Each month, we'll post new and recent titles of ecologically minded books. The fiction and non-fiction books can include recent releases of books about nature, the environment, ecology, urban farming, gardening, or being "green."
If you have any suggestions for great books you've read recently that have been left off the list, please
contact us. If you would like to submit a book review of books you've read, send away! There might even be discounted/free books in the deal for you! And note: you don't have to be a member of City Garden Co-op to submit a review!
ECO BOOKBIN
June 2009
Ecological Intelligence: How Knowing the Hidden Impacts of What We Buy Can Change Everythingby
Daniel GolemanApril 2009, $26.00
Publisher's Comments:
Drawing on cutting-edge research, Goleman explains why we as shoppers are in the dark over the hidden impacts of the goods and services we make and consume, victims of a blackout of information about the detrimental effects of producing, shipping, packaging, distributing, and discarding the goods we buy.
But the balance of power is about to shift from seller to buyer, as a new generation of technologies informs us of the ecological facts about products at the point of purchase. This radical transparency will enable consumers to make smarter purchasing decisions, and will drive companies to rethink and reform their businesses, ushering in, Goleman claims, a new age of competitive advantage.
The Brother Gardeners: Botany, Empire, and the Birth of an Obsessionby
Andrea WulfMarch 2009, $35.00
Publisher's Comments:
This is the story of these men - friends, rivals, enemies, united by a passion for plants - whose correspondence, collaborations and squabbles make for a riveting human tale which is set against the backdrop of the emerging empire, the uncharted world beyond and London as the capital of science. From the scent of the exotic blooms in Tahiti and Botany Bay to the gardens at Chelsea and Kew, and from the sounds and colours of the streets of the City to the staggering vistas of the Appalachian mountains, The Brother Gardeners tells the story how Britain became a nation of gardeners.
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifestoby
Michael PollanApril 2009, $15.00
Publisher's Comments:
"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." These simple words go to the heart of In Defense of Food.
Humans used to know how to eat well, Pollan argues. But the balanced dietary lessons that were once passed down through generations have been confused, complicated, and distorted by food industry marketers, nutritional scientists, and journalists — all of whom have much to gain from our dietary confusion. As a result, we face today a complex culinary landscape dense with bad advice and foods that are not real. These edible food-like substances are often packaged with labels bearing health claims that are typically false or misleading. Indeed, real food is fast disappearing from the marketplace, to be replaced by nutrients, and plain old eating by an obsession with nutrition that is, paradoxically, ruining our health, not to mention our meals.
Michael Pollan's sensible and decidedly counterintuitive advice is: Don't eat anything that your great-great grandmother would not recognize as food. Michael Pollan's bracing and eloquent manifesto shows us how we might start making thoughtful food choices that will enrich our lives and enlarge our sense of what it means to be healthy.
The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetiteby
David KesslerApril 2009, $29.95
Publisher's Comments:
Most of us know what it feels like to fall under the spell of food when one slice of pizza turns into half a pie, or a handful of chips leads to an empty bag. But its harder to understand why we can't seem to stop eating even when we know better. When we want so badly to say "no," why do we continue to reach for food? Dr. David Kessler, the dynamic former FDA commissioner who reinvented the food label and tackled the tobacco industry, now reveals how the food industry has hijacked the brains of millions of Americans. The result? Americas number-one public health issue. Dr. Kessler cracks the code of overeating by explaining how our bodies and minds are changed when we consume foods that contain sugar, fat, and salt.
The End of Overeating uncovers the shocking facts about how we lost control over our eating habitsand how we can get it back. Dr. Kessler presents groundbreaking research, along with what is sure to be a controversial view inside the industry that continues to feed a nation of overeatersfrom popular brand manufacturers to advertisers, chain restaurants, and fast food franchises.
Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating with More Than 75 Recipesby
Mark BittmanDecember 2008, $24.95
Publisher's Comments:
From the award-winning champion of culinary simplicity who gave us the bestselling
How to Cook Everything and
How to Cook Everything Vegetarian comes
Food Matters, a plan for responsible eating that's as good for the planet as it is for your weight and your health.
We are finally starting to acknowledge the threat carbon emissions pose to our ozone layer, but few people have focused on the extent to which our consumption of meat contributes to global warming. Think about it this way: In terms of energy consumption, serving a typical family-of-four steak dinner is the rough equivalent of driving around in an SUV for three hours while leaving all the lights on at home.
Bittman offers a no-nonsense rundown on how government policy, big business marketing, and global economics influence what we choose to put on the table each evening. He demystifies buzzwords like "organic," "sustainable," and "local" and offers straightforward, budget-conscious advice that will help you make small changes that will shrink your carbon footprint — and your waistline. A month's worth of meal plans shows you how Bittman chooses to eat and offers proof of how satisfying a mindful and responsible diet can be. Cheaper, healthier, and socially sound, Food Matters represents the future of American eating.
You can purchase these titles from fine local booksellers such as
Politics & Prose or
Kramerbooks.
founder and president of the Earth Policy Institute, in a conversation about the challenges of sustaining civilization. There will be a half-hour Q&A following the conversation.
