Eco-Libris blog

Eco-Libris is collaborating with Complete Test Preparation to balance out their study guides

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:21:00 +0000

We're happy to announce on a new collaboration with Complete Test Preparation Inc., a Canadian publisher of test preparation books. We will work with Complete Test Preparation to plant 100 trees for many of the helpful books they publish!

Here are the first four books we'll be working to balance out by planting trees - 100 trees will be planted for each of the following books:

Pass the TEAS!

Complete Study Guide including hundreds of pages of Tutorials, Self-Assessments, 2 sets of practice test questions, Complete guide to multiple choice strategy, Complete guide to taking a test, and over 500 Practice Test Questions including Paragraph Comprehension, Basic Math, Algebra, Metric Conversion, Word Problems, Basic Science, Human Body Science (Anatomy and Physiology), Life Science (Biology, Ecology), Earth and Physical Science, Scientific Method and Reasoning, English Grammar and Language Usage, Grammar and Vocabulary in Context, Spelling and Punctuation, Grammar and structure.

Pass the HESI!
The Evolve Reach Admissions Assessment exam (HESI A2) is required for entrance to the Register Nursing program at many institutions.

HESI Study Guide including Self-Assessments, Tutorials, and 2 practice tests. Practice Test Questions for Reading, Math, Basic Science, Anatomy and Physiology and English Grammar.

Pass the THEA!
Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA) Test Preparation The THEA exam is designed to test the readiness of students for entrance into Texas Colleges and academic life.

Complete THEA Study Guide including hundreds of pages of Tutorials, Self-Assessments, 2 sets of practice test questions, Complete guide to multiple choice strategy, Complete guide to taking a test, and Practice Test Questions for Reading, Math, Geometry, Algebra and more.

Pass the CHSPE!
A Certificate of Proficiency is awarded to successful candidates of the California High School Proficiency Exam. The Certificate of Proficiency is technically not the same as a high school diploma but is regarded as an equivalent of a diploma, similar to the GED. Complete Study Guide and pratice tests for the CHSPE. Includes tutorials, 2 sets of practice test questions, self-assessments, complete guide to taking a test, guide to multiple choice strategy. Includes practice questions for mathematics, reading comprehension, english grammar, geometry, English usage and algebra.

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris
Plant a tree for every book you read!

Green book review - The EcoMind: Changing the Way We Think, to Create the World We Want by Frances Moore Lappe

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Sat, 18 May 2013 10:56:00 +0000

It's always a pleasure to have on our weekly green review book series a book of a great environmental thinker, and today we have the honor of reviewing a new book of one of today most thought-provoking leaders of the environmental movement - Frances Moore Lappé.

Frances Moore Lappé has written so far 18 books, including the best-seller Diet for a Small Planet. Her latest book which was released last month is:

The EcoMind: Changing the Way We Think, to Create the World We Want by Frances Moore Lappe (publisher: Nation Books)

What this book is about?
In EcoMind, Frances Moore Lappé—a giant of the environmental movement—confronts accepted wisdom of environmentalism. Drawing on the latest research from anthropology to neuroscience and her own field experience, she argues that the biggest challenge to human survival isn’t our fossil fuel dependency, melting glaciers, or other calamities. Rather, it’s our faulty way of thinking about these environmental crises that robs us of power. Lappé dismantles seven common “thought traps”—from limits to growth to the failings of democracy— that belie what we now know about nature, including our own, and offers contrasting “thought leaps” that reveal our hidden power.

Like her Diet for a Small Planet classic, EcoMind is challenging, controversial and empowering.

About the author:

Frances Moore Lappé is the author or co-author of 18 books including the three-million copy Diet for a Small Planet. Her most recent work, released by Nation Books in September 2011, is EcoMind: Changing the Way We Think to Create the World We Want, winner of a silver medal from the Independent Publisher Book Awards in the Environment/Ecology/Nature category. Jane Goodall called the book "powerful and inspiring. "Ecomind will open your eyes and change your thinking. I want everyone to read it," she said.

She is the cofounder of three organizations, including Oakland based think tank Food First and, more recently, the Small Planet Institute, a collaborative network for research and popular education seeking to bring democracy to life, which she leads with her daughter Anna Lappé. Frances and her daughter have also cofounded the Small Planet Fund, which channels resources to democratic social movements worldwide.

Our review:
The book Ecomind, by Frances Moore Lappe, appeared to mainly be a book about balance, balance of the people and the earth and the economy in order to have a healthier or more environmentally sound earth.

There was a lot of information on how the world perceives the environment and how we all feel paralyzed by inaction, both of others and ourselves. It goes on with how the people of the world could work together, and think outside the box, we could change the world and create a better place for everyone and everything. Maybe even just try out some of the ideas and examples of what other countries and places are doing. Simple things like going local and reusing wasted material. All good ideas and I agree with most of the ideas.

I enjoyed the author’s approach of conversational writing. She has humorous comments as well as intelligent and useful studies she discusses. I found the book simple and comprehensive to understand. It didn’t feel as though I was being talked down to, which I have found in many of the these types of books. Some of the sections seemed a bit long, and some were not as provoking of topics as others, but all in all, it was a very insightful read.

You can purchase Ecomind on Amazon.com (in both electronic and hardcover formats).

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris
Plant a tree for every book you read!

Green book review - The Last Train to Zona Verde: My Ultimate African Safari by Paul Theroux

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:14:00 +0000

Africa is dear to our heart, which is why we're so proud to have one of our planting partners RIPPLE Africa, operating in Malawi, Africa. This is also why we're so happy to review a special book on a special journey in this troubled and beautiful continent.

Our book for this week is:

The Last Train to Zona Verde: My Ultimate African Safari by Paul Theroux (publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

What this book is about?
Following the success of the acclaimed Ghost Train to the Eastern Star and The Great Railway Bazaar, The Last Train to Zona Verde is an ode to the last African journey of the world's most celebrated travel writer.

“Happy again, back in the kingdom of light,” writes Paul Theroux as he sets out on a new journey through the continent he knows and loves best. Theroux first came to Africa as a twenty-two-year-old Peace Corps volunteer, and the pull of the vast land never left him. Now he returns, after fifty years on the road, to explore the little-traveled territory of western Africa and to take stock both of the place and of himself.

His odyssey takes him northward from Cape Town, through South Africa and Namibia, then on into Angola, wishing to head farther still until he reaches the end of the line. Journeying alone through the greenest continent, Theroux encounters a world increasingly removed from both the itineraries of tourists and the hopes of postcolonial independence movements. Leaving the Cape Town townships, traversing the Namibian bush, passing the browsing cattle of the great sunbaked heartland of the savanna, Theroux crosses “the Red Line” into a different Africa: “the improvised, slapped-together Africa of tumbled fences and cooking fires, of mud and thatch,” of heat and poverty, and of roadblocks, mobs, and anarchy. After 2,500 arduous miles, he comes to the end of his journey in more ways than one, a decision he chronicles with typically unsparing honesty in a chapter called “What Am I Doing Here?”

Vivid, witty, and beautifully evocative, The Last Train to Zona Verde is a fitting final African adventure from the writer whose gimlet eye and effortless prose have brought the world to generations of readers.

About the author:

Paul Theroux is the author of many highly acclaimed books. His novels include The Lower River and The Mosquito Coast, and his renowned travel books include Ghost Train to the Eastern Star and Dark Star Safari. He lives in Hawaii and on Cape Cod.

Our review:

The Last Train to Zona Verde by Paul Theroux was read with mixed feelings. I had a bit of awe, a bit of jealousy, and a bit of fear for this writer. He is one of the true and real travel writers. He goes to the places he writes about and tells you of his visit in fine and colorful detail. He has a fantastic voice and tells the story with such life that at times you forget that it’s not fiction. I wish I could see some of the things he has seen and wish I could forget some of the things I have learned from him.

