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envy4's review
1.0
This book is the biggest waste of time, anyone with any common sense would know more than half of what's in here. Mostly it has unnecessary statistics, it has almost no important information to give you just celebrity testimony, if you see it on the bookshelf just ignore it!
innae's review
I flipped through and read the celebrity stories..so much of this is either out of date or we already do it.
willowsfair's review
4.0
A little outdated, but good stuff still to be read here, especially for those who have somehow remained clueless about climate change for the past ten years. When you're done, pass the book on to a friend, neighbor, or family member who is even more clueless than you were!
_uncle_rico's review
3.0
Very enlightening book and inspired me to reduce my carbon footprint. As many people have stated, it is very repetitive and can be dull at times but nonetheless it's information that is useful to know. The book provides tons and tons of examples on the impact humans have on the Earth and maybe goes overboard at times but I think if more people were made aware of their actions and read this book then we'd be in a better place.
timothy_tiffany's review against another edition
slow-paced
1.5
I firstly want to put this out there that there are good tips into this book, but that does not excuse the other baffling facts, comparisons, and swaps that were mentioned in this book. It was not a good book, especially if you have already been educating yourself on how to live more sustainably. I want to point out, specifically, some points that were completely wrong with this book.
1. Firstly, the number of times that a topic would be brought up was annoying. Like I remember reading about paper clips like 3 times, all in DIFFERENT chapters, like I get it.
2. The suggesting of using home remedies INSTEAD of prescription medication was wild and not necessary, AT ALL! A couple of the "tips" also contradicted themselves.
3. A lot of the "tips" that were mentioned in this book could be wrapped up in a few tips like, use what you have first before buying more or new items, shop secondhand, or at least see if you can buy something secondhand before looking to buy that item new, and just try your best, since a lot of the tips mentioned, like with Chapter 11: building, because they were promoting changing your already built house and buying different materials for parts of the house that are already working. Like getting new windows, a lot of people cannot afford that.
4. My last main point is that the comparisons, "if you did _, it would equivalate to_" were unnecessary, completely unnecessary. And a lot of the research was either poorly searched and/or poorly executed. Like the mentioning of recycling and only praising it, when a lot of people don't know how rigged and bad recycling is in the United States of America. The book did not bring that up the not pretty sides of trying to live more ecofriendly, especially when it promotes consumerism.
I don't know if I would recommend this book or just doing research yourself, this might encourage one to do their own research and question capitalism and consumerism. The book is repetitive, which makes reading it so slow, there isn't enough PROPER research in this book and has A LOT harmful comparisons to Africa, it is stereotyping. AND bringing in celebrity quotes was not interesting to me, while many might, I don't since many celebrities consume and use more than an average person. Anyways this was my review...not impressed by this book and I am so happy I got it for free.
1. Firstly, the number of times that a topic would be brought up was annoying. Like I remember reading about paper clips like 3 times, all in DIFFERENT chapters, like I get it.
2. The suggesting of using home remedies INSTEAD of prescription medication was wild and not necessary, AT ALL! A couple of the "tips" also contradicted themselves.
3. A lot of the "tips" that were mentioned in this book could be wrapped up in a few tips like, use what you have first before buying more or new items, shop secondhand, or at least see if you can buy something secondhand before looking to buy that item new, and just try your best, since a lot of the tips mentioned, like with Chapter 11: building, because they were promoting changing your already built house and buying different materials for parts of the house that are already working. Like getting new windows, a lot of people cannot afford that.
4. My last main point is that the comparisons, "if you did _, it would equivalate to_" were unnecessary, completely unnecessary. And a lot of the research was either poorly searched and/or poorly executed. Like the mentioning of recycling and only praising it, when a lot of people don't know how rigged and bad recycling is in the United States of America. The book did not bring that up the not pretty sides of trying to live more ecofriendly, especially when it promotes consumerism.
I don't know if I would recommend this book or just doing research yourself, this might encourage one to do their own research and question capitalism and consumerism. The book is repetitive, which makes reading it so slow, there isn't enough PROPER research in this book and has A LOT harmful comparisons to Africa, it is stereotyping. AND bringing in celebrity quotes was not interesting to me, while many might, I don't since many celebrities consume and use more than an average person. Anyways this was my review...not impressed by this book and I am so happy I got it for free.
joolz_reads's review
2.0
God what a disappointment.
