OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  In The Human Tide, Paul Morland shows how periods of rapid population fluctuations shaped the course of world history. Morland studies demography (the study of population) and he is focused on how population fluctuations impacted our changing world. In his words: “To get a sense of how completely revolutionary have been the changes in the last two hundred years or so, it helps to have a long view of demography.”

The Human Tide charts population changes from 47 BC, when Julius Caesar was appointed perpetual dictator of the Roman Republic.  Caesar’s domain stretched from what is now called Spain to modern Greece, a span of over 30 countries today. The population of these vast lands comprised around 50 million people, which was about 20% of a world population of 250 million.

Eight centuries later, Queen Victoria ascended the British throne in 1837.  At that time, the number of people living on earth had grown fourfold to 1 billion. Less than 200 years after Victoria’s coronation, the world population increased an additional sevenfold – nearly twice the growth in a tenth of the time.

Morland believes that our current population – 7.7 billion – may stop growing altogether by the end of the century. View history from the unique lens of demography and learn about the factors that are changing our growth patterns.  Factors such as reductions in child mortality, new births, and migrations shape our world in surprising ways.

Available at Amazon.com.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  George Steinmetz takes you on a bird’s eye journey around the world.  His aerial photos capture our natural places, harvesting of the biosphere, our dwellings, and all types of human changes to our living planet. George Steinmetz has traveled the world for more than 3 decades taking aerial photos for National Geographic, the New York Times, and other journals. Andrew Revkin is an award-winning science journalist, with 21 years at the New York Times. They both were born in the late 1950s when there were 2.8 billion people on earth and since then the population has accelerated to over 7.6 billion people. Together they share a stunning perspective of the dramatic changes humans have made to the planet.

In the dynamic planet section, we learn about The Big Lagoon area of Shark Bay. It is off the coast of Australia and is home to the world’s most diverse seagrass beds.  This habitat for many marine species is at risk due to the changing temperatures. On page 46, view the fierce conditions in the Danakil Depression of Ethiopia. The beautiful colors of this natural place are from chemical reactions. It is extremely acidic and temperatures are close to the boiling point.  Are those green pastures in China (page 55)? Actually no, it is Lake Tai, one of the largest freshwater lakes in China. Thirty years ago it was clear but now in the summer, it is covered in algae.  Enjoy the beauty of amazing migrations from Zebra’s in Botswana (page 70) to flamingos in Bolivia (page 71).

Soar with these photos from a different point of view. The enormity of our impact is breathtaking. Understanding the scale of the change to landscapes and ecosystems can be overwhelming.  We agree with George and Andrew that  this is the beginning.  We have the opportunity and the wherewithal to make changes for a better future. The Human Planet has a strong voice and is deeply rooted in love for people and the planet.

Available at Amazon.com.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  Dominique Crenn takes us on her life journey from early childhood adoption to a loving, well-to-do French family to the unique creative chef she is today.  Her experiences with family dinner parties gave her insights into how the local ingredients brought together with art can be otherworldly (glamorous and fun).  Crenn takes you along on her bold journey from France to San Francisco and as she worked her way through the ups and downs of the culinary world. 

Crenn has a way of diving in headfirst while staying connected to her journey and vision.  More importantly, she brings this into her kitchen with vegetable-forward meals from local and sustainable sources.

Crenn has a deep awareness of the connection of food to our health and the environment.

She shares a simple message: “that people should eat and consider where food on their plate comes from.” Her chapter on “The Ethical Kitchen” was truly inspiring: Crenn sees food as poetry, with vegetables at the center of her elegant dishes. While she is not a vegetarian, she understands that “too many people eat a meat-centered diet, when for the health and for environmental reasons, meat should be a secondary ingredient.”  The chapter also includes ideas for how we can all eat healthier and sustainable for the planet. 

In her restaurant, Atelier Crenn, all the dimensions of her personality come together.  The dining experience is an adventure – starting with finding the restaurant (which does not even have its name outside!).  Diners enter through a side door; the menu is a poem that hints at what the multi-course meal will be while never directly stating the courses. Crenn and her staff draw diners in and deliver a series of courses that joyfully connect diners with nature. Each dish in this vegetable-forward tasting menu features sustainable ingredients acquired from local farms and fisheries.  The atmosphere is a deep, elegant connection with nature and your senses. 

The book is an engaging and candid view of what drove Dominque Crenn to become an award-winning chef. 

Available at Amazon.com.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  We are big fans of forests and the Very Short Introduction book series from Oxford University Press. They are fabulous books that provide serious introductions in a tiny package. Written by experts in the field, these books combine facts, analysis, and exploration of ideas in an enthusiastic manner that makes them easy to read.

In Forests: A Very Short Introduction, readers will discover how crucial woodland areas are to our planet and our well-being.  Forests provide food, energy, and resources to Earth’s inhabitants.  Even today, we heavily rely upon sylvan areas for a wide range of goods and services.

Take a whirlwind tour of forest origins and their connection with human culture.  Then learn how disturbances like tropical deforestation and temperate reforestation impact our livelihood.  Woodland areas will continue to be a central part of our future, which is why it’s more important than ever that we understand their cultural significance.  Forests must be protected and cherished.  If you would like to learn more about forests, this book is a great place to start.

Available used at BetterWorldBooks.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  We are in a ridiculous plastic waste situation.  We realize it but are not sure as individuals what we can do about it.   Will McCallum, Head of Oceans at Greenpeace, brings the problem with plastic into focus.  He builds on his understanding and experience to share practical ways to reduce our plastic waste. The world is waking to the fact that we have created a material, are using it at an incredible scale, and do not have any way to deal with it afterward. It is damaging our oceans and life around the world.

