Bringing it to the Table: On Farming and Food


Wendell Berry - 2009
    Long before Whole Foods organic produce was available at your local supermarket, Berry was farming with the purity of food in mind. For the last five decades, Berry has embodied mindful eating through his land practices and his writing. In recognition of that influence, Michael Pollan here offers an introduction to this wonderful collection.Drawn from over thirty years of work, this collection joins bestsellers The Omnivore’s Dilemma, by Pollan, and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, by Barbara Kingsolver, as essential reading for anyone who cares about what they eat. The essays address such concerns as: How does organic measure up against locally grown? What are the differences between small and large farms, and how does that affect what you put on your dinner table? What can you do to support sustainable agriculture?A progenitor of the Slow Food movement, Wendell Berry reminds us all to take the time to understand the basics of what we ingest. “Eating is an agriculture act,” he writes. Indeed, we are all players in the food economy.

Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too


Beth Terry - 2012
    But while laid up after surgery, she read an article about the staggering amount of plastic polluting the oceans and decided then and there to kick her plastic habit. Now she wants to teach you how you can too. In her quirky and humorous style well known to the readers of her popular blog, My Plastic-Free Life, Terry provides personal anecdotes, stats about the environmental and health problems related to plastic, and personal solutions and tips on how to limit your plastic footprint. Terry includes handy lists and charts for easy reference, ways to get involved in larger community actions, and profiles of individuals--Plastic-Free Heroes who have gone beyond personal solutions to create a change on a larger scale. Plastic-Free also includes chapters on letting go of eco-guilt, strategies for coping with overwhelming problems, and ways to relate to other people who aren't as far along on the plastic-free path. Both a practical guide and the story of a personal journey from helplessness to empowerment, Plastic-Free is a must-read for anyone concerned about the ongoing health and happiness of themselves, their children, and the planet.

How to Survive a Pandemic: Life Lessons for Coping with Covid-19


John Hudson - 2020
    How to Survive a Pandemic: Life Lessons for Coping with Covid-19

Change the World for a Fiver


We Are What We Do - 2004
    It has illustrations of 50 everyday actions presented with directness, whimsy and wit.

The Hidden Messages in Water


Masaru Emoto - 2001
    Using high-speed photography, Dr. Masaru Emoto discovered that crystals formed in frozen water reveal changes when specific, concentrated thoughts are directed toward them. He found that water from clear springs and water that has been exposed to loving words shows brilliant, complex, and colorful snowflake patterns. In contrast, polluted water, or water exposed to negative thoughts, forms incomplete, asymmetrical patterns with dull colors. The implications of this research create a new awareness of how we can positively impact the earth and our personal health.

The One-Straw Revolution


Masanobu Fukuoka - 1975
    He joins the healing of the land to the process of purifying the human spirit and proposes a way of life and a way of farming in which such healing can take place.

The Greater Common Good


Arundhati Roy - 1999
    Non fiction piece on Sardar Sarovar (Narmada) Project published in 1999.

Perilous Bounty: The Looming Collapse of American Farming and How We Can Prevent It


Tom Philpott - 2020
    Whether or not we take heed, these urgent crises of industrial agriculture will define our future.In Perilous Bounty, veteran journalist and former farmer Tom Philpott explores and exposes the small handful of seed and pesticide corporations, investment funds, and magnates who benefit from the trends that imperil us, with on-the-ground dispatches featuring the scientists documenting the damage and the farmers and activists who are valiantly and inventively pushing back. Resource scarcity looms on the horizon, but rather than pointing us toward an inevitable doomsday, Philpott shows how the entire wayward ship of American agriculture could be routed away from its path to disaster. He profiles the farmers and communities in the nation's two key growing regions developing resilient, soil-building, water-smart farming practices, and readying for the climate shocks that are already upon us; and he explains how we can help move these methods from the margins to the mainstream.

Big Chicken: The Incredible Story of How Antibiotics Created Modern Agriculture and Changed the Way the World Eats


Maryn McKenna - 2017
    In this riveting investigative narrative, McKenna dives deep into the world of modern agriculture by way of chicken: from the farm where it's raised directly to your dinner table. Consumed more than any other meat in the United States, chicken is emblematic of today's mass food-processing practices and their profound influence on our lives and health. Tracing its meteoric rise from scarce treat to ubiquitous global commodity, McKenna reveals the astounding role of antibiotics in industrial farming, documenting how and why "wonder drugs" revolutionized the way the world eats--and not necessarily for the better. Rich with scientific, historical, and cultural insights, this spellbinding cautionary tale shines a light on one of America's favorite foods--and shows us the way to safer, healthier eating for ourselves and our children.

An Appeal to Reason: A Cool Look at Global Warming


Nigel Lawson - 2008
    Lawson carefully and succinctly examines all aspects of the global warming issue: the science, the economics, the politics, and the ethics. He concludes that the conventional wisdom on the subject is suspect on a number of grounds, that global warming is not the devastating threat to the planet it is widely alleged to be, and that the remedy that is currently being proposed, which is in any event politically unattainable, would be worse that the threat it is supposed to avert. Argued with logic, common sense, and even wit, and thoroughly sourced and referenced, Lawson has written a long overdue corrective to the barrage of spin and hype to which the politicians and media have been subjecting the public on this important issue.