On this journey, Paul spent his time roaming through parts of Africa that frankly I had to hunt down on a map to find: the bush country or Zona Verde, Cape Town, Botswana, and Namibia are just a few. This is not simply a story about the landscape, but actual events that he saw or lived, such as: the people; or the wildlife and landscape destruction that we all know about, but don’t actually see face to face in our own everyday lives; or the government’s blasé indifference to the state of the things. Then it all ends, so fast and so unexpectedly. I felt his strong emotions about having to quit his adventure before he had planned, thanks only to violent militant actions.

I wish I could come up with a better word, but this book was simply very well done. You can purchase the book on Amazon.com (in both electronic and hardcover formats).

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris
Plant a tree for every book you read!

Green book review - Vegan Secret Supper: Bold & Elegant Menus from a Rogue Kitchen by Merida Anderson

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Thu, 02 May 2013 10:50:00 +0000

A vegan dining club? Yes, it does really exists and it is run by chef Merida Anderson in Vancouver Montreal and New York, where she proves that sophisticated dinner parties can be fun, tasty and vegan too! Don't believe it? Have a look at her book "Vegan Secret Supper", which is the green book we review this week!

Vegan Secret Supper: Bold & Elegant Menus from a Rogue Kitchen by Merida Anderson (publisher: Arsenal Pulp Press)

What this book is about?
The art of the convivial, joyful meal shared with friends and family has evolved in recent years. The growing popularity of dinner clubs and themed potlucks attest to our desire for get-togethers at home that are out of the ordinary; also, temporary pop-ups and secret supper locales (where the address is often kept under wraps) are redefining the notion of the traditional restaurant meal. But where do vegans fit into all this fun for foodies?

Vegan Secret Supper is a collection of imaginative, delectable, animal-free recipes by chef Mérida Anderson of VSS (Vegan Secret Supper), a dining club that she has run in Vancouver, Montreal, and New York. At VSS, Mérida creates amazing vegan dishes that prove that sophisticated, spectacular dinner parties do not require the use of animal products. With her focus on menu-planning and simple, seasonal ingredients, she offers readers all the tools they need to create healthy, sumptuous meals, whether it's a dish for a potluck, a romantic dinner for two, or a celebration for twenty.

Full-color throughout, the book's recipes include split pea bisque with minted cream; smoked cauliflower on red quinoa tabouli; walnut and roasted yam croquettes with spicy balsamic beet reduction; and chocolate blackberry cashew cheesecake. As well, Mérida offers fantastic tips and insight on how to create your own vegan secret supper club at home.

About the author:

Mérida Anderson is a self-taught chef who became vegan at the age of sixteen. She is also a photographer, visual artist, clothing designer, and musician.

Our review:

I take vegan books with a bit of hesitation. They are either really good or really awful. This book, Vegan Secret Supper, I am very pleased to say is one of the really fantastic ones. It is sophisticated and refined. It has plates and recipes for any taste and every taste. It takes into account nutrition as well as the vegan ideology and thankfully is not just tofu and soy.

I really liked that it gives full meals, not just pieces and parts that you then have to put together on your own. Then the author goes on to give helpful plating instructions. This book offers all courses of a meal from the starter to the dessert and everything in between. The handmade ice cream recipes with instructions of ‘how-to’ without using an ice cream maker, not only work, but work well to produce a wonderful variety of ice creams. I was very pleased with the outcome.

I am happily making my way recipe by recipe and page by page through this book. The author has a way of instruction that is easy to understand and then implement. I will add that if you are looking for a quick meal, this book may not be for you. Although most can be made up rather quickly, it does take a bit more time and planning than pre-processed food.

I highly, and definitely recommend this book. Even the carnivores in my house have found enjoyment from the dishes within.

You can purchase the book on Amazon.com.

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris
Plant a tree for every book you read!

Sustainable green reading in shcools

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:33:00 +0000

This is a guest post by Joyce Del Rosario.

Perhaps some of the best learning children do in school and at home is read books. From children’s stories to text books, kids everywhere gain invaluable knowledge from opening the pages of these crucial learning and development tools.

But for as beneficial as reading is to children, each book that is opened up and used in a classroom and in the home is created using the help of our natural resources.

Students are ripe for learning. From their young age and throughout their teen years, their minds are under development, absorbing every bit of knowledge they can. This knowledge does not only come from the text they read, but also from the insights and guidance of their parents and teachers.

Classrooms are a prime spot to introduce green reading. With the captive audience, teachers have the opportunity to mold the minds of the next generation and start them out early with good habits of sustainable living. Here are a few of the ways to incorporate green reading into schools today.

• Have a discussion – The first step that must happen is to engage the students in the concept behind green reading. Having a discussion in the classroom allows students to realize why planting trees is so important, why caring for the environment is so important, and how they can do their part to contribute to a healthier environment. This discussion excites students about the idea of giving back while also giving them more of a reason to read and learn from their textbooks.

• Teach good practices early on – Some studies have shown that habits take as long as 66 days to create. Students, however, have the mindset of learning something new while they are in the classroom. Because of this, it is easier to get students into the habit of living a green lifestyle from a very early age. When you start teaching the importance of sustainable living and caring for the environment, students will listen and take notice. By just bringing up the importance of planting a tree for each book a student reads, kids can learn from a very early age that they can and should do their part to contribute to a healthier earth.

• Get parents involved –The teachings of green living should not stop in the classroom. In order to make the biggest impact, it is beneficial to get parents involved. Over the summer, ask the parents to continue raising awareness of planting a tree for each book read. This will inspire more homes in the school’s community to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle, while helping solidify the importance of giving back to the environment.

• Make reading more interesting – When schools add the extra dimension to reading of acknowledging what students can do to give back to their community, reading books becomes more enjoyable. Kids enjoy the idea of planting a tree and get excited by having the opportunity to do something with nature. Whether the child plants the tree themselves or not, does not matter. The idea that a tree was planted in their honor and because they read a book is enough to spark interest in their minds.

Green reading can make a big impact in a classroom filled with learning minds. When children can find excitement in the books they read for class, learning becomes more fun and lessons hit home on a deeper level.

About the Author: Joyce Del Rosario is a career and education blogger and she is a part of the team behind Open Colleges and InformED, one of Australia’s leading providers of Open Learning and online accredited distance education.

picture credit: World Bank Photo Collection, Flickr Creative Commons

The Roads Leading to Natural Gas

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 02:57:00 +0000

The following is a guest post.

One of the most heated discussions of our society is the topic of transitioning to a cleaner and greener earth. Politicians, lawmakers, business owners and even local businesses are building initiatives on ways we can make our earth a cleaner place. The questions are; “how do we do this,”and “what are the best economic alternatives?” These are concerns that flood our airways in debates, presidential campaign speeches, and news columns all across the country.

Dave McCurdy states, “There is no doubt that our country faces great challenges with regard to our energy future, but natural gas is one of the few energy areas where our country is positioned well. Natural gas is an abundant, reliable natural resource, that customers can depend on to heat their homes, warm their water and cook their food.” Natural gas is the most plentiful option in our country. The United States alone has access to 2.4 million miles of natural gas pipelines that are reliable and efficient. Natural gas is one of the cleanest, safest, and most useful of all energy sources.

Using natural gas reduces pollution because of its natural components, which in turn will save lives. Robert Lenzer notes, “Carbon emissions have been reduced back to the level that existed in 1990. This reduction of emissions places the U.S. far ahead of economic revival China, which was responsible for 29% of all carbon emission in the world last year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy”. Natural gas is considered a clean alternative because it is primarily comprised of methane. Methane is a molecule made of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms.

The use of natural gas will be a leading contributor of bringing our national economy back to life. This alternative could spark a revival of entrepreneurialism by making changes little by little in our different industries as a whole. Changing the way we fuel our cars, generate our home energy sources and factory efficiency are all ways that America can begin implementing these changes.

