True Green: 100 Everyday Ways You Can Contribute to a Healthier Planet by Kim McKay, Jenny Bonnin

From Barnes & Noble

Green consciousness is sweeping the planet, but even the best-intentioned citizens often ignore environment-friendly practices. In this practical paperback, Clean Up the World activists Kim McKay and Jenny Bonnin identify 100 ways that earthlings can contribute to improving our ecosystem, whether they live in urban, suburban, or rural settings. True Green is organized in six sections: In the Home; In the Garden; At Work; Shopping; Travel; and In the Community. A resource for us all.

From the Publisher

Global warming, climate change, toxic waste, and more: it sometimes seems the environmental challenges we face are just too huge for individual actions to matter, but they're not–and here's the proof. True Green is based on the practical experience of Clean Up the World, a grassroots environmental movement that has inspired more than 40 million volunteers in over 100 countries to take action since 1993.

Whether you live in a city apartment, a suburban house, or a country farm, these simple, straightforward methods produce positive effects not just on our planet but on your pocketbook, too. For example, showering accounts for one-third of a typical home's water use, so making each shower slightly shorter results in real conservation over the long run. An average washing machine annually produces about 200 pounds of greenhouse gases, but a cold water wash can save about six pounds in emissions per cycle. Many electronic devices draw power even when "off," so actually unplugging them when not in use will save both money and electricity. Outdoors, mulching your garden can cut evaporation by as much as 70%, reducing the need to water often and conserving resources.

True Green explores six key areas where small changes can make a big difference: In the Home; In the Garden; At Work; Shopping; Travel; and In the Community. Dozens of illustrated spreads provide positive, practical, simple-to-implement tips and a summary of their environmental contribution; in addition, a reference guide to useful websites offers access to priceless additional information, global and local alike.

School Library Journal

Adult/High School-Teens will find this small book a fascinating read. It is filled with vivid photographs, and each page offers one of the 100 measures concerned individuals can take to help save the planet. While many of the ideas pertain to home owners or the workplace, they are easily transferable to families and schools. McKay and Bonnin offer brief, pithy suggestions in such categories as home, travel, and shopping. For each tip, they also provide the pertinent outcomes the action will have. Using the library and renting videos, for example, comes in at #66 and can benefit the planet through lower energy and water consumption, lower carbon emission, less waste, and saving money. Good for reports, this title will also appeal to teens interested in environmental activism.-Meg Canada, Hennepin County Library, MN

Product Details

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents