Here’s an excerpt of Ford’s rich writing:

If these had been her father’s days, Catherine wouldn’t have walked off her land as an old lady.  She’d have stayed and weathered in the sun until she died in the shadow of a great fir, her body buried at the foot of an oak.  She wouldn’t have worked so hard with so much dirt in the cracks of her hands, only to give it all away, find some shell somewhere to live in, make a new life that was a parody of a life, with no line to trace where she’d come from, no trail to creep along with trembling hands.

A beautiful and haunting tale about generations connected by livelihood and place, Ford evokes the great books by Kingsolver and Steinbeck.  Lush prose, conflicted characters so vividly drawn you would recognize them passing them on the street, and a gorgeous taste of environmental debate.  Ford never gets pedantic, but blends thoughtful reflection and the urgency of fighting fires both metaphoric and literal in this expertly written novel.

Rachel Devenish Ford grew up around British Columbia, Canada and has spent the last several years traveling the world with her husband and their four gorgeous children.  You can read about her adventures at www.journeymama.com

Pick up your copy of The Eve Tree at:

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

Amazon (Kindle version also available)

The publishing industry is one of the world’s largest polluting sectors — for example, in 2008, the U.S. book and newspaper industries combined resulted in 125 million trees being cut down, which doesn’t even get into chemicals used during production or the two industries’ massive carbon footprint.

Books that are bought at a bookstore are made of raw materials, then those books are transported to the bookstore, which uses fossil fuels.  If the books are purchased, then more fossil fuels are used to transport them from store to residence; however, anywhere from 25-36% of all books are shipped back from the store to the publisher, which uses even more fossil fuels.   Those book are then incinerated, recycled, or simply thrown away — again, more waste.

E-readers also create waste when produced, but the processes aren’t quite as wasteful.  Furthermore, according to an article in the New York Times, the carbon used to create an Amazon Kindle is offset after the first year of use.  The Cleantech Group conducted a study* that concluded that purchasing three e-books per month for four years produces roughly 370 pounds of CO2 throughout the Kindle’s lifetime, compared to the estimated 2,368 pounds of CO2 produced by the same number of printed books.  (Recycla has not been able to find a study that compares the production of the Kindle, the Nook, the iPad, and other e-readers.)

Of course, this does not mean that e-readers are not without environmental impact themselves.  Most electronics are well known to contain toxic materials and chemicals.  Unfortunately, Recycla has not been able to find a good report on the chemicals and processes used.  From what she can tell, the makers of e-readers are keeping that information quiet.

So which way to go?  It depends on your reading habits.  If you only read books from the library, stick with that plan because it is the most environmentally friendly.  If you prefer to buy books, consider going to used bookstores or using Paperback Swap.

If, however, you buy books and you want them right now (as opposed to waiting to  find the right secondhand book), then the next question is how much do you read? According to Emma Ritch of the Cleantech Group, “It’s not just buying e-books that matters.  The key is they displace the purchase of 22.5 physical books.”  So, if you read at least 23 books a year and don’t trade in your e-reader every year or two for a newer model, the e-reader is the way to go.  And, when you do need to replace your e-reader, please do so responsibly.  Either pass it along to someone else or, if it is broken beyond repair, go to Earth 911 to find out where you can recycle electronics in your area.

Among the Eco Women, some have e-readers, some do not.  All agree that there’s nothing that beats the feel of paper in your hands, but agree that e-readers are incredibly useful and efficient.  All of the Eco Women are avid readers and have large personal libraries in which they’re constantly struggling to find more shelf space for their books, so they understand the appeal of having most of their libraries stored on a small bit of electronics.

As for Kindle vs. Nook vs. other e-readers, well, that choice is all on you and the Eco Women aren’t going to tell you which one is best.  One Eco Woman has a Kindle, another is planning to get a Kindle, one has an iPad, and the rest are still on the fence.

Tell the Eco Women:  Do you have an e-reader?  Why or why not?  And, if you do, which one do you have?

*To read the Cleantech Group’s study, click here.

Photo credits: Yahoo Images.

The first was Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America’s Farmers’ Markets by Deborah Madison.  The author visited farmers’ markets all over the U.S. to see what they had to offer.  The result was this gorgeous book, which is filled with lush photos of fruits and veggies that are familiar and not-so-familiar, along with dozens of recipes for all produce mentioned.  She organized the recipes in a continuum that starts with early spring produce and goes through summer’s tomatoes and on into fall’s offerings.  The result is a cookbook that is chock-full of excellent information and is perfect for anyone wanting to eat seasonally.

