‣Hydroelectricity is the world's largest-and cleanest-source of renewable energy. But despite lively interest in renewables generally, there is an information vacuum about the smallest version of the technology dubbed "the simplest, most reliable and least expensive way to generate power off grid."

Highly illustrated and practical, ...

‣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, ...

‣A tale of rebel women, grassroots self-governance, and community-building in the face of the machine. Part incendiary political and economic tract, part practical yet irreverent guide to building sensible cob and earthen homes for real people, Mudgirls Manifesto is about respecting the earth and each other, and crafting meaningful lives.

‣Most supermarket mushrooms are bland and boring; products of an industrial process which typically relies on expensive equipment and harmful pesticides. Many people would like to add more flavorful and diverse fungi to their diets, but lack the knowledge or confidence to gather their own. Do-it-yourself cultivation is a fun, exciting ...

‣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 ...

‣Nature-Based Therapy is a practical guide for those working in educational and therapeutic settings. It addresses the disconnection between humans and their ecological home, and offers successful theories and practices undertaken with children, youth, and families.

‣Lead in lipstick, carcinogens in baby shampoo – the cosmetics industry needs a makeover! Discover what happens when a group of breast cancer activists and environmentalists knock on the doors of the world's largest cosmetics companies to demand safe, non-toxic products.

‣As a medium of exchange, money is one of the most ingenious inventions of mankind, as it facilitates the trade of goods and services and allows for specialization and the division of labor. However, compound interest and inflation have caused our monetary system to balloon to the point where bailing out banks, large corporations, ...

‣Today's global economy is yesterday's empire. Imperialism in whatever guise is the same through time, penetrating every area of our lives, affecting whole cultures as well as the deep core of individuals. And maps have been the tools of empire, defining the territory to be exploited.

Off The Map is a unique exploration of globalization. ...

‣Pawpaws is an in-depth guide to growing and marketing North America's forgotten native fruit at small commercial orchard scale. Coverage includes selecting cultivars, orchard planning, propagating, organic growing, pest management, harvesting, marketing, and value-added products.

• Oil, natural gas and coal extraction
• Yearly grain harvests
• Climate stability
• Economic ...

‣Jenni Blackmore presents a highly personal, entertaining account of how permaculture can be practiced in adverse conditions. Permaculture for the Rest of Us describes how to retrofit even the smallest homestead, illustrating the fundamental principles of this sometimes confusing concept in a humorous, reader-friendly way.

‣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 ...

‣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, ...

‣Concerns over climate change and energy depletion are increasing exponentially.

Mainstream solutions still assume a panacea that will cure our climate ills without requiring any serious modification to our way of life.

Plan C explores the risks inherent in trying to continue our energy-intensive lifestyle. Using dirtier fossil fuels ...

‣Plant Science for Gardeners is the key to growing better plants. This easy introduction to plant biology and chemistry gives you the knowledge and confidence to analyze problems, find solutions, and make better decisions in the garden to optimize plant health and productivity. Learn the science and ditch the rules!

‣Fueled by a failing economy and a passionate desire for a return to simpler times, a new wave of homesteaders is seeking the good life, and the kind of true satisfaction that can only be built, not bought. Many of these modern pioneers are cash poor, but rich in energy and creativity. Plowing with Pigs and Other Creative, Low-Budget ...

‣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 ...

‣Power traces how humans have come to overpower the earth's natural systems and to oppress one another, with catastrophic consequences. We must rapidly re-learn the lessons of power self-limitation rooted in evolution and human history if we are to stave off ecological and social collapse and enjoy a thriving future.

‣Written for the layman, this is the fully revised and updated guide for individuals and businesses interested in generating their own electricity using the Sun. Practical and accessible, it provides a basic understanding of electricity, wiring, and solar energy, and guides the reader through site assessment and determining the type ...

‣Skyrocketing energy costs and constant reminders of the impacts of conventional energy sources are making homeowners and businesses look at different ways to use energy more efficiently and to generate their own electricity to reduce fuel bills and their carbon footprint.

Power From the Wind is the completely revised and updated ...

‣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 ...

‣Practical No-Till Farming is the ultimate guide to getting started with organic no-till growing methods. Coverage includes pros and cons of different no-till methods, customizing no-till for your farm, detailed how-to for each method, relative costs, handling pernicious weeds, and boosting soil health and crop yield.

‣Create beautiful cured meats at home, revel in the delicious combination of craft and thrift, and discover creativity and empowerment through charcuterie practice. Meredith Leigh makes a case for meat preservation both as a means of artistic expression and flavorful eating, in a beautiful, accessible guide for the everyday cook.