We are on a path to have more plastic in the ocean by 2050 than fish. Microplastics are making it into our food supply and our bodies. We need to break from the throw-away culture we have become accustomed to.

The book has practical ways to eliminate plastic in your bathroom, closet, kitchen, and on the go.  You can start from wherever you are to eliminate single-use plastic from your daily lifestyle.  You can use your voice and purchasing power to drive changes in companies.  Last but not least, you can advocate in your community, organizations, and government to reduce plastic.  As Will shares:  “every victory against plastic begins with a single person or small group.” Let Will McCallum’s book assist you on your journey to break from plastic.

Available used at BetterWorldBooks.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY: Jennie Romer is a leading expert on single-use plastics and reduction and recycling in the U.S. While we know the mantra – reduce, reuse, recycle, do we know what is recycled, what goes into a landfill, and what goes into our oceans?  So many questions. Can I recycle my paper coffee cup? What happens to the plastic bags I bring back to the grocery store to be recycled? Does the chasing arrow with a number on plastic mean it is recyclable? (No, it does not, less than 9% of plastic is recycled.) Jennie’s book is a great place to get knowledgeable answers.

Jennie shares her wealth of knowledge on recycling, waste processing, plastic in our oceans, and more.  Bolstered with information, you can improve your waste reduction and recycling.   Jennie distilled years of experience to practical guides for specific items from bags, boxes, beverage containers, single-use food ware, home goods, personal items, and tools. Her non-judgmental,  personal and policy solutions round out this amazing fact-filled book. A must-read for the concerned citizen taking action to make a difference. 

Available used at BetterWorldBooks.

Learn more about recycling on our blog: America’s Recycling Programs are in Disarray, You Can Help

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  Reading Edward Humes’s book is like taking a class on garbage in the United States. Humes, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, shares how the American lifestyle creates wastefulness.  Incredibly, each American produces about 7 pounds of garbage per day. In a lifetime, an American creates 102 tons.  Americans are the biggest trash producers in the world. Germany and Italy produce 50% less garbage than the United States. Humes shares that if every country consumed and threw away at the rate of Americans it would require five planets of resources to create the products.  Imagine the landfills around the world — an earth of trash heaps. We have been led to largely ignore our trash problem.  It is time to open our eyes and make changes. 

Hume’s book is a great way to understand our mountains of garbage, what happens to it, and explore solutions.   We learn about reducing waste using the power of “no” like Bea Johnson, whose family moved to a zero-waste lifestyle. Denmark is a leader in recycling on a massive scale.  For the small percentage of things not recycled, Denmark has a waste-to-energy program.  Garbology is a great book to explore the state of trash and potential solutions. 

It is time to end our “love affair with trash” as Hume states.  Individuals, communities, businesses, and governments will need to make changes to move to a low-waste lifestyle for the benefit of all.  We recommend adding this illuminating read to your list and start reducing your trash. 

Available used at BetterWorldBooks.

 OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  Make some easy changes to your life and experience the joy of zero waste living!  In this practical guide, Stephanie shares her approach to living an waste-free life. She was inspired by Bea Johnson’s book, Zero Waste Home and other experts.

The zero waste living movement promotes less consumption and waste in your daily life. As we all know, this idea is easier said than done. Stephanie decided to implement what the business world calls the 80/20 rule: the idea that majority of the results come from a few actions. Pondering the 80/20 rule and completing extensive research led her to three habits you can change to make a huge impact.  By focusing on food, purging plastics, and recycling right, you can make a serious impact and drastically reduce your waste.

Stephanie starts off chapter 1, “The Aha Moment,” with a quote by Ann-Marie Bonneau, Zero Waste Chef: “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.”  Let Stephanie help you get started on your zero waste journey today!

Available used at BetterWorldBooks.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY: 

Want to start composting, but don’t know where to start?  We recommend No-Waste Composting by Michelle Balz, a quick read which explains the science behind composting and its vital microorganisms, the basic rules you need to follow to compost successfully, and several different methods to compost (even if you don’t have a backyard!).

In addition to providing valuable information about composting, Balz provides ten detailed composting DIY projects, many of which are made with recycled materials.  Her projects range from simple items like crafting newspaper liners to neatly wrap up food scraps to creating your own composter from old pickle barrels or trash cans.  Balz also offers several descriptions for larger outdoor composting, complete with space and material requirements and plenty of pictures.

The chapter that most interested me, however, was the one that shared three methods for composting on a small terrace, balcony, or patio.  I learned more about vermicomposting (composting with the help of worms) as well as terra-cotta composting and bokashi pre-composting.  As someone who lives in close quarters with my neighbors, I was curious to understand if odor-free composting was possible, and Balz’ succinct, informative book gave me the confidence to give it a try.

Available at Amazon.com.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  With straightforward, unfussy recipes, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian can make even the most reticent home chef more confident.

As a home cook, I struggled to prepare vegetarian meals.  I love vegetables but making a complete delicious meal was a challenge.  Once I had Mark Bittman’s book, that all melted away. Mark’s book has everything! If you like to entertain, Mark’s book has 76 appetizer recipes. There are recipes for salads, soups, vegetables, fruits, pasta, noodles, grains, beans, tofu and other high protein foods, dairy, bread, and desserts. The recipes are straightforward and taste fabulous.

Some of my favorites are Pizza with Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella, Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Vegetable Stock (never buy it anymore), and Hot and Sour Soup. Guided by Mark Bittman’s book,  I became a confident cook.

Available at Amazon.com.