Earth Day

Hello Everyone,

So here we are again, celebrating Earth Day, and more than any previous year, it feels to me like green is going mainstream. What do you think, am I being too optimistic? Or is the Berekely microclimate skewing my perception?

A green mainstream is a fantastic thing... as more and more people start thinking meaninfully about daily choices with their planetary (and local environmental) impact in mind, we have more of a chance to save our environment, and to restore what's already damaged. We can argue about the magnitude of the change endlessly, but the bottom line is more awareness can only be better. What's worrying about the shift of green to mainstream is the increasing quantity of mis-information and over-simplification (distributed by people who don't understand the issues), dis-information (distribued by people who understand, but distort the issues), and greenwashing (which we're all to familiar with). As the message goes more mainstream, the core of the movement doesn't have as much control over the content of the messages that get to the public.

My thought is this: while in the past, much of our focus has been spreading the word about more sustainable ways of living, I think it's becoming extremely important to start thinking about how and where we want environmental information vetted, and to start passing the word about trusted sources... so that when the choices become confusing because of more and more environmental info in the media stream, the choices about where to go to get the bottom line, the straight talk so to speak, becomes clear.

To tie the thought into a book (as usual), I'd like to offer up Ellis Jones' newly updated "Better World Handbook" as a place that I get information I trust.

If anyone has thoughts / or other trusted sources, please share!

jill

The last week for 50 % off books

Come and get 'em!

Our big 50% off sale ends on March 31 - come and check out a large selection of books we simply have to many of! There's bound to be something on your "to read" list... or something worth adding!

Happy reading

js

Come see Ellis Jones

Hi Everyone,

We're having an exciting book signing tomorrow night. Ellis Jones - Author of "The Better World Handbook," and "The Better World Shopping Guide" will be here tomorrow night. Come on down and discuss your power as a consumer, learn about his research, and find out - when you spend you're money, how can you choose among the sometimes mystifying array of companies. Learn who the 'good guys,' and who the 'bad guys' are in the world of corporate consumer goods (including groceries!).

Wednesday March 28, 2007
At the Ecology Center
2530 San Pablo Ave. in Berkeley
7pm - 9pm

thanks!
js

Book Sale!

Hey, we're having a Book Sale!

So, we don't often have a sale at the Ecology Center. We're more on the low prices all the time plan around here... However, every once in a while, we need to do a little house cleaning. So, come on down. We have a large selection of books that have just been marked 50% off!

We'll eventually return most of them. Some titles we just have too many, or they're hardcover and the paper back is out, or maybe we're just reducing our stock. The fact is, we've got more books than we want right now, and we thought we'd see if anyone around here wanted them at the price we'd get when we send them back.

We hope you find a bunch of titles that you'll enjoy,
and we'll have less to ship back to our vendors,
and everyone will be happier!

Thanks!
jill

Chomsky Quartet

It's been a while! Here's the first in 2007's series of book reviews - this is actually a collection.

The Chomsky Quartet
Noam Chomsky

This is a collection of for of Chomsky’s short political works. It’s a great little collection, and a good buy for anyone interested in sampling Chomsky’s thought in smaller, bite-sized pieces. You can read these books in a day or two.

What Uncle Sam Really Wants is broken up in to for themed sections, entitled: The Main Goals of US Foreign Policy, Devastation Abroad, Brainwashing at Home, and The Future. These 101 small pages of text are packed with commentary on US involvement abroad. From the cold war, to WW II, US actions in Central America, South East Asia, the Middle east, and up to the first Gulf War, Chomsky deals out a healthy dose of history, analysis, and vitriolic comment on US foreign relations.

The Common Good is the longest book, at 160 pages, and is a discussion (literally, much of it is in question and answer format) of domestic and global economics, class, corporate domination, globalization, the market in general, and progressive resistance.

Secrets, Lies, and Democracy directs our attention political problems at home and abroad. Domestically, Chomsky discusses systemic inadequacies in our democracy. He touches on many of the great domestic debates: Health Care, Crime, Gun Control, Labor, Media, and more. He gets into the politics and economics of ‘free trade’ with details on several specific countries, and closes with a “what can you do” section which includes a wonderful list of organizations doing great work around the world.

The Prosperous Few and the Restless Many takes on the discussion of global trade directly. Chomsky examines global trade, violence and racism in the final selection for this quartet.