Best of
Sustainability

1997

The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering Our Place in Nature


David Suzuki - 1997
    But what are the real needs that must be satisfied to live rich, fulfilling lives? This is the question David Suzuki explores in this wide-ranging study. Suzuki begins by presenting the concept of people as creatures of the Earth who depend on its gifts of air, water, soil, and sun energy. He shows how people are genetically programmed for the company of other species, and suffer enormously when we fail to live in harmony with them. And he analyzes those deep spiritual needs, rooted in nature, that are also a crucial component of a loving world. Drawing on his own experiences and those of others who have put their beliefs into action, The Sacred Balance is a powerful, passionate book with concrete suggestions for creating an ecologically sustainable, satisfying, and fair future by rediscovering and addressing humanity’s basic needs.

Clean House Clean Planet


Karen Logan - 1997
    Karen Logan, an environmentalist with years of experience developing and selling her own line of eco-friendly cleaning products, reveals the secret of using simple, ordinary ingredients—like baking soda, vinegar, soap, lemon juice, and salt—to make safe, inexpensive cleaners.For instance, did you know: -Olive oil is not only good as a salad dressing, but also as a furniture polish. -Plain club soda works great as a window cleaner. -You can make your copper-bottomed pots sparkle with just lemon juice and salt. -Ordinary liquid soap and water will clean up those ants marching through your kitchen.

The Great Bear Rainforest: Canada's Forgotten Coast


Ian McAllister - 1997
    The area is one of the northern hemisphere's richest unprotected wildlife habitats, the home of Canada's largest grizzly bears as well as the rare all-white spirit or Kermode bear.Ian and Karen McAllister, both environmental campaigners, have spent over ten years exploring, photographing and researching this once-forgotten coast. The book contains over 150 stunning colour photographs, including some of the most extraordinary images of wild bears ever seen in print, lush river valleys where grizzly bears feast on salmon, dramatic Coast Range mountaintops, exotic plants of the ancient rainforest, and some of the most magnificent coastline in Canada. With these photographs, a personable, informative commentary by Ian and Karen and environmental writer Cameron Young, and full-colour maps and drawings, this book is the first to unveil the beauty and magnificence of this unique place.Since 1990, fourteen large rainforest valleys on the mainland coast of British Columbia have been lost to industrial logging. The publication of The Great Bear Rainforest aided Greenpeace, the Sierra Club, Ian and Karen McAllister's Raincoast Preservation Society and other environmental groups successfully lobby BC's provincial government for a moratorium on grizzly-bear hunting and the protection of a large portion of the area as parkland in 2001.

Wilderness Within: The Life of Sigurd F. Olson


David Backes - 1997
    A Wilderness Within is the award-winning biography of this writer, teacher, and activist who was a harbinger of the raising of America's ecological consciousness.

Hundertwasser Architecture


Friedensreich Hundertwasser - 1997
     The highly irregular architecture of a freethinking artist   “A house must be a living, organic entity that develops and constantly changes,” stated Friedensreich Hundertwasser in one of his arguments for his nature- and human-oriented architecture. Success vindicated his vision: roof afforestation, organic forms, colorful façades, uneven floors, irregularly positioned windows, gilded onion domes—Hundertwasser’s architecture is unmistakable.   From the beginning of his artistic career in the ’50s, Hundertwasser was preoccupied with architecture in his painting. Then began his engagement with manifestos, essays and demonstrations; later followed architectural models in which he illustrated, for example, his ideas on roof afforestation and an individual’s right to his very own window. As an “architectural doctor” he created unregimented irregularities and realized exemplary architectural projects.  This comprehensive directory of Hundertwasser’s architectural works presents all his buildings and projects, whether realized or not, tracing them from the first sketches, through to models, and completion. Dr. Andrea Christa Fürst, a longtime employee of the Hundertwasser Archive, made a major contribution to this publication.

Burpee the Complete Vegetable & Herb Gardener: A Guide to Growing Your Garden Organically


Barbara W. Ellis - 1997
    A Backyard-Gardener's Guide to Growing a Bountiful, Great-Tasting Harvest The Complete Vegetable & Herb Gardener features:A full-color encyclopedia of over 100 vegetables and herbs with detailed, expert advice on growing them successfully from planting to harvest Planting and growing techniques that keep maintenance to a minimum Entries on how to grow unusual edibles, such as refreshing mesclun for salads, colorful edible flowers, spicy mustards, and more Descriptions and photos of a host of succulent vegetables, both hybrids and heirlooms, from common to exotic Complete information on improving even the poorest garden soil using safe, organic techniques, plus practical advice on making compost Recommendations on garden tools you need-and those you don't Information on controlling pests and diseases organically, without resorting to poisonous sprays Spectacular full-color photographs of vegetables and herbs, food gardens, and edible landscapes, plus 30 black-and-white line drawings

The Will to Lead: Running a Business With a Network of Leaders


Marvin Bower - 1997
    The aim of this book is to teach managers how to lead people to work together effectively, efficiently, and enthusiastically.