Natural gas is also being used to create electricity. By doing so there will be less reliability on other countries for oil and utilizing our own resources will reduce imports from foreign oil producers. Using natural gas to create electricity also reduces the effects of emission and global warming in its overall process.

There are already sprouting attempts by companies and business to begin this transition. Natural gas utility companies have made it easy and affordable by providing budget billing for the more expensive winter months. We have already seen Shell and several other stations begin to use natural gas at their pumps to start the change. It is initiatives like these, one business and decision at a time, which will begin to make a monumental impact. Although natural gas prices have continued to rise, growing availability and better drilling technologies will stabilize prices.

What more is there to say? Natural gas is an arguable alternative in transforming our civilization into a prosperous and thriving economy. Not only saving our environment, but also increasing our investment, skills, and technologies for progressing into a better future!

Picture credit: Wikipedia

Green book review for Earth Day - State of the World 2013: Is Sustainability Still Possible?

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:55:00 +0000

Happy Earth Day!! Just in time for this special day we have a review of a book that not only provides us an update on the state of the world in 2013, but also tries to tackle some of the most urgent issues brought up on this day, including one that we might not like to ask but definitely have to - is sustainably still possible?

Our book for today is:

State of the World 2013: Is Sustainability Still Possible? by the Worldwatch Institute (publisher: Island Press)

What this book is about?
Every day, we are presented with a range of “sustainable” products and activities—from “green” cleaning supplies to carbon offsets—but with so much labeled as “sustainable,” the term has become essentially sustainababble, at best indicating a practice or product slightly less damaging than the conventional alternative. Is it time to abandon the concept altogether, or can we find an accurate way to measure sustainability? If so, how can we achieve it? And if not, how can we best prepare for the coming ecological decline?

In the latest edition of Worldwatch Institute’s State of the World series, scientists, policy experts, and thought leaders tackle these questions, attempting to restore meaning to sustainability as more than just a marketing tool. In State of the World 2013: Is Sustainability Still Possible?, experts define clear sustainability metrics and examine various policies and perspectives, including geoengineering, corporate transformation, and changes in agricultural policy, that could put us on the path to prosperity without diminishing the well-being of future generations. If these approaches fall short, the final chapters explore ways to prepare for drastic environmental change and resource depletion, such as strengthening democracy and societal resilience, protecting cultural heritage, and dealing with increased conflict and migration flows.

State of the World 2013 cuts through the rhetoric surrounding sustainability, offering a broad and realistic look at how close we are to fulfilling it today and which practices and policies will steer us in the right direction. This book will be especially useful for policymakers, environmental nonprofits, and students of environmental studies, sustainability, or economics.

About the author:
Founded in 1974 by farmer and economist Lester Brown, Worldwatch was the first independent research institute devoted to the analysis of global environmental concerns. Worldwatch quickly became recognized by opinion leaders around the world for its accessible, fact-based analysis of critical global issues. Now under the leadership of population expert and author Robert Engelman, Worldwatch develops innovative solutions to intractable problems, emphasizing a blend of government leadership, private sector enterprise, and citizen action that can make a sustainable future a reality.

Our review:

This was a huge collaboration between authors, with 50+ contributors, idea people, and editors involved in getting it put together. Quite the project let me tell you.

So, what is sustainability? In laymen’s terms it’s simply the capacity to endure. As to ecology it’s how biological systems can remain diverse and productive over time. As to us humans, it is the potential for long-term maintenance of well-being, which has several dimensions, to wit: ecological, economic, political and cultural. Pretty simple right? Wrong. Oh it could be a simple matter, but thanks to humans and our very nature, sustainability is very complicated.

In this 2013 edition of Worldwatch Institute’s State of the World series, the collaborating authors (scientists, policy experts, and more) explain sustainability and how we can make it work and thrive in this world we live in today. There is a huge amount of information provided. Some good, some a little hinky, but lots of great information to get you thinking.

One simple idea was on how we should be protecting the Sanctity of Native Foods (Chapter 18). Something as easy as getting back to the basics and cooking the real food, not the processed fake food we can easily purchase and quickly prepare. Real food, cooked in its natural way with spice and flare. This chapter was so informative and interesting. The author, Melissa K. Nelson, does a fantastic job of keeping you excited about the concept. She gives not just the heritage information but also the health benefits, the origins, and history of the foods as well.

Another section I enjoyed was in Chapter 5, Sustaining Freshwater and Its Dependents, written by Sandra Postel. The basic lessons of the amount of water on the earth for consumption I found to be very informative. This chapter really hit the mark regarding some of the water issues of the world today. You think of Earth, the planet of water, and it’s so easy to forget that only so much of it is actually drinkable and usable. Oceans after all are salty. As the author says: Water in finite. Without it, there is no water to drink, there is no food to grow, which then means there is no society, and how long do we last without food and water and society? Makes all the garbage and toxins and simple CO2 that we put into the water, seem a bit more criminal now. Very good chapter. Very good writing by the author.

Some of the chapters will hit home more depending on the person reading and what matters most them, but there is definitely something in this book for everyone. Easy to read, and understand, all the authors did a fantastic job in that regard. Plenty of information and sources to back it up, and the best part, an index!

You can purchase the book on Amazon.com (both e-book and hardcover formats are available).

Happy Earth Day!

Raz @ Eco-Libris
Plant a tree for every book you read!

Green book review - Climate Myths: The Campaign Against Climate Science by Dr. John J. Berger

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:14:00 +0000

Climate change is always a fascinating story, not just the way it changes our lives, but also the way it became a public debate and the role political and economic forces played to increase the uncertainty about it.

The latter is also the subject of the book we're reviewing this:

Climate Myths: The Campaign Against Climate Science by Dr. John J. Berger (publisher: Northbrae Books)

What this book is about?
Climate Myths describes the fossil fuel industries’ successful two-decade-long campaign to control the public debate over global climate change―with disastrous consequences. The book reveals how fossil fuel companies manufactured controversies about climate change, obscuring its true causes and effects. Dangerous climate change has now become a reality for which the nation is unprepared: Federal climate policy has been stalemated, legislation has been stillborn, and international climate negotiations have been stymied.

Climate Myths exposes how the fossil fuel industry’s campaign was modeled on the cigarette companies’ campaign to convince Americans that tobacco was not a health hazard, and how it operated to sow doubt about climate change through a network of prominent proxy organizations. The book provides insights into the campaign’s origins, motives, techniques, and main actors as it tracks the industry’s ever-changing and contradictory climate myths.

Beyond merely describing the way we got to this tragic, perilous impasse, the book carefully dissects the fossil fuel industry’s main allegations about climate change―one-by-one―in language ordinary readers can understand.

The book includes a preface and foreword by two eminent climate scientists, Dr. Kevin Trenberth and Dr. John Harte, and an introduction by John H. Adams, winner of the 2010 Presidential Medal of Freedom.

About the author:

Dr. John J. Berger is the author and editor of 11 books on climate, energy, and natural resources. He is a graduate of Stanford University and has a master’s in energy and natural resources from UC Berkeley and a Ph.D. in ecology from UC Davis.

Our review:

I read this book in its entirety. The actual reading and material was only 64 pages, which I really liked. I didn’t feel overwhelmed with information, which sometimes you get with the longer books. I do have very mixed thoughts about its content though. The book gives you loads of information, which you then need to try to take in and think about. It’s written in a way that most people will be able to understand and is then backed up with documentation. There are plenty of references and organizations in the index, which were very helpful. I was able to go and check out some of the issues and do research on my own which I actually enjoy. Plus with this type of issue, I believe people need to go out and do some of their own research in order to fully understand the problem. The index was a huge help and road map in being able to do just that.

