Fat Land

I love the title of this book! If the cover doesn't grab you, the content should.
Beginning with agricultural policy and continuing through corporate greed and the American quest for instant gratification this book explores the historical, political and societal causes of the obesity epidemic in the United States. Not that these should be excuses for our collective behavior, but seeing the research and understanding the (financial) reasons behind our current way of life might just be enough to galvanize some social change.
Rather than supporting small farms with multiple income crops, we have subsidized massive farm corporations that support the growth of cheap corn to produce cheap corn products (high fructose corn syrup) rather than food with real nutritional value.
Our schools are underfunded and physical education and health/nutrition programs are bare-bones in the areas that need them most. School lunch programs and product placement (Pepsi machines) undermine the message provided by educators.
Fast food corporations and junk food manufactures encourage the purchase of foods that our bodies crave, developing a cycle of non-nutritive consumption. Corn subsidies allow for these products to be inexpensive and preservatives allow for long shelf live and universal availability. Even in the most extreme food deserts, chips and candy are readily available.
Rather than provide preventative care and health counseling our for profit health care system encourages ignorance and emergency care followed by expensive hospital stays, surgery and prescription medications. By allowing health care and the prescription drug industry to support each other in their quest for profits we have taken our collective wellness to the brink of disaster.
How can we overcome this monster of obesity with all these systemic supports working against us? The author provides us with examples of grass-roots efforts that are making healthful change one community at at time. Community gardens, school nutrition programs, and family farms are beginning to push back. Overcoming the addiction to unending empty calories isn't simple, but small changes can lead to larger systemic change. Maybe we can begin to reverse the trend, one apple at a time!




http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/booksellers/press_release/fatland/

One Green Thing

http://greenerpenny.com/

Finding the balance between earth conscious and dollar conscious can be very tricky. It is easy to be sucked in to "green" living and to forget about your own "green" in the process! Purchasing fewer items of higher quality can help, but close attention needs to be paid to your budget.
By making changes slowly and researching your decision, control can be maintained over the process. The trouble is, most people don't have the time or inclination to do research before every purchase! That is the genius of this book. Mindy Pennybacker (Yeah, I know, she was born for this role!) does that research for us. Lists of not-go-good and better choices pepper each chapter making your decisions easier. Her goals are saving money and saving the earth; goals we can all embrace!

The Kind Diet

http://www.thekindlife.com/

I'm not a big reader of diet books, but I love to cook and I have been a vegetarian for many years. I avoided reading this for a while; I was afraid it might be annoying and shallow, but I was pleasantly surprised when I finally picked it up.
Now, this isn't ground-breaking information. A meat and dairy free diet that avoids caffeine and white sugar is better for you and will help you loose weight. Its also better for the planet. The thing I really liked, however, was that the rationale for this was explained clearly, but not in a preachy way, and there is no pressure to 100% commit. Instead of insisting that a complete lifestyle change is the only possibility, Alicia provides levels of change ranging from a few veg meals per week to a complete raw, macrobiotic diet. She truly seems accepting of any level of commitment and is confident that once you try it, you won't want to go back. This attitude is so much more constructive that militant veganism that I want to recommend to meat-eaters as an introduction to the lifestyle. As they say, "you catch more flies with honey (or agave nectar)"!

Sharing Nature with Children

http://www.sharingnature.com/index.php

Thirty years ago, Joseph Cornell's first book was published to popular acclaim. With practical and fun suggestions for really enjoying and exploring nature alongside children, this book also assumes that its readers are willing and able to discuss the natural and scientific evidence experienced in each activity. As a nature educator, Cornell is a pioneer, using organic experiences to illustrate higher level concepts. His work is the influence for many of the modern "nature learning" authors and a must read for parents, educators and anyone who plays with children.