tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33569668492727551802024-03-12T20:10:01.278-07:00The Blogging BookwormBookworm Bloggers Review Books on the Environment, Sustainability and Living LightlyGreen Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03133847111288382381noreply@blogger.comBlogger205125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-20978782764774992852010-06-21T11:59:00.000-07:002010-06-21T12:01:52.681-07:00Autophobia<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://coverart.oclc.org/ImageWebSvc/oclc/+-+022056877_140.jpg?SearchOrder=+-+GO"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 140px; height: 194px;" src="http://coverart.oclc.org/ImageWebSvc/oclc/+-+022056877_140.jpg?SearchOrder=+-+GO" alt="" border="0" /></a>I finally finished reading <a href="http://bicyclingsd.blogspot.com/2010/02/from-autophobia.html">Autophobia</a> over the weekend. It wasn't a hard book to get through - the writing is very engaging, but the book gave me so much to think about that, long periods of deep thinking were needed on a regular basis. I read this book over the course of nearly 8 months - so when I state that I spent a lot of time thinking about the 200+ pages, I really did spend a lot of time thinking about what I was reading.<br /><br />If it isn't evident from reading this blog, I have a love-hate relationship with the automobile with my feelings leaning more on the hate side. I personally love driving and I especially love driving large pickup trucks. I find driving to be very enjoyable, relaxing and a luxurious activity. My general attitude toward the automobile is often the result of feelings I cannot control despite my attempts to do so - my animal instinct, if you will. My feelings stem from my inability to accept reality as it exists: my refusal to acknowledge that the automobile has provided many people with many benefits, provided much comfort and security.<br /><br />My inability to accept this reality and the knowledge that many people <i>want</i> to drive stems from my knowledge that the automobile is still a very new invention, but one that has changed history in numerous ways.<br /><br />Brian Ladd's <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/title/autophobia-love-and-hate-in-the-automotive-age/oclc/223105775">Autophobia</a>, has finally allowed me to accept reality. I've finally gotten to a place where I don't have to hate the automobile, where I can acknowledge the power, the convenience, the troubles and its influence it has had on the world I'm currently living in. The book has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding into human beings and our complex relationship with the world around us.<br /><br />In other words, I no longer feel smug when I read about people complain about increasing gas prices - I have managed to develop genuine empathy. Yes, I'm the ass who used to gloat when people suffered.<br /><br />For the longest time, I think a lot of my hate stemmed from the fact that I had a visceral belief that those who owned and operated an automobile were happier than me. I was blinded to the fact that the automobile is both a blessing and a curse to the owner. I allowed myself to engage in thoughts that aren't very nice. And those thoughts made me feel terrible about myself as a human being.<br /><br />---<br /><br />Unless you're living under a rock, you're probably aware of the oil spill that has been ongoing for a while now. You've probably seen the photos depicting birds and animals drenched in oil, about the <a href="http://20yearchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/05/heartbroken.html">destruction of Grand Isle</a> and all the other things being written about and lamented over.<br /><br />For the first few days, I avoided reading or watching anything about the oil spill. Then I did, and temporarily spiraled into depression and then snapped out of it just as quickly.<br /><br />The reason I snapped out of that pit was because I began to see my own implicit role in the disaster. I am equally to blame in the mess. My life and lifestyle and my very existence contributed to the disaster in untold ways. While I do try to be mindful in how I live, I have done things that would not be possible in a world without (still) cheap oil. Actions that would not be possible if companies all over the world were not drilling into the <a href="http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/infographic-tallest-mountain-to-deepest-ocean-trench-0249/">depths of the earth</a>. Blaming some third party justifies and elevates my own consumption patterns without acknowledging my implicit role in this oily mess.<br /><br />Putting the blame on external entities allowed me to engage in a perverse combination of self-hate and smugness. The mess happened because of our collective desires and wants and inability to let go of all the comforts, conveniences and cheap goods that make our lives more comfortable and convenient. Autophobia allowed me to understand and accept my role in how everything around me operates.<br /><br />So when I state that the Autophobia has affected profound changes in the way I view the world, it is not an exaggeration. I feel that as long I'm living in a world where my daily world is surrounded by the automobile, I will be much more at peace acknowledging their power and presence and ubiquity, rather than not.<br /><br />And so I'll end this post with Autophobia's conclusion,<br /><br /><blockquote>It does make sense - if we understand the automobile to be a fundamentally benign (or desirable) tool. It makes sense if we assume that the earth and the market and the cities will somehow accommodate hundreds of millions of additional cars in China and India. It makes sense if we believe that our increasingly car-centered lives are indeed the lives we want. It makes sense if we can agree that the dark side of automobility is a price worth paying for its blessings. But we have never agreed about these matters, and we never will.</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I originally posted this review, <a href="http://bicyclingsd.blogspot.com/2010/06/book-review-autophobia.html">on my bike blog.</a></span>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03068855919147458057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-45460026894404958232010-05-14T20:51:00.000-07:002010-05-14T21:05:24.766-07:00Crude Awakening<p><object width="640" height="505"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CxK8RDyWHsM&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CxK8RDyWHsM&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="505"></embed></object></p><p> </p><p>I'm spinning off the printed path to post a trailer for an excellent documentary that I just watched called <a href="http://www.oilcrashmovie.com/">Crude Awakening</a>. I ordered it before the Gulf Spill and it seems especially relevant now. What can we do to get off oil, and on to non-polluting and clean energy options? I think the first step is to truly recognize the problem. </p><p>This documentary explores the history of oil as well as the known and associated problems with ongoing use. Politics, pollution, wars, and economics are all explored in a straightforward documentary style. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-63848791654286375782010-03-10T20:10:00.000-08:002010-03-11T21:40:35.623-08:00Sewing Green<a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/6-9781584797586-2"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447224039563320178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5WiCrnhv-LmiKcM8SjLdItvZR-2p0QUvoFP-gdTl0XpPUJVoJ_7Jqsap-uDlA9riZkY27z8VMbF4ootTpdgjAUkziS5GkP6ygxTWU8lKbsVpEBckjWJ-f_gU9u6WN3R3e6Eu5kwA-W0/s320/SewingGreen_bookcover.jpg" /> Sewing Green: 25 Projects Made with Repurposed and Organic Materials</a> by Betz White caught my eye on the hot new bookshelf at my local Library and I quickly snatched it up. It holds a variety of projects that the sewing novice may be able to approach and use. At the least it gets the creative juices flowing for how one may be able to repurpose existing resources.<br /><br />The introductory chapter has information on how one can start to think with a repurposed mindset as well as a few tips of keeping vs. cluttering. Author Betz White also gives handy tips on types of materials, and intersperses the book with green tips of an interesting nature. She includes a wealth of links for more information and resources, and introduced me to the concept of fabric swaps and swap-o-ramas.<br /><br />My favorite project in the book is the<em> Take it Easy Lounge Pants</em>, and one that I may actually try. They look comfy and light, perfect for some old sheets that I have been hanging out in my closet. I actually seem to back burner buying things like nightclothes and jammies for myself, so this seems like a nice project to try that would be guilt free. The wool shrunken socks look like a great way to make slippers off the thrift store sweater that we all encounter at the end of season.