The second cookbook was In the Green Kitchen:  Techniques to Learn by Heart by Alice Waters.  Waters, restaurateur and chef extraordinaire, covers basic cooking techniques every cook should master along with recipes using each method.  She covers the most important (and also very easy) techniques, from stocking the pantry and poaching an egg to steaming vegetables and roasting a chicken. Recipes usually involve just a few simple ingredients. While this book would be great for novice cooks, Recycla thinks this would also be an excellent complement to the Deborah Madison book and a good addition to any cook’s library.

Even though it seems like more work, cooking from scratch does not have to be time consuming.  For example, there’s no difference in prep time between fixing a boxed mix of pasta with spices or a sauce vs. making your own pasta and adding in other ingredients.  And eating seasonally means that you’re getting fresh ingredients at their peak of flavor.

Recycla is curious to know if anyone else has these cookbooks and what they think of them.  If you don’t have them, are you interested?

Luckily, Recycla has found a way to deal with some of the book chaos and keep the stacks of books from overwhelming the family — PaperBack Swap.  Captain Compost wrote about PBS a couple of years ago and Recycla was intrigued.

The concept is simple:  People post their extra books at the PBS website.  Other people browse the offerings and, when they find something they like, ask the owner of the book to mail it to them.  The owner of the book prints out a mailing label, pays Media Rate postage (usually around $2.50), and sends the book to the person who wants it.  Once the book is received, the first person gets a credit that can be used to acquire a new book at no cost to them.  That’s right, it doesn’t cost any money to receive books, as long as you have credits in your account.

Through PBS, Recycla has been able to share dozens of her books with other people, then use her credits to find new books.  Some are books that she had wanted to read for a while, but they weren’t at her library; while others have been serendipitous finds that she discovered while browsing the PBS website.

Getting a free book in the mail is like Christmas all year.  And when Recycla is done, she often re-lists it at PBS so that someone else can enjoy it.

PaperBack Swap also has a couple of great sibling websites that offer similar services for swapping DVDs and CDs.

Swapping books — whether through PBS or a more informal system with your friends and family — is a great way to reuse and share resources!

Tell the Eco Women:  How do you get your hands on books — from the library, from used bookstores, or somewhere else?

She just started reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma and is finding it fascinating.  She also has a few other books on her reading list for this summer and wanted to share so all you Eco~Warriors out there can bone up on where your food is really coming from and what it’s really doing to our planet.  Check them out:

Michael Pollan’s newest book: Food Rules sounds fascinating, as well as In Defense of Food.  CC added them both to her PBS wish list!

Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is next on Captain Compost’s reading list.

While doing some research, CC discovered another interesting looking book: Confessions of an Eco~Sinner: Tracking Down the Sources of my Stuff which sounds fascinating as well as Sleeping Naked is Green: How and Eco~Cynic Unplugged Her Fridge, Sold Her Car, and Found Love in 366 Days.

This book looks fun, too: Don’t Throw It, Grow it!  68 Windowsill Plants from Kitchen Scraps.  CC will be adding that to her “To Read” list, too!

Captain Compost is wondering if you have read any good Green books lately?  What’s on your “To Read” list for this year?

Written by Virginia farmer and food guru Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms, the book draws upon his decades of experience as a farmer.  Salatin writes with great passion and not a little humor about why Americans do not have the freedom to choose the food they purchase and eat. He discusses how the official system favors industrial farming and corporate food, which makes it all that more difficult for the small farmer to make a living.  Salatin also talks about how child labor laws impacted his children’s work on the farm, surprise food inspections, and the great lengths he’s had to go to in order give his clients the freshest and highest quality food possible.

As with any book that talks about beef, swine, and poultry farming, there are a couple of anecdotes that might or might not turn your stomach a bit, but overall it’s not disgusting.  (Well, unless you’re a vegetarian…)

Everything I Want to Do is Illegal is an excellent addition to any Eco Warrior’s library.  (And by “library” Recycla means all the books you read, not just the ones you buy; Recycla is a big fan of her local public library.)  If you are looking for other books about local farming and local foods versus industrial farming, Recycla also recommends Fast Food Nation, Don’t Eat this Book, and Animal Vegetable Miracle.

Tell the Eco Women:  What good eco books have you read lately?

During a meal foraged from the land around their rustic cabin in British Columbia, the authors decide to spend a year eating only foods that come from within 100 miles of wherever they are.  For most of the year, that is their Vancouver apartment, although their work does take them to other places along the way.

The authors discover that some foods were easy to find (fresh produce, dairy products), whereas others (such as wheat) presented a challenge that they spent months resolving.

Along the way, the authors learn more about their local food systems, both modern and historic, as well as develop a network of resources to feed themselves.  They go to the farmers’ market, visit new farms, and even forage in unusual places.  They learn how to can and freeze, as well as make their own cheese.

