Books on how to live a more eco-friendly life can tend to be rather laborious and preachy – Do this, Stop that’s and Never Never’s always seem to prevail. However, instead of the ever-present voice of concern, this collection of top tidbits and clever ways to live a little greener will have you feeling less apologetic for a modern lifestyle and more I never knew that was even possible! So, without further adieu, here some of the top titles for this season
Simply Sustainable Homes – RRP £17.95: Listen up home-owners, renovators and builders! Here is an ABC guide for anyone looking to renovate, upgrade, or build their dream home in an ecologically friendly and sustainable way. This book’s simple style gives that hard to digest information in more agreeable bite sized chunks. It reveals the ways in which a sustainable home is one that is manageable and looks to minimise its overall impact on the planet. It advises on some of the most environmentally sustainable materials to build with, the energy ratios used in construction, and the waste predictions (as well as ways to reduce them) for the people living in such homes. Simply Sustainable Homes also shows its readers how to design their very own sustainable home, along with simple explanations of what makes more ‘green’ sense throughout stages of the build. This book is surely a touchstone for any home enthusiast looking to reduce their impact on his or her surroundings.
Author: Tim Pullen
Publisher: Ovolo Publishing Ltd
Pages: 176
Do It Yourself 12 Volt Solar Power – RRP £9.95: If they say that a good book is the print and page of a great mind, then Do It Yourself certainly offers fantastic testament to its author Michel Daniek. This 45 year old solar-wiz was born in Giessen, Germany. Fifteen years ago, upon reaching his 30th birthday, Michel simply became unhappy with the modern ways of life, bought himself a utility truck and decided to set out in search of alternative ways of living. Experimenting with a small solar system in his truck, it was the start of a long love-affair, and the author of this unique and inspiring book has never looked back!
When you read this book it will soon be apparent that no matter how much you thought you were doing to help the environment, there’s always that little bit more possible. Daniek makes doing that bit more somehow more appealing. Written in a fun, colloquial style, Daniek’s is a book that shows how anyone out their can suddenly turn around in their life, move far away from a mains power socket, and live a life powered by the sun. What else would we come to expect from a man known to his friends as Solar Michel.
Author: Michel Daniek
Publisher: Permanent Publications
Pages: 128
Don’t Throw It, Grow It! – RRP £6.99: Every kitchen seems to have one these days; set up next to the little recycling bin is a even smaller bucket-tub for what can only be described as mulch. Don’t Throw It, Grow It! is a great guide all about recycling your mulch (or kitchen produce, as it’s universally known) to help feed your new, hungry houseplants. Not only a fantastic thing-to-do with your tiny toddlers and eco-warriors of tomorrow, at the heart of this book is a simple cycle: reducing your waste by feeding your plants that improve your living conditions.
Every corner seems to have been covered. Techniques, maintenance and requirements are all there, as well as how to reduce the common house fly section of the entire experience. There are nearly 70 different varieties of houseplants covered between these pages; vegetables, fruit and nut plants, herbs and spices, as well as your more exotic sprouter. The best thing about it is, as soon as you pick up this little number you can already begin to picture who it is you are going to give it to, before it finds its new home behind the spice rack.
Author: Deborah Peterson & Millicent Selsam
Publisher: Storey Publishing
Pages: 153
Liquid Gold: The Lore and Logic of Using Urine to Grow Plants – RRP £4.95: If living a sustainable life is what this article has grown from, then there is no better place to finish than with human (that’s the first person pronoun) waste. It is commonly known that human urine contains most of the nutrients in domestic wastewater (which we are told time and time again to re-use), with less risk of disease. Liquid Gold begins by laying down a brief history of urine, but doesn’t bore or stop there – we are whipped off to worldwide landscapes where food is grown, the environment protected, fertilizers reduced, and nutrient cycles fully understood, all thanks to the thematic thread of urine.
This book is utter brilliance! Our author, Carol Steinfeld, projects director for Ecowater Projects, has managed to deliver an enlightening source of sustainability alongside proven profiled gardeners, who are more than happy to share their way withthe world. With a whimsical tone from start to finish (including some very amusing sketches) this book belongs in any household lavatory, but not as toilet humour – as an educational supplement!
Author: Carol Steinfeld
Publisher: Green Books
Pages: 128
