Here's a handful of books to get into while the weather gets colder. Get cozy and read!
Lo-TEK: Design by Radical Indigenism
By Julia Watson
In Lo-TEK (Traditional Ecological Knowledge), the myth of modern technology being all we could ever need is busted. Local wisdom and indigenous innovation have created flexible systems that are resilient to outside forces, unlike many we currently find ourselves in. This book documents and explores the multigenerational accumulation of practices all around the world – spanning mountains, forests, deserts, and wetlands across eighteen countries. A beautiful synthesis of anthropology and sustainable design.
The Market Gardener: A Successful Grower's Handbook for Small-Scale Organic Farming
By Jean-Martin Fortier and Marie Bilodeau
In the age of industrial agriculture, it is considered virtually impossible to make a living farming at a small scale. Jean-Martin Fortier and Marie Bilodeau are doing just that on 1.5 acres, feeding over 200 families through their CSA (community supported agriculture). They focus on “growing better, not bigger” with a low-tech ecological approach for higher yields. This book is a wonderful, thorough guide on how to start a small-scale farm almost anywhere – but if you do not necessarily want to go that far, it contains a wealth of gardening know-how anyone could use.
The Death and Life of the Great Lakes
By Dan Egan
For holding 20% of the world’s freshwater supply, we do not take particularly good care of the Great Lakes. Dan Egan depicts the ecological destruction of the lakes, how it has changed and worsened through time. A journalist by trade, Egan’s research is incredibly thorough. He provides steps we can take to rehabilitate the lakes, and by doing so creates a strong call to action to protect our most precious resources. A must-read for any Ohioan!
Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture
By Toby Hemenway
Often times, people consider permaculture to be a large-scale, life-consuming endeavor. While it can take that form, there are principles and techniques within the discipline that can be used at a smaller scale. This ecological gardening can improve soil, conserve water, and help biodiversity flourish. Hemenway’s guide is perfect for those in an urban or suburban setting who still want to practice permaculture.
Losing Earth: A Recent History
By Nathaniel Rich
Losing Earth is an expansion of a full New York Times Magazine issue centered around Nathaniel Rich’s chronicle of the environmental spectacle occurring between 1979 and 1989. It was in this era that climate-change denial was born, manufactured by fossil fuel companies and their lobbyists. Their propaganda campaigns and work against climate policy has placed us in the dire straits we find ourselves today. Rich’s work does a fantastic job in telling one of – if not the most – important pieces of environmental history. Worth a read for people across the board.