One Makes the Difference: Inspiring Actions that Change our World [Paperback]

Julia Hill (Author), Jessica Hurley (Author), Julia Hill (Author), Jessica Hurley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 26, 2002

After her record-breaking two year tree sit, Julia Butterfly Hill has ceaslessly continued her efforts to promote sustainability and ecologically-minded ways to save the old-growth redwoods she acted so valiantly to protect. Here she provides her many young fans with what they yearn for most -- her advice on how to promote change and improve the health of the planet, distilled into an essential handbook. This book will be accessible to school-aged children, while accomodating the audience of parents and teachers who look to Julia as an example of how one person can "change the world." Packed with a variety of charts, diagrams, and interesting factoids, the book will be broken down into a series of steps and easy-to-follow lessons. It will be written broadly so as to accommodate all kinds of activism, though its core focus will be on environmental issues.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Environmental activist and writer Hill, whose The Legacy of Luna recorded her attempt to save a redwood forest by living in a tree for two years, now offers practical tips for environmentally sound living. In short, punchy chapters, she suggests steps that readers of all ages can take to reduce waste and pollution. Using nontoxic household products for cleaning, organizing recycling programs and buying locally grown produce are just a few of the measures Hill recommends in this accessible guide. She also gives a crash course in nonviolent protesting and other forms of political action.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Though without formal environmental training, Hill has earned the right to her title; as she described in The Legacy of Luna, she endured a 738-day tree-sit in a successful defense of ancient redwoods. She is now back on terra firma, and her optimism and goals remain high. Covering such topics as recycling, air pollution, environmental justice, land use, and other topics, she presents brief background and statistics, motivating quotes, sidebars on individuals who took courageous action, "inspirational activities," "meditation," and lists of organizations. Regrettably, the treatment is uneven. Many suggestions are quite detailed (e.g., considerations when purchasing energy-efficient appliances or how to prepare a press release), while others are so unsupported that they appear unreasonable. Family planning, zero population growth, and adoption are all covered in two sentences. Hill admonishes readers to dispose of toxic chemicals properly but then adds, "if you don't have a place, start one." More substance and more advice are needed to make this book really effective. Potentially inspirational for young adults and largely worthwhile despite some shortcomings, this is recommended for public libraries and Hill's many fans. Nancy Moeckel, Miami Univ. Libs., Oxford, OH
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne (March 26, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062517562
• ISBN-13: 978-0062517562
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #589,882 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating Information, August 21, 2002

By 

"samhainshecky" (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Makes the Difference: Inspiring Actions that Change our World (Paperback)

I bought this book to use in the classroom for a lesson I
was doing in my 12th grade American Government class. It was
great for the students! They could really relate to information.
I was amazed at how eager my students were to make efforts to
help our environment. I admire Ms. Hill and all the efforts she
has made in raising awareness!!!

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A practical guide and an inspiration, March 20, 2003

By 

Adam A. Brostow (PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: One Makes the Difference: Inspiring Actions that Change our World (Paperback)

I consider myself environmentally conscious. I use fluorescent bulbs, print office stuff on both sides of each sheet, eat organic food, etc. Still, I haven't thought about a lot of things Julia Hill suggests. Now I use the same styrofoam cup for 2 weeks and I stopped using plastic cuttlery. I knew burghers were not the best food but I didn't know that, by eating one at a fast food restaurant, I destroy rain forest. It is amazing how much stuff we waste without thinking about it and how much we take for granted. As Julia pointed out, we can learn a lot from trips to "3rd world" countries. For example, there are people out there who save every drop of drinking water while we take a shower for an hour. We buy bigger and bigger gasoline-guzzling and air-poluting cars we don't need as status symbols. We act as if our resourses were unlimited.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Envirornmental activism for beginners!, October 18, 2006

By 

wildflowerboy (planet earth) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Makes the Difference: Inspiring Actions that Change our World (Paperback)

Written by the legendary environmental activist Julia Butterfly Hill, "One Makes the Difference" provides a wealth of useful information on how we can work, both individually and collectively, to restore our fragile biosphere. While some of the advise is commonsense (buy organic, recycle, ride a bike), there are many other less obvious hints on how we can minimize our impact on the planet. Whether one's interested in protecting endangered species, cleaning up the air, saving our oceans or stopping the deforesting of the tropics, there is much that readers will learn from this text. Furthermore, Hill's simple writing style makes the book accessible for kids and adults alike. As such, I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in living a more sustainable lifestyle.