Great read for anyone who is concerned about environmental issues.

Pacific Northwest Salmon History Book
Salmon Without Rivers is a great book of historical facts. It includes many issues like; original salmon locations/populations, "Economy over Environment" issues, and the ineffectiveness of large decision making commissions/agencies. However, with all his good background information the book does not propose any solutions nor investigates today's coastal human communities as they relate to the salmon and/or habitat. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Americas (North Central South West Indies)    2. Commercial fishing    3. Ecology    4. Environmental Studies    5. Fish    6. Fishery conservation    7. History    8. Nature    9. Nature/Ecology    10. Northwest, Pacific    11. Pacific salmon    12. Rivers    13. United States - State & Local - General    14. Endangered species & extinction of species    15. Environmentalist thought & ideology    16. Management of land & natural resources    17. Nature / Environmental Conservation & Protection    18. Pacific Ocean    19. Science / Zoology    20. Western & Pacific Coast states   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Development - Sustainable Development    5. Environmental aspects    6. Industrial management    7. Social responsibility of busin    8. Social responsibility of business    9. Business & Economics / Sustainable Development    10. Environmentalist thought & ideology    11. Management & management techniques    12. Sustainability   

Subjects:  1. Environmental Science    2. Environmental Studies    3. General    4. Philosophy    5. Environmentalist thought & ideology    6. Ethical issues & debates    7. Ethics & moral philosophy    8. Philosophy / General   

Subjects:  1. Economic Conditions    2. Economics    3. Environmental Science    4. Environmental Studies    5. Environmental policy    6. Nature/Ecology    7. Sustainable development    8. Environmentalist thought & ideology   

Subjects:  1. Christianity    2. Christianity - Stewardship    3. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    4. Environmental Studies    5. Human ecology    6. Public Policy - Environmental Policy    7. Religion    8. Religion, Politics & State    9. Religious aspects    10. Stewardship, Christian    11. 21st century    12. Central government policies    13. Christian mission & evangelism    14. Current Events / American    15. Environmentalist thought & ideology    16. Political control & freedoms    17. USA   

Reviews (8)

psychology wakeup call
This book contains essays from a variety of sources. It does not tell you what ecopsychology is but tells you why it makes sence.
Inspiration for a thesis
This is a highly informative book. It tells about people's different points of view on the highly volatile and up-and-coming field of ecopsychology. This book is a great source of information and knowledge of the field as well as it's a pretty easy read. I used this book as a jumping off point for research for my undergraduate thesis. If you are interested in environmental issues and psychology, read this book.

still the classic
Assembled here are some of the leading lights of ecopsychology, with papers and excerpts from the books they've written:Roszak himself, Aizenstat, Hillman, Gomes, Glendinning, and on and on.A rare collection of important voices.Read more

Subjects:  1. Environmental Science    2. Environmental Studies    3. Environmental psychology    4. Environmentalism    5. Mental Health    6. Nature    7. Psychological aspects    8. Psychology    9. Social Psychology    10. Applied ecology    11. Environmentalist thought & ideology    12. Nature / General   

Subjects:  1. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    2. Environmental Science    3. Environmental ethics    4. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    5. Philosophy    6. Science    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Environmentalist thought & ideology    9. Philosophy / General