<br /><br />I'll admit that I might not try the Capri Sun auto shade, but some of the other projects like Reusable Sandwich Wraps seem right up my alley. Plenty of pillows, a leaf themed scarf, draft blockers and napkin rings are just a few of the other projects included in the book.<br /><br />This is a book that I would recommend for some concrete projects, good for the crafty seasoned or a nice jumping off point for the Greenie seeking ideas. 143 pages, indexed, lots of additional resources and ideas, beautiful photography and patterns.<br /><br /><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-23212540452359854412010-02-21T15:15:00.000-08:002010-03-11T21:40:54.223-08:00Book Review: Practically Green<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5eD3_Ewz2_1hmSYDqJlOuYYCNqqmSEJGRLwK5NwNvzcXE_cNAqDyXCBdRymIYERcKwE9sKWAHv9lvyhzVZfEtO0gzwjvMB9A93aKhxkIRSzSjasgPL3vVHyw_jI2Y4ow4G4FjpGGbd76/s1600-h/practically.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5eD3_Ewz2_1hmSYDqJlOuYYCNqqmSEJGRLwK5NwNvzcXE_cNAqDyXCBdRymIYERcKwE9sKWAHv9lvyhzVZfEtO0gzwjvMB9A93aKhxkIRSzSjasgPL3vVHyw_jI2Y4ow4G4FjpGGbd76/s320/practically.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9781600613296-0">Practically Green: Your Guide to Ecofriendly Decision-Making</a> by Micaela Preston is a colorful, easy to read, green guide you will use over and over. It has great pictures and DIY projects anyone can do.<br />
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I couldn't put this <a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9781600613296-0">book</a> down. Each chapter gives you information on buying greener products and making your own. This book is great no matter what shade of green you are. Micaela is not preachy and understands you can't do it all. She is totally honest about what she does in her own life and let's you know she isn't perfect either.<br />
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My favorite chapter is the one on cleaners, she not only gives you cut out guides for what to look for in cleaners but how to make your own. I can't wait to try her "recipe" for Lavender Orange Room Spray.<br />
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<a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9781600613296-0">Practically Green</a> is a must have for anyone trying to be greener. It's amazing all the information that is packed in this book. Be sure to <a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9781600613296-0">check it out</a> as well as Micaela Preston's blog, <a href="http://www.mindfulmomma.com/">Mindful Momma</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Here ya go FTC: I was not paid for this review. I was given sample products for the review but these are my honest views.</i></span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583524755306491510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-58707818053475951522010-01-30T12:08:00.000-08:002010-02-24T07:35:51.902-08:00Book Review: Smart Mama's Green Guide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwSL6pdPBxctg_YXX1ipq1FqS_lqLMpNgQsU3dG6sgbxfNCDoaw8gVrqp3vj85c5mMtTDOYu1xlfDRyfIVIGsPRbC3fDCdOCjuXjvaYVaAtG5yI8AtzrKvcs4eCLJR_p6LdiXkEbq_vu4w/s1600-h/imageDB.cgi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwSL6pdPBxctg_YXX1ipq1FqS_lqLMpNgQsU3dG6sgbxfNCDoaw8gVrqp3vj85c5mMtTDOYu1xlfDRyfIVIGsPRbC3fDCdOCjuXjvaYVaAtG5yI8AtzrKvcs4eCLJR_p6LdiXkEbq_vu4w/s320/imageDB.cgi.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9781599951515-2">Smart Mama's Green Guide: Simple Steps to Reduce Your Child's Toxic Chemical Exposure</a> by <a href="http://www.thesmartmama.com/">Jennifer Taggart</a> is a valuable resource for parents and those just wanting to reduce the toxins in your life. While the topics are often scary, like learning there may be lead in your kids' toys, Jennifer does a good job of not getting you too worried and giving you options to fix the problems. Jennifer knows we can't do it all so she helps to let you know what is most important and cheaper ways to fix problems.<br />
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You will learn what dishes are safe, ways to find out if your house has lead paint, which organic foods are most important and, of course, you will learn all about BPA and how to avoid it.<br />
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With learning that costume jewelry may now have cadmium (which is replacing lead) the chapter "Busy Baby, Busy Mom: The Playroom and Baby Gear" could be very helpful. She gives simple steps to reduce exposure to toxic jewelry. One tip that is highly important is to "check the recall list." This is a good reminder for everyone right now. <br />
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I just finished the book a week ago and have already found myself checking it before buying some items like the cookware I just got. Well, for most books borrowing is best, but this one may be one you want to think about owning as it is a wonderful resource <a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9781599951515-2">book</a>. I know I will be going back to it often.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Here ya go FTC: I was not paid for this review. I was given sample products for the review but these are my honest views.</i></span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583524755306491510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-35018216398142585052009-12-28T03:47:00.000-08:002010-02-07T12:17:30.872-08:00Book Review: Shop Class as Soulcraft<div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtMhIUWenllhPkl88xTF8SDTLpkBBn269wCG5LTc7zEr59WRSn4P64MKN_geFqFaXri6qWaf9eCxNXcEW55eJpEoe8yLbKQG8CXEu4TE4q7wAn0mYOS_p9qDthG9Xm8WGnMnL4NZRu8H0/s1600-h/shopclass.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 156px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtMhIUWenllhPkl88xTF8SDTLpkBBn269wCG5LTc7zEr59WRSn4P64MKN_geFqFaXri6qWaf9eCxNXcEW55eJpEoe8yLbKQG8CXEu4TE4q7wAn0mYOS_p9qDthG9Xm8WGnMnL4NZRu8H0/s400/shopclass.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420067474349706754" border="0" /></a><br /></div>I just finished reading <a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/2-9781594202230-3">Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work</a> by Matthew Crawford. A <a href="http://lifewithbicycle.wordpress.com/">friend</a> had lent me the book and the title alone had excited me.<br /><br />The book talks about a lot of topics that we environmentally-conscious bloggers have been writing, reading and talking about these past few years. The books talks about the decline of shopclass in high schools and the move to create "knowledge workers". It discusses the distance between where something consumable originates from and where it finally winds up. It also discusses the disappearing handmade goods industry that is now slowly making a comeback, and the lack of pride in work. In other words, the topics in the book was something that would really appeal to all readers of this blog.<br /><br />The book is also a narrative of the author's own life to date. The author, Matthew Crawford, obtained a PhD from the University of Chicago and then moved to Washington D.C. to head a conservative think tank where one of his duties was denying the existence of global warming (if I understood him right). Besides ethical dilemmas with his job, Crawford also missed working with his hands on motorcycles - a task that given him much satisfaction in the past.<br /><br />He eventually quits his job at the think tank and moves into other cubicle jobs for very little pay. These jobs continue to bring him dissatisfaction until he decides to go back to working on motorcycles, and thus working with his hands to create a tangible result for which he can feel honest about the living he is earning for himself.<br /><br />Crawford has an <a href="http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/shop-class-as-soulcraft">essay on The New Atlantis</a> that covers the message of Shop Class as Soulcraft well.<br /><br />When the ladies here at the Blogging Bookworm initially invited me to post to this blog, I was excited to post a review of Shop Class as Soulcraft. I thought I would enjoy it and that I would highly recommend it to everyone.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I thought that the book was very poorly written. I enjoy books that are well written and impart information in an easy to digest manner. This book was written by a former academic containing loads of academic jargon that people hardly use outside of a university funded research paper. The entire message in the book could easily be boiled down to a single page. As such, the book was a real struggle to finish. I wouldn't recommend the book, but I do highly recommend the message. To conclude, I'll quote an excerpt that state the message well:<br /><br /><blockquote>To live wakefully is to live in full awareness of this, our human situation. To live <span style="font-style: italic;">well</span> is to reconcile ourselves to it, and try to realize whatever excellence we can. For this some economic conditions are more favorable than others. When the conception of work is removed from the scene of its execution, we are divided against one another, and each against himself. For thinking is inherently bound up with doing, and it is in rational activity together with others that we find our peculiar satisfaction.