‣Who says that all possible social and political systems have already been invented? Or that work-or marriage, or environmentalism, or anything else-must be just what they are now?

This book is a conceptual toolbox for imagining and initiating radical social change. Chapters offer specific, focused, and shareable techniques:

• Seeking ...

‣Green building is the fastest-growing trend to hit since the Internet, bringing with it an enormous range of new products, systems and technologies. Green Building A to Z is an informative, technically accurate and highly visual guide to green building, for both decision-makers and interested citizens. It begins with an introduction ...

‣The village green is the focal point of any community; a gathering place where the best ideas take root and the brightest voices are heard.

The New Village Green gathers some of the best ideas and brightest voices of the green community; some famous and familiar, others fresh and unknown. Each tells an absorbing story, and collectively ...

‣What if it were possible to combine energy and water in a way that would contribute to the reversal of global warming and the restoration of the planet? What if it were possible to have a better quality of life, without having to give anything up? What if that plan made such economic sense that governments and large corporations ...

‣Abandoned lots and litter-strewn pathways, or rows of green beans and pockets of wildflowers? Graffiti-marked walls and desolate bus stops, or shady refuges and comfortable seating? What transforms a dingy, inhospitable area into a dynamic gathering place? How do individuals take back their neighborhood?

Neighborhoods decline when ...

‣We all know that money can't buy you love…or happiness, but we have been living our lives as though the accumulation of wealth is the key to our dreams.

Why, in spite of increasing economic prosperity over the past 50 years, are many conditions of well-being in decline and rates of happiness largely unchanged since the 1950s?

Why ...

‣In an era of dwindling resources, water is poised to become the new oil as the entire world now faces the reality of a decreasing supply of clean water. To avert a devastating shortage, we must not only look at alternate water sources for existing structures, we must also plan our new developments differently.

Design for Water is ...

‣Making responsible social and environmental choices has not always been a first priority for many corporations, but recent history has changed all that. Small but mighty NGOs, using 21st Century global communications, are nipping at the heels of corporations caught in unethical and irresponsible practices.

NGO "market campaigns" ...

‣In 1950, only thirty percent of the world's population lived in cities. By 2007, the planet's population has now doubled and today, as many people live in cities as populated the entire planet in 1950. Eighty percent of the planet's greenhouse gases are created by these energy-intensive urban centers. Thus, the key to creating ...

‣Finding community is as critical as obtaining food and shelter, since the need to belong is what makes us human. The isolation and loneliness of modern life have led many people to search for deeper connection, which has resulted in a renewed interest in intentional communities. These intentional communities or ecovillages are an ...

‣Cancer-the word strikes fear in people's hearts. With more people getting cancer every year, the big question must be: How can we prevent this epidemic?

Cancer: 101 Solutions to a Preventable Epidemic offers solid evidence that many cancers are preventable, since their causes lie with the contamination of our bodies by pollution ...

‣The term "guerrilla" may bring to mind a small band of armed soldiers, moving in the dead of night on a stealth mission. In the case of guerrilla gardening, the soldiers are planters, the weapons are shovels, and the mission is to transform an abandoned lot into a thing of beauty. Once an environmentalist's nonviolent direct action ...

‣A politically polarized America is coming together over a new kind of car-the plug-in hybrid that will save drivers money, reduce pollution, and increase U.S. security by reducing dependence on imported oil.

Plug-in Hybrids points out that, whereas hydrogen fuel-cell cars won't be ready for decades, the technology for plug-in hybrids ...

‣Most people are unaware that environmental problems such as climate change can be easily avoided, at a profit, through the intelligent application of appropriate technology. The Carbon Buster's Handbook describes how to achieve this goal in the residential field.

The first book in North America to provide a detailed carbon accounting ...

‣Fermenting Revolution delivers an empowering message about how individuals can change the world through the simple act of having a beer. It is also the first book to view all of the important trends in human history as fundamentally revolving around beer.

Globalization pitches the corporate worldview that is essentially selfish, ...

‣Type 2 diabetes is a social pandemic caused by toxic environments-high in stress and sugar, low in opportunities to exercise or feel good about yourself-and a lack of power. Millions are suffering and being blamed for it; communities devastated; health systems bankrupted.

