How to Live a Low-Carbon Life

Global warming is one of the greatest challenges facing us today--certainly the most significant threat to our planet. Scientists and environmentalists assert that we must change our behavior to stop or possibly even reverse this trend. Goodall states that each individual must change their behavior to accomplish this. He shows numerous simple ways to reduce your carbon consumption as well as ways to calculate your carbon footprint. Although this book focuses on British and other European appliances, transportation, and other daily conveniences, the ideas discussed here apply regardless of where you are living.

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

How to Live a Low-Carbon Life: The Individual's Guide to Stopping Climate Change
Chris Goodall
QC 879.8 .G62 2007

Whole Earth Discipline

Brand points out three trends that he believes will impact the future of the earth: global warming, urbanization, and biotechnology becoming the dominant engineering tool. Unless environmentalists radially rethink the way they go about bringing environmental change, he predicts that the earth will deteriorate. In the process, Brand shatters a number of myths about current behaviors that are believed to harm our environment--cities, nuclear power, and genetic engineering--but that he asserts are really green practices. He emphasizes that our environmental challenges really lie in policies, social factors, and design trends, and offers inventive solutions for reshaping society toward a sustainable future.

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto
Stewart Brand
GF 41 .B77 2009

Reforminh Institutions in Water Resource Management

Around the world, water resources are becoming increasingly scarce. Nations are already searching for better institutions and management strategies to make the most of the water resources that they have. This book offers new approaches for analyzing and designing institutions that govern the use and development of water resources. It focuses on the management of water resources for agricultural use, since irrigation is the largest user of water. It draws on data from three Indian states, and compares them to Australia, as a developed nation, and to other less developed nations in Asia and Africa. These comparisons are useful in helping to identify and recommend the traits and features of successful water management institutions so that developing nations can plan for effective and long-term success in managing their declining natural resources.

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

Reforming Institutions in Water Resource Management: Policy and Performance for Sustainable Development
ed. by Lin Crase and Vasant P. Gandhi
TD 327 .R45 2009

Water Resources

The Sustainability Project offers twelve books, each focusing on a single challenge that is posed by globalization. In this book, water is examined. It is essential to life for every living thing. However, today approximately 1/3 of the world already has difficulty finding safe, clean water. This percentage is likely to rise to 2/3 over the next 25 years. This book shows what kinds of water resources conflicts are likely to arise and offers ideas for possible solutions.

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

Water Resources: Efficient, Sustainable and Equitable Use
Wolfram Mauser
TD 345 .M2713 2009

Costing the Earth?

The United Nations estimates that the population of the world will grow to 9 billion by 2050. At the current usage rates, this would mean that by only 2030, we would need to consume 50% more natural resources to support this population growth. Pollution, greenhouse gases, and other negative effects would also increase by 50% during this period. In short, we must do something to curb our consumption of natural resources and production of waste. The Sustainability Project believes that this is only possible if changing our behavior makes economic sense. In short, sustainable behavior must pay off. This book outlines the economic conditions needed to achieve the goal of sustainable development in Europe and around the world. It also explains incentives for sustainable economic management. This is one of twelve books by the Sustainability project which address projects posed by globalization and population growth, and offer practical solutions for the 21st century.

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

Costing the Earth? Perspectives on Sustainable Development
Bernd Meyer
HC 79 .E5 M458513 2009

Now or Never

Flannery, an ecologist, has helped to bring the topic of climate change and global warming to the attention of the international public. Now, his call to action is a practical roadmap toward a sustainable future. He surveys the history of environmental change and the potential solutions that have been proposed. He offers that combinations of small changes--including replacing the carbon that is removed in the form of fossil fuels, reducing energy usage, and developing alternative energy and food sources--may be the most viable solution for everyone. He also explores the developing carbon-trading schemes and the impact of large populations on the environment. Finally, this book includes responses to his ideas by numerous other environmental thinkers and writers.