</blockquote><b>Rated</b>: 2 out of 5 (I'd give it a 4 for message, but the writing was not to my liking. If you are an academic, the writing will be more to your liking.)<br /><div><b><br />Recommended</b>: To anyone interested in reading about one person's perspective on making and fixing things with one's own hands. </div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03068855919147458057noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-60832245760074461952009-12-07T06:08:00.000-08:002010-02-07T13:06:02.548-08:00Big-Box Swindle: The true cost of mega-retailers and the fight for America's independent businesses<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQVmpKlvqMQK8dlseuzR17xbOdoAJAvYt8Ym8Qq0R3U-HONXxChGMYSe49KeqK15XcTUXlRCsr5ak7mMKaQwwfV3Y7rMwP-R0LLo8AWxiVSm0pugd9Nd71wU7G8otbYucVcivRcvd55wp/s1600-h/imageDB.cgi.jpeg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 120px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQVmpKlvqMQK8dlseuzR17xbOdoAJAvYt8Ym8Qq0R3U-HONXxChGMYSe49KeqK15XcTUXlRCsr5ak7mMKaQwwfV3Y7rMwP-R0LLo8AWxiVSm0pugd9Nd71wU7G8otbYucVcivRcvd55wp/s320/imageDB.cgi.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412286531498491666" /></a>Following on the tails of my latest read, <i><a href="http://simple-green-frugal.blogspot.com/2009/11/way-we-eat-book-review.html">The Way We Eat: Why our Food Choices Matter</a></i>, Stacy Mitchell's <i><a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9780807035009-2">Big-Box Swindle: The True Cost of Mega-Retailers and the Fight for America's Independent Businesses</a></i> (2006), was not an intentional companion to Singer and Mason's book on food ethics, but certainly a fated one. Both published in 2006, where <i>The Way We Eat</i> was a primer on all that encompasses the ethics of eating, <i>Big-Box Swindle</i> tackles the hard-core realities of what chain stores do to our local communities and economies... and it isn't pretty. <div><br /></div><div>Here are some highlights. Big-Box (aka chain) stores:</div><div><ul><li>increase resource demand on local government (fire, police, utility, roads) – studies show that small, local businesses make far less demands on community infrastructure, infrastructure for which its citizens have to pay</li><li>decrease a sense of community - citizens of towns without big box stores are more active in their communities and local governments</li><li>decrease job opportunities – contrary to popular opinion, after initial jobs are gained, small businesses are forced to close their doors and in the end more jobs are lost than gained because of the efficiency of big-box stores (they can do more with less people - not to mention less skilled, lower paid people)</li><li>decrease the amount of revenue changing hands in a community - at least 3 times the amount of money stays in a community when you shop at a locally-owned store; more if you shop direct from a farmer or eat at a local restaurant</li><li>decrease product quality and push jobs overseas – the incessant demand for lower prices forces suppliers to lower their standards and move jobs overseas or else lose a significant source of income when the big-box refuses to sell from that particular supplier (keep in mind Walmart now accounts for 10% of all retail sales. That's serious power!)</li><li>increase urban sprawl leading to increased car use and pollution – big-box stores operate on the fringe of communities, unlike small local businesses which tend to be central to the community, located near homes and restaurants.</li><li>increase the tax burden on local citizens – big-box stores use their size to manipulate local governments into tax breaks which means local businesses and citizens must make up for lost revenue</li><li>decrease the quality of living – big-box jobs are lower in pay and benefits than jobs at local businesses</li><li>increase the threat to the environment – every big box stores comes with its own massive parking lot, one of the biggest sources of highly-concentrated water-way pollutants; big-boxes are famous for clear-cutting land and destroying natural habitats</li><li>decrease individuality by creating cookie-cutter communities</li><li>decreases personalized customer service – salespeople were once experts on their products and knew their customers likes and dislikes, taking the time to get to know their customers, helping best meet individual customer needs. Big-box associates are reprimanded for spending too much time with customer. Their job is to move product as quickly as possible. </li></ul></div> <div>Disgusted? Even knowing some of these things, I felt despondent at all the havoc these chain-stores leave in their wake, the manipulation they calculate behind doors at board meetings. And we're not just talking about Wal-Mart here (though they are the easy fall-guy), but Target, Costco, Barnes and Noble, Kroger, Bed Bath and Beyond, Home Depot, Old Navy, Best Buy, PetSmart - you get the idea - are all culprits. </div><div><br /></div><div>Interesting to note, was that today's growing anti-chain movement is not the first. In the 20's and 30's politicians actually ran on platforms of preventing big-box expansion. </div> <div></div><blockquote><div>Opponents argued that chains threatened democracy by undermining local economic independence and community self-determination. As they drove out the local merchant – a “loyal and energetic type of citizen” – the chains replaced him with a manager, a “transient,” who was discouraged from independent thought and community involvement, and who served as “merely a representative of a non-resident group of stockholders who pay him according to his ability to line their pockets with silver.</div></blockquote><div>Wow! Sounds familiar, doesn't it? The bottom line is we've reached that time again, where we as citizens (not consumers) need to take a stand on the future of our communities. Thankfully, the book concludes on a positive note, citing examples of successful anti-chain campaigns. There is hope. But like anything else, the first step is awareness, and that awareness is sorely lacking in the U.S. today.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Big-Box Swindle</i> is a powerful ally in the buy-local movement and a must read for those wanting to live a life of mindful consumption. Don't set foot in another chain-store until you read this book. You (and your community) will be glad you did.</div><div><b></b></div><blockquote><div><b>Rated</b>: 4 out of 5 (I'd give it a 5, but it was so full of data, it was at times hard to concentrate - you have to take your time on this one)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Recommended</b>: to anyone who wants to live a more mindful, citizen-driven (not consumer-driven) life</div></blockquote><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-58083079686305882752009-11-29T21:51:00.000-08:002009-11-30T13:23:41.394-08:00Garbage Warrior<p><br /><object height="405" width="500"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Aeuhi65Illo&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Aeuhi65Illo&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object></p><br /><p>I'm going to veer off the traditional book path and review a movie that I recently ordered for my Library. I first read about the concept of Earthships from Chile's blog,<a href="http://chilechews.blogspot.com/"> Chile Chews</a>, and do want to make sure I give credit where credit is due! As part of my initiative to bring Green books and movies into my Library I've kept an eye out for materials on the concepts and work of eco-friendly housing as it is an increasingly important topic. </p><p>Over a year later I encountered reviews of a movie describing the work of renegade eco-architect Michael Reynolds in the wonderful move <a href="http://www.garbagewarrior.com/index.php">Garbage Warrior</a>. A brief trailer of the movie is featured above. </p><p>Two definitions are important for an understanding of the film's contents: </p><p>Earthship n. 1. passive solar home made of natural and recycled materials 2. thermal mass construction for temperature stabilization. 3. renewable energy & integrated water systems make the Earthship an off-grid home with little to no utility bills.<br /></p><p>Biotecture n. 1. the profession of designing buildings and environments with consideration for their sustainability. 