Diabetes: Sugar-Coated Crisis describes the social sources ...

‣We're hammered, we're slammed, we're out of control. Happiness is on the decline in the most affluent country in the world and Americans are troubled by the destructiveness of a lifestyle devoted to money and status. Yet no-one seems to have a clue how to exit from the Fast Lane...

Slow Is Beautiful analyzes the subtle consumer, ...

‣The miracle of the Green Revolution was made possible by cheap fossil fuels to supply crops with artificial fertilizer, pesticides, and irrigation. Estimates of the net energy balance of agriculture in the US show that ten calories of hydrocarbon energy are required to produce one calorie of food. Such an imbalance cannot continue ...

‣A dozen carefully-researched books have exposed the official story of 9/11 to be a terror fraud. Yet the mainstream media have monolithically failed to ask elementary questions about anomalies in this story. So-called alternative media have been little better. Towers of Deception explains why and prescribes actions to break out ...

‣Since oil is the primary fuel of global industrial civilization, its imminent depletion is a problem that will have profound impact on every aspect of modern life. Without international agreement on how to manage the decline of this vital resource, the world faces unprecedented risk of conflict and collapse.

The Oil Depletion Protocol ...

‣More and more homeowners today want houses that are healthy to live in and cause minimal damage to the environment. That's what green building is all about.

Your Green Home is written for homeowners planning a new home-whether you are working with an architect or builder, or serving as your own general contractor. Intended to improve.

‣Declining oil supplies and the environmental impact of coal dictate a switch to renewable energy sources for a sustainable future. Written for a popular audience, Energy Switch details this momentous transition and proposes that the remaining non-renewable resources be used to develop a long-term supply of renewable energy.

A renewable ...

‣Enough Blood Shed confronts the reality of a world awash in weapons and the belief that war is inevitable, with people powerless to change the system. It provides an alternative perspective based on solutions known to be successful because they have been used already.

The first part of the book describes the culture of violence that ...

‣The time-tested, easy-to-learn construction techniques described in Earth-Sheltered Houses will give readers to confidence with their own building projects, backed up by a resources section that lists all the latest products such as waterproofing membranes, types of rigid insulation and drainage products.

‣Most of the world's population now lives in cities. So if we are to address the problems of environmental deterioration and peak oil adequately, the city has to be a major focus of attention.

EcoCities is about re-building cities and towns based on ecological principles for the long term sustainability, cultural vitality and health ...

‣Compelling evidence links the chemicals in household products to cancer, asthma, allergies, multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome-also known as environmental illness-hormonal disruption, reproductive and developmental disorders, and other conditions. Yet cleaning products are exempt from the full ingredient disclosure on product ...

‣ Discover forgotten low-input food gardening methods for surviving uncertain times ahead. Gardening When It Counts helps readers rediscover traditional methods to produce healthy food.

‣The Solar Food Dryer describes how to use solar energy to dry your food instead of costly electricity. With your own solar-powered food dryer, you can quickly and efficiently dry all your extra garden veggies, fruits and herbs to preserve their goodness all year long-with free sunshine! Applicable to a wide geography-wherever gardens ...

‣Whether we are nearing the end of oil or merely nearing the end of inexpensive oil, it is becoming increasingly clear that we need to find alternative ways to meet our energy needs. Biodiesel is one such alternative-and is one of the fastest growing sectors of the US economy.

Biodiesel in North America is in its infancy. As air quality ...

‣The world is about to run out of cheap oil and change dramatically. Within the next few years, global production will peak. Thereafter, even if industrial societies begin to switch to alternative energy sources, they will have less net energy each year to do all the work essential to the survival of complex societies. We are entering ...

‣Sustainability has become a buzzword in the last decade, but its full meaning is complex, emerging from a range of different sectors. In practice, it has become the springboard for millions of individuals throughout the world who are forging the fastest and most profound social transformation of our time-the Sustainability Revolution.

The ...

‣To forge a sustainable future, we need citizens who care for the Earth. We need citizens who understand that planet care is the ultimate form of self-care. But we also need generations who live according to their values and convictions and who can effect positive change in their lives and the lives of others. Because public schools ...