However, I found a lot of hypocrisy within its pages. I believe that we have a very real climate issue on our hands. This book, in my opinion, is part of the problem in getting people on board. For instance, in one section it states that 2,500 of the world’s leading scientist were in agreement with the climate issues. Yet, when you do a basic search of climate scientists there are well over 18,000-42,000 (give or take). So there is only a fraction of the climate scientists that actually agree on what is the cause of global warming. This is a huge problem. If the scientists can’t even agree, how do we expect the world too? I’m not even going to touch the tax section.

There is also a section that goes on about how easy it is to make unfounded charges and raise misleading questions. It continues with how the skeptical try to make their case by going to the media and the students, on TV and on the radio and even to the online communities. Both of these examples can be said for both sides of the case. Both are able to make unfounded charges and raise misleading questions. Both sides are all over the media and on the tv and everywhere you look. My problem is that this book seems to be all about finger pointing and not the real issues, not the facts. It causes more questions instead of answering them.

I understand this was a book on the campaign against climate science, but the blame game is not going to help. For the people already on board with the climate issues, I believe that this is a very good book and I believe will be well read. However, in my opinion, I don’t believe it will appeal to the conflicted, which is the very group climate science needs in order to make a difference. We have to appeal to them with facts and science, not with blame and finger pointing.

You can purchase the book on Amazon.com (both e-book and hardcover formats are available).

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris
Plant a tree for every book you read!

A new book, Guerrilla Yardwork by Peter Korchnak is going green with Eco-Libris!

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 09:57:00 +0000

We're happy to announce on a new collaboration with author Peter Korchnak who has just released a great book to welcome spring with: Guerrilla Yardwork: The First-Time Home Owner's Handbook. In collaboration with-Eco Libris one tree will be planted for every paper copy of this book sold.

In 2010 we collaborated with Peter on 'The Portland Bottom Line', a book he edited exploring how small businesses can effectively and efficiently shift toward sustainability and thrive. So we're very glad to partner with him again on another great book that we're positive many people will find both valuable and enjoyable.

So what's Guerilla Yardwork about? Here are all the details including our review of the book!

About the book:
Guerrilla Yardwork: The First-Time Home Owner’s Handbook rethinks yardwork as you know it. Part manifesto, part field manual, it draws upon the tenets of guerrilla warfare outlined by Sun Tzu, Che Guevara, and others, to introduce guerrilla yardwork as both a yardvolutionary philosophy and an effective practice for every first-time home owner strapped for cash and pressed for time.

“Guerrilla yardwork utilizes the element of surprise to launch small, repetitive attacks at unpredictable times and locations around the yard to weaken Bad Nature and promote Good Nature in Her stead. Offensive, highly mobile, and fluid in character, guerrilla yardwork is marked by swift action of short duration, followed by rapid withdrawal.” The yard won’t know what hit it. Start your yardvolution at GuerrillaYardwork.com.

About the author:
Peter Korchnak is a retired yardwork guerrilla in Portland, Oregon, American Robotnik, and the creator of The Portland Bottom Line: Practices for Your Small Business from America’s Hotbed of Sustainability. Find his front yard at PeterKorchnak.com.

Our review of Guerrilla Yardwork:
I am happy to say, I loved this book. The author, Peter Korchnak, does such a fantastic job of giving you information with a humorous voice and approach that not only educates you along the way, but entertains as well. This book is perfect for any homeowner whether you are just starting out or have been fighting the good battle for years.

The book also doesn’t just go with the normal upkeep of a city lawn. Oh no, he gives you the whole lot of possible yards from the postage stamp size, up to acreages of land. It goes though grass, and gravel, plants and trees and weeds, all the way to rodents and other animals. Add in the personal sustainability information and you have a full book to enjoy. I am so glad to have been able to read this book as I have a feeling I will be holding on to it for years to come as a reference guide. My only complaint is that it does not have an index. That would have been very helpful for future use.

In the end, I enjoyed this read, especially now that spring is officially upon us and I see all the work, the battles, ahead of me, again.

You can purchase Guerilla Yardwork on Amazon.com (both e-book and paperback formats are available).

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris
Plant a tree for every book you read!

The paperless future, or where's the paper when you really need it?

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:34:00 +0000

This is a very funny TV spot from France taking up the debate between 'all digital' and the die-hard defenders of paper. I received it from of my students and wanted to share with you all:

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

A.O. Scott and David Carr talk on the Sweet Spot on books vs. ebooks

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:25:00 +0000

I'm a fan of the New York Times' Sweet Spot conversations/ video clips, and I'd like to recommend on last week's episode including a great conversation between A.O. Scott and David Carr about the differences between paper books and ebooks. In addition you can learn what the good people working in the New York Times are reading these days!

You can check it out at http://nyti.ms/15Rmcyh

For more comparisons (this time green ones..) between ebooks and paper books visit our website at http://www.ecolibris.net/ebooks.asp

Enjoy!
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Green book review: Creating Green Roadways by James L. Sipes and Matthew L. Sipes

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 13:27:00 +0000

Can roads become the friend of the sustainable movement rather than its foe? This question is examined in a new book looking at the intersection between transportation planning and sustainability.

Our green book for today is Creating Green Roadways: Integrating Cultural, Natural, and Visual Resources into Transportation by James L. Sipes and Matthew L. Sipes (Island Press).

What this book is about?
Roads and parking lots in the United States cover more ground than the entire state of Georgia. And while proponents of sustainable transit often focus on getting people off the roads, they will remain at the heart of our transportation systems for the foreseeable future. In Creating Green Roadways, James and Matthew Sipes demonstrate that roads don’t have to be the enemy of sustainability: they can be designed to minimally impact the environment while improving quality of life.

The authors examine traditional, utilitarian methods of transportation planning that have resulted in a host of negative impacts: from urban sprawl and congestion to loss of community identity and excess air and water pollution. They offer a better approach—one that blends form and function. Creating Green Roadways covers topics including transportation policy, the basics of green road design, including an examination of complete streets, public involvement, road ecology, and the economics of sustainable roads. Case studies from metropolitan, suburban, and rural transportation projects around the country, along with numerous photographs, illustrate what makes a project successful.

The need for this information has never been greater, as more than thirty percent of America’s major roads are in poor or mediocre condition, more than a quarter of the nation’s bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, and congestion in communities of all sizes has never been worse. Creating Green Roadways offers a practical strategy for rethinking how we design, plan, and maintain our transportation infrastructure.

Our review:
I’m not going to say the book, Creating Green Roadways, was an exciting read, as it wasn’t. However, I did find it extremely informative, as well as quite innovative at times with its green road concepts and designs. We all know that roads are a part of our world and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. We also have all been on those roads that are in such disrepair as to be dangerous and then wondering why no one has dealt with the problem. After reading this book, I now have a better understanding of our roads, the offices that deal with their structures and repair, and just how monumental a task it is to keep our roads serviceable, as well as try to keep the environmental impact at a minimum. I had no idea how much went into our road systems.

The comprehensive information about how we can improve the designs of the roads in order to reduce the environmental impact was extensive and well thought out. This book is extremely thorough in the topics it covers. These topics include, but are not limited to: transportation policy, green road design, road ecology, and case studies of projects from all over the country. As a bonus, the book is filled with photos and illustrations, so that you have a clear idea of what they are talking about. I would love to see some of these ideas put into place. A definite must read for anyone in this industry.

You can purchase the book on Amazon.com (both e-book and hardcover formats are available).

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris
Plant a tree for every book you read!

Five tips for a greener bookstore

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:25:00 +0000

This guest post was written by Sarah Murray

More and more businesses are incorporating greener practices into to their offices and workspaces. From recycling and buying eco-friendly products to reducing light pollution and offsetting carbon emissions, big and small businesses are doing their part to help the environment. In 2011, a study by MIT suggested that sustainable practices are now a part of 70% of corporate agendas*. Not only do these practices have a positive impact on the environment but many businesses have also seen an increase in profits as customers are more likely to purchase from or work with a company that implements green practices.