2. A combination of biology and architecture.</p><p>Now both of those definitions sound rather easy to understand in my opinion. We are searching to find ways to develop sustainable housing that use less energy, and perhaps may use readily available ingredients along the way. Unfortunately part of this film documents Reynolds incredible struggle to be allowed to experiment, research and develop concepts that may be crucial to architectural revolutions needed in our coming years with shrinking resources and climate destabilization. </p><p>Want to make things much more difficult? Throw in politicians and lobbyists that may have hidden agendas of which we are not aware that decidedly swing our ability to move forward in the opposite directions. Though Reynolds is obviously more the builder than spokesperson to politicians (creative thinker meets a few Type As) he perseveres and manages to make some headway through a restrictive maze of regulations. </p><p>There were a few key points that came out during the film that really made me stop and ponder how much we, as regular people, must stand up and support research revolutions. Creating homes that do not contribute to the "grid" of economy, challenging building and construction unions that want maintain the status quo (if you build homes out of recycled ingredients you may be challenging the bricklayers union) and creating a push to allow innovation is incredibly important. </p><p>Are safety and building regulations important? Absolutely yes. However part of the struggle is the film is even the right to research and develop beyond our current norms. Obviously we have to start changing how we build both for now and for our future, and without experimentation we will have no success. </p><p><em>Warrior</em> documents the building crew as they take their radical ideas into areas of natural disaster to create self-sufficient housing out of ingredients that are readily available. One home built is made from recovered plastics and features an external lip that will catch and drain water into an underground storage area - also serving as a cooling mechanism for the household above. </p><p>The movie is entertaining, nicely paced and ties into our topics of sustainability. The documentary was eventually picked up and supported by the Sundance channel, and you may most likely find it in your local Library. If not, just ask! </p><p>I won't give away the ending, but I was left cheering because big change does come in the face of our everyday heros. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-62150779995469257382009-11-27T18:51:00.000-08:002009-11-27T18:52:48.902-08:00The Way We Eat: Why our Food Choices Matter<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3ngyT6iIiTWztHStHouzoFDri99mdbroREPRpZxaCihGBKV9xRu6MR23Z3YP4LUInNcqCX7hiBxTvQxZO511huuVTcTLguo0A6R-332stzdPKVGSNqhqKBp6h0uvJaj4PcRtqygp0ch9/s1600/imageDB-1.cgi.jpeg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 120px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3ngyT6iIiTWztHStHouzoFDri99mdbroREPRpZxaCihGBKV9xRu6MR23Z3YP4LUInNcqCX7hiBxTvQxZO511huuVTcTLguo0A6R-332stzdPKVGSNqhqKBp6h0uvJaj4PcRtqygp0ch9/s320/imageDB-1.cgi.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408956867103912978" /></a>There's just no beating around the bush with this one. <i><a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9781579548896-2">The Way We Eat: Why our Food Choices Matter </a></i>(2006) by Peter Singer an Jim Mason is an intensive look at the ethics of eating, something that seems almost lost in our modern Western culture, but that is gaining ground once again. <div><br /></div><div>Singer and Mason explore every last nook and cranny of our food system from factory farming to the organics and local food movements, to vegetarian and vegan lifestyles, even into dumpster diving and obesity - all far deeper than even <a href="http://www.michaelpollan.com/">Pollan</a> dares to tread. Because contrary to what we'd love to believe about food, it's not just about what we do to our own bodies. Our food choices affect the rest of the world around us, far beyond what we could ever imagine. <div><br /></div><div><div>The authors have done extensive research, but the best part is that they come at each ethical question as a non-believer, asking tough questions; but more importantly, demanding that you take the information, analyze it, and decide for yourself where your ethical lines are drawn. </div></div><div><div></div></div><blockquote><div><div>When we buy food we are taking part in a vast global industry. Americans spend more than a trillion dollars on food every year. That's more than double what they spend on motor vehicles, and also more than double what the government spends on defense. We are all consumers of food, and we are all affected by some degree by the pollution that the food industry produces. In addition to its impact on over six billion humans, the food industry also directly affects more than fifty billion nonhuman land animals a year. For many of them it controls almost every aspect of their lives... Through the chemicals and hormones it puts into the rivers and seas and the spread of diseases like avian influenza, agriculture indirectly affects all living creatures. All of this happens because of our choices about what we eat. <i>We can make better choices</i>. [emphasis mine]</div></div></blockquote><div>Whether you're a meat eater, a devoted organic foodie, a locavore, a vegetarian/vegan, or simply a conscientious consumer, this book will <i>challenge what you believe about food</i>. Put plainly, this is not an easy book to read. There were times I felt sick about the treatment of animals and farm workers; there were times I felt defensive, particularly of the local food movement; and at other times, to be honest, I felt the need to reform some of my views on ethical food choices.</div><div><br /></div><div>Again, it's not a quick and easy read, but it's a must read for anyone looking to live a more mindful life.</div><div><b></b></div><blockquote><div><b>Rated</b>: 5 out of 5 stars</div><div><b>Recommended</b>: Do you eat? You need to read this book!</div></blockquote><div></div> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-72514776533851178472009-11-20T13:18:00.000-08:002009-11-20T13:23:30.926-08:00And the winner is...I put all your names in a bucket and had my 4-year-old pick one. The winner is... Bev! Please email me at <a href="mailto:ThePurpleElephantBook@gmail.com">ThePurpleElephantBook@gmail.com</a> with your address and I'll put your book in the mail!Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08896172914500564208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-60188671051273317142009-11-16T21:29:00.000-08:002009-11-17T11:17:39.519-08:00Just in time for Christmas (Update!)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSHJKtaHO3_EOPzP6cOu8_q8BqYvQHoVPhZG3drgn_X4SVNdXZhFlvO-0BR0sKISJBN3C2w3rc96LFpP1WVN-AYiosNBNleGN3cipYKcDve_lNOC6mlSBtLg1vsOzAe2ASfJOnsLgozT8/s1600/purple+elephant.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404943295303900434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 397px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSHJKtaHO3_EOPzP6cOu8_q8BqYvQHoVPhZG3drgn_X4SVNdXZhFlvO-0BR0sKISJBN3C2w3rc96LFpP1WVN-AYiosNBNleGN3cipYKcDve_lNOC6mlSBtLg1vsOzAe2ASfJOnsLgozT8/s400/purple+elephant.jpg" border="0" /></a> Hi fellow bookworms! I'm doing my first ever book giveaway by giving away a free copy of my new book, <em>The Purple Elephant</em>! The book would make a great gift for the gradeschooler in your life.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijI9h97XMQ_XzCi92Zo2mzPF1pnerfC06w6qLPqoEURNAIXvaU51sbvyRijJ3kmQ9GkIrlJmbrFhwwHIa80mvDAEifG2zOE49j_knXDnZgS_TWNWSS1-CaSKVIBatcYdpUzDxIuVlm-Wj5/s1600/PE+Cover+thumbnail.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404945528729344674" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 160px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijI9h97XMQ_XzCi92Zo2mzPF1pnerfC06w6qLPqoEURNAIXvaU51sbvyRijJ3kmQ9GkIrlJmbrFhwwHIa80mvDAEifG2zOE49j_knXDnZgS_TWNWSS1-CaSKVIBatcYdpUzDxIuVlm-Wj5/s320/PE+Cover+thumbnail.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>To find out more, check out <a href="http://the-purple-elephant.blogspot.com/">The Purple Elephant Blog</a> or leave a comment below to enter. I'll announce the winner on December 1. <span style="color:#ff0000;">(Update! Silly me -- I thought Dec 1 was next week! I'll hold the drawing this Friday, Nov 20. Sorry!)</span></div></div>Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08896172914500564208noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-84737929898756526162009-11-06T01:28:00.000-08:002010-02-07T06:54:51.193-08:00Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9kJlrL06J_IvBEHGTaSIisIfqquI5bUhysLfR3v4k36Zu9ipTLHetm4wK6VUCzh-hYAmvJTJztjvi5VKpzvYkDUWdCcCycJ4J-2VtU6Dr729QtSpo2TJW6nZABtrvEgl1IHt2xYRevKX/s1600-h/imageDB.cgi.jpeg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 120px; height: 182px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9kJlrL06J_IvBEHGTaSIisIfqquI5bUhysLfR3v4k36Zu9ipTLHetm4wK6VUCzh-hYAmvJTJztjvi5VKpzvYkDUWdCcCycJ4J-2VtU6Dr729QtSpo2TJW6nZABtrvEgl1IHt2xYRevKX/s320/imageDB.cgi.