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February 6, 2009

Books to keep the green course

Green Quick Fixes

Over the last six months a few people have asked me if I ever find there is a shortage of green living subjects to write about.

It's something I didn't consider when I stepped up to the challenge of developing Green Quick Fixes because, like any subject, a multitude of nuances in eco-conscious theory and practice exist and angles of discussion are virtually unlimited.

However, the question has made me think of a helpful green living column for the chilly times — when many like to hibernate at home with a good read. The titles referenced — some of which I have not yet read myself, but are highly recommended — will certainly green your reading list.

Babies, children and teens

"Green Babies, Sage Moms: The Ultimate Guide to Raising Your Organic Baby" by Lynda Fassa

"The Lorax" by Dr. Suess

"The Berenstain Bears Don't Pollute (Anymore)" by Stan & Jan Berenstain

"Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-Friendly Life" by Linda Sivertsen and Tosh Sivertsen

Cleaning

"Greenup Your Cleanup" by Jill Potvin Schoff

"The Naturally Clean Home: 100 Safe and Easy Herbal Formulas for Non-Toxic Cleansers" by Karyn Siegel-Maier

"Vinegar: Over 400 Various, Versatile, and Very Good Uses You've Probably Never Thought of" by Vicki Lansky and Martha Campbell

Construction and decorating

"Building Green: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods" by Clarke Snell and Tim Callahan

"Green Building Resource Guide" by John Hermannsson

"Ecodesign: The Sourcebook" by Alastair Fuad-Luke

Eating and drinking

"To Buy or Not to Buy Organic: What You Need to Know to Choose the Healthiest, Safest, Most Earth-Friendly Food" by Cindy Burke

"Eat Fresh: Cooking Through the Seasons" by Annabel Langbein

"Eating New England: A Food Lover's Guide to Eating Locally" by Juliette Rogers and Barbara Radcliffe Rogers

SDLqBottlemania: How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought It" by Elizabeth Royte

General living

"Green, Greener, Greenest" by Lori Bongiorno

"Eco-Friendly Families" by Helen Coronato

"Green Living: The E Magazine Handbook for Living Lightly on the Earth" by the editors of E

Gardening & landscaping

"The Eco-Friendly Garden: Work with Nature in Your Own Backyard" by Patricia Pennell

"Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Traveling

"Fodor's Green Travel: The World's Best Eco-Lodges & Earth-Friendly Hotels"

"Lonely Planet Code Green: Experiences of a Lifetime"

"The Ethical Travel Guide: Your Passport to Exciting Alternative Holidays" by Polly Pattullo

Reducing energy consumption

"The Homeowner's Handbook to Energy Efficiency: A Guide to Big and Small Improvements" by John Krigger and Chris Dorsi

"Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings" by Alex Wilson, Jennifer Thorne and John Morrill

"The Massachusetts Audubon Society's Energy Saver's Handbook for Town and City People" by Ronnie D. Lipschutz

¢¢¢

Andrea Fox, a Beverly resident, has been writing about environmental sustainability for eight years. She is a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists and a watershed protection advocate in Salem Sound Watershed.

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Lifestyle
  • Pet Connection: How to prevent a lost-pet crisis Tonka, a beloved Jack Russell terrier and member of a Salem family, disappeared on Halloween while his owners were giving out treats and getting their kids into costumes for trick-or-treating.
    The devastated parents called the veterinary practice, Animal Control Officer Donald Famico and the Salem police to see if any lost animals had been turned in. Very little sleep was achieved that night. Mom and dad scoured the neighborhood looking for Tonka and contacted everyone they knew to help them find him. They had no idea if Tonka had been lost or stolen. The next morning, their young children were so enraptured with their Halloween candy they did not notice Tonka was missing, and their wise mother got them off to school calmly without distressing them with the bad news. Then she went back about her search.