Bookstores are by no means exempt from such eco practices and many have implemented greener initiatives. If you’d like to make your bookstore eco-friendly or are simply looking for more ways to increase or build on your greener initiatives, here’s some simple tips to help you on your way!

Recycle posters

Working at a bookstore, I remember so many promotional posters being thrown out. However, I also remember many customers asking if they could have particular posters when we were finished with them. Reduce paper wastage by selling old posters, you’ll be surprised at how many people would love to hang up a poster about the latest Jack Reacher novel or Sandman graphic novel. Alternatively, if you can’t sell posters, ensure you make a concerted effort to recycle the posters but using them in some form in the store or starting a paper recycling bin (if one doesn’t exist).

Use low wattage bulbs

Most business and homes now use energy saving bulbs. This is particularly prevalent in the UK with inefficient bulbs being phased out in favour of energy saving ones. If you’re still using high wattage bulbs, consider swapping for more energy efficient ones. Not only will they save you money in the long run but they’re also better for books as bright lights can often fade and yellow pages.

Stock environmentally friendly products

Support your bookstore’s eco-friendly practices by stocking products from businesses who also implement greener strategies. Whether its products which have been created ethically, such as pencils made with recycled materials, or books whose publishers aim to reduce their energy usage, such as Penguin, supporting these businesses will increase your green status, furthering your eco-friendliness!

Print on demand

This service is popular among universities (often the leaders in eco-friendly bookstores) who offer the service for certain text books or courses papers which don’t need to be stocked in bulk. While this may not apply for commercial bookstores it’s still an interesting practice to instill, even just among printer friendly staff! Instead of taking this literally, implement this as a motto for your business. If you distribute a newsletter or send reminders for customers to collect an ordered book do it via email so you’re not wasting paper.

Implement reusable carrier bags

Like many supermarkets, bookstores should also encourage their customers to use re-usable bags. If you still stock plastic bags in store, consider charging a small fee for them to encourage customers to bring their own. Alternatively, offer an incentive to those who do bring their own bags, you could give a stamp for every time they bring their own bag and when they collect a certain number they can have a small gift or a percentage off their next purchase.
Let us know, have you got any other ideas for making your bookstore eco-friendly?

*Statistic from Earth Share.org
Image credit: Spot Cool Stuff.com

Author bio:

Bookworm Sarah Murray works for Appliances Online . When she’s not reading the latest crime thriller she enjoys nothing more than browsing through the shelves of a well-stocked bookstore. Follow her life on Twitter.

Green book review: Gro Book - The adventures of Sophie the sweater

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:35:00 +0000

Today we'd like to introduce you with a children's book that is basically an innovative "choose-your-own-adventure" book app for kids that can be read in 24 different ways. The underlying theme in the story is no other than Reuse.

Our book for today is Gro Book - The Adventures of Sophie the Sweater.

What this book is about?
Gro Book - “The adventures of Sophie the sweater puts the child in charge of this captivating and moving story. The book can be read, or listened to, in 24 different ways, and has an underlying eco-educational theme. Get to know Sophie - a sweater that is longing for someone to need and love her. Along the way, the reader decides the direction of story, which affects Sophie’s shape, use, and mood!

Sophie the sweater is feeling abandoned on her hanger in a clothing store. Nobody seems to want to take her home. One day a certain someone comes in to the store and the great adventure begins. Sophie goes on lots of adventures - even scary ones - where she is created into new things such as a vest, a pair of pants, and even a bird’s nest, just to mention a few. The underlying theme of the book is ”consumption and reuse”. By reading the story of Sophie the sweater we hope to inspire you and your child to take extra good care of the many things that are already around you. Get inspired and use the creative tips on how you can be creative and reuse stuff at home.

“Gro really seizes the opportunity to early give children a foundation for learning about sustainability.", says Ingrid Pramling Samuelsson, World president of OMEP and UNESCO Chair man in Early Childhood Education and Sustainable Development.

Features:
- 24 engaging storylines
- Over 100 handmade illustrations
- Delightfully narrated
- Environmental theme: reuse
- Kid-friendly interface
- No third-party advertising
- No in-app purchases

Our review:
The Gro Book – An APP Since I had the opportunity to review this app I decided to check out both the FREE App and the FULL App. This is a “Choose Your Own Course” type of book, meaning that as you make your way through the story, you get to decide where you want it to go by choosing from several options at certain points in the book. In this story, you get to follow along with a sweater as she makes her way through her life. The good choices and the not so good ones depending on which way you go. I have to say it was a very cute idea. The narrator had a nice friendly voice that worked well in engaging the “reader” or the “listener”. The choices were silly and fun. The book was not in any way standard in your choices either, which is what made it so entertaining. One thing that I think they could have done better is that some of the pages seemed a bit too long. There were times that my brain began to wander while the narrator seemed to go on and on. All in all I thoroughly enjoyed it.

As to the difference between the free app and the full version? The free app had fewer options to choose from and did not complete the story. The full version had a complete story with several more options available. My suggestion would be to try out the free version and if you like what you see and if you think your child would enjoy it, then you have to get the full version. It was truly worth it.

"Gro Book - The Adventures of Sophie the Sweater" on AppStore: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gro-book/id594674205?mt=8

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris
Plant a tree for every book you read!

Green book review: Friends of the Earth by Pat McCarthy

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 09:54:00 +0000

Today we'd like to introduce you with a great book that takes on itself an important mission: Introducing American kids to the history of American environmentalism. And what a great job it does!

Our book for today is Friends of the Earth: A History of American Environmentalism with 21 Activities by Pat McCarthy.

What this book is about?
Friends of the Earth explores the history of American environmentalism with engaging profiles of men and women who contributed to preserving, conserving and educating others about our natural world. Introducing kids to the importance of a healthy environment, Friends of the Earth features inspiring stories of influential naturalists, artists and authors.

In addition to Audubon, Thoreau, Muir and Carson, young readers also learn about Gifford Pinchot, the first professionally trained forester in the United States; Aldo Leopold, whose nature writing and “land ethic” paved the way for the modern conservation movement; and Mardy Murie, “Grandmother of the Conservation Movement,” who helped establish Grand Teton National Park. Activities—making a compost pile, learning how the greenhouse effect works, making a bird feeder, planting a tree—help young environmentalists act on their concerns and demonstrate the impact humans have on the environment.

Our review:
Friends of the Earth, by Pat McCarthy, is quite the history of the environmental movement. The book covers not just the political side of the movement, although there does appear to be a bit of an agenda, but it also brings forward the real people themselves that were part of it. There are men, women, politicians, artists, writers, poets, and so many more, that bring the book to life. This book takes you into the full lives of so many people that you may have known were part of the drive, but not how much of their lives they spent as part of the struggle. A few names you will find in this book: John James Audubon, Marjory Stoneman Douglas; Rachel Carson, Henry David Thoreau, and even President Roosevelt. The book gives you a nice timeline from the beginning of the movement up to today.

I enjoyed this book. It’s not a long read. There were times that I found it to be a bit dry and fact oriented, but it has loads of great photographs, which really helps to bring the people to life. It also has 21 different activities that you can do if you are so inclined. These activities include how to make a pinecone bird feed, and creating your own compost heap. Out of all the activities most are ones you can do in an afternoon for fun. Some are more in-depth and time consuming but they are all useful and family friendly. This is a good book to get the kids involved as well as a way to get a bit of history.

You can purchase the book on Amazon.com (both e-book and paperback formats are available).

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris
Plant a tree for every book you read!

Green book review - The Gringo: A Memoir by J. Grigsby Crawford

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 15:04:00 +0000

Today we'd like to introduce you with a great book that has been called a "must read" by comedian Chevy Chase, had excerpts featured in the Huffington Post, and earned the writer an appearance on CBS News with special correspondent Jeff Glor.

