Readings.com.au: Green Issues

Just Enough: Lessons in Living Green from Traditional Japan

This book, more than anything else, is about a mentality that pervaded Japanese society then and which can serve as a beacon for our own efforts to achieve sustainability now.

This is a book of stories, depictions of vanished ways of life told from the point of view of a contemporary observer, depictions which are based on extensive research and presented as narrative. The stories tell how people lived in Japan some two hundred years ago, during the late Edo Period, a period when traditional technology and culture were at the peak of development and realisation, just before the country opened itself to the West and joined the ranks of the industrialised nations. They tell of a people who overcame many of the identical problems that confront us today - issues of energy, water, materials, food, and population - and who forged from these formidable challenges a society that was conservation-minded, waste-free, well-housed and well-fed, and economically robust, and which has bequeathed to us admirable and enduring standards of design and beauty.

Readers will gain insight into what it is like to live in a sustainable society, not so much in terms of specific technical approaches, but in how larger concerns can guide daily decisions and how social and environmental contexts should shape our courses of action. These stories are intended to illustrate the environmentally related problems that the people in both rural and urban areas faced, the conceptual frameworks in which they viewed these problems, and how they went about finding solutions.

This book offers a remarkable look at how traditional Japanese were able to find meaning and satisfaction in a life in which the individual took 'just enough' from the world and not more. Detailed drawings of life and technology in the Edo Period accompany the text.

Forecast - The Consequences of Climate Change, from the Amazon to the Arctic

'An intelligent, nuanced report on the complex relationships between increasingly unstable weather patterns and politics, ecology and lifestyles.' (Publisher's Weekly)

'Bad news is good news if it gets us to act. Forecast should — it shows that this is not a crisis for our children, but the central question of our time.' Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature and The Bill McKibben Reader

'Stephan Faris has traveled everywhere, holding his journalist’s looking glass up for everyone to see the same carbon-crazed climate monster looming in every reflection. Reader, that mirror is now in your hands: Your world, too, is peering from these pages. Better pay attention.' Alan Weisman, author of The World Without Us

A vivid and illuminating portrayal of the surprising ways that climate change will affect the world in the near future — politically, economically, and culturally.

While reporting from just outside of Darfur, Stephan Faris discovered that climate change was at the root of that conflict, and began to wonder what current and impending — and largely unanticipated — crises such changes have in store for the world.

Forecast provides the answers.

Global warming will spur the spread of many diseases. Italy has already experienced its first climate-change epidemic of a tropical disease, and malaria is gaining ground in Africa. The warming world will shift huge populations and potentially redraw political alliances around the globe, driving environmentalists into the hands of anti-immigrant groups. America’s coasts are already more difficult places to live as increasing insurance rates make such areas prohibitively expensive. Crops will fail in previously lush places and thrive in some formerly barren zones, altering huge industries and remaking traditions. Water scarcity in India and Pakistan have the potential to inflame the conflict in Kashmir to unprecedented levels and draw the United States into the troubles there, and elsewhere.

Told through the narratives of current, past, and future events, the result of astonishingly wide travel and reporting, Forecast is a powerful, gracefully written, eye-opening account of this most urgent issue and how it has altered and will alter our world.

'Stephan Faris has written a superb, first-hand account of the imminent results of climate change. His exceptional writing provides a vivid sense of the impact of global warming happening now. Forecast is a must read for all those who want to understand the seriousness of this growing problem threatening our planet.' General Anthony C. Zinni USMC (Retired), author of The Battle for Peace

'Forecast takes us beyond the computer-generated doomsday maps and Mad Max-like theories, giving us instead real stories of the devastating effects climate change has already had on our most precious resource — ourselves. Through compelling and vigorously-researched storytelling, Stephan Faris shines a light in uncomfortable places, tracing calamities as varied as the Darfur conflict and grapes withering on their Napa Valley vines back to global warming. Forecast makes it clear that this crisis has been upon us for way longer than we realize, and the stakes are raised with every carbon-laced breath we take.' Kelly McMasters, author of Welcome to Shirley: A Memoir from an Atomic Town

'The possible effects of global warming can seem vague and far away: will ocean levels rise six inches or six feet, and in twenty years or two-hundred? But as Stephan Faris's Forecast so powerfully illustrates, global warming is already playing a crucial role in a number of issues besetting the planet, in everything from the explosion of illegal immigration into Europe, to the brutal conflict between nomadic and agrarian tribes in Darfur. With a very deft hand, and even a touch of ironic wit, Faris shows that global warming comes at real cost to real people — and the future is already upon us.' Scott Anderson, author of The Man Who Tried to Save the World

Pumped: Great Ways to Save on Fuel

Have you found yourself at a party recently, starting up a conversation about the price of petrol? Let’s face it, we’re fast becoming obsessed with the subject and it’s not going away. This timely book is full of clever strategies, tips and advice to help you save cash and maybe even save the planet while you’re at it. Topics include the best ways to shop around for the lowest price, improving the fuel efficiency of your car, how to make your own fuel, hybrid, zero emission and electric cars and becoming a hypermiler!