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399336231370198034" /></a><div>When a friend mentioned that Mark Bittman's new book had made it to our local library stacks, I immediately added my name to the queue. <i><a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9781416575641-6">Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating</a></i> is an easy-to-read, well-written guide to eating for the benefit of our health AND the environment; far from mutually exclusive, he argues.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bittman's writing style reminds me of what would happen if food advocates Michael Pollan and Marion Nestle got together to write a book. Food Matters presents eating in a way we can all understand: more plants, fewer animals, and as little highly processed food as possible, combined with advice on navigating your market in spite of confusing health claims on food packaging. Sounds easy, so what's the catch?</div><div><br /></div><div>Absolutely nothing! Bittman explains this "diet" is meant to be long-term; one that relies on common sense, not confusing (and often conflicting) scientific studies or national food guide pyramids designed to make "Big Food" industries fat and happy. Best of all, Bittman gives you his own story, only to tell you to do what works for you. There's no one, single way about it.</div><div><br /></div><div>The key is to exercise what he calls "Sane Eating." Eat lots of plant-based foods - LOTS. But most importantly, enjoy food! Don't eliminate anything entirely. For instance, have some cake - just limit it to rare occasions or have a much smaller piece. </div><div><div></div></div><blockquote><div><div>This is not about deprevation or ironclad rules, but about being sensible.</div></div></blockquote><div>In the end, not only is this better for our health, but it's better for our pocketbooks and the environment too! In other words, eat as though "food matters" - because we have an amazing amount of power as individuals over our health and even global warming. In fact, studies show our food choices make more of an impact than our driving choices.</div><div></div><blockquote><div>[E]ach time you make a decision to support an alternative to the industrial meat complex, you're rejecting that type of agriculture in favor of something far better for the planet, and for you.</div></blockquote><div>After explaining the whys and hows of "eating as though food matters," Bittman offers us Part II, which includes tips on saving time in the kitchen, tips on eating out, a list of items to keep stocked in your pantry, examples of dynamic meal plans, and recipes that range from simple dishes and snacks to more elaborate (though easy to fix) meals. </div><div><br /></div><div>And to further whet your appetite, here are a couple of the recipes I'll be trying:</div><div></div><blockquote><div><b>Nut-Wich</b>: Lightly mash something delicious, smear it on toasted bread, then sprinkle chopped nuts on it. Some excellent combos: banana, honey, and almonds; avocado and peanuts... (page 198)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Vegetable Spread</b>: Baba ghanoush, the classic middle-eastern eggplant dip, is the model for this dish. However, I've turned the procedure into a master recipe that applies to nearly any vegetable... (page 222)</div></blockquote><div>Convinced? Check out Mark Bittman's <i>Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating</i> today and discover the ease of eating for two: you and Mother Earth.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Rating</b>: 5 out of 5 </div><div><b>Recommended</b>: for newbies to the sustainable food realm or those wanting to be re-inspired</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-13910636730410047712009-11-03T05:31:00.000-08:002010-02-07T06:46:38.686-08:00Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1CKPt9njBIlXRnwrJkGCsjJ0RB9f65sD04XzepOhOVDbEGL1wsSoIquvJ-1QZHBUMa_OKaUtzPodGR6kDYfBvs4USEYcsUo2EhU7IAkWaF1iOk1912nDPgOr2RKHS4vqAFImHNn5JJiWn/s1600-h/images.cgi.jpeg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1CKPt9njBIlXRnwrJkGCsjJ0RB9f65sD04XzepOhOVDbEGL1wsSoIquvJ-1QZHBUMa_OKaUtzPodGR6kDYfBvs4USEYcsUo2EhU7IAkWaF1iOk1912nDPgOr2RKHS4vqAFImHNn5JJiWn/s320/images.cgi.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397816324254919778" /></a>Quite unexpectedly, I had the opportunity to enjoy Kelly Conrad Bender's <i><a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9781603440851-0#">Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife</a></i> (Texas A&M University Press, 2009). Bender, an urban wildlife biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has definitely done her homework, for what began as a series of pamphlets has become an extensive guide into transforming your property into a wildlife habitat.<div><div><br /></div><div>Don't have 1000 or even 100 acres? It doesn't matter, a series of "wildscapes" throughout a neighborhood can still create a sanctuary for an amazing variety of plant and animal life. Similar to other contemporary authors like Heather Flores (Food Not Lawns), Bender challenges us to rethink sprawling suburbia and gives us all the tools to do it!</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, first thing's first - Texas actually has 10 ecological regions, each vast and varied as to rainfall, temperature, and plant/wildlife. Bender describes each one, helping you determine in which you live and what plant and animal life naturally thrives there. </div><div><br /></div><div>Next, the sky's the limit. Bender takes you through step-by-step instructions on designing your own wildscape, from mapping your property to prepping your soil to building a backyard pond, and of course includes the most important features of your wildscape - food, water, and cover.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>The book concludes it's final chapters describing the native wildlife of Texas (including birds, reptiles, mammals, amphibians, insects, and spiders), how to attract them to your wildscape, and how to keep unwanted pests out. And if you still can't get enough, attached to the inside back cover of the book is a DVD that includes more extensive brochures on Texas wildlife.</div><div><br /></div></div><div>To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect when I first laid eyes on <i>Texas Wildscapes.</i> It wouldn't have been something I would have picked up on my own. But I was quickly entranced by this alternative to the standard lawn, the opportunity to lighten our ecological footprint by truly sharing our living space with the nature suburbia seems so intent on pushing out. Not to mention, I could immediately think of quite a few friends and family that would love to get their hands on a copy of this book. And hey, the holidays are coming, so check it out!</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Rated</b>: 5 out of 5 stars</div><div><b>Recommended</b>: to the naturalist or environmentalist (or both) interested in rethinking lawn space</div><div><i><blockquote>NOTE: In compliance with FTC regulation, I disclose that I received this book free of charge from the publisher as a review copy. However, this review is my own evaluation of the material, with no influence by the publisher or author.</blockquote> </i></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-44097334450357126802009-11-02T02:24:00.000-08:002009-11-02T02:24:31.042-08:00Monday Roundup<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzo_W1ZNrL5sHn6ajxjY-Y3z6bnW4AZYAovbyKuU8l4e6xUlmBtxQC-nY5_RgYVMS-PM911HG72cw9HNcT2iGznUbNIp77N0c65XxFIK86DhQKL9fucb-3Ka795qOXlko7DFjPVLLQgYo/s1600-h/IMG_0297.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzo_W1ZNrL5sHn6ajxjY-Y3z6bnW4AZYAovbyKuU8l4e6xUlmBtxQC-nY5_RgYVMS-PM911HG72cw9HNcT2iGznUbNIp77N0c65XxFIK86DhQKL9fucb-3Ka795qOXlko7DFjPVLLQgYo/s320/IMG_0297.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398167807022267778" /></a>Hope everyone had a wonderful and safe Halloween! Life was crazy at our house as we witnessed more than 700 kids trick-or-treating as well as enjoyed the evening with good food and friends. <div><br /></div><div>Despite the craziness of the season (and it's only going to get crazier, isn't it?), I have a couple great reviews for you this week, one of which I believe should be on the "must-read" list for those new to the world of sustainable food consumption.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>What books have you read that you consider "must-reads" for newbies to sustainable food?