Non Fiction - Environment

The honey bee is a miracle. It is the cupid of the natural world. It pollinates crops; making plants bear fruit and helping farmers make money. But in this age of vast industrial agribusiness, never before has so much been asked of such a small wonder. And never before has its survival been so unclear - and the future of our food supply so acutely challenged. In steps John Miller, or rather in he bounds. Miller tasks himself with the care and safe transportation of billions of bees. He is descended from N.E. Miller, America's first... read more

We know that climate change is happening. We know that it could, if the worst predictions come true, destroy the conditions which make human life possible. Only one question is now worth asking: can it be stopped? In Heat George Monbiot shows that it can. For the first time, he demonstrates that we can achieve the necessary cut - a 90 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 - without bringing civilization to an end. Combining his unique knowledge of campaigning and environmental science, he shows how we can transform our... read more

A classic manual of practical permaculture brings us up to date with our need to measure, monitor and reduce our ecological footprint. Contains extra chapters on seedsaving, pest management and rural water usage.

This team of top-notch writers, brought together by founder Alex Steffen, includes Cameron Sinclair, founder of Architecture for Humanity, GeekCore founder Ethan Zuckerman and sustainable food expert Anna Lappe, among many others. Each chapter will offer practical answers to important questions, such as: Why does buying locally produced food make sense? What steps can we take to influence our workplace toward sustainability? How do we volunteer and advocate more effectively? How can we travel, live, work and learn in world changing... read more

From the author of "Earth From the Air" comes a moving and beautifully photographed new book. "Home", scheduled to release in conjunction with a film of the same name, is a globe-spanning exploration of the planet, complete with Yann Arthus-Bertrand's unforgettable images and an informative text by the team at Good Planet, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting sustainable development. "Home" is a celebration of Earth's beauty and an impassioned call to protect it from destruction. Voyaging through over 50 countries, the b... read more

This is an accurate and accessible guide to help individuals and businesses install a small wind turbine to meet their electrical needs. It covers all aspects of wind energy from wind resource assessment to the economics of installation.

Make the break, realise the dream and start living "The Good Life!" with John Seymour. The new edition of this enduring classic from the founding father of modern self-sufficiency, John Seymour, is still the key reference to living off the land. Covering all the practicals from ploughing fields to milking cows as well as information on how to create an urban organic garden and harness natural energy, this is perfect for anyone aspiring to the self-sufficient lifestyle. Packed with Seymour's tried-and-tested tips and invaluable nugg... read more

Te Radar has written a series of yarns about his experiences and the characters he has met while living off the land in a small community north of Auckland. This book is a tie-in to the television series 'Off the Radar'. First published December 2008, Auckland

Green issues are hot, and they are here to stay. But where can New Zealanders find an authoritative yet neutral voice that is packed with the facts they need to make informed life-changing decisions? Living Green is a 'bible' for every New Zealand family: an assiduously researched and effortlessly readable manual that operates on two levels to appeal to all readers. Part One gives 10 simple steps to greening your life. Part Two contains 21 chapters that provide the factual back-up behind each of the 10 steps, in doing so covering a... read more

Provides accounts of how individuals have responded with their local communities to the twin threats of peak oil and climate change. It explains how we can 'transition' from fossil-fuel based communities to ones that are more self-reliant and generate less carbon emissions. Details UK transition initiatives and profiles Australian and NZ ones.

What shall we have for dinner? Such a simple question has grown to have a very complicated answer.
We can eat almost anything nature has to offer, but deciding what we should eat stirs anxiety. Should we choose the organic apple or the conventional? If organic, local or imported? Wild fish or farmed? Low-carb or low-cal?
As the American culture of fast food and unlimited choice invades the world, Pollan follows his next meal from land to table, tracing the origin of everything consumed and the implications for ourselves... read more

Presenting diverse case studies of contemporary sustainable urban practice from Europe, Africa, India, South America, the USA and Australia, this book offers the reader a fantastic wealth of practical material from a range of internationally renowned authors. Each practical case study has addressed issues and then offered solutions to implement sustainable cities across a range of urban scales and cultures. Urgent design challenges explored include population density, recreating infrastructure that supports carbon neutral or low c... read more

Although we all want to help the environment, our knowledge of what are 'green' choices is often so limited that we can do more harm than good. This book shows you: Why a T-shirt that claims it is '100% organic cotton' may be in fact no such thing; and, Why it's good to buy tulips from Kenya and wine from France.

In this challenging work, leading permaculture expert David Holmgren questions whether mainstream concepts of sustainability dodge the critical issue of global energy peak, and asks if there are ways to live within nature's limits whilst providing a secure future for our children and justice for everyone.

Al Gore offers a visionary blueprint of the changes that we should make as a world community in order to prevent the climate crisis from threatening human civilisation.

Energy bills have skyrocketed in North America, and traditional energy sources can be as damaging to the environment as they are to your pocketbook. The Homeowner’s Guide to Renewable Energy will show you how to slash your home energy costs while dramatically reducing your carbon footprint. Completely revised and updated, this new edition describes the most practical and affordable methods for making significant improvements in home energy efficiency and tapping into clean, affordable, renewable energy resources. If impleme... read more

From his unique vantage point as editor-in-chief of "MAKE" magazine, the hub of the newly invigorated do-it-yourself movement, Mark Frauenfelder takes readers on an inspiring and surprising tour of the vibrant world of DIY. The Internet has brought together large communities of people who share ideas, tips, and blueprints for making everything from unmanned aerial vehicles to pedal- powered iPhone chargers to an automatic cat feeder jury-rigged from a VCR. DIY is a direct reflection of our basic human desire to invent and improve,... read more

Antarctica's capacity to create, store and disperse ice is critical to the way our planet functions. But along the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula, there has been a 40 per cent decrease in the mean annual sea ice extent since 1979. The daily life of a few thousand Adelie penguins became critical evidence of real, incontrovertible climate change.The Antarctic Peninsula is for all of us an early warning system. This brilliant book tells the story of Antarctic warming and of how scientists are piecing together the jigsaw of ca... read more

Award-winning writers from the United States, Canada, the UK and Australia describe a personal encounter with the natural world that moved them and enhanced their understanding of nature. These essays describe childhood memories, everyday walks and startling encounters.