Climate Code Red: The Case for Emergency Action

In this meticulously documented call-to-action, David Spratt and Philip Sutton reveal extensive scientific evidence that the global warming crisis is far worse than official reports and national governments have indicated — and that we’re almost at the point of no return.

Serious climate-change impacts are already happening, more rapidly and at lower global temperature-increases than projected. As the USA’s most eminent climate scientist, James Hansen, told 15,000 of his colleagues at a conference in December 2007, significant ‘climate tipping’ points have already been passed. These include large ice-sheet disintegration, significant sea-level rises of up to five metres this century, and devastating species loss. The Arctic will soon be free of summer sea-ice — a century ahead of projections by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections — and the Greenland ice sheet is in imminent danger.

The tipping point for the loss of the Arctic sea-ice was around two decades ago, when temperatures were about 0.3°C lower than at present. Climate Code Red shows that further temperature increases of 2 degrees are effectively already in the system, and even a temperature cap of 2–2.4°C, which is proposed within the United Nations framework — and is far below what most governments are prepared to aim for — would take the planet’s climate beyond the temperature range of the last million years.

David Spratt and and Philip Sutton show that the unofficial, real projected speed of climate change— with temperature increases greater than 0.3°C per decade, and the consequent rapid shifting of climatic zones — will, if maintained, likely result in most ecosystems failing to adapt, causing the extinction of many species. The oceans will become more acidic, endangering much marine life.

This means that the dangers we all face are already much greater than the headlines indicate. According to climate scientists such as James Hansen, it is no longer a case of how much more we can ‘safely’ emit, but whether we can quickly enough stop emissions and produce a deliberate cooling before the earth’s climate system reaches a runaway trajectory that is beyond any hope of human restoration.

These imperatives are incompatible with ‘politics as usual’ and ‘business as usual’. Climate Code Red argues that there is an urgent need for all of us to recognise that we face a sustainability emergency — which requires a clear break from the politics of failure-inducing compromise. Even scientifically moderate goals (such as reducing emissions by 25–40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020) now require immoderate rates of technical and social change that are only achievable by shifting formally to an emergency footing.

Spratt and Sutton believe that we now need to think the unthinkable, because the case for emergency action is not so much a radical idea as an indispensable course we must embark upon if we are to return to a safe-climate planet.

Cradle to Cradle Rethinking the Way We Make Things

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

Bottlemania: How Water Went On Sale and Why We Bought It

How did we get tricked into paying top dollar for something we could get for free from the tap? How did water – the basis for all life – become a heavily marketed product? And what is the environmental cost we’re paying for mining water from communities; creating tonnes of unnecessary waste (plastic bottles) and using up oil – a fading commodity – to make and transport bottles to the consumer, in countries where local water supplies are among the best in the world? If you’ve ever wondered about any of these questions, you must read this thought-provoking, informative book.

Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalists Guide to Global Warming

A startling book that reshapes the debate about global warming and offers a moderate approach to meeting its challenges. Bjorn Lomborg argues that many of the elaborate and expensive actions now being considered--the Kyoto Protocol, for example--have a staggering potential cost of hundreds of billions of dollars, but, ultimately, will have little impact on the world's temperature. He suggests that rather than institutionalizing these programs to "cool" the earth's temperature 100 years from now, we should focus our resources on some of the world's most pressing immediate concerns, such as: fighting malaria and HIV/AIDS, and maintaining a safe, fresh water supply. And he considers why and how this debate has developed an atmosphere in which dissenters are immediately demonized.

Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis And The Coming Battle For The Right To Water

"Life requires access to clean water; to deny the right to water is to deny the right to life."- from the introduction to Blue Covenant.

Scientists call them "hot stains" - the parts of the earth running out of clean, drinkable water. They now include northern China, large areas of Asia and Africa, the Middle East, Australia, the Midwestern United States, and sections of South America and Mexico. How did the world's most vital natural resource become so imperilled? And what must we do to pull back from the brink?

