Earth Day is coming up (April 22), and you may be wondering what you can do--or how you can extend the good practices you already have--to make an impact. In addition to checking out this month's programming on recycling, the environment, and gardening (check the online calendar here for information), you may also be interested in some of these books that offer concrete suggestions for reducing your footprint.
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Can I recycle this? : a guide to better recycling and how to reduce single-use plastics
by Jennie Romer This practical guide to recycling includes a look at how recycling actually works, how to better handle the waste we produce, the way rules differ in every municipality, and which common household objects can or cannot be recycled. |
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Living without plastic : more than 100 easy swaps for home, travel, dining, holidays, and beyond
by Brigette Allen An illustrated guide to reducing personal plastic waste counsels readers on how to understand plastic terminology, listing more than 100 alternatives to everyday single-use items, from water bottles and straws to cosmetics and grocery bags. Borrow the e-book in Hoopla. Borrow the e-book in Overdrive/Libby via partner network Boston Public Library. |
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Waste free kitchen handbook : a guide to eating well and saving money by wasting less food
by Dana Gunders A handbook for reducing food waste includes checklists, recipes, strategies, and infographics that can help readers change their cooking habits. Borrow the e-book in Hoopla. Borrow the e-book in Overdrive/Libby. |
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The conscious closet : the revolutionary guide to looking good while doing good
by Elizabeth L Cline An expert on fashion and the environment discusses ways to create an ethical and sustainable wardrobe, including tips on how to pare down your closet and find affordable clothes that minimize environmental and social impacts. Borrow the e-book in Overdrive/Libby via partner network Boston Public Library. Borrow the e-audiobook in Overdrive/Libby. |
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Greening death : reclaiming burial practices and restoring our tie to the earth
by Suzanne Kelly We once disposed of our dead in earth-friendly ways: no chemicals, biodegradable containers, dust to dust. But over the last 150 years, death care has become a toxic, polluting, and alienating industry in the United States. Today, people are slowly waking up to the possibility of more sustainable and less disaffecting death care, reclaiming old practices in new ways, in a new age. Borrow the e-book in Overdrive/Libby via partner network SAILS. |
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101 ways to go zero waste : Kathryn Kellogg
by Kathryn Kellogg From the kitchen to personal care products, from cleaning products to travel, from special events to eating out, this book has tips to reduce waste across all aspects of your life. Borrow the e-book in Overdrive/Libby. |
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Inconspicuous consumption : the environmental impact you don't know you have
by Tatiana Schlossberg The New York Times science writer explains the impact of climate change and environmental pollution on everyday life, examining largely unrecognized consequences in the specific areas of technology, food, fashion and fuel. Borrow the e-book and the e-audiobook in Overdrive/Libby via partner network Minuteman. |
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The (almost) zero waste guide : 100+ tips for reducing your waste without changing your life
by Melanie Mannarino A practical guide on how to go "almost zero waste," featuring 100 tips on how to reduce waste in your everyday life, at home, and in your community. Borrow the e-book in Overdrive/Libby via partner network NOBLE. |
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Climate justice : hope, resilience, and the fight for a sustainable future
by Mary Robinson A former president of Ireland and U.S. special envoy on climate change describes the impact of climate change and offers uplifting stories of ordinary people who have stepped up to help save our planet, including a Mississippi hair dresser and a Ugandan farmer. |
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Cooking with scraps : turn your peels, cores, rinds, and stems into delicious meals
by Lindsay-Jean Hard A collection of 80 waste-reducing recipes for meals created from previously discarded bits of produce, rinds, stale bread, and other leftover foods includes directions for making such options as carrot green pesto and broccoli ricotta toast. Borrow the e-book in Hoopla. Borrow the e-book in Overdrive/Libby via partner network CLAMS. |
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Install your own solar panels : designing and installing a photovoltaic system to power your home
by Joesph Burdick Provides step-by-step instructions on how to install a home solar array, from assessing your site to maintenance and troubleshooting. Borrow the e-book in Hoopla. |
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Simply sustainable : moving toward plastic-free, low-waste living
by Lily Cameron An expert in low-waste living demonstrates how to gradually transition away from using plastic and make your home more beautiful in the process from easy changes for those just getting started to more advanced, higher-impact tips and techniques. |
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How to create an eco garden : a practical guide to sustainable and greener gardening
by John Walker Eco gardening can lessen our overconsumption of natural resources, reduce waste, cut energy use, and make a positive contribution to reducing our carbon footprint. Each page of this planet-friendly book is bursting with ideas for creating your own eco garden on any scale from a small courtyard to a large garden or allotment. Packed with practical advice and 500 photographs, this book is for everyone who wants a beautiful, productive backyard that won't cost the earth. Looking for a similar e-book? Check out Tomorrow's Garden in Overdrive/Libby. |