‣With rising energy costs, homeowners are beginning to examine the energy efficiency of their own homes, asking questions that range from where energy comes from and how much it costs, to how to choose new appliances and what options exist for renewable energy?

The Home Energy Diet answers all these questions and more, while helping ...

‣The invasion of Iraq may well be remembered as the first oil currency war. Far from being a response to 9-11 terrorism or Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction, Petrodollar Warfare argues that the invasion was precipitated by two converging phenomena: the imminent peak in global oil production, and the ascendance of the euro ...

‣In a world filled with stories of environmental devastation and social dysfunction, EcoVillage at Ithaca is a refreshing and hopeful look at a modern-day village that is taking an integrated approach to addressing these problems.

This book tells the story of life at EcoVillage at Ithaca, an internationally recognized example of sustainable ...

‣The idea of sustainability has been embraced enthusiastically by some businesses and rejected by others. The first wave of corporate converts to sustainability was driven by a PR crisis perhaps, regulatory pressures, or the founder's personal passion. The next wave, however, requires different drivers if it is to build a critical ...

‣Putting your body in the way of violence is a dramatic way of taking a stand. Taking a Stand describes the work done by peace teams and accompaniment projects-who runs them, what is involved in joining, and the social and emotional challenges and rewards from such experience. Accessible and conversational, the book describes who ...

‣Straw bale houses are easy to build, affordable, super energy efficient, environmentally friendly, attractive, and can be designed to match the builder's personal space needs, esthetics, and budget. Despite mushrooming interest in the technique, however, most straw bale books focus on "selling" the dream of straw-bale building, ...

‣"Chiva" is street slang for heroin-and heroin is a hot topic.

Its use as a narcotic is on a precipitous rise. Worldwide heroin production has doubled in the last decade, and the United Nations estimates more than fifteen million users are addicted-up to three million in the United States. It's big business, too, with yearly global ...

‣This highly illustrated guide includes all the tools, tricks, and techniques for building with bags filled with earth – or earthbags. The authors' "flexible form rammed earth technique" creates precision walls for constructing homes, outbuildings, garden walls, and much more.

‣Media reports focus increasingly on the declining health of children in industrialized countries. Asthma, autism, learning and behavior problems, and cancer are all on the rise. At the same time there is consistent news about poor indoor air quality, mold, and how buildings can make people sick.

Homes that Heal addresses both of ...

‣Critical world problems call for education that addresses the values and behaviors that perpetuate suffering, oppression, and destruction. Humane education does this, offering young people deeply meaningful education about the issues of our time, teaching them to be critical and creative thinkers, inspiring their reverence and respect, ...

‣If the US continues with current policies, the next decades will be marked by war, economic collapse, and environmental catastrophe. Resource depletion and population pressures are about to catch up with us, and no one is prepared. The political élites, especially in the US, are incapable of dealing with the situation, and have ...

‣Producing electricity from the sun using photovoltaic (PV) systems has become a major industry worldwide. But designing, installing and maintaining such systems requires knowledge and training, and there have been few easily accessible, comprehensive guides to the subject.

Now, with Photovoltaics: Design and Installation Manual, ...

‣The Joy of Conflict Resolution helps readers better understand their conflicts through the lens of the "drama triangle" of victims, villains and heroes. Accessible, engaging and light-hearted, it provides proven and practical skills for moving beyond confrontation to resolve conflicts collaboratively.

‣In the '60s it was called the "back to the land" movement, and in Helen and Scott Nearings' day, it was "living the good life." Whatever the term, North Americans have always yearned for a simpler way. But how do you accomplish that today?

Blending inspiration with practical how-to's, Rural Renaissance captures the American dream ...

‣Many natural building methods rely upon the use of post and beam frame structures that are then in-filled with straw, cob, cordwood, or more conventional wall materials. But traditional timber framing employs the use of finely crafted jointing and wooden pegs, requiring a high degree of craftsmanship and training, as well as much ...

‣Sustainability may seem like one more buzzword, and cities and towns like the last places to change, but The Natural Step for Communities provides inspiring examples of communities that have made dramatic changes toward sustainability, and explains how others can emulate their success.

Chronicled in the book are towns like Övertorneå, ...