In the tradition of such classics as Rachel Carson's Silent Spring and Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth, Blue Covenant addresses an environmental crisis that - together with global warming - poses one of the gravest threats to our survival. World renowned activist and author Maude Barlow has been at the forefront of international water politics, and in this timely and important book she discusses the state of the world's water, how water companies are reaping vast profits from declining supplies, and how ordinary people from around the world have banded together to reclaim the public's right to clean water.

Essential reading for all who care about the planet, Blue Covenant is the most up-to-date look at the global water crisis and its impact on humans and the natural world.

Our Changing Planet: The View from Space

Since their first launch in the 1960s, satellites have been used to observe the Earth at local, regional, and global scales, giving us unique insights into the often detrimental effects that human activity is having on our planet. Showcasing spectacular images of planet Earth from space, this is a captivating volume seamlessly combining science and beautiful imagery. As well as an informative book for the lay reader interested in environmental issues and the magnificence of the Earth, this book provides inspirational material for students and scientists.

Reading the Land

'Once when I was doing fieldwork on French Island, the ranger pointed out to me that around 1995 he noticed a striking change taking place in some of the island forests and woodlands. The dense heathy understorey had begun to die away and ‘fall over’, leaving a more open understorey dominated by grasses or bracken. However, in other woodlands this was not happening. This led me to realise that French Island was experiencing a remarkable ecological development that needed to be investigated.'

From Buddha to Bono

This is a very special book. Until now, no one has put together the full environmental and ethical story facing Planet Earth, as Tor Hundloe has done. In 'From Buddha to Bono' he has put squarely on the agenda the key matters which almost all - including Al Gore - are still dodging for fear of the heavy hand of the church and of conservative economists. And that is nothing less than the need to eventually reduce our global population; the need to recognise that our market economy does not have to grow forever to retain its vitality; and above all the need to get serious about linking the global economy to the global environment.

An Inconvenient Truth: Planetary Emergence of Global Warming

The truth about the climate crisis is an inconvenient one that means we are going to have to change the way we live our lives. Our climate crisis may at times appear to be happening slowly, but in fact it has become a true planetary emergency and we must recognise that we are facing a crisis. So why is it that some leaders seem not to hear the clarion warnings? Are they resisting the truth because they know that the moment they acknowledge it, they will face a moral imperative to act? Is it simply more convenient to ignore the warnings? Perhaps, but inconvenient truths do not go away just because they are not seen, rather, their significance grows. Al Gore, former Vice President of the United States, has been a passionate advocate of action to halt climate change for many years. In An Inconvenient Truth Gore writes about the urgent need to solve the problems of climate change, presenting comprehensive facts and information on all aspects of global warming in a direct, thoughtful and compelling way, using explanatory diagrams and dramatic photos to clarify and highlight key issues. The book has been described in the New York Times as one which could 'push awareness of global warming to a real tipping point'. The documentary film of the same name, based on the book, premiered at this year's Sundance Festival to great acclaim.

World Without Us

What if mankind disappeared right now, forever … what would happen to the Earth in a week, a year, a millennium? Could the planet’s climate ever recover from human activity? How would nature destroy our huge cities and our myriad plastics? And what would our final legacy be?

Speaking to experts in fields as diverse as oil production and ecology, and visiting the places that have escaped recent human activity to discover how they have adapted to life without us, Alan Weisman paints an intriguing picture of the future of Earth. Exploring key concerns of our time, this absorbing thought experiment reveals a powerful – and surprising – picture of our planet's future.

Boiling Point

If left unchecked, climate change will ultimately swamp every other issue facing us today. Indeed, what began as an initial response of many institutions--denial and delay--has now grown into a crime against humanity. In Boiling Point, Ross Gelbspan reveals exactly how the fossil fuel industry is directing the Bush administration's energy and climate policies. Even more surprisingly, Gelbspan points a finger at both the media and environmental activists for unwittingly worsening the crisis. Finally, he offers a concrete plan for averting a full-blown climate catastrophe. According to Gelbspan, a proper approach to climate change could solve many other problems in our social, political, and economic lives. It would dramatically reduce our reliance on oil, and with it our exposure to instability in the Middle East. It would create millions of jobs and raise living standards in poor countries whose populations are affected by climate-driven disease epidemics and whose borders are overrun by environmental refugees. It would also expand the global economy and lead to a far wealthier and more peaceful world. A passionate call-to-arms and a thoughtful roadmap for change, Boiling Point reveals what's at stake for our fragile planet.

Internal Combustion

Internal Combustion is the compelling tale of corruption and manipulation that subjected the United States and the world to an oil addiction that could have been avoided, that was never necessary, and that could be ended not in ten years, not in five years, but today.