I have 3 MAJOR issues with this book though that at some points made my jaw drop in disbelief. I can't believe these things got past the first draft.
1) This book encourages readers to switch out prescription (yes, PRESCRIPTION) medication with 'natural alternatives'. Literal quote from the book: Consider using homeopathic medicines instead of over-the-counter or prescription pharmaceuticals to treat medical conditions. Wow. Just, wow. Please don't stop taking prescriptions for this B/S. This is such a dangerous recommendation and I cannot stress that enough.
2)While it never says that humans should switch to a vegetarian diet, the book says that dog owners should make their dogs try a vegetarian diet. Not only is this a terrible suggestion, it can be dangerous to your pet's health if not approved by a vet. Also it just seems pretty damn hypocritical when you don't suggest that humans (who waste a ton of meat) not switch, but instead their scapegoated pets make an entire lifestyle switch. Good lord.
3)Faux furs. If you're going to write a book about being eco-friendly, the least you could do is research and not recommend something that's long been debunked. Real fur has been proven to be much better for the environment and actually lasts longer than faux fur, which releases microplastics every time they're washed.
Just, be smart, research things. Don't take everything this book says as law.
Oh, bonus note: this book apparently has not a clue that 'Africa' is made up of 54 different countries with their own unique cultures. I swear to god if I have to read "...a person in Africa..." one more time....
I have 3 MAJOR issues with this book though that at some points made my jaw drop in disbelief. I can't believe these things got past the first draft.
1) This book encourages readers to switch out prescription (yes, PRESCRIPTION) medication with 'natural alternatives'. Literal quote from the book: Consider using homeopathic medicines instead of over-the-counter or prescription pharmaceuticals to treat medical conditions. Wow. Just, wow. Please don't stop taking prescriptions for this B/S. This is such a dangerous recommendation and I cannot stress that enough.
2)While it never says that humans should switch to a vegetarian diet, the book says that dog owners should make their dogs try a vegetarian diet. Not only is this a terrible suggestion, it can be dangerous to your pet's health if not approved by a vet. Also it just seems pretty damn hypocritical when you don't suggest that humans (who waste a ton of meat) not switch, but instead their scapegoated pets make an entire lifestyle switch. Good lord.
3)Faux furs. If you're going to write a book about being eco-friendly, the least you could do is research and not recommend something that's long been debunked. Real fur has been proven to be much better for the environment and actually lasts longer than faux fur, which releases microplastics every time they're washed.
Just, be smart, research things. Don't take everything this book says as law.
Oh, bonus note: this book apparently has not a clue that 'Africa' is made up of 54 different countries with their own unique cultures. I swear to god if I have to read "...a person in Africa..." one more time....
babs_jellymuck's review
2.0
The writing formula was really tiresome... After the 2nd chapter I was like, "OK OK OKOKOKOKOK. I GET IT." They spent more time making huge analogies and "what-ifs" than they did actually giving helpful advice. A little more in the "how" department would have been helpful. Examples would have also been helpful. Faith Hill telling me her daughter likes to sort the recycling wasn't really all that helpful.
My biggest pet peeve with this book was the recommendation to stop going to the library and look at e-books instead.
That is wrong. E-books are limited, the internet is way too full of distraction for kids, and I believe that every person should go to the library more. Libraries are good. Books from the thrift store are great. Books from used book stores are great. Tangible books make a huge difference to me. Perhaps, if the option is available to you, walk or bike to the library- or carpool- but don't write it off, stay at home and stare at your computer screen instead. That is not good advice.
*Donated
My biggest pet peeve with this book was the recommendation to stop going to the library and look at e-books instead.
That is wrong. E-books are limited, the internet is way too full of distraction for kids, and I believe that every person should go to the library more. Libraries are good. Books from the thrift store are great. Books from used book stores are great. Tangible books make a huge difference to me. Perhaps, if the option is available to you, walk or bike to the library- or carpool- but don't write it off, stay at home and stare at your computer screen instead. That is not good advice.
*Donated
ashleyrhyan's review
3.0
I think this book gave some good tips, but it did start getting really repetitive after a few chapters.
bhauser's review
4.0
I like the way this book is laid out, the only thing I disagreed with was the suggestion that it is more environmentally friendly to research for school online instead of in the library. Save the Earth by checking out books instead of buying them!