‣Houdan. Nankin. Indian Runner. Narragansett. These may sound like exotic place names or unusual varieties of produce, but each actually refers to one of the many hundreds of lesser-known poultry breeds which tempt the livestock owner who's prepared to venture into less familiar territory. Providing an alternative to commercial breeds ...

‣Imagine you are first in line at a potluck buffet. The spread includes not just food and water, but all the materials needed for shelter, clothing, healthcare, and education. How do you know how much to take? How much is enough to leave for your neighbors behind you-not just the six billion people, but the wildlife, and the as-yet-unborn?

In ...

‣Incorporating dairy goats into a diversified homestead can aid in greater self-sufficiency. Responding to questions and concerns from readers from all over North America and beyond, this revised and expanded edition will help readers raise goats to produce milk, cheese, meat, and more, without relying on drugs or the factory farm model.

‣One of the most sustainable, nutritious, and economic sources of meat available, rabbits can be easily raised in a range of locations and climates. Raising Rabbits for Meat is the how-to guide to help you succeed in setting-up and running a home rabbitry for a steady source of meat or income.

‣The Real Goods Solar Living Sourcebook is the definitive guide to renewable energy, sustainable living, alternative transportation, natural and green building, homesteading, energy conservation and off-grid living. This revised 14th edition contains expanded information on permaculture, biodynamics, and emergency preparedness.

‣Commoning was a way of life for most of our ancestors. In Reclaiming the Commons for the Common Good, author Heather Menzies journeys to her roots in the Scottish Highlands, where her family lived in direct relation with the land since before recorded time.

Beginning with an intimate account of unearthing the heritage of the commons ...

‣Buildings and their associated systems are the largest source of greenhouse gases in the world. The 2030 Challenge aims to produce zero net -energy from new North American construction by 2030 while achieving a 50% reduction in carbon emissions from existing buildings. With less than 4% of commercial and residential structures in ...

‣Renewal explores the science behind why being in nature makes us feel alive and helps us thrive. Backed by cutting-edge research in cognitive science, Edwards weaves stories that reveal nature's genius, its effect on our lives, and how cultivating an emotional bond with nature benefits us and the natural world.

‣Resilient Agriculture, Second Edition explores the latest science on climate risk and resilience through the adaptation stories of award-winning farmers and ranchers to explore the powerful solutions offered by agriculture and food systems designed to restore the natural, human, and social resources that sustain us.

‣After six years of economic development work in Africa, Ernesto Sirolli witnessed how little most foreign aid programs were actually doing for the people they hoped to help-from creating a communal tomato field on the banks of the Zambezi river (only to be demolished by the river's hippos at harvest time) to donating snow-plows ...

‣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 ...

‣Stories from across North America of contemporary church leaders, parishioners and religious activists who are working to define a new environmental movement, where honoring the Creator means protecting the planet.

Sacred Acts documents the diverse actions taken by churches to address climate change through stewardship, advocacy, ...

‣Historically, seed companies were generally small, often family-run businesses. Because they were regionally-based, they could focus on varieties well-suited to the local environment. A Pacific Northwest company, for example, would specialize in different cultivars than a company based in the Southeast. However the absorption of ...

‣Anger is a natural human emotion, but if it isn't managed properly its effects can be devastating. Seeing Red is a curriculum designed to help elementary and middle-school aged students better understand their anger so they can make healthy and successful choices and build strong relationships. This completely revised and updated ...

‣America stands at a precipice; limitless consumption, reckless economics, and disregard for the environment have put the country on a collision course with disaster. It's up to a younger generation to rebuild according to new forms of organization, and Share or Die is a collection of messages from the front lines.

From urban Detroit ...

‣Society is at a crossroads. We can either continue on the path of consumption at any cost, or we can make new choices that will lead to a happier, more rewarding life, while helping to preserve the planet for future generations. Unfortunately, we can't all afford to install solar panels or buy a Prius. Does this mean we are doomed ...

‣Over the past two centuries we have witnessed a wholesale replacement of most of the previous methods of conducting both business and daily life with new, technologically advanced, more efficient methods.

What exactly is progressive or efficient about this new arrangement is hardly ever examined in depth: if the new ways of doing ...

‣Wabi-sabi is about appreciating the simple and letting go of the superficial – the perfect antidote for a society in recovery from a decades-long consumerist binge. In 2004 The Wabi-Sabi House helped popularize this ancient Japanese philosophy in North America. Simply Imperfect is a fully revised and updated edition of The ...

‣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, ...

‣In an era when incomprehensibly complex issues like Peak Oil and Climate Change dominate headlines, practical solutions at a local level can seem somehow inadequate.

In response, Lyle Estill's Small is Possible introduces us to "hometown security," with this chronicle of a community-powered response to resource depletion in a fickle ...