Best Green Books

By popular request, here is my personal list of Best Green Books - the secret sources of wisdom about all things green and about life too.

Not having my macdaddy flat screen TV hooked up at the moment gives me more time to read. I know I am missing things, like red carpet moments, mad sports tournaments, and landmark political speeches. YouTube saves me, but I still have to fake many American Idol conversations.

Best Green Books

The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan: What determines what we eat? These are some of the most enlightening books I have ever read. How did corn take over our food system, and why is organic farming so badass? I won’t spoil the punch line but in a nutshell, eat fresh real organic foods and plants. Lots of plants. Vote with your fork, and let's make the next Farm Bill a Food Bill.

Blessed Unrest by Paul Hawken: This is a blessedly concise book on how the largest movement in the world - the environmental movement - came into being and why no one saw it coming. Can you say bottoms up? Paul Hawken is also the author of the world-famous Natural Capitalism.

Cradle to Cradle by William McDonough: This book presents the ultimate vision of regenerative green design. And it is not printed on paper, i.e. you can read it in the bathtub, underwater. Imagine a modern green world where growth becomes non-toxic and good, just as in nature. What if all biological and technical nutrients could be recaptured and upcycled in a full circle way? This is not cradle to grave. There is no waste and there is no “away.” This is cradle to cradle.

An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore: The companion book to the movie that changed everything. Filled with fabulous pictures and charts, the book obviates the need to rewind the DVD over and over. It memorializes the moment in time when the world woke up to the challenges of global warming, got mad, and decided to get even. Rodale has also published some other bestsellers on organic living such as the The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook and Chickens in your Backyard. Hmmm, how about chickens in your apartment?

The Legacy of Luna: Imagine living in a redwood tree for a year?  Or rather, imagine climbing a redwood tree for starters?  Julia Butterfly Hill is a heroine for many, and her story is incredible. So incredible that a movie is being made about her life with an A-list actress. Redwood trees are great sources of inspiration for me personally. Having a mental block about something or need a creative idea? Take a walk through a redwood forest, and I guarantee something good will happen or your money back. Oh wait, it was free.

The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight by Thom Hartmann: This book led to my ah-ha moment about the true meaning of fossil fuels. Take oil for example. Oil is derived from ancient organic matter that was compressed deep into the ground billions of years ago and fossilized. This explains why fossil fuels are not renewable. Once they are extracted and gone, they are gone. Now sunlight and wind on the other hand...

Anything by David Suzuki: The renowned David Suzuki has published his own list of must-read green books because that is just the kind of guy he is, but he deserves to be on his own list. David Suzuki just gets it, and he has a wonderful way of stating things. No offense to Warren Buffet, but I would like to have lunch with Suzuki someday.

Green Chic by Christie Matheson: A new book that embraces the fabulousness of green living with a sexy cover to match. It is overflowing with practical eco-chic lifestyle ideas tested by the author. It makes a great gift!

The Green Book: This green how-to guide edited by Elizabeth Rogers and Cameron Diaz also features tips from an impressive line-up of eco-minded celebrities including Robert Redford, Will Ferrell, Jennifer Aniston, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Martha Stewart, Tyra Banks, Tiki Barber, and Justin Timberlake.

Let the Mountains Talk, Let the Rivers Run by David Brower: Famous conservationist, mountain climber, and bold hero of the planet, David Brower tells all in his final book. He puts forth many amazing ideas - some have been realized and others are just sitting there waiting to be implemented. Brower was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times. CPR for the Earth: conservation, preservation, and restoration.

Earth Island Journal: It may look old school, but this award-winning magazine is filled with up-to-the-minute new school information about the planet. It embodies great investigative journalism, the story behind the story.

What about us?: We spend so much time working on sustainability, how can we sustain ourselves through the green highs and lows? My favorite three books that have changed my life are the following: The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell, The Illuminated Rumi, and Think on These Things by J. Krishnamurti. I really believe that the key to life resides in these books, but let me know what you think and what has inspired you.

Happy reading!  If you have a favorite green book, I'd love to hear about it, and please let me know who wins American Idol.