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The sustainable(ish) living guide : everything you need to know to make small changes that make a big difference
by Jen Gale If you want to save the planet, but your to-do list is already pretty long and remembering your re-usable coffee cup feels like a Herculean task, then this is the book for you. Covering every aspect of our lives from the stuff we buy and the food we eat, to how we travel, work, and celebrate. This book provides stacks of practical, down to earth ideas to slot into your daily life, alongside encouragement to put your newfound knowledge into action. Change your impact without radically changing your life and figure out the small steps you can make that will add up to make a big difference. Looking for a similar e-book? Check out Attainable Sustainable in Overdrive/Libby. |
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Secrets of great second meals : flexible modern recipes that value time and limit waste
by Sara Dickerman Learn to cook smarter, save time and money, and enjoy great meals crafted from leftovers in a practical and creative cookbook that teaches readers to plan and prepare great “second meals.” |
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Mend it, wear it, love it! : stitch your way to a sustainable wardrobe
by Zoe Edwards Have you ever thrown good clothes away simply because you didn't know how to mend them? Have you got clothes that you can't bear to part with but need a fresher look? Then this book is for you. With fast fixes and complete makeovers, you'll find everything you need to mend and care for your clothes and stitch your way to a more sustainable wardrobe. |
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Reimagining death : stories and practical wisdom for home funerals and green burials
by Lucinda Herring For those seeking to reclaim their innate and legal right to care for their own dead, create home funeral vigils, and choose greener after-death care options that are less toxic and more sustainable for the earth: More natural after-death care options are transforming the paradigm of the existing funeral industry, helping families recover their instinctive capacity to care for a loved one after death and do so in creative, nourishing and healing ways. |
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Darning : Repair Make Mend
by Hikaru Noguchi This is visible mending, more akin to embroidery and embellishment that will make your favorite clothing even more personal and save it from the landfill. Climate change is making us rethink how we use resources, including fast fashion, so re-using and mending our clothes has become a mark of pride. This detailed step-by-step guide makes the methods easy to follow even for non-sewers. Looking for a similar e-book? Check out Mending Matters in Overdrive/Libby. |
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Green plate special : sustainable and delicious recipes
by Christine Burns Rudalevige This cookbook not only has recipes for healthy, sustainable, and delicious meals, but it also offers tips and tricks for greening your kitchen and making the most of your produce. From the farmer's market to the dessert plate, there are dozens of recipes that are good for the planet (but never sacrifice flavor) Green Plate Special is an easy-to-digest primer for conscious, delectable living. Looking for a similar e-book? Check out The Waste Not, Want Not Cookbook, available in Overdrive/Libby. |
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Confessions of a recovering environmentalist : and other essays
by Paul Kingsnorth Gathering the thought-provoking essays that changed his course of thinking, a former activist presents this volume that asks how we can live with hope in “an age of ecocide” and articulates his new vision, called “dark ecology,” that stands firmly in opposition to the belief that technology can save us. |
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How to avoid a climate disaster : the solutions we have and the breakthroughs we need
by Bill Gates The technologist, business leader, and philanthropist who founded Microsoft draws on the input of experts in physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, political science, and finance to create an accessible, concrete plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and avoid certain environmental disaster. Borrow the e-book and e-audiobook in Overdrive/Libby. |
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The animal lover's guide to changing the world : practical advice and everyday actions for a more sustainable, humane, and compassionate planet
by Stephanie Feldstein Showing readers how to take action to create a better world for us and the animals we love, this practical book, which is guaranteed to inspire and empower, reveals how just a few small lifestyle changes can have a huge impact. |
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Mend & make fabulous : sewing solutions & fashionable fixes
by Denise Wild Offers practical advice and techniques for mending different types of clothing and accessories, as well as fashion-conscious creative tips for adding decoration and personal touches to mended items. |
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Build your own electric vehicle
by Seth Leitman Discusses the benefits of electric vehicles, describing each component and including step-by-step instructions for assembling the parts. |
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The climate diet : 50 simple ways to trim your carbon footprint
by Paul Greenberg Offers a practical guide for daily living that supports the health of our planet through modifying how we eat, live at home, travel, and lobby for change. |