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:   Zero Waste Home is the story of Bea Johnson and her family’s journey to reducing waste in their home. Bea is widely regarded as the mother of the zero-waste lifestyle movement.

Bea and her family have improved their lives by reducing their waste dramatically.  Bea’s approach is to follow the “5 R’s”: refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, and rot. For each category, Bea shares thoughts on how she reduced her family’s waste. Using the “5 R’s,” she successfully cut back on spending, reduced her family’s exposure to chemicals, and now spends more time with her family instead of managing the clutter around her.

Zero Waste Home encourages reflection and thought through a series of questions Bea asks the reader.  By thinking critically and answering these questions honestly, you can begin to formulate solutions to improve your waste reduction.  Bea poignantly shares her journey and encourages you to do the same.

In our busy lives, we all seek convenient solutions to make our lives easier.  In many cases, it is too easy to fall into habits that are ultimately harmful for your health and the planet.  Think critically about your waste, and then explore ideas for reduction.  Even if you are not ready to test the extremes of zero waste, you can still make an impact by making small changes. Zero Waste Home gives you all you need to get started.  Do it for your health and the planet!

Available used at BetterWorldBooks.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  Urban dwellers can benefit from a connection with their food. Marc Thoma’s Urban Gardening for Beginners shares easy ways to create your own indoor or balcony vegetable & fruit garden. Thoma guides you on how to start small and plan what to grow.  He offers tips on selecting containers, preparing the soil, setting up lighting, caring for plants, and how to harvest. Herbs are a great place to start, and the section on herbs explains the needs of each type and the care required.

If you prefer to follow a step-by-step guide, then turn to chapters 4 and 5 for easy outlines for several garden concepts.  Try salad in a container, a raised bed veggie garden for the family windowsill, an herb and scallion centerpiece, and more. Caring for your own little garden to supplement your farmer’s market purchases.  It’s a fun, rewarding, and delicious experience!

Available used at BetterWorldBooks.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  Kevin Espiritu’s Field Guide to Urban Gardening provides a wealth of tips and lovely pictures to help you start your urban garden project. Espiritu starts by sharing that there are lots of good reasons for an urban garden, but the main reason for him is that it’s fun! His practical guide can help if you live in an apartment, condo, townhome, or single-family home.

The book is broken down into several sections that describe the practical methods to planning urban gardens. Espiritu provides details about container gardening, raised bed gardening, vertical gardening, hydroponics and more. If you already do some urban gardening and want to take it to the next level, consider this field guide!

Available used at BetterWorldBooks.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  The average American spends nearly $22,000 per year on goods and services.  We agree with Ellis Jones: every dollar counts! The Better World Shopping Guide is a handy, pocket-sized comprehensive resource book to help guide our shopping power.  

After years of research, Jones has created this comprehensive resource guide that provides ratings for many of the products you can find on shelves.  There are 72 categories chock full of information, as well as lists of green heroes and corporate villains. The list of products and companies each receive a grade from A+ to F to help consumers be more conscious buyers.

Be a socially- and environmentally-conscious consumer! Buy products that are better for you and the planet, and let your buying power add pressure to companies to act sustainably. 

The Better World Shopping Guide is an excellent printed resource.  But Jones also provides consumers with online resources at betterworldshopper.org.  Check it out!

Available used at BetterWorldBooks.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  One Green Thing by Heather White breaks down the overwhelming enormity of the climate crisis into small, manageable steps for anyone to follow. White is a kindred spirit to One Planet Life.  She believes that one green thing at a time can add up to make a huge difference. Taking action can also ease our anxieties about the future of our planet.  Create joy and take pride in your efforts by being a positive force for climate solutions in your community.

White offers a fun and easy assessment to find out your climate service superpower. Are you the adventurer, the beacon, the influencer, the philanthropist, the sage, the spark, or the wonk?