Biopiracy: The Plunder of Nature and Knowledge


Vandana Shiva - 1997
    Since the land, the forests, the oceans, and the atmosphere have already been colonized, eroded, and polluted, she argues, Northern capital is now carving out new colonies to exploit for gain: the interior spaces of the bodies of women, plants and animals.

The Contrary Farmer's Invitation to Gardening


Gene Logsdon - 1997
    People grew vegetables such as lettuce, carrots, and tomatoes. Then Gene Logsdon, the self-proclaimed dean of American curmudgeons, came along to smash the concept of garden to smithereens. Gene Logsdon is an American original, a farmer who thinks, and a writer who gardens. He has written numerous books on aspects of independent living ranging from Organic Orcharding to Small-Scale Grain Raising.

Agroecology: Ecological Processes in Sustainable Agriculture


Stephen R. Gliessman - 1997
     Plant Ecology), Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural Economics, Natural Resource Economics, Sociology, and Anthropology ***INTERESSENTENGRUPPE*** Of interest to researchers, students, and professionals in the above fields.- Level: Technical Book, Monograph ***URHEBER*** S.R. Gliessman, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA (Ed.) ***TITEL*** Agroecology ***UNTERTITEL*** Researching the Ecological Basis for Sustainable Agriculture ***BIBLIOGRAPHISCHE-ANGABEN*** 1990. XIV, 380 pp. 87 figs. (Ecological Studies. Eds.: W.D. Billings, F. Golley, O.L. Lange, J.S. Olson, H. Remmert. Vol. 78) Hardcover DM 198,- ISBN 3-540-97028-2 ***CONTENTS*** Contents: Part I: Basic Ecological Concepts in Agroecosystems.- Part II: Agroecosystem Design and Management.- Index. ***LANGTEXT*** This book provides an introduction to research approaches in the emerging interdisciplinary field of agroecology. It demonstrates in a series of international case studies how to combine the more production-oriented focus of the agronomist with the more systems-oriented viewpoint of the ecologist. Different methodologies for quantifying and evaluating agroecosystem sustainability are presented and analyzed. Leading researchers in the field provide examples of the diversity and complexity of agroecological research, ranging from archeology to insect ecology, and examine design and management of agroecosystems that span from the humid tropics to temperate regions. This timely overview will be of greatvalue to ecologists, agronomists, geographers, foresters, anthropologists, and others involved in developing a sustainable basis for land use, management, and conservation worldwide. ***RS-ENDE*** RS 11/89 PREX ***RS-NOTIZEN*** NY/Dr. Czeschlik

Hemp for Health: The Medicinal and Nutritional Uses of Cannabis Sativa


Chris Conrad - 1997
    It relieves glaucoma, epilepsy, migraines, insomnia, asthma, the nausea associated with AIDS and chemotherapy, and a host of other conditions. It was once a staple in every American medicine cabinet, but because hemp is the plant from which marijuana is derived, it has been unavailable to consumers until recently. Now products made from imported hempseed are sold by stores and mail-order companies across the United States to satisfy a growing demand. Hemp for Health reveals the developments that have returned this ancient plant to the forefront of health and nutrition and that have doctors calling for its legalization. The author provides everything from recipes using hempseed, and an analysis of cannabis's therapeutic effect on the nervous system, to current information on bills that are currently moving through several state legislatures to legalize domestic hemp production .

Eco-Tech: Sustainable Architecture & High Technology


Catherine Slessor - 1997
    While daring feats of structural engineering still mark recent projects by the architects who forged the earliest examples, a new generation has expanded the vocabulary of this architectonic language, and evolved an architecture with different aims. The most significant of these objectives is to create a sustainable architecture.This international survey presents projects completed in the 1990s that use high-tech forms and materials for environmentally intelligent means. It brings together innovative approaches by established practitioners -- Richard Rogers, Norman Foster, Nicholas Grimshaw, and Michael Hopkins -- with a new generation -- Thomas Herzog, Von Gerkan Marg, Design Antenna, and Itsuko Hasegawa.The introduction charts the evolution of high-tech architecture and its progression toward more ecological concerns, and the movement as a whole is considered in a broader architectural context. At the book's heart is a selection of forty of the world's most sophisticated projects, each with a thorough description of its unique architectural and technological features, as well as extensive plans, drawings, and sketches. A complete reference section includes architect biographies and technical details of each project. Accompanying the texts and drawings are spectacular photographs, most of which were specially commissioned for this publication.