    February 7, 2012

  • The Buzz Many wish people were more like dogs It seems some people are not dreaming of getting a puppy as a Valentine's Day gift, but rather wishing their human mates were more like a dog. And their dogs are helping them look for mates! According to an American Kennel Club survey:

    February 7, 2012

  • Don't fret over dog park snub: Don't fret over dog park snub Q: I'm trying not to take it personally, but my feelings are hurt. This morning when I showed up at the park where neighborhood dogs and their owners gather every day, there was one woman standing there with her dog, Daisy, a West Highland terrier. Her dog ran over to my dog, greeting us warmly. Daisy's owner was not so sunny. She responded to my bright "good morning" with a question: "Where is everybody?" She made me feel invisible. I felt like saying something nasty to her. Suddenly, my dog group feels like high school. Am I not in the popular crowd?

    February 7, 2012

  • Dear Abby: Savings bond gift matures into mother/daughter battle Dear Abby: I'm 30 years old and have a close relationship with my mother, but something is bothering me. When I was a little girl, my grandmother gave me a U.S. savings bond for my birthday. It has matured to its full value. My mother refuses to give it to me. She said that my grandmother intended it as a wedding gift.

    February 6, 2012

  • North Shore religion news in brief After 40 years of service to the church, the Rev. Canon Jurgen Liias, founding rector of Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church in Danvers, will retire following the 10:30 a.m. service on Sunday, Feb. 5. The Rev. Tim Clayton will be installed as rector of Christ the Redeemer this spring. During the interim, the Rev. Brian Barry will serve as priest-in-charge. There will be a celebration of Liias' ministry on Saturday, April 14, with a luncheon at the Danversport Yacht Club, 161 Elliott St., Danvers. Tickets may be obtained by calling 978-774-3163.

    February 4, 2012

  • North Shore religion calendar Sunday, Feb. 5
    Celebrating Foreign Missions, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tabernacle Church, 50 Washington St., Salem. Join church members and guests to celebrate and commemorate the ordaining and commissioning of the first missionaries who left America in 1812 for foreign missions. Speaker: the Rev. Liz Walker, ordained minister and award-winning television journalist. 10 a.m., service, honor church's missionaries from 1812; 1 to 3 p.m., historical artifacts display; 1 to 2:30 p.m., re-enactment of missionary's wife, Ann Haseltine Judson. 978-755-3164 or www.tabernaclechurch.org.

    February 4, 2012

  • 5473234SN.jpg New England Blues Festival returns to Salisbury For some, the blues season ends in September.
    Nick David is working to change that.
    For the third year, David, leader of the blues band Mr. Nick & The Dirty Tricks, is bringing the New England Winter Blues Festival to the Blue Ocean Music Hall in Salisbury. Four bands will perform on Saturday, Feb. 11, beginning at 8 p.m.

    February 3, 2012 3 Photos

  • Don't eat those mushrooms Q: I have suddenly noticed a crop of mushrooms growing in one of my larger potted plants. The plant was outside all summer and then brought in in September. Two questions: Can I eat them? And will the fact that they are growing in the pot hurt the plant?

    February 3, 2012

  • Dear Abby: Bride wants to keep friend's lecherous husband off guest list Dear Abby: Over the years I've stayed in touch with my childhood best friend, "Claire." We talk a few times a year and I attended her wedding 10 years ago.
    In the intervening years, her husband, "Kirk," has cheated on her multiple times and was once arrested by an undercover cop when he tried to meet a 14-year-old for a sexual liaison.

    February 3, 2012

  • Quick picks Sunday afternoon concert
    The Salem Philharmonic's 2012 season will come to an end Sunday at 3:30 p.m. in the Salem High School auditorium, 77 Willson St. The concert will feature tenor Giovanni Formisano and the Paul Madore Chorale. Formisano, who most recently appeared in the world premiere of "The Picture of Dorian Gray" with the Longwood Opera Company, will perform his favorite arias by Donizette, Gounod and Puccini, among others. The Paul Madore Chorale will join the orchestra for a performance of American composer Randol Alan Bass' "Gloria." The Salem High School Orchestra will also join the Philharmonic for a joint performance of Shostakovich's Waltz No. 2 and Symphonic Dances from "Fiddler on the Roof." Admission is free. For more information, visit salemphilharmonic.org.

    February 3, 2012

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