Rating: 
Summary: Good for some, but not for others
Review: Do not bother with this book if you already know the basics of environmental care: eat an organic vegan diet, stop driving unless it is ABSOLUTELY necessary, don't waste electricity or any other energy source, & don't overconsume.If, however, you aren't yet clear on the facts about the environmental impact of food, transportation, housing, and resource use, then PLEASE get this book & awaken yourself to the truth.
Rating: 
Summary: Good and well reasoned
Review: Even if you don't want to read about effective consumerism, get this book, one of the finest examples of textual and numerical literacy that I've had the pleasure of reading. There is something troubling, though, in the fall out of the reviews here, and in the points of the book; isn't the choice of 'paper or plastic' an important one regardless of priorities? Of course it's critical not to bog down the average consumer in minutiae, but choices like these are simple ones that everyone can make. Anyway, I'm thrilled to read about Brower's focus on energy consumption, and agriculture, and really recommend this book; good for a gift, good for your library.
Rating: 
Summary: great and practical advice
Review: i agree with all the other reviewers.
this is a must read!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Finally, advice for caring people based on sound science
Review: I love this book! It's a "must have" reference for anyone who really cares about the environment. Finally, the REAL environmental problems we have created - and realistic solutions to turning things around - are explained in layman's terms, based on a sound, comprehensive, and very scientific assessment. The "hoot and holler environmentalists" have done a lot of harm over the years, jumping on one shaky bandwagon after another, until the rest of us aren't sure any more about what really matters (and what doesn't)! The authors of this guide, however, provide consumers with real-world insight and advice. Now, when the subject of the environment comes up with family or friends, readers will be able to speak with authority about the REAL issues! Buy this book and get enlightened. Incorporate the advice it provides into your life and you will make a REAL difference in helping to create a more sustainable future. But be forewarned - once you've read it you may tempted - as I was/am - to continue buying extra copies as gifts for your environmentally-minded friends!
Rating:
Summary: Simple Conclusion
Review: I read this book about 2 years ago so the details have certainly gone in one eye and out the other (As opposed to ears). But, there is one idea this book told me about conservation. Don't sweat most of the small stuff. Concentrate on the 2 primary causes...everything else flows from that.
**** There are only two things to be "concerned about" 1) Don't buy more house than you NEED (Not want) and live closer together or in multi-story condos/townhomes, which is related to 2) Don't be so reliant on cars - live closer to work and get educated and involved to encourage intelligent city design. ****
This all makes sense. Generally speaking (With some additions of my own):
Bigger homes = more stuff (furniture, knick knacks). More stuff = More giant sprawling, ugly superstores (Wal Mart, Home Depot, Target, etc...) with huge fields of asphalt (Low grade crude oil) parking lots. More giant stores = more consumerism. More consumerism = more slaving away at the job. More slaving = less vacation to get perspective. Less perspective = more belief that stuff is the cure for an "empty" life. More stuff = more "Catching up with the Jones (CUWJ). More CUWJ = more superficiality. More superficiality = less spirituality (If you didn't get there earlier).
Bigger homes = bigger lawns = more pesticides = ground water contamination. (Oh yeah...more polluting "high emission" lawn equipment.)
Bigger homes = More sprawl. More sprawl = more cars. More cars = more accidents and time wasted in traffic. More accidents = More danger for children. More danger = more reliance on parents as chauffeurs.
More cars = less non-exercise walking. Less non-exercise walking = weight gain. More weight gain = more time wasted at gym to burn off extra calories from more eating. More eating = less animals, more grazing / farmland. Less animals = less appreciation for nature.
Somewhere in there I missed:
- More cars = more greenhouse gases = more global warming = <fill in blank>
- More cars = more petroleum = more wars = <fill in blank>
- Bigger homes = more wood required = more forest cutdown = less nature
- More weight gain = less attractive women (In my book anyway).
I could probably go on and on but you get the idea. Someday, if I think hard enough, maybe I will make an entire unbroken chain of connections.
Improvements to this book (Again from recollection - so don't tar and feather me if I'm wrong!) could be more visuals. There were plenty of tables from my recollection, but more visuals like graphs and charts.
I recommend for further reading Car Free Cities by JH Crawford. www.carfree.com ; Many ideas and places to consider visiting. To see for your own eyes that cars are NOT required at all or AS MUCH to live happily and harmoniously - and ideas that you can take to your city planners.
Rating:
Summary: You really CAN make a difference!