Our book for today is The Gringo: A Memoir by J. Grigsby Crawford.

What this book is about?
Within weeks of arriving as a volunteer in a remote corner of South America, Crawford got a lot more than he bargained for: a narrow escape from a kidnapping plot hatched by the people he was sent there to help. Then things only got stranger.

In his quest to find adventure, Crawford undertook a savage journey of danger, drugs, sex, and alarming illness. What resulted is The Gringo: one part literary tale of two lonely years in the Amazon jungle and one part gonzo-journalism account of life in the Peace Corps, an agency wandering aimlessly through the twenty-first century. Filled with sharp humor and eye-opening observations about the human condition, this is an unforgettable story that grabs the reader and doesn't let go.

Our review:
I had to digest J. Gigsby Crawford's book titled The Gringo: A Memoir. Not because it wasn’t compelling and quite an interesting read, but for several reasons. The author’s telling is very straightforward with a sarcastic humor that I quite enjoy, and the book moves along nicely because of it, but in doing so, it seems to lacks emotion and feeling. Even though you know what the reader would feel while going through some of the events within this book, the book itself feels a bit empty. I also found it be a bit crude in places. I understand it’s a memoir and that the author is telling it how it was, but it felt a bit vulgar at times. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m female. Regardless, I was a bit taken aback now and then. And lastly, I found it a bit redundant. For example, from what I read, Mr. Crawford had abysmal training with the Peace Corps before being sent out on site. He goes on and on about it through the book. I got it, training was bad, moving on.

Now even with all that said, I found the author’s account of his two years as a Peace Corp Volunteer in Ecuador to be very interesting and very honest in its telling. He painted quite the picture of life as a white man in the underdeveloped country of Ecuador. I found this Memoir to be compelling. I read it very quickly as I didn’t want to put it down. When someone called it a brutal telling, that is quite the accurate description. I was taken with the events of this author’s life over the course of two plus years. I commend him for his dedication even if at times that dedication may have caused him more harm that good.

You can purchase the book on Amazon.com

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris
Plant a tree for every book you read!

Green book review: The Ayurvedic Vegan Kitchen by Talya Lutzker

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 13:33:00 +0000

Today we'd like to introduce you with another great green book published by Book Publishing Co. This book takes place in the kitchen and is a great way to help get you through snow storms, like the one we have right now on the East Coast! If you don't have it with you right now, get it in time for the next storm :)

Our book for today is The Ayurvedic Vegan Kitchen Finding Harmony Through Food By Talya Lutzker.

What this book is about?
The Ayurveda Vegan Kitchen offers people the opportunity to follow an Ayuvedic diet without the use animal products. Ayurveda is a holistic healing system developed in ancient India to increase an understanding of the human body, mind, and spirit. It organizes the elements of ether, air, fire, water, and earth into three body types, or doshas. Although each person is unique, one of these doshas will predominate their constitution and will need to be balanced on a regular basis.

Dairy products are important foods in traditional Ayurveda; however, for every milk-based food that Ayurvedic healers revere, there is an equally effective whole-food, vegan alternative. Following the same nutritional principles as traditional Ayurveda, Talya created over 120 delicious recipes that provide healing flavors and harmony to the mind and spirit. Easy-to-follow symbols on each recipe page show how the unique chemistry of that recipe can be used to balance the body'’s constitution.

Since a healthy digestive system is at the core of ayurvedic medicine, these recipes will keep you on track and in good health.

Our review:
The Ayurvedic Vegan Kitchen was a very new idea for me as a reader. Although I am not much of a meat person, I am a milk, cheese, and honey person. With that in mind, I still found the book to be packed full of information. It also has an outline that is very descriptive, helpful, as well as surprisingly insightful. The Ayurvedic system is about bringing balance to yourself, both your mind and your body through your diet. It explains the “Dosha” and then provides recipes to fit your personal needs. The author did a good job of keeping the informative side of the book fun and interesting and not overwhelming and boring. I give high praise in that regard as that is not an easy feat.

As to the recipes, I obviously didn’t get to go through the entire book and try them all out. Instead I picked three that looked like they would work for me. The recipes themselves were very easy to follow, making the meal easy to prepare if you have the right ingredients. However, that could be a real issue for some people depending on your city and where you live. Thankfully I happen to have an organic market literally right next door. Again however, even with a full grocery full of organic and whole foods, I still had trouble finding some of the items I needed.

The recipes themselves, cooked up nicely, and looked great, even if I do say so myself. The taste, two of the three were actually pretty good. One though, was absolute gak. That is not to say the recipe is bad, but apparently I am not a mung bean fan. Who knew?

All in all I would recommend this book for anyone that is interested in the Ayurvedic system. It’s easy to read and follow, includes loads of great information, along with informative recipes that are easy to prepare from what I was able to try.

You can purchase the book on Amazon.com

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris
Plant a tree for every book you read!

Last day to help a bookstore - please check Lorem Ipsum fundraising campaign on Indiegogo

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 10:41:00 +0000

Few days ago I received an email presenting a crowdfunding campaign of Lorem Ipsum Books, an indie bookstore from Cambridge, MA. I've never visited the store but from what I've read and seen online it seems like a great bookstore that is trying to embrace technology as a way to succeed in business, which I believe to be key to the survival of any bookstore.

So we'd like to share with you the email we received and ask you to check the campaign on Indiegogo, where the bookstore tries to raise $29,000. Please try to do it fast though - the campaign ends today (Jan. 31) at 11:59pm EST. And here's the email about the campaign:

Lorem Ipsum Books is a gem of a bookstore, tucked away in Inman Square in Cambridge, MA. With its quirky selection of used books, and its role as a gathering place for book lovers, music-makers and cultural enthusiasts, it's been a wonderful addition to the community.

Well, this is really difficult for me to say… but yesterday we had to face the sad possibility of having to close the bookstore forever. That's why I'm reaching out to you, my friends and fellow book lovers, to see if you will help us keep the bookstore from dying.

And here's why you should REALLY care about this one: Lorem Ipsum has also been working to find ways to make bookstores EVERYWHERE survive through recent tech advancements. We firmly believe that although Kindles have a place in our lives, so do books and bookstores. We want to keep all bookstores open by embracing technology, not running away from it. See our video to see what we've been doing to help bookstores lately: http://www.indiegogo.com/lorem-ipsum-books

You can click below to watch the video we made to show you how much Lorem Ipsum means to us, what it's all about, and why you should help keep this bookstore open for the next 10 years. If you can't give, please share our message.

I bet you know LOTS of people who love bookstores, please help spread the word before it's too late. If you care but can't contribute, please share our story on Facebook and your other social networks. It doesn't take much effort, but it can mean a lot.

It's literally now or never with this bookstore!!! Thank you, thank you book lovers!

Mandalee
Wife of Matt, Owner of Lorem Ipsum Books

Here's the video Mandalee mentioned in her email:

If you want to help Lorem Ipsum Books please go by clicking on the link below:

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris
Eco-Libris: Promoting sustainable reading!

Do you love reading? Love trees? Try our monthly subscription option!

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 19:00:00 +0000

We would like to remind you the option of monthly subscription for Eco-Libris.

If you have a big library at home and you want to green it up one bookshelf at a time, balancing out 5 or 10 books every month on a regular basis, our subscription option can be a good fit for you.

The process is very easy and similar to one-time purchase: On the subscription page you choose how many books you want to balance out each month. Then just click on the 'Buy' bottom and complete the payment process on the PayPal page. That's it.

Then, every month we'll work with our planting partners to plant trees in developing countries on your behalf the number of books you chose (10 trees for 10 books each month for example). You will receive a confirmation email from PayPal following each monthly payment, and of course we'll send you our "One tree planted for this book" stickers on monthly basis.

