Scan barcode
readingqueue's review against another edition
5.0
Essential reading for anyone in the first world who buys anything besides food. Sure, the beginning is a bit of a downer, but Leonard is very good about interspersing what countries and states are doing to be more conscientious among the woeful details of aborigine displacement, unfair work hours and payment and how ridiculous is it that it's cheaper for people to import goods (and FOOD!) from other countries rather than produce it locally. Lots of great resources to get you involved in helping to create the kind of economy and world you want to live in and learn exactly what your goods are made of and where your electricity comes from. Leonard covers all phases of production, use and disposal of several items like her computer and clothing.
I've read quite a few books on climate change and the resulting human responses and I must say, this is definitely one of my favorites. It has a healthy balance of heartbreaking statistics, references, and hope.
I've read quite a few books on climate change and the resulting human responses and I must say, this is definitely one of my favorites. It has a healthy balance of heartbreaking statistics, references, and hope.
jenrcratsenberg's review against another edition
4.0
This book is full of so much good information it’s worth a second read through. I actually enjoyed it more the second time than I did the first. It can be overwhelming at times but I did not find the overall tone of the book to be too “doom and gloom”. The reality we face with the issues brought up are most certainly a little depressing, but there is much good that can be done as a whole. I wish everyone would read this in October prior to the start of the holiday season. I think it would serve as good reminders for those of us already trying to be mindful of our consumption or how we play a part in what is happening.
christinadewey's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
marytelliard's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
I found the most powerful parts of the book to be her very personal experiences with the impact of Stuff during her time in green peace, I also really enjoyed all of the easily digestible facts while still making your jaw drop with all the alarming statistics.
emma27's review against another edition
5.0
Such an important book. Would recommend to literally anyone and everyone.
jamescroaljackson's review against another edition
3.0
While many of the examples here (especially continual references to an app called "GoodGuide") are outdated, the systemic problems Leonard outlines are (unfortunately) very much not. While this book opened my eyes to processes I didn't understand much of beforehand, the writing can be dry, which makes this a bit of a slog at times, especially near the end. Still, I learned a lot, and it made me interested in delving further into the subject.
mahri's review against another edition
5.0
This was one of those reads that changes the way you think about the world. For anyone interested in environmentalism I'd highly recommend it
lbw's review against another edition
3.0
The information in the book was fascinating (and depressing--I certainly don't feel like shopping for anything anymore), but it seemed far too long. If you are already convinced you and others are consuming excessively or you have already started to change your consumption patterns to use less, this book might feel like it's going on and on and on about the same things over and over. I wanted to say, "Alright already, I get it!" The tone of the writing was also kind of perky or breezy, which seemed a little odd for the subject.
swatjdm's review against another edition
1.0
Awful tree huggery nonsense so far, longing for pre-revolutionary times where we lived in a hut with a dirt floor and ate from the backyard. Sticking with it for some broader points, and sifting through the preaching for the research.