Review: If you're like me, you feel overwhelmed at times with environmental problems: global warming, water depletion and pollution, ozone alerts, animal waste runoff, garbage, plastic, etc. etc. So much seems to be broken that it's difficult to figure out what to begin fixing--especially when you're just an average consumer. Where to begin? And even if you do begin, can you really make a difference? The virtue of this *Consumer's Guide* is that the authors help us separate the urgent from the not-so-urgent, the easily doable from the this'll-take-more-time-and-effort. They pinpoint three major areas in our consumption in which we can make immediate changes that really do impact for the better on the environment: vehicle usage, how we heat/cool our homes,and what we eat. Almost all of us use our cars more than we need to, and a growing number of us have vehicles much larger than we really need; all of us can do better about insulating our homes, cutting down on electricity, and using environmental-friendly appliances; and we don't really need to eat as much meat as we do--growing food animals is a colossal waste of grain protein as well as a major water and air polluter. Just as handy, the *Consumer Guide* gives tips for social and political as well as individual action. Changing one's own behavior is essential; but building coalitions with others and putting pressure on corporations and the government to be more eco-responsible is essential too. Finally, Susan Strasser's concluding essay, "From Walden to Wal-Mart," a reflective analysis of our consumerist culture, is by itself worth the price of the book. Very nice indeed! So get this book, read it, and take hope: you CAN make a difference!
Rating:
Summary: You really CAN make a difference!
Review: If you're like me, you feel overwhelmed at times with environmental problems: global warming, water depletion and pollution, ozone alerts, animal waste runoff, garbage, plastic, etc. etc. So much seems to be broken that it's difficult to figure out what to begin fixing--especially when you're just an average consumer. Where to begin? And even if you do begin, can you really make a difference? The virtue of this *Consumer's Guide* is that the authors help us separate the urgent from the not-so-urgent, the easily doable from the this'll-take-more-time-and-effort. They pinpoint three major areas in our consumption in which we can make immediate changes that really do impact for the better on the environment: vehicle usage, how we heat/cool our homes,and what we eat. Almost all of us use our cars more than we need to, and a growing number of us have vehicles much larger than we really need; all of us can do better about insulating our homes, cutting down on electricity, and using environmental-friendly appliances; and we don't really need to eat as much meat as we do--growing food animals is a colossal waste of grain protein as well as a major water and air polluter. Just as handy, the *Consumer Guide* gives tips for social and political as well as individual action. Changing one's own behavior is essential; but building coalitions with others and putting pressure on corporations and the government to be more eco-responsible is essential too. Finally, Susan Strasser's concluding essay, "From Walden to Wal-Mart," a reflective analysis of our consumerist culture, is by itself worth the price of the book. Very nice indeed! So get this book, read it, and take hope: you CAN make a difference!
Rating:
Summary: An invaluable resource for everyday choices
Review: Most people are willing to modestly alter their behavior on behalf of the environment. Many of us recycle, ride public transportation and try to conserve energy. What's not clear though, is how effective these and other measures are. What daily activity of ours is most damaging to the Earth? Is it driving, wasting water, or discarding paper napkins? Do we do greater harm by using disposable diapers than by eating red meat? The merits of many conservation efforts have been hotly debated, often with inconclusive results. The ensuing uncertainty has in some cases stalled public (and governmental) endorsement of otherwise sound environmental practices and diffused our will to act. On the pages of their concise handbook Brower and Leon rid the air of much of this uncertainty. In a clear and dispassionate analysis they lay down the hard numbers that tell the truth: transportation, food production and household operations account for the great majority of environmental destruction at the hands of consumers. They emphasize, however, that between and within these broad categories there are great disparities. This makes consumer choice paramount. Just how we choose to live our lives matters a great deal to the Earth. The authors identify the most significant environmental problems affected by consumer spending. "Alas," they note, "many of the things that cause most damage are pretty fundamental to the American middle class way of life." Radical change is not likely or in some instances even possible. Yet despite the trade-offs we face the authors show how responsible consumption is possible without drastic measures. In most cases their simple recommendations benefit the environment and our wallets. By focusing on those few activities that are most damaging Brower and Leon show us how we can reduce our impact without unnecessary anxiety. Those seeking to go beyond personal change will find sound advice for promoting green technology and gently persuading friends and local institutions to assess their own consumer choices. A final chapter recognizes the fact that without the help of government our impact is limited. As the biggest polluter, the largest land owner, the greatest consumer, and the maker of laws government's choices carry the most weight. The authors describe four key government strategies to diminish its environmental burden that merit our support. Apart from providing interesting reading, this consumer guide has proven an invaluable reference that I consult weekly as I learn the ultimate consequences of how I spend my money. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Thank you U.C.S.!
Review: Thank you for helping to clearly distinguish the mundane from the critical! This is a book I wish everyone would read. It is clear, concise, well supported, does not condescend, and provides a great source for people who care but are confused by the flood of information out there. I recomend it for everyone.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful information for concerned but confused consumers
Review: The "Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices" offers an excellent and inspiring look at choices that we consumers make every day in a clear, objective and interesting way. The authors offer plenty of information to help concerned folks make decisions on a daily basis, keeping in mind that most people would rather focus on several changes in lifestyle that will make a big impact rather than worrying about small or negligible actions. They also suggest steps for improving policies of local, state and national government. Excellent resources are included for further information on a number of issues, including websites. This is an empowering, extremely practical book, which I would recommend for everyone, especially well-intentioned but guilt-ridden, overwhelmed people like me.
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