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-30225894603872387962009-11-01T19:41:00.000-08:002010-02-07T06:48:11.109-08:00Appetite for Profit<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_qScPnfJsqj6BJriXlAug6fl78hXX_9FrOHv40VXk9VE0eEfo2C7zviaDO4vhlSLYpzNRZDDCsA4iu-_wLjEIuHgVUpNCFfCy8Ge6fh4RH6hAgwoJ5tigd2Bs3NEEJ5fuJu-utovm2k/s1600-h/appetiteForprofit-hropti.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 199px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399346511899198738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_qScPnfJsqj6BJriXlAug6fl78hXX_9FrOHv40VXk9VE0eEfo2C7zviaDO4vhlSLYpzNRZDDCsA4iu-_wLjEIuHgVUpNCFfCy8Ge6fh4RH6hAgwoJ5tigd2Bs3NEEJ5fuJu-utovm2k/s320/appetiteForprofit-hropti.jpg" /></a><br /><div><strong>Appetite for Profit: How the Food Industry Undermines our Health and How to Fight Back</strong> by Michelle Simon is a book that explores social, economic, political and health related topics of the United States food industry. Published in 2006 it exposes many of the issues of Big Food that we've seen in the other likes of Big Pharma or Big Tobacco in that there is an element of government involvement that runs counterproductive to the health and sustainability of our planet and citizenry. </div><div></div><div></br>In 2006 Simon writes that the processed food industry is a $500-billion-a-year money motor that has a great deal more cogs in the wheel then we realize. Specific examples include the <a href="http://www.mypyramid.gov/">MyPyramid </a>nutritional guidelines that are heavily influenced by corporations, nutritional information manipulated and distributed by the industry itself (think nutritional discussion on a cereal box) and nutriwashing processed foods so that consumers think that they may be healthy. </div><div></div><div></br>Of particular interest to me was the chapter on attempts to regulate junk food marketing to children. Topics such as the "nag factor" for children, the extend of commercial free speech under First Amendment law and how parents can fight the tide were points of key discussion. In 2005 specific large giant food industries formed the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Alliance_for_American_Advertising"><em>Alliance for American Advertising</em> </a>in an effort to protect their right to market specifically to children. The absolute free speech right to market to children is a topic that has many layers - do companies have the right to nutriwash, nicktritional, and use captive audiences as in children in schools? Spongebob Pop-Tart or Spiderman Macaroni anyone? </div><div></div><div></br>Simon's book is a bit harsh, abrasive in facts, and clear political call to action that we are responding to in ever increasing numbers in 2009. If you've been interested in topics of food in relation to our health and sustainability, <em>Appetite</em> is a clear and easy to approach start to learn about the topics. </div><div></div><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-65810153750597159552009-10-28T18:40:00.000-07:002009-10-28T18:46:28.569-07:00Wednesday Roundup<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFqXJojlQ4NwMZVD8KG7ZRe_OWE8l-Lvy8cZQtqvewMyPHBvg-ipR_HOhAMtGQOvHN0kzS4tGoGgCahYkpTOZq8TPec7SwZRk6ZJl3M4-VHGAq2tN7faaHRSGVrRKXgNO29eIcih0-No/s1600-h/IMG_0024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFqXJojlQ4NwMZVD8KG7ZRe_OWE8l-Lvy8cZQtqvewMyPHBvg-ipR_HOhAMtGQOvHN0kzS4tGoGgCahYkpTOZq8TPec7SwZRk6ZJl3M4-VHGAq2tN7faaHRSGVrRKXgNO29eIcih0-No/s320/IMG_0024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397831096513211330" border="0" /></a>It seems as if I need to follow suit with another "Wednesday Roundup" for comments and suggestions as another Wormer did last week. I'm a bit behind with birthdays, fall and the upcoming sugar attack Saturday known as Halloween. We are also out enjoying the last bit of warm weather where we can roam, explore, and do things like (as pictured above) lay on our backs in the grass and imagine what may be in the clouds. Is it a bird? A laughing donkey? <br /><br />Do you have any good titles or reviews to suggest for this week? Any hot reads to give us guidance and nurture our own curiosity? <span style="font-style: italic;"> What is in your cloud of suggestions</span>. Leave some comment love if you have suggestions or thoughts. <br /><br />Tomorrow and Friday I will be doing a little smatter of reviews for books I've been skimming to see if I can make something out of my clouds of titles swirling in my head.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-62366671133775010952009-10-21T09:38:00.001-07:002009-10-21T09:47:28.130-07:00Wednesday Roundup<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_QyJ2EnIfduhmu6fEj6M2dA6FWX4HCy0MwyHLWcGMRAbPSCzTMaOk5VmxkTc67RhsAwGzayC4abV8L6xYL3pNz9VruUtDxnCoqZOAavRtCFGTNK9nKsWH8b3fAJQ-aibKJNUrZOw-nBW/s1600-h/pumpkins.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395093840075042194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 299px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_QyJ2EnIfduhmu6fEj6M2dA6FWX4HCy0MwyHLWcGMRAbPSCzTMaOk5VmxkTc67RhsAwGzayC4abV8L6xYL3pNz9VruUtDxnCoqZOAavRtCFGTNK9nKsWH8b3fAJQ-aibKJNUrZOw-nBW/s400/pumpkins.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Here in Oregon the trees are turning, the pumpkins are ripening and the mornings are getting awfully dark. It's a great time to curl up with a cup of something hot and a good book. </div><br /><div></div><div>Sadly, I've been so busy that I haven't had time to pick up from the library any of the books I've placed on hold! They have all most certainly been returned to the shelves or passed on to the next reader in line. Life for us is going to get crazier before it gets better. We've sold our house (again) and will very soon be packing to move. We still haven't found our new place, so in between we'll probably have to live somewhere else. With our 4-year-old. Who loves to get into other people's stuff. But other than that little stress, life is good and I'm going to try a new recipe tonight with the butternut squash we got in the CSA box. </div><br /><div></div><div>What about you? Read any good books lately? Also, if you're a new reader to this blog, please drop us a comment and we'll add you to the list on the sidebar.</div>Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08896172914500564208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-27017586115456399412009-10-16T23:09:00.001-07:002009-10-16T23:13:14.214-07:00Righteous Porkchop<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.righteousporkchop.com/images/bookcover-small.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 120px; height: 188px;" src="http://www.righteousporkchop.com/images/bookcover-small.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389970609258446866" /></a>The first time I heard anyone talk about industrial pig factories it was Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. What he described was so unfathomable I reasoned it must not be true or he was exaggerating. Or something. The speech was likely made at the same time the author of <a href="http://www.righteousporkchop.com/">Righteous Porkchop</a>, Nicolette Hahn Niman, worked for Kennedy at Waterkeeper Alliance as a staff attorney and head of a national campaign to combat pig factories. <br /><br />Maybe I haven't been paying attention between the time of that speech half a dozen years ago and two weeks ago when I picked up Righteous Porkchop. I thought the pork industry had cleaned up its, please excuse me, cleaned up its shit for all I heard about it. <br /><br />They haven't. <br /><br />Righteous Pork may change that. NHN spends the first half of the book describing her work with the pig factories and the people and communities who worked alongside her. Which is why I didn't want to put the book down. It's not all pretty reading but the people and communities affected by the factories are. <br /><br />In some ways the story is an unfolding drama. I found myself more than once, okay, a lot, routing for the local communities but NHN also shows the corner the factory owners have gotten themselves into and I couldn't help but route for them too; that they could find a way out. No one is having a good time. <br /><br />There's a little bit of spying; quite a few bad politicians. There's a guy hired by the pork industry to tail NHN to community meetings. Eventually someone does have a good time and there's romance too. <br /><br />The later part of the book visits industrial chicken and fish, factory dairies and beef. Did you know that it's a widespread practice to feed factory hens red dye to make the yolks of their eggs yellow? I had no idea. I also learned the correct terminology for the animals on a dairy. They are not all cows. <br /><br />There's a lot to learn from Righteous Porkchop. It's a smart book with history. <br /><br />My only criticism is Niman Ranch beef comes across too precious in Niman's telling. In one example she praises a retailer for carrying Niman beef, overlooking the foreign imports in their produce department. That would have been fine but she goes on to knock the produce department of another retailer that doesn't carry Niman beef. <br /><br />And I loved this book. It's an important read revealing the truth that corporate meat producers don't want us to know. It's to their benefit to keep us ignorant. Righteous Porkchop's changes that though, one knowledgeable page at a time. <br /><br />Rated: Four and a half stars. <br />Recommended: For everyone; vegetarian and meat eaters alike.Kale for Salehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02467378353738682141noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-15923961713124965772009-10-12T20:39:00.000-07:002009-10-12T21:44:30.075-07:00Monday Round Up<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexnLzdlB_KfHYrtWRaU6EvUy8xs3X8K6FlnNdkAhvM6xcT1RWkLW-ex_37sd3u_zh7o991tgh6W_dy_vhp0oplTkM6laotdrSXrnhrYgaWlOe5bXyQ-Z-X4yc5YYCHXfIX7XJZ63U3jA/s1600-h/farmer.