There’s a song on Sarah Slean’s newest CD, Land and Sea, that’s been getting heavy rotation on the radio in my head. It begins, “This place was in horrible shape, and no one wanted to see…” When I first heard this line, I thought the song was about a home that was badly in need of repair. The next line is, “that’s when hope rose up again, to shake us all from our sleep.” By the time Slean urgently sings, “get up, get up, there’s time, there’s time,” as though she’s grabbing the listener by the and arm and pulling them to their feet, it’s clear she’s not singing about a broken down house. She’s singing about the earth, which is in horrible shape, according to many scientists. Global warming, species extinction, deforestation, pollution, shrinking biodiversity — the list of threats to our home, the earth, goes on and depressingly on. I love the beautiful, seemingly impossible idea expressed in the title of Slean’s song, “The day we saved the world.” It makes me imagine a day when a critical mass of people suddenly care deeply enough about the earth to turn things around. If I were an artist I might do my part by writing a beautiful song. But, alas, I am a librarian, so I shall try to save the world through bibliography. Many people are planning home repairs and renovations this spring, so I’ve put together a list of titles about ecological homes. By the way, I realize Earth Day was last month, but if we’re going to save the world, every day should be Earth Day, don’t you think?
Ecoholic home: the greenest, cleanest and most energy-efficient information under one (Canadian) roof, Adria Vasil. “We spend so much time at home – why not make it a sustainable haven instead of a polluting, off-gassing cesspool? Our resident Ecoholic comes to the rescue again, offering reminders and tips on how to keep your castle (however humble) clean, energy-efficient and healthy”.
The complete guide to a green home : the good citizen’s guide to Earth-friendly remodeling and home maintenance, Philip Schmidt. “Popular home remodeling projects and maintenance information from an approach that’s 100% green.”
Eco: an essential sourcebook for environmentally friendly design and decoration, Elizabeth Wilhide. “Eco proves that environmentally friendly architecture is no longer a minority interest but a practical way to lower fuel bills, reduce allergy-related illnesses, create less waste, and ensure a healthy world for our children to inherit.”
Eco house book, Terence Conran. “Conran shows us that it is possible to convert our existing homes into greener, healthier places without starting from scratch.
Eco house : practical ideas for a greener, healthier dwelling, Sergi Costa Duran. “While not a definitive tome on all things green, this is a great starting point to the natural life.”
The ecological house: sustainable architecture around the world, Marco Moro. “A virtual atlas of “architectural biodiversity,” this beautifully designed and gorgeously illustrated anthology of architecture’s greenest gems documents the innovative creations of pioneers across the globe who build in harmony with the earth.”
Energy free : homes for a small planet, Ann V. Edminster. “2011 International Book Awards Award-Winning Finalist in the “Environment: Green/Alternative Energy/Conservation.”
Frank Lloyd Wright natural design : organic architecture –lessons for building green from an American orginal, Allan Hess. “This book explores Wright’s lessons on how climate, sustainability, sunlight, modern technology, and passive environmental controls can become the inspiration for excellent design. It highlights a selection of Wright’s buildings to show how he dealt with these issues beginning more than a century ago.”
Green home improvement: 65 projects that will cut utility bills, protect your health, help the environment, Daniel Chiras. “The book’s projects range from quick, easy, low- or no-cost tasks like insulating a water heater, sealing foundation cracks, or painting with insulating paint to bigger-ticket items such as installing a new energy-efficient heating system, windows, or green flooring.”
Green remodeling : your start toward an eco-friendly home, John D. Wagner. “Learn about the tatest trends in eco-friendly building practices and products, or improve the quality of your life with a green remodeling project.”
Off the grid homes : case studies for sustainable living, Lori Ryker. “Off the Grid Homes looks at six contemporary architectural projects that integrate alternative technologies for generating and conserving energy.”
Links of interest:
If this topic interests you, you may also be interested in an excellent, related post called, Distract Me
I love the idea of an everyday earth day. At least it would keep us thinking of the earth each moment. It would train us to be more gentle with out planet or at least get us thinking about it on a daily basis.
Thanks for your comments, everyone. There are lots of great ideas for things we can do to help protect our earth on the David Suzuki Foundation website: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/
Once you get there, click on “What you can do” to find tips on reducing your carbon footprint, making your workplace more ‘green’, recycling your electronics and more.
Thanks, Maureen, for such a great blog, and for putting Toronto’s own Adria Vasil, who writes in NOW Magazine, first in your booklist! I agree with her thinking, which is to think about everything we use and how it affects the environment.
Stay tuned for more Adria Vasil in an upcoming, related blog post. And thanks, both for commenting, and for thinking about the effect your actions have on the environment — we are all better for it.
What a great idea! I hope some urban planners are working on green, healthy, sustainable apartment buildings. I remember reading that apartment dwellers don’t do that well when it comes to recycling, as compared to people living in houses–I’m not sure why. That would be something apartment dwellers could tackle immediately, without waiting for urban planners. Thanks for your comment.
9 thoughts on “The day we saved the world”
Great list of books. Earth Day, everyday! I wish more people cared. Thanks for the blog.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Kelly. I wish more people cared too.
Agree with you. A shame we do not care more.
I love the idea of an everyday earth day. At least it would keep us thinking of the earth each moment. It would train us to be more gentle with out planet or at least get us thinking about it on a daily basis.
Thanks for your comments, everyone. There are lots of great ideas for things we can do to help protect our earth on the David Suzuki Foundation website:
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/
Once you get there, click on “What you can do” to find tips on reducing your carbon footprint, making your workplace more ‘green’, recycling your electronics and more.
Thanks, Maureen, for such a great blog, and for putting Toronto’s own Adria Vasil, who writes in NOW Magazine, first in your booklist! I agree with her thinking, which is to think about everything we use and how it affects the environment.
Stay tuned for more Adria Vasil in an upcoming, related blog post. And thanks, both for commenting, and for thinking about the effect your actions have on the environment — we are all better for it.
Really interesting blog especially like the ecological homes how about ecological apartment buildings [affordable] for us urbanites?
What a great idea! I hope some urban planners are working on green, healthy, sustainable apartment buildings. I remember reading that apartment dwellers don’t do that well when it comes to recycling, as compared to people living in houses–I’m not sure why. That would be something apartment dwellers could tackle immediately, without waiting for urban planners. Thanks for your comment.