Customer Reviews

The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook: 77 Essential Skills To Stop Climate Change

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

Yes, the New York Times did just mention this book in a very good article about being cute-green versus really deep-green. And yes, it is a little scary to many of the serious 'fate-of-the-Earth' worriers that any sugar-coated tips and 'green-style' guides will set back any progress we could possibly make, but the worriers are wrong. Thick non-fiction readers and policy wonks can't solve this problem without an ever widening mass movement, good old fashioned popular demand. When it comes to our greatest challenges, ALL publicity is good publicity -- even sugar-coated fluff, even biting satire, even irony. Better a flood of books (on PAPER and shipped via carbon-churning trucks) about global warming and consumerism and treading lightly (or lighter) than the flood of other junk out there.

We have to plant a lot of seeds to grow a movement, to grow a big change. The greening of America has to reach the Wal-Mart crowd somehow, the celebrity-idol-mongering crowd, the sports fans, the working stiffs, the cynics, the TV and media sleepyheads from NPR to FOX to blathering talk radio. And so books like this, which are colorful and graphic and attractive and cute and even "fun" and tongue-in-cheek and a bit cartoonish REALLY ARE VERY MUCH NEEDED. NOW.

Not everybody is going to listen to Al Gore or Paul Hawken, much less less charismatic experts, much MUCH less read their books. Maybe some others who might not pick up a stark manual, such as the very good guide to environmental choices put out by the Union for Concerned Scientists ACTUALLY WILL pick up this book and thumb through it and get something out of it. And we need all the help we can get, so get a few extra copies and leave them on the kitchen tables of some of your not-so-green family members and friends. This book is probably more palatable for that audience than a gift membership in The Sierra Club or the NRDC.

Those are good possibilities for helping to spread the news as well, but before we do too much preaching, we need to get more of the audience enticed to hear what we have to say -- or see it laid out in a pleasant package like this book.

LOVE THIS BOOK! I'm using it at home and it's stimulated some great dinner conversations with the family. We've changed out our lightbulbs, installed a programmable thermostat, turned off the AC whenever the temperature is below 80 degrees and begun using cloth shopping bags for groceries. These are easy and the kids love to remind me to do it. We're putting in a rain barrel this weekend and started a compost pile. It was fun and easy. Great family book.

This handbook has some earth-friendly advice on how to reduce CO2
emissions. Here are some examples:
- drive lighter cars
- pay bills online and avoid the paper
- purchase an energy star fridge
- styrofoam cups are difficult to break down ecologically
- work at home
- recycle
- upgrade the computer rather than buying new
- get a rainbarrel to trap water
- purchase locally produced fresh food rather than canned or frozen
- increase use of solar power
- research nside.org for ice flow

Overall, the acquisition is worth purchasing because of the unique
value of the information accumulated by the author. The suggestions
are practical and they make sense scientifically.

I really wanted to see what this global warming, eco-friendly thing was all about. This book was very diasappointing for 3 reasons:
1) I second the earlier reviewer (and wish I had realized it myself). Why was this printed and shipped? Why not an ebook? It's not even on recycled paper.
2) The publishing is poor - It skips from Skill #10 to #31, then the #31 through #47 section is repeated twice. Skills #11 through #30 never appear. Returning it would just mean more trucking and (postage and gas for the truck included) cost more than I paid for the book. What a waste.
3) The 'meltdown' section, Skills #68 through #77, is pure sarcasm. No useful information and not even funny at that. Another waste.

All in all, of 77 Skills, 20 were missing and 10 were just sarcasm - not useful information. That's 40% of the book, not to mention the 30 pages that were repeated. It really appears this book was just thrown together. It makes it difficult to take any of the information seriously.

Very disappointing. I expected so much more.

This book is an excellent primer for those who want to start learning about actionable steps that they can do as individuals, communities and families to help address the global warming environmental problem. It is written in easy-to-understand everyday vernacular with lots of humor and simple illustrations thrown in . It is not meant for the academic scientist, but rather for the ordinary citizen with a style that is especially appealing to the under 30 generation. I read this book from cover to cover, and I anticipate that I will be referring to it many times over the next several years.

Get this book and start learning how to walk the walk and talk the talk !

Note- this reviewer is proudly and positively prejudiced as his son was one of the contributing authors of the book.

A combination of three things: delightful facts and suggestions, extreme solutions for local and domestic challenges and completely off the wall recommendations for what seem like impending doom. The book is written in two + page chapters, keeping the readers attention so easily, that the book can be easily read in a day. Solutions are useful and thoughfully suggested.

The artwork is limited in color, making the cartoon like images appealing and cleanly modern. Overall, the book is attractive and a great introduction for someone testing the waters in eco-logic. Would be a great gift for the person on your list who is: intelligent and hard to shop for, interested in science, interested in nature, or is someone you would like to introduce to the topic of conservancy and 'green' recovery.

Fast and informative read, chock full of good information and new ways to think about how to be green. Some fun, cute "survival" tip at end for what to do if we don't stop global warming (buy a camel, etc.). Everyone should have a copy.

This is a fine book for those who know little about the environment, or are just looking for a place to get started. It's nicely designed. It has a clear message. It won't get anybody too upset. The information seems solid.

But if you're already convinced that there is a global environmental crisis, or if you're already committed to trying to make a difference, you'd be better off looking at some of the more in depth, innovative books out there for information and inspiration.

You might look at some of the new hot eco books like Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century, Design Like You Give a Damn: Architectural Responses to Humanitarian Crises or An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming. There are lots more, too.

The point is that if you're already sold on the need to do something, and are ready to make that action mean something, you've already probably graduated beyond the Live Earth book.

This little book is easy to use and I have already implemented some of the ideas. Very clearly written and great ideas!

A great little book, colorfull, funny and all in all a great guide for understanding how one can help our earth and get us all through climate change.