And that's not all - If you're also a member at bookmoocher, you will receive 1 bookmooch point for every 10 books you balance out!

If and when you'll decide you want to suspend your subscription, you will be able to do it easily and quickly on PayPal website.If you have any questions about the subscription option, please feel free to email us at info [at] ecolibris [dot] net.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Green book review: Killer Fish by Brian Clement

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 12:39:00 +0000

We're back to our weekend green book reviews and our first book for 2013 with a thought provoking book on a very interesting topic from a great publisher - Book Publishing Co.

Our book for today is Killer Fish: How Eating Aquatic Life Endanger Your Health by Brian Clement, PhD, NMD, LN.

What this book is about?
People the world over are eating more fish than ever before and assuming fish to be a healthful alternative to meat as well as an excellent source for omega-3 fatty acids. Killer Fish alerts consumers to how eating aquatic life endangers their health.

An acclaimed expert in the fields of preventive medicine and natural health, Brian Clement separates myth from fact as he presents powerful evidence of deadly toxins—particularly mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pharmaceuticals—that travel up the food chain and concentrate in the tissues of both farmed and wild fish and then into the humans who eat them.

Readers are provided with an overview on how aquatic life became contaminated, how fish consumption affects human health, whether farmed fish are safer to eat than wild, the problem of overfishing and the decimation of fish species as well as the true health effects of consuming fish oil. For those who depend upon fish as a source of omega-3 fatty acids, a list of safe alternatives is provided.

The far-reaching health consequences suffered by people who eat these fish have rocked marine scientists and medical communities around the globe. Modern attempts designed to reverse this plight, such as producing genetically engineered fish, have only provided a new set of problems. With Killer Fish, the public has a chance to become educated as to the depth of this problem. Hopefully this awareness will not only safeguard their health, but be part of the solution.

Our review:
In an effort to “get healthy” people all over the world are trying to eat more fish. We are being told on tv and in magazine, and from our doctors, that this is a healthier alternative to animal meats, whether red or white, and that fish is one of the big sources for the Omega-3 fatty acids that we all need more of. This book, however, brings out new data on how we are not only endangering our health with our fish consumption, but we are also hurting the planet as well with over fishing.

The author, Brian Clement, is an expert in the fields of preventive medicine and natural health. He spends a good portion of the book discussing what are the facts and what are fictions in what the media is telling us about the consumption of fish. He provides documented reports and other evidence about the toxins found in fish. I know personally, that Women are told when pregnant about the dangers of eating certain fish due to the mercury content. However according to this book there are many other toxins that no one really mentions, that are bad for humans whether pregnant or not. These toxins include: polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), betamethylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), Dioxins, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and many, many more. The list was huge and a bit overwhelming.

I was surprised how Killer Fish really got me thinking about what I eat and what it can do to my health, if I don’t pay attention. The book tries to educate its readers on the dangers of fish consumption, in an easy to read format with plenty of tables and lists for easy reference. It also doesn’t just give you the information and send you on your way. It provides resources and alternatives and ways you can make a change for the better. I was quite impressed with the content in this book. Also, I am happy to note that there is not a lot of wasted words in the book. The author gets right down to the point from word one. All in all I found this book to be a very interesting and thought provoking read.

You can purchase the book on Amazon.com

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris Plant a tree for every book you read!

5 interesting findings from Scholastic's report on digital reading among children

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 20:47:00 +0000

The New York Times reported yesterday that "Digital reading is rising fast among children ages 6 to 17, but this is not necessarily translating into a greater desire to read, according to a report released on Monday by Scholastic Inc.". Here are the most 10 interesting things you can learn from the report:

1. "The percentage of children who have read an e-book has almost doubled since 2010, to 46 percent." This is a pretty impressive figure comparing to the general share of ebooks in the book market, giving you a pretty good indication how common the use of ebooks will be in 10-15 years (like you didn't know..).

2. "During the same period, the number of girls who reported being frequent readers declined to 36 percent from 42 percent." - does it mean that the growing use of ebooks doesn't necessarily translate into reading more books in general? The answer might be found in the next finding.

3. Children "are increasingly using tablets, like iPads, which allow for more activities than just reading. In fact, slightly more children reported having read a book on a tablet than on a plain e-reader device." - it means that they have in their hands a device with which plenty of stuff they can do with it other than reading, so it might not be that surprising that spending more time with the iPad doesn't necessarily translate to more books read.

4."About one-fourth of the boys who had read an e-book said they were reading more books for fun. Boys have traditionally lagged behind girls in reading." - what does it mean in terms of the competition between books and games? Would we see more integration between the two forms to create a more attractive format of entertainment for kids? Probably yes.

5. "Children said e-books were particularly good when they wanted to be secretive about reading. But at night in bed, most children said they still liked to read books in print." - I have a feeling you will receive the same replies from adults!

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris
Eco-Libris: Promoting sustainable reading!

[Image credit: Soppy Chen, Flickr Creative Commons]

Holiday Greetings from Eco-Libris

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 02:38:00 +0000

Wishing you and yours happy holidays

and a peaceful, prosperous and green New Year!

Your friends at Eco-Libris

picture credit: lara604, Flickr Creative Commons

and we'd also like to share with you this great Christmas video from our planting partner RIPPLE Africa:

Green book review (and a giveaway!): Paddling North by Audrey Sutherland

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 12:08:00 +0000

This week we're also happy to share with you one of Patagonia Books' brand new eBook offerings, and we're even more excited to have a giveaway of one digital copy of the book we're reviewing today! See details below.

So today we have the pleasure to review a great book from Patagonia Books: Paddling North by Audrey Sutherland.

What this book is about?
In a tale remarkable for its quiet confidence and acute natural observation, the author of Paddling Hawaii begins with her decision, at age 60, to undertake a solo, summer-long voyage along the southeast coast of Alaska in an inflatable kayak. Paddling North is a compilation of Sutherland’s first two (of over 20) such annual trips and her day-by-day travels through the Inside Passage from Ketchikan to Skagway. With illustrations and the author’s recipes.

Our review:
As someone who has spent many, many hours paddling down a river, I could certainly relate to this book. Paddling North, by Audrey Sutherland is the story of her journey at 60 years old, padding all alone, over 800 miles through the Alaskan waters, from Ketchikan to Skagway, in a blow up canoe/kayak. The trip takes two months of her life, but it was the adventure she had been waiting for and planning for, and dreaming of. Every day brought new adventure or trials. Launching at high tides, the rain, the wind, the cold water waves, the utter exhaustion, this is a book not just about the mechanics of a trip, it is about surviving on your own muscle, with a small bit of flair tossed in. Her motto being: Go Simple, go solo, and go now.

I don’t know about the solo, but I agree with all the rest. She is a refreshingly honest woman, that sees herself and her life with a critical eye, and one I wish I possessed for myself. Then there is the food. When you think of camping trip fare, I think of flame charred hotdogs and warmed in the can within the hot coals of the fire, baked beans. I certainly never thought about fine dining with fresh steak, mushrooms, garlic and curry, and then a class of chilled wine.

A wonderful perk of this book is that she not only shares what she is cooking, she actually then provides you with the recipe. That is awesome. Easy, anyone can accomplish recipes, too. One of the most inspiring things of this book is the author’s courage and her spirit on her journey. I am truly impressed. If I had to find one thing about the book that I didn’t particularly like, I would have to say that at a whopping 457 pages, it was a bit on the long side. Admittedly, my brain began to wander during the last ¼ of the book, as I grew more and more restless. Regardless of the length, I found it a very good book. Well worth my time.

You can purchase here (both in paper and electronic formats).

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!

We're giving away one digital copy of this book, courtesy of the publisher, Patagonia Books!

How you can win? Very simple. All you have to do is to add a comment to this post with a reply to the following question: What is your favorite river? (and why..). We will have a raffle on Saturday, Dec 29, 5:00PM EST between all the readers that will reply by then. The winner will be announced the following day.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Digital Publishing: The Grinch Who Stole Christmas?