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

Now or Never: Why We Must Act Now to End Climate Change and Create a Sustainable Future
Tim Flannery
HC 79 .E5 F53 2009

Green Design

This is a survey of innovative products and design strategies that address immediate concerns about global warming and use of environmentally sensitive materials. At the same time, these products also highlight creativity and vision, looking toward a sustainable future where technology and ethics overlap. Many areas of home design are included. Architectural design and interior spaces are recognized. Products and materials used within the home--including textiles and other finishes--are highlighted. Furniture and home goods such as dishes, linens, and other items are featured. Innovative technologies used in the building and operation of the home are also surveyed. Finally, sustainable transportation designs to and from residential and commercial spaces are envisioned. This book offers beautiful images and recognizes the award-winning innovations of many environmentally conscientious designers.

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

Green Design: Creative Sustainable Designs for the Twenty-First Century
Marcus Fairs
NK 1520 .F35 2009

Better Green Business

Olson brings together practical thoughts as well as step-by-step strategies for moving any company toward greener operations. He shows how "greening" an organization provides "win-win-win" gains--profit for the company, improved efficiency, and less damaging impact on the environment. He offers methods and technologies that reduce waste and increase efficiency. He also offers analysis of business trends that he believes will make green business practices increasingly important in the future.

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

Better Green Business: Handbook for Environmentally Responsible and Profitable Business Practices
Eric G. Olson
HD 30.255 .O47 2010

Design for Environment

This book offers a business-driven rationale for developing sustainable products and manufacturing processes. The author argues that innovation and environmentalism generate value for businesses as well as helping communities to meet local and global energy and clean environment challenges. It offers a toolkit to manage an entire product life-cycle. For example, examples suggest integrating development of new products with engineering. It provides a suite of environmental strategies and provided analysis for selecting those that are appropriate for use in your company or organization. Finally, it offers metrics that can help measure the effectiveness of product and process life-cycle management.

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

Design for Environment: A Guide to Sustainable Product Development
2nd ed.
Joseph Fiksel
TS 171 .D478 2009

Green Building Trends

Yudelson approaches this book by asking why European builders have long been considered "more green" than their American counterparts. After more than a decade of searching and learning, this book proposes to answer this question. Yudelson argues that it is not because there are more examples of green building in Europe than in North America, it is because European approaches have been more daring. He asserts that American builders should begin with zero environmental impact as their goal, relying on the design, construction, energy production and conservation aspects of the building all to work synergistically to offset one another. With that as the target, the resulting buildings would be designed with multi-purpose uses, be sensitive to changes that might be necessary over time, and still maintain comfort, health, and productivity of their occupants. Additional considerations may also be included in green building so that urban planning, culture, and lifestyles of the building inhabitants were also included in the architectural design and construction processes. This well researched and thought provoking book will change the way you think about the idea of "being green."

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

Green Building Trends: Europe
Jerry Yudelson
TH 880 .Y636 2009

What We Leave Behind

Jensen and McBay assert that industrial civilization is destroying life on this planet. In this thought provoking and occasionally offensive book, they demonstrate all of the ways that modern industrialized societies create pollution in the form of garbage and chemicals. They also discuss rules, both official rules and those created by social norms, and the morality involved in what people use and what they throw away. Although this book may scare or offend some readers, it very strongly makes the authors's point that everything on this planet is connected and that many of the activities that modern society is currently involved with are actively harmful to our environment and our planet. They stress that significant changes must be made if we want our earth to continue to be habitable.

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

What We Leave Behind
Derrick Jensen and Aric McBay
TD 175 .J445 2009

Nature, Landscape, and Building for Sustainability

This collection of essays explores the often complex relationships between nature, landscape and sustaining design. The key component that many of the authors focus on is the human element. These essays recognize a human rift with nature, attempts to understand this conflict, and to identify and move toward a resolution. Essays are organized around two main themes. In the first section, authors evaluate the way that humans view and think about nature. In the second section, chapters discuss how nature is used and abused in the design and building processes, and propose greener and more sustainable ways of integrating the human-built world with the natural one.

