The Organic Suburbanite : An Environmentally Friendly Way to Live the American Dream [Paperback]

Warren Schultz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2001

Ask the tough questions. How can I cut down on energy use in my kitchen? What should I use to unclog the bathroom sink? Which cars create the least pollution? Should I or shouldn't I fertilize my lawn? These are just a few of the issues that families face every day in the suburbs. In this one-of-a-kind guide, author Warren Schultz points out the environmental and personal costs of traditional, toxic household practices and offers safe, natural, and easy alternatives.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Organic home-care aficionado Warren Schultz (A Man's Garden) presents The Organic Suburbanite: A Swell New Way to Live the American Dream. With an aw-shucks retro style and enthusiasm, Schultz breaks down indoor and outdoor suburban living into manageable arenas for environmentally responsible practice. Ever wondered how to clean your stove, unclog drains, discourage pests, care for your car, disinfect counter tops or bleach clothes in ways that won't damage your health or your environment? Schultz addresses it all. His matter-of-fact approach eschews ideological discourse and gets down to brass tacks (or their recyclable, eco-friendly counterpart). B&w photos.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Published by a champion of living lightly, this green guide for suburbanites liberally uses sidebars and 1950s photos to convey important information without being didactic. Part 1 focuses on household management, providing tips that are supported by concrete examples. For instance, a recommendation to buy efficient washing machines is paired with an alert stating that a typical family uses 240 gallons of water weekly on laundry. Part 2 deals with the hallmarks of suburbia: automobiles and outdoor living areas. Schultz gently points out the environmental impact of cars, offering reasonable alternatives like more dutiful maintenance, alternative driveway surfaces, and nontoxic ice melters. Less utilitarian outdoor spaces like decks and swimming pools are covered, too. A third of the book is devoted to organic lawn and garden suggestions. Though the book is marketed toward suburbanites, most of the information, which includes recommended reading and resource lists, could just as easily be used in a rural or urban household. More narrowly focused than Diane MacEachern's Save Our Planet (LJ 3/1/90. p.o.d.), this is still a useful book. Recommended for all public libraries. Bonnie Poquette, Shorewood P.L., WI
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Press (May 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0875968600
• ISBN-13: 978-0875968605
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 7.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,534,161 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction, but not much more, and only if you have $, October 10, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Organic Suburbanite : An Environmentally Friendly Way to Live the American Dream (Paperback)

This thin book is packed with information for someone new to "living lightly in the world." Broken out by living area -- bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry room, yards, etc. -- the book suggests alternative products and approaches to everyday living. Schultz takes on questions like "Should I Fertilize My Lawn?", "Cloth or Disposable Diapers?", and "Plastic or Paper Shopping Bags?" His writing is clear, concise, and his explanations easy to understand. He also includes a number of "recipes" for cleaning using vinegar, baking soda, and/or hydrogen peroxide, as well as a useful -- if brief -- list of sources.

Unfortunately, I was hoping for some new information here, but all I found was what has been said before in any number of places. Hang your clothes outside instead of using the dryer, use non-chlorine bleach, don't run your car's air conditioner, keep your tires inflated, don't drive an SUV.

One more significant problem I had with the majority of Schultz's suggestions: he gives no regard to cost. He suggests readers install front-loading washing machines and gas dryers, buy organic produce, buy only organic cotton clothing, and use organic lawn fertilizers. Not once does he note that all of these suggestions are considerably more expensive than their traditional counterparts. When buying a new washer, do you spend $500 on the traditional model, or $1,000 on the eco-friendly model with all the same features? Do you pony up the additional 30-50% for organic cotton clothing (plus shipping!)? How do you work with a grocery budget that is at least 30% more when you buy organic food and cleaning supplies? Organic living, by this standard, is a luxury not for the suburbanite on a budget. Several times he comments that energy savings will recoup the up-front expense, but this takes years in most cases.

What would be great to have seen is a book with more of his simple, effective, inexpensive solutions -- re-using and recycling products, low-cost/low-impact cleaning solutions, innovative solutions to everyday problems. If you're new to organic living and you have the money to spare, this is a great book to buy. Otherwise, save your money and use your head. Get it at the library.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Getting the most from the status quo, November 10, 2001

By 

escaravelha "escaravelha" (Tacoma, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Organic Suburbanite : An Environmentally Friendly Way to Live the American Dream (Paperback)

You're there. You have the family, the house, the yard, the car, the job that requires a commute. Given the way that a lot of us live, it can be very useful to have a check-list -- to do a walk-around of home and garden and see the latest thinking on how to minimize our impact on the environment. As someone who has been following these issues for years, I found it interesting that the evidence on some things seems to argue for different choices -- and that I had been way off on my thinking in other specifics. It's a pleasurable read -- the retro photos remind me that the suburbanization of America was rooted in a more innocent time, when few people had the foresight to see its results. What is beyond the scope of the book, but the more important question, is how we get to the point where we are creating not 20% less damage but 50% or even no damage at all -- and those are the "tough questions" that this book just does not ask.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The book title says it all., August 23, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Organic Suburbanite : An Environmentally Friendly Way to Live the American Dream (Paperback)

This is a terrific book describing simple and manageable methods for improving the suburban family's opportunity to replace environmentally harmful chemical products with safer ones. It includes advice for gardening, washing anything and everything, home maintenance, repairs and shopping, It is extremely easy to read, very well laid out in an appealing format, friendly, concise, and doesn't preach or scold. This book is a wonderful tool for starting or maintaining an environmentally ethical suburban lifestyle without making you feel like a green-earth criminal.