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 12:13:00 +0000

This is a guest post by Tony Viardo, the CEO of the publisher, Astor + Blue Editions. [Astor +Blue Editions has put its entire first season’s list of e-book titles on a holiday promotional sale for $0.99 or $1.99 until Jan. 7, 2013]

So how many articles have we read about E-books and Digital Publishing this year? For anyone who generally follows the book world (rabid booklover, book-blogger, industry pro or casual reader), we’re literally inundated with the amazing numbers—“E-book sales up 125% (again) over the 175% they were up from last year’s 225% increase!”—and equally amazing technological announcements—“Next Fall, the new ZimWittyZoomDitty tablet not only updates your Facebook and Goodreads friends whenever you snort in disgust … it cooks dinner for you at the same time!”

This leads many to take at least casual stock of what’s going on/going to happen to the “Publishing World” as we know it. And if your friends are like my friends (hardcore print book consumers), that stock is usually pretty morbid (sharp Greenwich Village angst not included): “Print books are doomed, so are brick-and-mortar stores. Goodbye literary quality. Oh and some pajama-wearing techie living in a basement with a laptop is going to be the new Sulzburger; we’ll all have to bow down!”

If you (or that good friend of yours) fall into the mortified category, my take (for what it’s worth) may come as positive news: E-books are not, and will not be, the Grinch Who Stole Christmas; in this case, the “Print World’s” bacon. Now, as the owner of a “Digital First” publishing house (Astor + Blue Editions, www.astorandblue.com) my opinions may easily be written off as self-serving and invalid. But bear with me for a minute… these are fact-based observations and I might just make sense (Someone tell my mom and dad).

As someone who earns a living from publishing, I have to follow numbers and industry trends as closely as possible. And while some see doom and gloom for Print, I see exciting developments for both Print and E-book formats. What do the numbers show? Digital book revenue is skyrocketing, print revenue is declining. Natural conclusion? E-books are killing print books. But not so fast. Historically, Print revenue has always seemed to be declining (even before E-books were invented), but that doesn’t mean the book market is dying or shrinking.

We have to remember that in fact the book market is growing. Readership always grows because population always grows. Every year, new readers enter the vast pool of the club that is “adult readership,” (despite Dancing with the Stars). And every year more readers are being born and theoretically being inspired by Ms. Crabtree’s elementary reading class. **So why the decline? Readership grows gradually, but the sheer number of books and book vendors grow exponentially, showing an investment loss almost every year. (Basic statistics: the widening universe makes it look like a shrinking pie when it isn’t).

So what does this mean? If you look at the numbers (historically), revenue for print books may have declined, yes, but not more than “normal,” and not significantly more than it did when there were no E-books around. (This is arguable of course, but the long term numbers do not show a precipitous drop-off). The yearly revenue decline, if there is one, can just as easily be written off to economic conditions as to E-book competition. Bottom line: Any drop in print revenue that may be caused by E-books are not significantly sharp enough to declare that E-books are destroying print book sales. (Hence no Grinch).

What may be happening, and what I believe is happening is that a whole new market for E-books is developing, while the print book market growth, like Publishing as a whole, is still growing at a historically gradual pace. (Boringly flat). Come up with your pet anecdote here, but I believe that more new readers are entering the market (who otherwise wouldn’t have) because of E-readers; existing readers are consuming more books (both print and e-book) than they did before; and while it would seem that a certain print title is losing a sale whenever readers buy it in E-book format, this is offset, at least somewhat, by the fact that more print titles are being bought (that otherwise wouldn’t) because of the extra marketing buzz and added awareness produced by the E-book’s cyber presence. All of it evens out in the end, and I believe, ultimately fosters growth industry-wide.

So take heart Print fans, E-books are not the dark villain you think they are. And here, I should correct my earlier analogy—that E-books are not the Grinch Who Stole Christmas. They may actually be the Grinch…in as much as, at the end of the story, the pear-shaped green guy ended up not only giving all the presents back to the singing Who-villers, he created a flash mob and started a big party as well.

CR Press launch tree planting collaboration with Eco-Libris with 2 new books of Anis Shivani and Bob Dixon

noreply@blogger.com (Raz Godelnik) — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 12:00:00 +0000

We are happy to announce on a collaboration with a great publisher who make great books - C&R Press. Committed to supporting new and emerging writers whose work might otherwise be ignored by traditional commercial publishers, C&R Press publish imaginative, diverse books of literary excellence, mentor writers and publishing professionals, and engage new audiences in the essential tradition of literature.

Through this collaboration, authors that publish with C&R Press will be able to plant 100 trees for the title they publish. These authors will also have the option to add a special "100 trees planted for this book" logo to their book's design, as a way to showcase their commitment to environmental sustainability.

Here are the two first books that take part in the new program. 100 trees will be planted for each one of them!

The Fifth Lash & Other Stories by Anis Shivani
The old securities everywhere are gone; identities are switched and tried on and abandoned faster than ever; the media landscape saturates individual consciousness, and makes lies out of centuries of tradition and heroes of plastic idols. The Fifth Lash and Other Stories daringly enters this phantasmagoric cauldron, where appearance and reality have seamlessly blended, to complicate the picture even further, to turn all we think we know about Islam and Pakistan on its head. The “truth” will never set you free, is the ironic signature of the original voice defining this collection.

Some of the stories in this new collection have appeared in turnrow, Nimrod, Phoebe, Other Voices, Asia Literary Review, Confrontation, Crazyhorse, and other literary journals.

About the author:
A member of the National Book Critics Circle, and the winner of a 2012 Pushcart Prize, Anis Shivani publishes criticism in many newspapers and magazines. He is the author of three books, including Anatolia and Other Stories, which was longlisted for the 2010 Frank O’Connor Short Story Award. Shivani lives in Houston, and studied at Harvard College. www.anishivani.com

You can buy the book on Amazon or directly from C&R Press.

Look Forward: A Father and Son’s Journey to Healing by Robert & Bobby Dixon
No "Parent Instruction Manual" prepares you for this--the news that your son is dying halfway across the world. But that's the news Robert Dixon received while working in Shanghai, China. This is his story, told as only a father could tell it.

Look Forward is the harrowing account of how 34-year-old Bobby Dixon survived a motorcycle accident that left his body hopelessly shattered. None of the first responders thought he'd survive the ambulance ride. None of the ER doctors thought he'd survive the night. No one ever thought he'd wake from the coma. But with the skill of the first responders from Worcester Fire Station 11 and the amazing commitment of the UMass Medical Center, Bobby lived, despite the odds. His hope? To one day walk again.

Look Forward is the true story of how Robert Dixon and his son overcame unfathomable adversity together. It's a chronicle of courage, commitment, self-exploration, and faith. What they learn along the journey is how a fragile relationship between father and son can become the most unbreakable of bonds.

About the author:
Bob Dixon entered that United States Air Force in 1970 at age 18. When he left it in 1978, he spent the next 14 years in night school to earn his Associate's and Bachelor's degrees. Along the way, he worked for Honeywell and other major corporations as an employee or consultant in supplier management, global sourcing, and quality. In December 2010, Bob founded The Military Civilian Career Coaching Connection (MC4), a LinkedIn group that partners pro-bono coaches and mentors with U.S. military veterans to help them successfully transition into civilian careers.

He's been featured on numerous national media outlets and has been a guest speaker at such venues as Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Georgia Tech University, Rutgers University, Drew University, and some of the largest corporations in Israel, Japan, the U.S., and China. Currently, Bob lives with wife in New Hampshire. On weekends, you're likely to find him on a John Deere tractor--or golfing. www.bobdixonbooks.com

You can buy the book directly from C&R Press.

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris
Eco-Libris: Promoting sustainable reading!