Rating: Summary: The Conscious Style Mind Review: For people who want to understand what conscious living is all about, this book is a great start. And there are some tips for those in the eco industry too. I didn't know, for example, that about half of marble mined is wasted. That is because marble lies deep in the earth and it is destroyed by machinery to retrieve it. Danny points out that a marble pastry rolling pin can be justified, but a marble floor too is a bit much. A case of less is more.The reason I believe the beginning lacked enthusiasm for me was because of the subject matter being cleaning and sorting. I'd rather read fun stuff or see pictures first. Then there happen to be some opinions I didn't agree with. Choosing synthetics over real leather, for example. I really don't look to Danny as an eco guru, but then he's not trying to be. It's just about what the title reads, "Conscious Style." Once you get the hang of it, you use your own particular earth-friendly fashion. I hope this book is inspiring for many because mindful decor is a good thing for everybody.
Rating: Summary: Helped me Create a Conscious Style Home Review: I bought this book last year when I started the renovation process on my home. I have always wanted to do the right thing in home design, but didn't really know what the "right" thing is. One of the things that I found really useful in this book was that it wasn't about building a home from scratch. It also didn't have weird green building ideas I kept seeing in other books---like straw insulation. I realize that it's very green to use straw bales...but, c'mon, I already have insulation in the walls! What am I supposed to use? There really is a wealth of ideas and resources in the book. Who would've thought moving the fridge a few inches away from the wall could make it so much more energy efficient? I highly recommend this book to all who care about our planet.
Rating: Summary: Helped me Create a Conscious Style Home Review: I bought this book last year when I started the renovation process on my home. I have always wanted to do the right thing in home design, but didn't really know what the "right" thing is. One of the things that I found really useful in this book was that it wasn't about building a home from scratch. It also didn't have weird green building ideas I kept seeing in other books---like straw insulation. I realize that it's very green to use straw bales...but, c'mon, I already have insulation in the walls! What am I supposed to use? There really is a wealth of ideas and resources in the book. Who would've thought moving the fridge a few inches away from the wall could make it so much more energy efficient? I highly recommend this book to all who care about our planet.
Rating: Summary: Horribly self centered rubbish full of contradictions Review: I can't believe this guy got published. He shows marginal photos of his own apartment and of a remodel of his parents house ... come on! If it were not so funny to read how seriously he takes himself it wouldn't be worth a star at all. His environmental ideas are well intended I'm sure but rife with contradictions. This is like a Saturday Night Live spoof ... including the photo of himself and his lifelong best friend sipping evian out of plastic bottles. To bad they killed all of those trees to publish this one. It's a clunker - don't waste your money
Rating: Summary: I immediately returned this book! Review: I couldn't believe I had bought this the book. Dull pictures, no point....Even 1 star is too much. It's all about the author's self promotion. Publishing this book was just a terrible way to waist paper. The books sould be recycled a.s.a.p.
Rating: Summary: If you really want to change the world... Review: I have to say that I care about the planet, I want to do my part, but feel there are so many hardcore green people who say, "you either do it all the way or not at all." Well, I disagree. This book is so perfect....while you want to make a difference and help the planet, you don't wanna live in a hut. The photos are really inspirational and I got lots of clever ideas from it. Good job!!
Rating: Summary: Oh please! Review: I was looking for various ideas of how to decorate a home, not my own, sensibly and at the same time minimize the environmental impact that may ensue. The book, overall, is not too bad. Good tips and ideas throughout. It was good to see how far we have come with recycling building materials. The niggly points start cropping up though. I can't give it more than 2 stars because quite a bit of the info is common sensical. Yes, the industrial kitchen look can be done cheaply if you go to the local used restaurant supply house. Duh! Of course, that may be because I have a restaurant background. What started me becoming critical was on page 50 where he bemoaned the clear-cutting of forests that leads to ruining the natural biodiversity of the land. BUT, the next paragraph he is praising plantation grown wood! Tree farms! I'm sorry but the very word "plantation" brings up images of sugar cane fields and monoculture. Lumber companies love to point out that after clearcutting an area they are replanting it. Of course they do...with only one type of tree. I don't believe in tree plantations; selective logging yes but never tree plantations, no matter how sustainable it is. And he keeps talking about tropical hardwoods such as teak and mahogany. Sure, it's fine to have those grown on plantations, I guess but what about the energy and expense that was used to transport the wood to North America? Is that environmentally sound? Why not advocate purchasing North American hardwoods from a local supplier who practices selective logging? What sort of yuppie snob cares about a particular warm look from certain woods?!(My own words because that was the impression I was getting.) I'm sorry..but after pg. 50, I basically put the book down.
Rating: Summary: Probably the best book on eco living today Review: I've been looking for a book to help me transform my old farm into an eco-friendly place to live for myself and my children. I bought the Organic Living book and was very disappointed....so I returned it and got Conscious Style. If you're thinking of buying a book on "green" living with STYLE, buy this. It's so useful...tips like "put lemoons and ice down your garbage disposal...the ice sharens the blades and the lemon disinfects." GREAT!
Rating: Summary: Probably the best book on eco living today Review: I've been looking for a book to help me transform my old farm into an eco-friendly place to live for myself and my children. I bought the Organic Living book and was very disappointed....so I returned it and got Conscious Style. If you're thinking of buying a book on "green" living with STYLE, buy this. It's so useful...tips like "put lemoons and ice down your garbage disposal...the ice sharens the blades and the lemon disinfects." GREAT!
Rating: Summary: Horribly self centered rubbish full of contradictions Review: This book rocks! I recently purchased a home in upstate New York and wanted to do simple renovations to the kitchen, gardens and bathroom. I didn't have a tremendous amount of moolah to spend, but I did want to make changes. I realize this book is all about saving the planet and incorporating green building products....but there are sooooooo many tips in here to decorate, renovate and change on a dime!!! It's very very clever...I love it!
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