Once you have identified your superpower, White shares several success stories of role models with your superpower.  With this knowledge, she guides you to create your one green thing. She shares a 21-day kick-starter plan for each superpower, which is packed with ideas for small changes that make a difference. When you make changes that align with your strengths, you leverage your power and tap into your joy. White’s book acknowledges the importance of taking climate change seriously.  She shares many practical and impactful ways individuals can take action and make a difference. We are big fans of Heather White and One Green Thing.

Available used at BetterWorldBooks.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  Climate change action is needed on all levels, from  governments to big companies to our own actions every day. Sometimes it may seem like we are too small to make a difference.  But we can each make simple changes in our life to help the environment. Most of the actions in 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth are ‘ridiculously easy,’ and it’s true!  Recycling your Sunday paper, planting a tree, or opting out of junk mail all add up to trees and water saved, and ultimately, lower carbon emissions.

Each tip in this book comes with background and fast facts illustrating why it is important, and steps to help you make the change. 50 Simple Things makes helping the planet foolproof.  If you knew that turning off the tap while you brush your teeth could save your household  20,000 gallons of water alone, wouldn’t you? Our planet is hurting.  This book can help you do your part to heal our planet without cramping your lifestyle.

Available used at BetterWorldBooks.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  Frances Moore Lappe has written two books on how to live in harmony with our planet:  1) Diet for a Small Planet, published in 1971, and 2) Hopes Edge: The Next Diet for a Small Planet, published in 1975 and written with her daughter, Anna Lappe.  Both books remain powerfully relevant today.  As Frances states, “Changing the way we eat will not change the world, but it may begin to changes us, and then we can be part of the changing world.”

Lappe’s original book, Diet for a Small Planet, digs deep into our food system to understand what drives wasteful and destructive processes and how they relate to hunger around the world.  She discovered the hidden “rules” and processes that result in a food system that can harm health, leave any hunger and hurts the planet. The book then shares how we can transform this awareness into actions.  Frances invites us to a personal revolution that is good for people and the planet.

Hope’s Edge: The Next Diet for a Small Planet is the story of Frances and Anna’s journey around the world looking for glimmers of hope. They sought knowledge on how people are transcending consumerism to benefit themselves and the planet. It is chock full of inspirational stories about how we can produce, enjoy, and share food in alignment with nature. It truly gives us hope.

Available at Amazon.com.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY: What is a sustainable city? It is a built habitat that works towards being environmentally, socially, and economically healthy for existing populations and existing generations. To this end, these cities minimize greenhouse gasses, use as few non-renewable resources as possible, remove pollutants from water, efficiently use water and energy, and reduce waste.

Steven Cohen and Guo Dong discuss how we need to transform from a consumer society to a brain-based economy.  This new model is oriented towards services, entertainment, travel, and experiences and less toward possessing products. This book is a comprehensive discussion of sustainable urban systems such as water supplies (like New York’s water supply), solid waste reduction (New York has set a goal to have zero waste by 2030), food supplies, health systems, and so on. It also discusses the sustainable lifestyle, sustainably managed organizations, the role of policy and politics, and sustainable urban development.

Available at Amazon.com.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  A meditation journey takes time to learn and find out what works for you. Learning to meditate takes consistent effort, but the benefits to your life are many. Our mind, like our bodies, requires training to be in peak form. We can quickly feel anxious, worried, and overwhelmed such that our lives seem to pass without us being able to live our best lives. Can 12 minutes a day really make a difference? The answer is yes! Peak Mind is about the science of attention, how it works, and how you can harness the power of your attention – cultivating your brain to pay attention to gain fuller access to your life.

Dr. Amishi P. Jha is the Director of Contemplative Neuroscience and Professor of Psychology at the University of Miami. She shares her studies and how you can change your life for the better in 12 minutes a day. Learn to find your flashlight, body scan, connection practice, and how to leverage them to a better you. 

It’s a good starting place for busy people looking for peace of mind. 

Available used at BetterWorldBooks.