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexnLzdlB_KfHYrtWRaU6EvUy8xs3X8K6FlnNdkAhvM6xcT1RWkLW-ex_37sd3u_zh7o991tgh6W_dy_vhp0oplTkM6laotdrSXrnhrYgaWlOe5bXyQ-Z-X4yc5YYCHXfIX7XJZ63U3jA/s400/farmer.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391924363197360546" /></a>We weren't exactly lost, but we also didn't know where we were when we came across Florence Street in Sebastopol. Each yard has a <a href="http://atlasobscura.com/places/patrick-amiot"> sculpture</a> made from discarded metal, the Organic Farmer being only one of many. It is seriously the happiest street I've ever been on. <br /><br />None of which has a thing to do with books, or reading books, or reviewing books but diversions are sometimes good. I finished <a href="http://www.righteousporkchop.com/">Righteous Porkchop</a> - Finding a Life and Good Food Beyond Factory Farms last night. It was a good one; not for the thin skinned however. The realities of factory farming definitely got under my skin and into my dreams too. And I'd read it again in a second. I didn't want to put it down. <br /><br />First I'm going to read Tracy Kidder's new book I picked up from the library, <a href="http://www.tracykidder.com/">Strength In What Remains</a>. I loved his last book, Mountains Beyond Mountains, so much I may be setting myself up for disappointment though. <br /><br />What's up in the world of diversions and books at your house? Any new ones or old ones you want to share? Let us know. <br /><br />And if you find yourself in Sebastopol, California, don't miss Florence Street. It's happy.Kale for Salehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02467378353738682141noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-79211290378840225982009-10-09T01:23:00.000-07:002009-10-09T16:57:02.132-07:00Diet for a Small Planet<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjzq5llj3D_O8418QIZxtWWjgeW9YLQG4F4Np_J4jjFnSVWebXaM8l3NQx8RRiq2dCXt4p0-HFFF1rg7tQST52a89paqzl7q_Neg6mkrDyh18BCcU8CCsoC-XxW6ml_IL3aSN-QrGfIv3/s1600-h/imageDB.cgi.jpeg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 120px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjzq5llj3D_O8418QIZxtWWjgeW9YLQG4F4Np_J4jjFnSVWebXaM8l3NQx8RRiq2dCXt4p0-HFFF1rg7tQST52a89paqzl7q_Neg6mkrDyh18BCcU8CCsoC-XxW6ml_IL3aSN-QrGfIv3/s320/imageDB.cgi.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389970609258446866" /></a>I first became aware of <i><a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9780345373663-7">Diet for a Small Planet</a></i> by Frances Moore Lappé when it was referenced in Samuel Fromartz's <i>Organic Inc</i>.: <i>Natural Foods and How they Grow. </i>It turns out, <i>Diet for a Small Planet</i> is an almost 40 year-old look at the connection between world hunger and how we eat; and, more importantly, what we can do about it. It has also, I found out, been updated in a 20th Anniversary Edition, which is the one I picked up at our local library. <div><br /></div><div>Lappé begins by walking us through her personal journey into third world countries as she sought to get to the bottom of world hunger. She finds that it is not, as many think, a shortage of food, but rather the imbalance of power between people and a wealthy few (whether government or corporation). A trend, she notes, that she sees more and more in the United States as only a few corporations monopolize the entire food system.</div><div><div></div><blockquote><div>[W]e can see where this blind production imperative has taken us - away from values that Americans have always associated with democracy, and toward a "landed aristocracy"; away from dispersed control over land, and toward a highly concentrated pattern of control; away from a system rewarding hard work and good management, and toward one rewarding size and wealth alone. As I suggested earlier, ours is becoming the kind of farm economy that I have see at the root of so much injustice and misery in the third world."</div></blockquote></div><div>The book can then be divided into three themes, the problems with food currently gracing our supermarket shelves, what we can do about it, and a near 150 pages of recipes to inspire change in your own diet.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Problems with our food infrastructure and diet</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div>First thing's first. We can't change our food habits if we don't know what's wrong. Interestingly enough, much of what Lappé discusses are food infrastructure pitfalls in 1971 is still true today. First, she delves extensively into how the cheap cost of meat and processed foods mask the true cost of goods (ground water depletion, soil erosion, government subsidies, etc) and how grains are fed to animals instead of a hungry population (so that it can be sold for more money to wealthier populations). And second, that there have been dangerous changes to the US Diet that make it unhealthy for our bodies, the environment, and the world. Check this out...</div><div><ol><li>Protein from animals instead of plants</li><li>More fat</li><li>Too much sugar</li><li>Too much salt</li><li>Too little fiber</li><li>Too much alcohol</li><li>More additives, antibiotic residues, and pesticides</li><li>Too many calories</li></ol><div>Wait, just sec. Yep, originally written in 1971. Any of this sounding familiar?</div></div><div><br /></div></div><div><b>What we can do about it</b></div><div><br /></div><div>But as is so often the case, the question really comes down to, what can I do about it? And here's what I loved most about this book: Lappé believes in the power of the individual to change the world. </div><div><blockquote>[H]ow can we take responsibility for the future unless we can make choices now that take us, personally, off the destructive path that has been set for us by our forebears.</blockquote><div>We don't have to be anyone special, she tell us. We just need to use the talents we have to make changes in our lives and in our communities. Change is happening, she says, "we don't have to start the train moving. It is moving! Our struggle is to figure out how to board that train, bringing on board all the creative energy we can muster."</div><div><br /></div><div>If you are reading this blog, chances are you are already on this train. The trick, though, is that to continue our journey, we must be ever vigilant, learning each and every step of the way. She reinforces this as she advocates not a vegetarian diet (which is what I would have expected), but rather one of mindful awareness. </div><div></div><blockquote><div>[F]reedom is not the capacity to do whatever we please; freedom is the capacity to make intelligent choices. And that is what this book is all about - gaining the knowledge we need to make choices based upon awareness of the consequences of those choices.</div></blockquote><div>May you read and be inspired.</div><div><div><br /></div><div><b>Recommended</b>: to those interested in world food infrastructures as well as how our diets affect our bodies and the world around us</div><div><b>Rating</b>: 3 of 5 stars</div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-33163628824929730712009-10-08T11:02:00.000-07:002010-02-07T06:59:22.385-08:00Organic Inc: Natural Foods and How They Grew<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFgRb9vL9ngSN_qdudGXjaMwhKdPfsGn0dJlCs21yeFH2IhJ1KxoXtigTbnpFzfcSWceIkLLhrz0s0taibdnG44nlO4w0ZiqqcRa5J0YqfhLB3YlYieYz0zPI_kF9GckX1z4YrrVIkyAUJ/s1600-h/images.cgi.jpeg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 211px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFgRb9vL9ngSN_qdudGXjaMwhKdPfsGn0dJlCs21yeFH2IhJ1KxoXtigTbnpFzfcSWceIkLLhrz0s0taibdnG44nlO4w0ZiqqcRa5J0YqfhLB3YlYieYz0zPI_kF9GckX1z4YrrVIkyAUJ/s320/images.cgi.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382601266752656210" /></a>Having spent the summer reading books that have fueled my private meditation sessions, I decided a nice eco-read was in order for the next review. And, really, how can you go wrong with a title like <i>Organic Inc</i>.?