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

Nature, Landscape, and Building for Sustainability
ed. by William S. Saunders
SB 472.45 .N38 2008

The Engineering Guide to LEED--New Construction

This reference book provides a solid background to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED--New Construction rating system, and includes step-by-step instructions on how to apply this scheme to real-world construction projects. The book discusses the main concepts of sustainability as they are related to the design and construction industries. It provides mathematical examples and exercises that can help engineers apply the calculations outlined in the LEED standards. It offers sources for finding sustainable materials and resources, information about low-impact development, design innovations, and engineering efficiencies that lead to water and energy savings.

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

The Engineering Guide to LEED--New Construction: Sustainable Construction for Engineers
Liv Hasselbach
TH 880 .H37 2008

Green Urbanism Down Under

This book sets out to answer a simple question: What can Americans learn from Australians about creating more green urban lifestyles? This book answers that question by drawing on the similarities between the two contries, not only in people and culture, but also in the national landscape. What results are practical suggestions about urban planning, attitudes toward space and communities, sustainable urban transportation, offsetting the carbon footprint of individuals and groups, preserving biodiversity and wildlands, and many other ways that Australia has been experimenting with sustainable and green practices.

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

Green Urbanism Down Under: Learning from Sustainable Communities in Australia
Timothy Beatley with Peter Newman
HT 243 .A8 B43 2009

Urban Sustainability through Environmental Design

In recent years, there has been considerable success at repopulating urban centers. However, scholars have questioned whether these upscale environments and often isolated cultural developments are sustainable. This collection intends to provide analytical tools and practical methods that can be used to develop sustainable, long-term solutions for the management of responsive, lively, and safe urban environments. This book brings together views and approaches to urban development from across Europe, focusing on practical, sustainable solutions rather than quick-fix interventions.

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

Urban Sustainability through Environmental Design: Approaches to Time-People-Place Responsive Urban Spaces
ed by Kevin Thwaites, Sergio Porta, Ombretta Romice, and Mark Greaves
HT 166 .U7453 2007

Sustainable Landscape Construction

This book is full of both practical and clever ideas to integrate sustainable practices and green building techniques into landscaping and outdoor architecture. Chapters are thematically organized by the principles that they demonstrate. For example, "Keep Healthy Sites Healthy" highlights a non-mechanized construction method chosen to protect the mature trees in a forest location. "Respect the Waters of Life" shows a drainage system that collects roof runoff, directing it through the garden to create a beautiful water feature. Each chapter ends with a resource list that combines definition of terms used with citations to print and online resources that readers can go to for additional information on the topics that interest them.

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

Sustainable Landscape Construction: A Guide to Green Building Outdoors
2nd ed.
J. William Thompson and Kim Sorvig

Sustainable Design

Williams challenges his readers to think about architectural projects not as objects, but rather as pieces connected to a whole system which includes human health and well-being, regional economies, and ecological systems. In doing so, he asserts that sustainability is the most important concept in the future of the building and design professions. He guides his readers through a discussion of the effect of buildings on the environment and defines the concept of sustainability in the design field. He focuses on designing and building appropriately for the region, including a chapter of how to build sustainable urban areas and communities. He finishes with the challenges and opportunities that sustainable design provides to architects.

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

Sustainable Design: Ecology, Architecture, and Planning
Daniel E. Williams
NA 2542.36 .W548 2007

Earth Architecture

This book provides a new perspective on the world's oldest and most widely used building materials--bricks made from mud. The book's brief introduction provides a little historical background on the use of bricks in building as well as laying the foundation for the environmentally conscious building practices that have become increasingly popular. The majority of the book provides examples from around the world of how bricks are integrated into modern, eco-sensitive buildings around the world. Using photographs extensively, this book shows how earth can be formed into a wide variety of shapes and integrated into buildings in many ways with results that span from rustic to ultra-modern.

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

Earth Architecture
Ronald Rael
TH 1412 .R34 2009