Plan B 2.0: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble
by Lester R. Brown
Published 2006 by W. W. Norton & Company

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780393061628

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Just a Dream
by Chris Van Allsburg
Published 1990 by Houghton Mifflin Company

Library Binding, English. ISBN: 9780395533086

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A surrealistic masterpiece about the environment. Young Walter couldn't care less about the environment until a terrifying nightmare about the future--with landfills buying neighborhoods--drastically changes his perspective. "Van Allsburg reaches a new pinnacle of excellence in both illustration and storytelling".--Publishers Weekly. Full color.

REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 09/28/1990

Two-time Caldecott Medalist Van Allsburg reaches a new pinnacle of excellence in both illustration and storytelling in his latest work. Since his first book, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi , appeared just over a decade ago, he has spun many strange and fantastic modern fairy tales, all of which spill over the edge of reality into magnificent dreamscapes. Here Van Allsburg introduces Walter, a boy who imagines the future as a marvelous time, with tiny airplanes that can be parked on the roof of your house and robots that take care of all your work for you. In the present, however, Walter is a litterbug who can't be bothered to sort the trash for recycling and laughs at Rose, the girl next door, because she receives a sapling for her birthday. One night, when Walter goes to sleep, his bed travels to the future. But he finds neither tiny airplanes nor robots, only piles of trash covering the street where he used to live, acres and acres of stumps where forests used to stand, rows and rows of great smokestacks belching out acrid smoke, and many other environmental nightmares. Van Allsburg renders each of these chilling scenarios in elaborate, superbly executed two-page spreads that echo the best work of M. C. Escher and Winsor McKay (creator of the Little Nemo comic strips).pls call Gil Sprague at 201-653-4055 and make sure this addition is OK by him. also, are these the only artists whose styles come to mind when he looks at these pictures? Walter and his bed land right in the middle of the action in each of these hallucinatory paintings, heightening the visual impact and forcing a hard look at the devastation surrounding Van Allsburg's protagonist. An awakened Walter, jolted by his dream, changes his ways: he begins to sort the trash and, like Rose, plants a tree for his birthday. Then his bed takes him to a different future, one where people tend their lawns with powerless mowers and where the trees he and Rose have planted stand tall and strong beneath a blue sky. Not only are Just a Dream 's illustrations some of the most striking Van Allsburg has ever created, but the text is his best yet. Van Allsburg has sacrificed none of the powerful, otherworldly spirit that suffuses his earlier works, and he has taken a step forward by bringing this spirit to bear on a vitally important issue. His fable builds to an urgent plea for action as it sends a rousing message of hope. All ages. (Oct.)

12/01/1990 REVIEW: School Library Journal

Gr 2-5-- Walter, an environmental ignoramus of a 10 year old, is careless or scornful of such elementary actions as recycling or tree planting. One nightmarish evening, however, he visits a future where his daydreams of technological paradise are demolished. Instead, there is merely a horrifically exacerbated continuation of today's eco-problems: landfills, expressways, smog, lifeless oceans, and vanished wilderness. Walter awakens reformed, and is rewarded with another dream: the future redeemed. As the story exhibits Van Allsburg's ``signature' character (a child free of adult supervision) and plot (the dream-vision), so the pictures display the hallmarks of the artist's style: bird's- and worm's-eye perspectives, dramatic lighting effects, some geometric simplification of forms. Wordless double-page spreads alternate with pages of text and small vignettes. The abstract beauty of the images produces a curious tension with the idea of a barren and ugly future; the stylized orderliness of the art is itself eerily disturbing. That this depicts the nightmare of a child may excuse some inconsistencies (in an utterly ruined environment would trees still be cut down for toothpicks?), but the real disappointment comes at the end. Walter's utopian vision is an unchildlike nostalgia trip: a suburban reprise of the '40s. Such a sentimental and parochially narrow vision of a future for a privileged few is the chief failure of this well-meaning effort. --Patricia Dooley, University of Washington, Seattle

Sustainable Living for Dummies
by Michael Grosvenor
Published 2007 by For Dummies

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9781740311571

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Where Once There Was a Wood
by Denise Fleming
Published 1996 by Henry Holt & Company

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780805037616

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“Fleming's unique illustrative style provides an exciting backdrop to this distinctive, environmental picture book.”
     – Sarabeth Kalajian, General Manager, Sarasota County Library System

Jacket Notes:

Pheasants, red fox, the rummaging raccoons, the great horned owl--these and other animals are brought to life in this exquisite book by Caldecott Honor winner Denise Fleming. Her lyrical text and rich, exuberant art combine in an ecological tribute to our disappearing wildlife. Four full-color pages are dedicated to wildlife conservation and the creation of backyard habitats.

REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 04/15/1996

This ardent plea for the conservation of wildlife habitats contains some of Fleming's (In the Small, Small Pond; Lunch, see p. 70) most accomplished artwork ever. Her paintings, composed of richly dyed and textured cotton rag fiber, sustain an emotional but controlled intensity. Through a combination of earthy browns and grays, occasionally splashed with bold yellow, red and blue, Fleming depicts a graceful natural world that she fears is disappearing. In the form of a single brief verse, she accompanies her art with a chronicle of creatures displaced by a newly erected housing development, "where once the heron fished/ and speared his glittering food.../ sit houses side by side/ twenty houses deep." Four well-designed pages follow the text with specific, practical suggestions about how communities and and individuals can help "welcome wildlife" to a backyard habitat. Addresses for further information and useful, anecdotal hints are also included. A beautiful call to action. Ages 5-10. (Apr.)

06/01/1996 REVIEW: School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2--Fleming's unique illustrative style provides an exciting backdrop to this distinctive, environmental picture book. The simple, hand-lettered text introduces the wild creatures and plants that once thrived in a wooded area, before their displacement by a housing development. Art, text, and design are creatively matched. Lush, textured collage artwork features a stunning combination and arrangement of colors with brilliant hues juxtaposed against muted earth tones. It is remarkable that the gentle, poetic narration is never overpowered by the pictures. Instead, a graceful rhythm is established as the natural habitats are explored. The tempo accelerates when animals are observed in action. The final two pages provide a dramatic conclusion as the text switches from free-flowing to deliberate. The illustrations change as well, presenting a sharp contrast between the beauty of the natural habitat and the stark symmetry of roof lines and window frames. Suggestions for creating backyard habitats and brief directions for establishing butterfly and hummingbird gardens are appended, along with information about the National Wildlife Federation and a list of related books. A book to be shared with and enjoyed by a wide audience.--Sarabeth Kalajian, Venice Public Library, FL

Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution
by Paul Hawken
Published 1999 by Little Brown and Company

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780316353168

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REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 09/06/1999

Hawken (The Ecology of Commerce) and Amory and Hunter Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute, an environmental think tank, have put together an ambitious, visionary monster of a book advocating "natural capitalism." The short answer to the logical question (What is natural capitalism?) is that it is a way of thinking that seeks to apply market principles to all sources of material value, most importantly natural resources. The authors have two related goals: first, to show the vast array of ecologically smart options available to businesses; second, to argue that it is possible for society and industry to adopt them. Hawken and the Lovinses acknowledge such barriers as the high initial costs of some techniques, lack of knowledge of alternatives, entrenched ways of thinking and other cultural factors. In looking at options for transportation (including the development of ultralight, electricity-powered automobiles), energy use, building design, and waste reduction and disposal, the book's reach is phenomenal. It belongs to the galvanizing tradition of Frances Moore Lapp 's Diet for a Small Planet and Stewart Brand's The Whole Earth Catalog. Whether all that the authors have organized and presented so earnestly here can be assimilated and acted on by the people who run the world is open to question. But readers with a capacity for judicious browsing and grazing can surely learn enough in these pages to apply well-reasoned pressure. Charts and graphs, with accompanying CD-ROM. (Oct.)

Low Carbon Diet: A 30 Day Program to Lose 5,000 Pounds
by David Gershon
Published 2007 by Empowerment Institute

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9780963032720

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“A user-friendly how-to guide for people interested in the actions they can take to save energy, money and the planet by reducing their carbon footprint.”
     – Nina Powers, Sustainable Sarasota Natural Resources Coordinator

Jacket Notes:

"Low Carbon Diet: A 30 Day Program to Lose 5000 Pounds" is a book that is destines to become a movement. Arriving just in time to meet the groundswell of demand created by "An Inconvenient Truth," it guides readers through an accessible step-by-step program for personal CO2-reduction that leaves them empowered and inspired at the difference they can make toward the issue of our time.

Grounded in over two decades of environmental behavior change research, this illustrated workbook offers readers much more than a to-do list of eco-friendly actions. With practicality and humor, bestselling author and environmental change pioneer David Gershon walks readers through every step of the carbon-reduction process, from calculating their current CO2 footprint to tracking their progress and measuring their impact. By making simple changes to actions they take every day, readers learn how to reduce their annual household CO2 output by at least 15%. And, for those who are more ambitious, there are chapters on how to become "carbon neutral" and help one's workplace, local schools and community do the same.

A recent Yale University study revealed that over three-quarters of Americans not only accept the reality that their lifestyle is contributing to climate change; they believe they have a responsibility to do something about it. Now, with the release of "Low Carbon Diet," they have a practical tool to help them succeed.

Natural Florida Landscaping
by Dan Walton
Published 2007 by Pineapple Press (FL)

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9781561643882

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As Florida is developed the native flora is often replaced with non-native plants. Wildlife habitat is reduced; water, fertilizer and pesticide usage increases; and the appearance of Florida is altered. But you can help reduce the damage being done to our ecosystems by viewing your yard as part of the natural system. This book will help you make a plan that will work for your yard and choose the native plants that will thrive there. You will have the joy of creating an aesthetically pleasing, life-supporting, and environmentally sensitive landscape. Methods for a small fruit and vegetable garden are also covered.

