Eco Friendly House And Garden

photo credit: koadmunkee

‘Why dense cities, nuclear power, genetically modified crops, restored wildlands, radical science and geoengineering are essential’ – he says….

Basically this book looks at the way in which many things that were thought of as ‘anti eco friendly’ a few years ago, are actually the essential ingredients for the eco friendly living of the future.

And to prove it, he is immediately supportive of the non-carbon emitting high-energy producing wonders of a nuclear power station!

The Book Itself:
There have been times in the past when nuclear power, genetically engineered crops and radical thinking have all seemed to be ‘bad’ for people or the environment.

However, when the variables change – so do the answers.

And it in this was that the Author helps to explain these new variables – and why the solutions we need might not automatically spring to mind as being eco friendly.

He uses a great pile of facts and experiences to try to convince you that the way humans are moving forward means that the way humans act needs to change alongside that.

Yes; the thought of putting the gene or a fish into a grain of rice seemed ludicrous and somewhat of a waste of money when it was first reported in the news – but now that climate change, flooding, biofuels and a burgeoning population have limited the availability of food for millions of people across the world – making a strain of rice that can improve yields and which also includes extra vitamins and minerals seems the perfect solution – even if it needed a microscopic amount of fish in it!

In the same way a highly lethal pile of radioactive rods and waste products seemed the worst thing that a country could build next to a city – but now that we are running out of cheap oil, trying to limit our carbon emissions and needing to cater for a few million extra humans every year – this high-enery carbon-clean fuel seems to be at the forefront of future energy resources.

Things always change – and I like the way that this book tries to show you the otherside of the argument. I totally agree that our initial thoughts on something are sometimes influenced by a news story (without all the facts) and I am guilty of shying away from GM (or more correctly GE) foods initially – but when you find out that people in African countries are starving because they can’t accept GM food for free incase it ‘pollutes’ exports to Europe. Why? Because Europe still have a ban on GM crops.

Result: 4/5
I would have hoped for more intriguing facts in a book like this – and from both sides of the argument.  Science has probably come a long way since writing – so I look forward to an updated version – with maybe a chapter on the technologies we are all relying on. 

I wasn’t totally convinced by all of his arguments, and there is still a difference to me between things that promote healthy living and things that are purely decorative or just for ‘something different’. But sometimes these things progress together; something that is developed purely for money can have better financial and intellectual resources than something for charity.  But hopefully these ideas are shared. 

I like the way it made me think about my ‘eco’ perceptions.

ISBN: 978-1-843548164

A Story of what Man leaves behind, he says……

It wasn’t about eco friendly anything really – however, it covers some very interesting points.

Yes, it covered how all our impact in most areas would cease for the better immediately – zero carbon emissions, no more deforestation or over fishing etc, but it also highlighted what would happen to the things that we need to manage – like nuclear power plants, dams, exotic species, farm animals and pets!

If we don’t keep working with these – they will go astray, and can’t work or survive on their own!

I was gripped throughout the book (although it’s not a read cover to cover in one go type of book), not just by it’s attention to detail regarding individual people and actions – but by the wealth of natural forests and habitats that I never knew existed and now want to learn more about!

The Book Itself:
We have created so many things that are durable that they won’t be going anywhere fast!  And infact some could threaten the very planet after we are gone!

The book assumes that humans literally vanish in a second and leave the world right as it is in that instant., so factories still running, shops still open, communities still farming – then we go.

The author – Alan Weisman doesn’t even entertain for a minute that there will be any surviving humans, and even if there were – it wouldn’t be anything like the BBC drama Survivors.

There are things out there that just can’t be controlled without the skilled people who work with them now.  Yes, the electricity and water stopped and the stores closed – but what about that nuclear reactor still burning away?  What about oil pumps sucking out millions of gallons or flammable and toxic oil above the surface?

And all the plastic we have ever made is still out there – it never goes away – it’s just getting smaller and smaller. So if it’s a bag for example floating in the sea, it get eaten by a turtle (aling with other plastics and so the turtle dies; however when the turtle has decomposed or been eaten, the bag becomes released again. Then the bag is in smaller bits floating on the sea so it gets eaten by and kills an albatros, who then dies – and then when they get eaten, the bag bits come out again, and gets smaller. Then it gets eaten again and again and again through the food chain – forever it would seem!

He tells us that there are patches of woodland dotted around the world that are so old that they defies everything we now know about woodland management. 

One on the Polish-Belarus border hasn’t been affected by humans since the dawn of time – literally.  It is called the Bialowieza Puszcza and means ‘forest primeval’.  There are a whole host of ancient – and giant – species of trees a whole host of rare and unusual native European mammals including the lynx, wolf, bear and even the wisent – a European bison!

There is also an ancient forest right in the heart of the Bronx, New York.  There is a patch of historic woodland that was there when the first Europeans came over to the state – and there is stays!  The rest of New York has been deforested and flattened while this pocket of history goes on!

Result: 4/5
It’s a really good place to start if you are trying to think of a reason to reduce your waste (big section on plastics), change your habits (farming and food waste) and cut your energy uses (power sources).

Basically, it can make you think hard and fast about what we are doing to the very planet we depend on, whether we are here or not!

After reading this book, you need to look at the trail of every item you hold in your hand that day, whether it’s food, an electrical item or clothing and ask yourself the following questions:

• Where was it from, and what did it take to make it and get it here?
• What does it actually do to improve your life (if at all) and why do I need this exact thing over the alternatives?
• And, where does it go after it leaves my hand?  And is that a good place????????

So, go out to the book store or library at read this book!

ISBN: 978-0-7535-1357-6