Tag: environment

The New Earth From Above: 365 Days, by Yann Arthus-Bertrand

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New Earth From Above by Yann Arthus-Bertrand: Book CoverFinished 10-18-09, rating 4.5/5, Natural History, pub. 2007

This outstanding book is part photography and part environmental lesson.  At the beginning of each month there is an essay written about major issues for the planet.  They include: sustainable development, climate change, forests, biodiversity, seas and oceans, freshwater, agroecology, renewable energy, mobility and equity, poverty, humanitarian work, and free trade.  These are long enough to learn something, but not too long that you stop reading and skip to the photos.

The 365 photos are amazing.  They are all shot from above (shocking given the title, I know) and so many look otherworldly.  I cannot say enough how much I loved these photos, some showcasing the natural beauty of our planet and a few showing the harsh pressure our actions place on the Earth.  The photo on the cover is from Montana.

With each photo is a description that usually involves history, statistics, and some reality for those of us in the United States.  For instance, did you know that 40% of felled trees go to the manufacture of paper?  That’s hard to read for a book lover! 

This book is not for the person who wants to live life ignoring his or her place in the world.  It was shocking, beautiful, and easy to appreciate.  I read a month at a time,  it took me a few weeks and I loved it.  There will quite a few friends who will be receiving this for Christmas!  There are several different editions, this was a second version published in 2007 and there was a new one published in 2009.  I plan on getting that one too.

My one and only complaint was that so many of pictures were of France.  The photographer is French, so it is understandable, but of the 365 photos taken of countries all over the world, 32 of them were of France.  I’m okay with the United States not getting extra just because we expect it, and it did not detract from the importance of the book, but maybe the next one will pick another favorite country.

This was a library copy.

Green Goes With Everything, by Sloan Barnett

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Cover ImageFinished 12-15-08, rating 3/5, personal/environmental health, pub. 2008

Simple Steps to a Healthier Life and a Cleaner Planet

This is a guide to help you clean up your life.  It covers dirt and germs, babies and everything associated with keeping them healthy, food choices, water, air, energy and more.  Barnett was inspired to become educated in the green movement when her son faced a life threatening asthma attack and she was convinced it was due to environmental triggers.  The chapters contain studies and science back up as well as many websites to help you further your knowledge.

I am not a green zealot, but the small things do irritate me.  Things like rinsing dishes before placing them in the dishwasher, bottled water, and not recycling are like nails on a chalkboard, and yet I am terribly remiss is turning the TV off (I like the noise and constant stream of news).  This book does a great job of pointing out some of the big things we miss in our lives that have an impact on our health and the environment.

The main problem with the book is a big one.  Barnett is the wife of Shaklee’s CEO and she makes no apologies in recommending their products at every turn.  The only times she does not recommend Shaklee products is when the company does not have a comparable product.  She did provide studies showing the Shaklee products were best in some of these areas, but it was distracting, annoying, and made me question her judgement when she kept pushing Shaklee.  It seemed odd for a book that wants you to make better choices to give you only one in many areas.

On the whole, I think this is a good book.  I took 2 pages of notes and plan on checking out some of the websites mentioned.  It also had tips for around the house that I plan on trying.  Some of the things I already knew – buy organic, read labels, buy new pots and pans… – but it is always good to be reminded  as I seem to get too busy to pay attention and fall back to some bad habits.

I checked this out of the library and that is my recommendation to you, unless you are not familiar with any of these issues.  Then I’d recommend picking up a copy, just be willing to read a lot of hype about Shaklee products.