<br /><div><br /></div><div>Samuel Fromartz's <i><a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9780156032421-5">Organic Inc: Natural Foods and How They Grew </a></i>(Harcourt Books, 2006) is a look into the history, and in fact evolution, of organics in the United States. Why? Fromartz, a dedicated Whole Foods shopper and buyer of organics was fascinated by the movement and curious as to its roots. A business writer by trade, Fromartz travelled the country meeting with industry leaders, historians, and farmers to discover the true roots of the organic movement. </div><div><br /></div><div>What he discovered is that although organics began with growers, dedicated to the nourishment of body and Earth, the movement quickly became a big-business sensation where large companies like Archer Daniels Midland, Coco-Cola, ConAgra, General Mills, Kraft and others own the bulk of the organic market. </div><div><div></div><blockquote><div>For the path that agrarian idealists had taken in the 1970s - to farm in concert with nature and sell organic food outside the dominant food system - became compromised by its success. Organic food had become too popular to remain in a backwoods niche, morphing into yet another food industry profit center.</div></blockquote><div>The result has pitted industry vs. small farmer in the creation of government regulation. Purists want organics to be focused on fresh, whole foods, but industry needs processed food to maximize profits. The battle continues today with standards continuously under attack. Can heavily processed foods truly be called organic or does that defy the intention of the organic movement?</div></div><div><div><br /></div><div>In the meantime, organic regulations change seemingly to whim - at times allowing any number of synthetic ingredients, wavering over the definition of "access to pasture" (for the meat and dairy industries), and are compromised when companies are repeatedly caught fraudulently packing conventional produce in organic packaging. What's a consumer to believe? How are we to make educated choices?</div><div><br /></div><div>As for the book itself, it was an interesting read, though I almost gave up in Chapter 4, a 40 page section dedicated to Spring Mix. Maybe it was me, but I had a hard time staying focused. The faithful reader's perseverance will pay off however, as Fromartz lays out the politics of organics in the last half of the book, leaving it up to us, the reader, to decide: What should organic mean?</div></div><div><b></b></div><blockquote><div><b>Recommended</b>: to those interested in the history and politics of the organics movement</div><div><b>Rating</b>: 3 of 5 stars</div></blockquote><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-22722868365936917692009-10-05T01:44:00.000-07:002009-10-05T01:44:00.262-07:00Monday Roundup<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbrVKRzNIshn_xhUnqOJKjTXKP0hrP3ATtnPaiexgpcOzkjAyUC1vWXWHK64Wja8QMjs9mfs4-Npz_rTPTeMnr75AyCy7ckQo8u60nmDl2PwRmJK_joNKe-M4Y3lSLclsqwSrSz1zSrA/s1600-h/IMG_4256.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbrVKRzNIshn_xhUnqOJKjTXKP0hrP3ATtnPaiexgpcOzkjAyUC1vWXWHK64Wja8QMjs9mfs4-Npz_rTPTeMnr75AyCy7ckQo8u60nmDl2PwRmJK_joNKe-M4Y3lSLclsqwSrSz1zSrA/s320/IMG_4256.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388216480815715218" /></a>Fall is in the air and I have a good book in hand. Does it really get any better than that?<div><br /></div><div>As the weather continues to cool off here in Central Texas, I'm finding my favorite times of the day are sitting on the front porch with a book, waving at the neighbors as they pass. It's a slower paced life than the usual American household, but it's one I love. </div><div><br /></div><div>Where is your favorite place to read? Any good books capturing your interest this October?<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-61890896161372123822009-10-02T14:03:00.000-07:002010-02-07T06:38:55.245-08:00The Solution is You<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJ8aZ7Duu4CufTHG0oslCsmATN_nDFJkm74To7g2Gj1T0K6zX51bhMztj1Y6tvxELHdPCLNK5F2s9ojxzQIYdg8QoT8KvpBW9CbLFaqfqsxBfcP9Rphj6UO_Y94MyvXjwgmKx3c4LIdw/s1600-h/The+Solution+is+You.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388111819853530898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJ8aZ7Duu4CufTHG0oslCsmATN_nDFJkm74To7g2Gj1T0K6zX51bhMztj1Y6tvxELHdPCLNK5F2s9ojxzQIYdg8QoT8KvpBW9CbLFaqfqsxBfcP9Rphj6UO_Y94MyvXjwgmKx3c4LIdw/s320/The+Solution+is+You.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><a href="http://www.lauriedavid.com/">Laurie David</a> is a widely known activist promoting citizen awareness and involvement as we cope with climate destabilization prompted by global warming. For quick read on the subject readers will enjoy <strong><em>The Solution is You</em></strong> from Speaker’s Corner Books. This is a short title good for a rapid introduction to the science and activism surrounding global warming in a format that I would say most suitable for teens, older adolescents or those that just want a lickety split read. </div><div><br /><strong><em>The Solution</em></strong> doesn’t devour you with verbiage and facts, but gives a rapid overview of the topic as well as a slicing view of many of the well known naysayers. She cuts the right wing capitalism saviors, pseudo journalists (Jon Stossel anyone?) and even former President Bush no slack in exposing how they have portrayed, naysayed and skewed actual science in order to promote a non-environmentalist agenda. I liked that she was quite funny about it too. <em>Riiight.</em> </div><div><br />I think one of the most valuable components of the book is the recommended reading, websites, DVD selections and environmental or activist group listing. This selection led me to a rich list of further selections if I want a meatier read that might give me more facts, figures, and statistics. Her sidebars have very nice snippets of information, commentary and of course the celebrity quote or two, and jazzy chapter titles that will motivate readers such as "The Civil Rights Movement of Our Time." </div><div><br />All in all a quick easy read for a very light green reader. This book doesn’t really dive in deeply to explore how to make change, but does provide a catalyst nudge to get readers headed in the green direction. </div><div> </div><div><span style="color:#009900;">Rated a 3 our of 5 for light green readers. </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-8160894546748255752009-09-28T17:52:00.000-07:002009-09-28T18:21:54.085-07:00Monday Roundup: Welcome Fall!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUJuFPbgLU4mqvkAw8D9cCJvo6MSwWmcv9T8JOw_bRRLfO-NO9LCAvqFdoK0OYpioM6282r3hNwExHl7MD3h-gEplEAlsGAobB1MhJ8P4IgUreH1r8-cUPwqxiuKg1NfrE6dtx2pMbGck/s1600-h/IMG_0147.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386691261948222898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUJuFPbgLU4mqvkAw8D9cCJvo6MSwWmcv9T8JOw_bRRLfO-NO9LCAvqFdoK0OYpioM6282r3hNwExHl7MD3h-gEplEAlsGAobB1MhJ8P4IgUreH1r8-cUPwqxiuKg1NfrE6dtx2pMbGck/s320/IMG_0147.JPG" /></a><br />Right about now I start looking for signs of change in the winds, leaves and natural elements. Fall seems to come quickly here in the North/Midwest, and blusters in with quick winds and playful colors in the leaves. This weekend we took several nature walks to collect items for our home nature table and look for signs that change is upon us. <br /><br />Right now I'm reading several titles that will help promote positive change in our lives. Stay tuned for a review or two this week as I've found books of interest as fall brings about fresh rounds of newly published books. Ah, we lovers of books like fall for the fresh releases - - and new opportunities to explore "leaves" of all types. <br /><br />What are you reading this week? Anything you would care to share with other Wormers? Are the winds of change blowing through your house?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356966849272755180.post-73665257272625908392009-09-26T20:29:00.000-07:002009-09-26T20:38:16.236-07:00Winner of Mom's Guide to Growing Family Green<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcajJ_Sn4-syG-lU8Q0fV-eN1uCTF8PUTRz1G1fR-ZvIvyNAeVNs7OYZW5hD_Cn2D-k4iDRy58L3xFaCpC3bgUfsOmQzIO-fbUAxcilTtSwMewqtK2FlkIu7mV5yErQuVTtamo-IhGpxW5/s1600-h/book6.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 196px; height: 292px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcajJ_Sn4-syG-lU8Q0fV-eN1uCTF8PUTRz1G1fR-ZvIvyNAeVNs7OYZW5hD_Cn2D-k4iDRy58L3xFaCpC3bgUfsOmQzIO-fbUAxcilTtSwMewqtK2FlkIu7mV5yErQuVTtamo-IhGpxW5/s320/book6.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385986326882907986" /></a><br />And the winner is . . .<div><br /></div><div>Abbie of Farmers' Daughter. Abbie, shoot me an email at greenbeandreams(AT)gmail(DOT)com so I can get your address. Thanks everyone for entering the drawing.</div>Green Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03133847111288382381noreply@blogger.com1