Radiation Nation: Complete Guide to EMF Protection & Safety - The Proven Health Risks of EMF Radiation & What You Can Do to Protect Yourself & Family


Ryan P. DeBaun - 2017
    You only drink purified water. You take care of yourself and your family's health. But could there be a silent, invisible danger causing potential harm to you and your loved ones? There could. And it's called electromagnetic frequency (EMF) radiation and its one of fastest growing health issues facing our society. EMF radiation produced by modern technology such as cell phones, tablets, laptops, Wi-Fi, and smart meters is an emerging health threat, and we are all guinea pigs in a giant experiment with many unknown consequences.BUT AREN'T THESE TECHNOLOGIES REGULATED AND SAFE?Surely the government and other regulatory agencies make sure these technologies are completely safe before they are approved for wide-spread use, right? Think again. Ninety-five percent of American adults use cell phones regularly. Most households have Wi-Fi. And even schools are increasingly becoming dependent on wireless devices. And yet none of these technologies have been proven safe to humans for long-term exposure.In fact, science confirms that the EMF emitted from common electronic devices can cause definite biological changes in the body, and mounting research has already shown it can lead to a long list of health concerns - some of which can be pretty serious.The explosive use of mobile devices only occurred over the last twenty years, yet we have only scratched the surface of what technology is yet to come. Children born today will be exposed to much higher doses of EMF radiation than those born just ten years ago. What are the ramifications and what can we do now to minimize the fallout?IN 'RADIATION NATION' YOU WILL LEARN:⁍What EMF radiation is and how it affects the body biologically⁍The major health risks including fertility issues for both men and women, DNA damage, cell mutation, cancer and other serious health risks⁍The latest scientific studies broken down by disease or condition ⁍How EMF radiation specifically affects children and those suffering with electromagnetic hypersensitivity⁍Why the current safety standards for EMF are insufficient and need to be rewritten⁍The EMF sources of greatest concern⁍The most practical precautions to protect yourself and your loved ones from EMF radiation⁍What is 5G and what are the possible health risks?⁍Do stickers, diodes, harmonizers and other products marketing as protection have any grounding in science?IS THERE A SOLUTION? Fortunately, there are simple and effective steps you can take to minimize the risks. Education is key. Wish a foreword by Bulletproof's Dave Asprey, 'RADIATION NATION' is info-packed with all the essential education you need to make smart choices to stay safe when it comes to technology.RUNNING TIME ➪ 2hrs. and 55mins.©2017 Daniel T. DeBaun and Ryan P. DeBaun (P)2017 Daniel T. DeBaun and Ryan P. DeBaun

Farewell, My Subaru: An Epic Adventure in Local Living


Doug Fine - 2008
    So he wonders: Is it possible to keep his Netflix and his car, his Wi-Fi and his subwoofers, and still reduce his carbon footprint? In an attempt to find out, Fine up and moves to a remote ranch in New Mexico, where he brazenly vows to grow his own food, use sunlight to power his world, and drive on restaurant grease. Never mind that he’s never raised so much as a chicken or a bean. Or that he has no mechanical or electrical skills. Whether installing Japanese solar panels, defending the goats he found on Craigslist against coyotes, or co-opting waste oil from the local Chinese restaurant to try and fill the new “veggie oil” tank in his ROAT (short for Ridiculously Oversized American Truck), Fine’s extraordinary undertaking makes one thing clear: It ain’t easy being green. In fact, his journey uncovers a slew of surprising facts about alternative energy, organic and locally grown food, and climate change. Both a hilarious romp and an inspiring call to action, Farewell, My Subaru makes a profound statement about trading today’s instant gratifications for a deeper, more enduring kind of satisfaction.

The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter


Peter Singer - 2006
    Transparency: We have the right to know how our food is produced.2. Fairness: Producing food should not impose costs on others.3. Humanity: Inflicting unnecessary suffering on animals is wrong.4. Social Responsibility: Workers are entitled to decent wages and working conditions.5. Needs: Preserving life and health justifies more than other desires.Peter Singer, the groundbreaking ethicist who "may be the most controversial philosopher alive" (The New Yorker), now sets his critical sights on the food we buy and eat: where it comes from, how it's produced, and whether it was raised humanely. Teaming up once again with attorney Jim Mason, his coauthor on the acclaimed Animal Factories, Singer explores the impact our food choices have on humans, animals, and the environment.In The Way We Eat, Singer and Mason examine the eating habits of three American families with very different diets. They track down the sources of each family's food to probe the ethical issues involved in its production and marketing. What kinds of meat are most humane to eat? Is "organic" always better? Wild fish or farmed? Recognizing that not all of us will become vegetarians, Singer and Mason offer ways to make the best food choices. As they point out: "You can be ethical without being fanatical."

The Practical Beekeeper: Beekeeping Naturally


Michael Bush - 2011
    It is also about simple practical beekeeping. It is about reducing your work. It is not a main-stream beekeeping book. Many of the concepts are contrary to "conventional" beekeeping. The techniques presented here are streamlined through decades of experimentation, adjustments and simplification. The content was written and then refined from responding to questions on bee forums over the years so it is tailored to the questions that beekeepers, new and experienced, have. It is divided into three volumes and this edition contains all three: Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced.

The Ripple Effect: The Fate of Fresh Water in the Twenty-First Century


Alex Prud'Homme - 2011
    Alex Prud'homme's remarkable work of investigative journalism shows how fresh water is the pressing global issue of the twenty-first century.