Superbia!: 31 Ways to Create Sustainable Neighborhoods
by Dan Chiras
Published 2003 by New Society Publishers

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9780865714908

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"Superbia!" is a book of practical ideas for creating more socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable neighborhoods. It is about remaking suburban and urban neighborhoods to serve people better and to reduce human impact on the environment.The authors first trace the history of the suburbs, showing how they fail to meet many peoples' needs. They then describe how existing neighborhoods can be transformed, offering cohousing and new urbanist communities as examples. The reader is then guided through the transformation of a fictitious neighborhood that adopts the authors' thirty-one steps. Ideas for the blossoming of the suburb are described in order of difficulty, from easy to boldest, including:

the creation of a neighborhood newsletter to foster a sense of neighborhood identity and cooperation

regular community dinners, discussion groups, and baby-sitting co-ops

the removal of backyard fences to create park-like spaces for community play areas, or gardens

retrofitting homes for energy efficiency, and installing community energy systems.Examples from all over North America and beyond provide real-life proof that citizen planners can create Superbia! And the most comprehensive resource listing imaginable puts all the tools needed at your fingertips.Well-illustrated and reader-friendly, "Superbia!" is written primarily for the millions who live in urban areas or existing suburbs. It will also be of major interest to environmentalists, planners, and all who want to create a more humane and nurturing lifestyle.Dan Chiras is the author of nineteen books including "The Natural Plaster Book" (New Society Publishers, 2003) and over 200 articles, acontributing editor to "Mother Earth News," and an adjunct professor at Colorado College. Dave Wann has produced six video programs on community, is coauthor of "Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic" and two other books about design. Both live in Colorado.

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things
by William McDonough
Published 2002 by North Point Press

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9780865475878

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“When I read that Cradle to Cradle is made out of recyclable polypropylene and is waterproof, I had to see and touch it. The authors support designing and manufacturing for disassembly and recycling so the same ingredients or 'nutrients,' can be recombined into new consumer products through successive industrial cycles.”
     – Victor Lorand, Elsie Quirk Library Reference Librarian

Jacket Notes:

A manifesto for a radically different philosophy and practice of manufacture and environmentalism

"Reduce, reuse, recycle" urge environmentalists; in other words, do more with less in order to minimize damage. As William McDonough and Michael Braungart argue in their provocative, visionary book, however, this approach perpetuates a one-way, "cradle to grave" manufacturing model that dates to the Industrial Revolution and casts off as much as 90 percent of the materials it uses as waste, much of it toxic. Why not challenge the notion that human industry must inevitably damage the natural world, they ask.

In fact, why not take nature itself as our model? A tree produces thousands of blossoms in order to create another tree, yet we do not consider its abundance wasteful but safe, beautiful, and highly effective; hence, "waste equals food" is the first principle the book sets forth. Products might be designed so that, after their useful life, they provide nourishment for something new-either as "biological nutrients" that safely re-enter the environment or as "technical nutrients" that circulate within closed-loop industrial cycles, without being "downcycled" into low-grade uses (as most "recyclables" now are).

Elaborating their principles from experience (re)designing everything from carpeting to corporate campuses, the authors make an exciting and viable case for change.

REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 02/11/2002

Environmentalists are normally the last people to be called shortsighted, yet that's essentially what architect McDonough and chemist Braungart contend in this clarion call for a new kind of ecological consciousness. The authors are partners in an industrial design firm that devises environmentally sound buildings, equipment and products. They argue that conventional, expensive eco-efficiency measures things like recycling or emissions reduction are inadequate for protecting the long-term health of the planet. Our industrial products are simply not designed with environmental safety in mind; there's no way to reclaim the natural resources they use or fully prevent ecosystem damage, and mitigating the damage is at best a stop-gap measure. What the authors propose in this clear, accessible manifesto is a new approach they've dubbed "eco-effectiveness": designing from the ground up for both eco-safety and cost efficiency. They cite examples from their own work, like rooftops covered with soil and plants that serve as natural insulation; nontoxic dyes and fabrics; their current overhaul of Ford's legendary River Rouge factory; and the book itself, which will be printed on a synthetic "paper" that doesn't use trees. Because profitability is a requirement of the designs, the thinking goes, they appeal to business owners and obviate the need for regulatory apparatus. These shimmery visions can sound too good to be true, and the book is sometimes frustratingly short on specifics, particularly when it comes to questions of public policy and the political interests that might oppose widespread implementation of these designs. Still, the authors' original concepts are an inspiring reminder that humans are capable of much more elegant environmental solutions than the ones we've settled for in the last half-century. (Apr.)