This project was very similar to the one described by Barbara Kingsolver in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, although the choices made along the way in the two experiments differ.

For more information about the authors’ project and the 100 mile diet, go to their website.

Tell the Eco Women:  Have you ever considered switching to a diet that is solely local?  Why or why not?

GOING GREEN ON A BUDGET? Here’s Help:

1. Visit your local library for books, CDs and DVDs. They’re more than just books. Plus, if you play a musical instrument, they have sheet music you can check out. Great entertainment – for FREE

2. S-squared (Shoe Swap). Plan a Shoe Swap this fall. Kids outgrow soccer cleats, football shoes and track shoes so quickly it’s worth the effort. Just put a big bin on your front porch and send out an email to all the kids on your teams, at your church, or send out fliers. Have the school, your kids and their friends spread the word.

“Bring a pair of athletic shoes and take another size home with you.” Brothers and sisters will come to join in the money-saving fun. Your youngest can even set up a lemonade stand – if you want to specify times for the swap.”

3. Hang curtains over your mini blinds on HOT days. It will keep the sun from warming the inside of your house. If you don’t have any extra curtains, use sheets, you can tack them up with a few thumb tacks. It will help keep your house 10-15 degrees cooler.

4. When you’re watering your flowers, veggies or lawn, put out a couple of large mixing bowls. The sprinkling water will fill them and you’ll be a friend to the local wild life, birds, squirrels, and butterflies will swarm your yard at night. And it won’t cost you a penny more.

5. Recycle old desk calendars. Use the pictures and artwork to create your own “new” greeting cards. Quick, EZ and fun to do with your kids.

• Becoming aware – This first chapter describes what it mean to go “green”, how it’s easier than you think, and why we all should do it.
• Green Goddess – This next chapter lists great information on what ingredients to stay away from in cosmetics and personal care products for you and your baby. Specific products are listed for hair, body, and oral care.
• Your Green Temple – This chapter focuses on taking care of your body with a “green” focus. I’ve never taken a yoga class before but the twenty pages of yoga poses were illustrated so simply that they actually got me to try some out.
• Soulful Shopping – This chapter guides you through changing your shopping habits so your choices make less of an impact on the earth. Sophie gives loads of specific website listings for clothing, pet supplies, jewelry and more.
• Your palace: Creating the home you deserve: This chapter delivers many specific examples of “greener” choices when it come to household cleaners, laundry cleaners, saving energy, gardening, and what to look for in furniture. There’s even some great tid-bits  for polishing wood, keeping moths away, and a list of products to make your own cleaning solutions.
• Every Last Bite: This chapter is all about food – choosing organic where you should and don’t need to, safer fish choices, and pantry items you should always have on hand so healthy “eco-minded” dishes are always possible. There’s also 22 pages with recipes for main meals, side dishes, muffins, desserts, and smoothies.
• Out and about having fun: This chapter focuses on driving, flying, entertainment, and vacationing – all with a “green” focus and specific web sites to help you do so.
• Go supergreen: The final chapter focuses on how to become an activist and gives some handy checklists to help you with being “greener”.

Not only does Sophie deliver great resources and information in this book but she also has a very informative web site with blog entries, cooking videos, and a message board with tons of questions and helpful answers.

Going “green” just got a little easier, all in one convenient, compact resource!

Dolphins, manatees, swampland and urban sprawl are just a few of the topics he has unflinchingly brought under the microscope of his writing–the loud (and sometimes it seems, lone) voice in a Florida wilderness overpopulated with tourists, developers, politicians and snowbirds.

But his novels, that’s where Enviro-Girl fell in love with Carl Hiaasen.  Filled with fringe characters, inspired plotlines, satrical and downright silly storytelling and fast-paced action, his books appeal to any gender and nearly any age of reader.  Enviro-Girl recommends Sick Puppy, Skinny Dip, Nature Girl, Tourist Season and Double Whammy, for adults.  But for every reader, young AND old, Carl Hiaasen has crafted three outstanding books laced with environmental consciousness AND good humor.  Flush, Scat, and Hoot remain favorite books of the younger set, Enviro-Girl’s nieces have read and re-read them several times.  He’s a writer working for the fun of it–telling a terrific story, making up memorable characters everyone wants to read more about.

Take this Eco Challenge, readers.  Check out Hoot or Flush this weekend and share it with your kids.  Read it yourself.  And give thanks that Florida has given us a person with so much outrage about the environment but still maintains his good humor enought to invite people in to read more about it.  A zealot?  Yes, but Carl Hiaasen is the good kind, not turning people off but instead tuning people in.