Green Daily

Last week I encouraged you to go see "No Impact Man", the documentary about environmentalist Colin Beavan's efforts, with his family, to live for a year impact-free, in New York City. In the film and companion book, "No Impact Man," Colin shares the story of the experiment that he, his wife Michelle and their two-year-old daughter, Isabella, conducted over the course of a year.

They reduced their trash to zero, ate only food grown within 250 miles of their home, (which meant giving up coffee -- eek!), and stopped using electricity, which meant dealing with nine flights of stairs to get in or out of their 9th floor apartment every day (double eek!). Their story is funny, and thought-provoking, and manages to make the idea of giving up toilet paper and electricity, in the middle of New York City, see accessible -- even possible.

I had a chance to meet Colin on the press tour for "No Impact Man," along with Beth Terry from Fake Plastic Fish. We got to ask some follow up questions about the No Impact Man experiment, plus get Colin's first-hand advice on living impact-free.

When Santa Turned Green is a children's book by Victoria Perla. That's not to suggest it is just for children. That would be selling Perla and Santa short. This is a book for everyone.

The book is about Santa and the consequences of global warming on the North Pole and what that means for Christmas as we know it. I think you can guess where this is going.

The book is illustrated by Mirna Kantarevic and has inspired a collection of earth-friendly toys from its drawings.



Yes, it's Christmas Eve and unless there is an FAO Shwarz on your block it may be too late for Santa to turn green for you by tomorrow morning. However, let's not forget that the North Pole didn't go green in one night. This book will keep Christmas in your heart the whole year round.

I tend to hold onto my books for years but there are always a few that I am willing to part with. Whether it was a bad read, a bad gift or the book has been damaged, Student Hacks has 10 Creative Ways to Recycle Old Books. Here are a few of my favorites:

• For that nice hardcover book that you never plan on reading, turn it into a Secret Hollow Book to hide your precious treasures. This also makes for a great gift.
• If it's a book with a nice spine, turn it into an Invisible Book Shelf. Your books will look like they are magically floating on your wall.
• For a favored children's book with torn, weathered pages, turn the cover into a clock.
• If your child is through with their baby board books, transform them into Lift-the-Flap Books with custom prints.
• Finally, make a shade for a wall sconce. This is a great idea for an office or library.

[via: A Garden Carried in the Pocket]

I'm very interested in green building and modern materials used to create energy efficient homes. I was delighted the other day when I ran across a free green building e-book from Tree Hugger Consulting.

Green Building 101: A Basic Guide to Building and Remodeling Sustainably gives in depth instructions on six areas of construction including site, water, energy, materials, indoor air quality and construction procedures. Whether your are building from an empty lot or simply redoing a bathroom, there are tips inside that may be useful for you.

It seems like I can't go anywhere without hearing about the wonders of Agave Nectar. I probably have Oprah to thank for that. It's no wonder that this sugar substitute has been making the news. It's sweeter than the white stuff and lower on the glycemic index. Because of this, agave nectar have been making its way into recipes in place of refined sugar.

I've been curious about using agave in cooking and was thrilled when Ten Speed Press sent us a copy of Baking with Agave Nectar by Ania Catalano for a giveaway. This 144 paged book is packed full of delicious recipes including Spicy Pumpkin Muffins, flour-free Amazin Black Bean Brownies, and Raspberry Sorbet.

Catalano, a natural foods chef, started baking with Agave Nectar when she was diagnosed with hypoglycemia. Her recipes are easy to follow and have been a big hit with her patrons and students.

• To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us why an evening with Agave Nectar is better than an evening with Tequila.
• The comment must be left before 5pm EST on Friday, November 7th.
• You may enter only once.
• One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
• The winner will receive one copy of Ania Catalano's Baking with Agave Nectar (valued at $15.95).
• Open to legal residents of the 50 United States (including the District of Columbia) and Canada (excluding Quebec), who are 18 and older.

Click here for Official Rules.

GOOD LUCK!

There's a lot of tips about living green floating around the internet but sometimes it's nice to have a book geared to your specific interests. When Jenn Savedge couldn't find the information she needed to help her family live a sustainable lifestyle, she started penning, The Green Parent: A Kid-Friendly Guide to Eco-Friendly Living.

The book is divided into sections like, "Green the Home," "Green to Go," and "Green Shopping." There are tips on every aspect of home and child rearing. For example, there are a lot of great tips on how to keep your home from losing heat in the winter. Later in the book, there are environmentally friendly ways to combat an unfortunate lice outbreak.

This book is sure to be helpful for any family or those who are looking to prepare their home for a new arrival. Savedge's next book is due out this spring and is targeting a slightly older bunch. The Green Teen: The Eco-Friendly Teen's Guide to Saving the Planet is set for release on May 1st, 2009. Jenn Savedge can also be found on her blog, The Green Parent.

Corey Colwell-Lipsom and her Mom, Lynn Colwell started out with an idea to Green Halloween that evolved into a website and then had people asking for advice for more holidays. It turned into the book, Celebrate Green.

After reading through the Easter ideas (the book starts with spring holidays) I skimmed quickly ahead to Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The book introduces many great ideas for greening all kinds of holidays. I was impressed by some of the more simple ideas - keep your holidays about people and not stuff - that we all know but sometimes frequently forget.

You can read all about Halloween at the Green Halloween web page. Follow the jump for some ideas for Thanksgiving and Christmas to get a taste of what the book is about.

Yet another way to re-purpose old magazines: turn them into furniture! (it's WAY easier than it sounds)

Paper books or ebooks?

If you find yourself desiring a greener life, but you're just not willing or able to do a complete overhaul, TreeHugger may just have the book for you. Ready, Set, Green: Eight Weeks to Modern Eco-Living is a brand new book from the staff of TreeHugger.com that approaches green living from a whole new perspective.

Often times when it comes to "green living", there are many myths and fears involved. This book aims to debunk those myths and equip the reader with everything they need to achieve a lifestyle of health and sustainability. From the truth about your sunscreen to assessing the air quality of your home and workplace, this week-by-week plan can help you make that final leap into greener pastures.

Have you ever heard stories from your parents or grandparents about how they'd take a dip in a local pond, or grab an inner tube and float down the river for hours without a care in the world? That's almost unheard of these days. Sure, you could still do it, but you had better make sure you've had all your shots.

To showcase the improving state of natural waterways in the UK, photographer and travel writer Daniel Start recently released a new photo-guide book entitled "Wild Swimming: 150 Hidden Dips in the Rivers, Lakes and Waterfalls of Britain". In this book he explores the freshest of the freshwater "wild swimming" spots across the country. In a time when we hear more and more about the contamination of our water, it's nice to hear some good news for once.

A little of both, actually. For those who haven't already read it, Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas Kostigen's best seller is a quick read - each chapter is about a page of introduction followed by dozens of ways you can change your lifestyle and go easier on the earth.

Some of the book's positive aspects:

• Its cover is made of 100% postconsumer recycled fiber, and its pages are made of 100% postconsumer recycled paper.
  
• Part of the book's proceeds go toward "environmental causes and nonprofit organizations."
• Each chapter includes quotes from celebrities that are surprisingly interesting with little jokes thrown in (Ellen DeGeneres suggests that Richard Simmons cut back on his hair oil to help the environment, and Will Ferrell claims his electric car will be even more efficient once he loses a little weight).
  
• The suggestions couldn't be simpler, and almost anyone can benefit from them.

Now, for the cons.

It's about time that the Living with Ed star come out with a green guide. Living Like Ed: A Guide to the Eco-Friendly Life hit shelves last month. Unsurprisingly, it is printed on recycled paper.

Ed Begley, Jr. has taken his 30 years of eco-experience and compressed it into 240 pages. There are plenty of tips on how to save energy (and money). You can also find an in depth history of the electric car. Not only does the book focus on home and transportation but on clothing, hair and skin care as well. There is plenty of information for the newbie and the seasoned environmentalist -- all delivered with the same wit and humor that has made Begley's television show such a success.

If you want to look before you buy, a free preview can be found here.

[via: Green Living Online]

Sustainablog is hosting a fun contest: simply visit the site and post an answer to the following question: "Other than the Bible, what 'green' book should the next president take into the White House?"

Your entry should be "concise, clearly-articulated and well-reasoned," and if it meets that criteria, you will be entered to win a copy of Power of the People: America's New Electricity by Carol Sue Tombari.

They're drawing the winner today, February 8, at 5 pm MST, so hurry and get your entires in.

For the record, Sustainablog's question is a twist on a question that journalist Katie Couric has been asking all of the U.S. presidential nominees: "What is the one book, other than the Bible, that you would take with you into the White House as the next president?"

(If I can play Grammar Police for a second, the question's wording make it sound as if the book will be the next president. Also, the question never actually mentions that the president has to read the book. However, for the sake of the contest, I will say that the reading is implied by the "taking the book into the White House.") There. Grammar lesson over.

In Paul Waddington's new book, Shades of Green: A (mostly) Practical A-Z For The Reluctant Environmentalist, he discusses the variations of "green" while shattering myths about the best choices for the planet. Some conclusions are pretty obvious like choosing fair trade organic bananas over conventional fruit. Other revelations are a bit more surprising.

For example, the next best thing to raising chickens in your backyard for food is buying conventional, factory farm chickens. The reasoning is that because of their short and cramped lifestyles, they require 32 percent less energy to raise than organic chicken. There are of course drawbacks to factory chickens but it's definitely something to think about. Are you worried more about greenhouse gases or your health and animal treatment?

The greenest choice every time is usually sustainable farming and showering in a downpour. However, that's not how most of us live. Waddington helps the reader sort through the choices to make the best one for their lifestyle.