Travels in Dreams: An Autobiography


Bill Mollison - 1997
    This charming, eccentric, and absolutely never reliable autobiography of that rare quantity-the truly original character, Bill Mollison has been a forester, mill-worker, trapper, tractor-driver, barroom bouncer, teacher at an exclusive girls' school and, of course, founder of permaculture.

Prescriptions for a Healthy House: A Practical Guide for Architects, Builders & Homeowners


Paula Baker-Laporte - 1997
    Chapters include:Frame construction alternativesThermal and moisture controlFlooring and finishesFurnishingsThe authors—an architect, medical doctor, and restoration consultant—bring a singular combination of expertise and perspectives to this book. The result—now in its third completely updated edition—is a unique guide to creating healthy indoor and outdoor spaces, including many new resources, as well as specialized knowledge from several nationally recognized experts in the field of building biology.This unique guide will appeal to architects, designers, contractors, medical professionals, and homeowners.Paula Baker-Laporte is the principal architect and founder of Baker-Laporte & Associates and EcoNest Design. John Banta is a senior indoor environmental consultant for Restorations Consultants, Inc. Erica Elliott, MD is a medical doctor specializing in environmental medicine and family practice.

Holding the Center: Sanctuary in a Time of Confusion


Richard Strozzi-Heckler - 1997
    A masterful and encompassing book, Holding the Center develops from the fulcrum of the self in the natural world. Many of Heckler’s lessons arise from his life as a householder and father. Community is a larger family—we make alliances to “take care of what matters to us.” But, as Heckler teaches, that takes listening to others with an open heart, and learning what the needs of others are.The world can be a sanctuary, if we find a balance between instinct and choice. Richard Strozzi Heckler sounds an important call about the interplay between power and generosity in these subtle and luminous essays.

A Year on the Wild Side


Briony Penn - 1997
    in geography. It's composed of 52 essays arranged in 12 monthly chapters (ex. in August you'll read about which berries are ripening on the west coast). This engaging book reveals the magic and humour of the natural world and reminds us of our place in it.

Renewable Energy: Physics, Engineering, Environmental Impacts, Economics and Planning


Bent Sørensen - 1997
    Crafted over the last 15 years into a problem-solving tool for engineers, researchers, consultants and planners currently working in the field, as well as a detailed map of the renewables universe for those looking to expand into new technological specialties, Renewable Energy by Sorensen offers the most comprehensive coverage of the subject available.The book has been structured around three parts in order to assist readers in focusing on the issues that impact them the most for a given project or question. PART I covers the basic scientific principles behind all major renewable energy resources, such as solar, wind and biomass. PART II provides in-depth information about how these raw renewable sources can actually be converted into useful forms, transmitted into the grid and stored for future utilization. Finally, PART III undertakes the aspects of energy planning, environmental impacts and socio-economic issues on regional and global levels.In this fourth edition update, new material includes expanded coverage of biofuels, solar conversion, biomass and fuel cells, storage and transmission, and a new chapter on integrated technologies to introduce the hybrid systems now being explored. New surveys and the most recent research findings are included throughout.

Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature


Janine M. Benyus - 1997
    Biomimics study nature's most successful ideas over the past 3.5 million years, and adapt them for human use. The results are revolutionizing how materials are invented and how we compute, heal ourselves, repair the environment, and feed the world.Janine Benyus takes readers into the lab and in the field with maverick thinkers as they: discover miracle drugs by watching what chimps eat when they're sick; learn how to create by watching spiders weave fibers; harness energy by examining how a leaf converts sunlight into fuel in trillionths of a second; and many more examples.Composed of stories of vision and invention, personalities and pipe dreams, Biomimicry is must reading for anyone interested in the shape of our future.

Earth Sheltered Housing Design 1092


Underground Space Center - 1997
    

Windpower Workshop: Building Your Own Wind Turbine


Hugh Piggott - 1997
    Yet many environmental enthusiasts prefer a more do-it-yourself approach. Windpower Workshop provides all the essential information for people wanting to build and maintain a windpower system for their own energy needs.Hugh Piggott runs his own succesful windpower business in Scotland.

Information, Entropy, and Progress: A New Evolutionary Paradigm


Robert U. Ayres - 1997
    This book presents an innovative and challenging look at evolution on several scales, from the earth and its geology and chemistry to living organisms to social and economic systems. Applying the principles of thermodynamics and the concepts of information gathering and self- organization, the author characterizes the direction of evolution in each case as an accumulation of "distinguishability" information--a type of universal knowledge.