Conservation of the environment Books

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Book SynopsisRaptors offers a comprehensive and accessible account of raptors, including their evolutionary history, their relationships to other groups of birds, their sensory abilities, their general natural history, their breeding ecology and feeding behavior, and threats to their survival in a human-dominated...Trade ReviewThe text is well written, yet contains significant information the general reader will consider esoteric. Clearly, this is a labor of love for the author and it shows on every page. Any individual keenly interested in birds of prey will find this an entertaining read. Libraries with strong ornithological holdings will want a copy, but libraries with limited natural science sections may also find it attractive. * Choice *A clarifying perspective on a very complex subject. [Bildstein] notes the many deficiencies in our knowledge and the possible ways we can fill the gaps. Easy to read, yet still maintains a very high level of scientific objectivity. * The Canadian Field-Naturalist *A superb summary of biological knowledge of birds of prey worldwide. A very fine distillation of current knowledge and theories, with a global scope, arranged in an interesting and sometimes novel way that will keep any enquiring reader entertained and informed. * Birdwatch *Raptors is a book of passion by a world-renowned raptor conservation biologist whose fascination, wealth of knowledge, and experience comes through clearly. This book will be useful to raptor ecologists and biologists, graduate students working on birds of prey across the globe, and the wildlife and nature conservation fraternity. Simple and understandable language means it can also be appreciated by lay people with interest in natural history, including birdwatchers. * Conservation Biology *Table of Contents1. Introducing Raptors2. Form and Function3. Senses and Intelligence4. Distribution and Abundance5. Breeding Ecology6. Feeding Behavior7. Migration8. Raptors and People

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Book SynopsisCrossing the ocean on a slave ship, working the land under threat of violence, eluding racists in nighttime chases through moonless fields and woodlands, stumbling across a murder victim hanging from a tree—these are images associated with the African American experience of nature. Over the decades, many African Americans have come to accept that natural areas are dangerous. Unfamiliar with the culture's rich environmental heritage, people overlook the knowledge and skills required at every turn in black history: thriving in natural settings in ancestral African lands, using and discovering farming techniques to survive during slavery and Reconstruction, and navigating escape routes to freedom, all of which required remarkable outdoor talents and a level of expertise far beyond what's needed to hike or camp in a national forest or park. In Rooted in the Earth, environmental historian Dianne D. Glave overturns the stereotype that a meaningful attachment to nature and the outdoors is contrary to the black experience. In tracing the history of African Americans' relationship with the environment, emphasizing the unique preservation-conservation aspect of black environmentalism, and using her storytelling skills to re-create black naturalists of the past, Glave reclaims the African American heritage of the land. This book is a groundbreaking, important first step toward getting back into nature, not only for personal growth but for the future of the planet.

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Book SynopsisWe tend to think of cities as a realm apart, somehow separate from nature, but nothing could be further from the truth. In Feral Cities, Tristan Donovan digsbelow the urban gloss to uncover the wild creatures that we share our streets and homes with, and profiles the brave and fascinating people who try to manage them. Along the way readers will meet the wall-eating snails that are invading Miami, the boars that roam Berlin, and the monkey gangs of Cape Town. From feral chickens and carpet-roaming bugs to coyotes hanging out in sandwich shops and birds crashing into skyscrapers, Feral Cities takes readers on a journey through streets and neighborhoods that are far more alive than we often realize, shows how animals are adjusting to urban living, and asks what messages the wildlife in our metropolises have for us.Trade Review"An entertaining jaunt through city wildlife." Kirkus Reviews"Donovan not only shows readers how territorial boundaries between humans and wild animals constantly shift, but also how such encounters with birds, coyotes, and snakes should come as no great surprise." Publishers Weekly"Surprising, entertaining, sometimes frightening, Donovan's worldwide exploration of urban wildlife will be enjoyed by all types of readers including young adults, animal lovers, and those interested in ecology." Library Journal"In Feral Cities , journalist Tristan Donovan explores the conflict zone of cities and wild animals, and he seems to have a good time doing it." Science News"Donovan entertainingly exposes ecological experiments gone hopelessly awry and offers thoughtful input on how such tipping points can be avoided in the future." Booklist"Even those of us who have intensely studied urban wildlife for decades can learn a bit from some of Donovan's many sources, and Donovan can be praised for drawing out nuggets of information and perspective from sources who by reputation tend to be reticent." Animals 24-7" This interdisciplinary understanding of the issue is certainly apparent in the excellent Feral Cities . Although not an analytical, scientific text, the book provides a unique look into the lives of both urban wildlife and its human counterpart. For anyone interested in any of the many aspects of urban wildlife, Feral Cities will be a vastly entertaining read." The Nature of Cities"Wild creatures are having a people problem these days, and Donovan takes us on a global frolic to find all sorts of untamed critters and de-natured people cohabiting badly." Jim Sterba, author of Nature Wars and Frankie's Place

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Book SynopsisFinally a hopeful book which empowers us to make the choices we need to make...not out of fear but out of love for ourselves, our Earth, and each other.Includes inspirational quotes from influential environmentalists and thought leaders including Al Gore, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Martin Luther King, Jr., Mother Teresa, Walt Whitman, Henry David Thoreau, Howard Zinn, E.F. Schumacher, William Shakespeare, Ayn Rand, and Mahatma Gandhi.“The Earth is what we all have in common. It is what we are made of and what we live from, and we cannot damage it without damaging those with whom we share it.”-Wendell BerryYou Can Save the Earth: 7 Reasons Why & 7 Simple Ways is the perfect book to pick up for your friends, your office, your home, and yourself. While many books on sustainability and climate change focus only on disasters and what has gone wrong-what we have lost-this one takes a new tack. You Can Save the Earth focuses on real-life, simple solutions to many of our global problems, and emphasizes steps that can be taken on an individual basis or on a local level to promote environmental awareness and conservation. Because it promotes reflection rather than guilt, You Can Save the Earth offers a new approach to discussing the environment, climate change, and how man influences his surroundings. After examining the impact that man has on his environment, You Can Save the Earth provides seven simple things you can do or a “roadmap” for readers to follow in their daily lives, from the office, to the home, the store, and everywhere in between. By creating good habits and incorporating them into our lifestyles, man can live in closer harmony with his environment. You Can Save the Earth Offers Seven Important Reasons Why Environmental Awareness and Conservation are so Important:All Life is Interconnected: It is impossible for people to separate themselves from each other, the Earth, or the many living things on the Earth. When we lack respect for the environment and the Earth, we are inevitably damaging ourselves as well. The Health of the Earth Defines Our Well-being: The damage we do to the Earth is often returned upon man, with the advent of global warming there has been an increase in disease and chronic environmentally caused conditions such as Asthma.Water is the Essence of All Life: Our disastrous policies and ongoing pollution have the potential to do devastating damage to our water supply.The Air We Breathe: Air is essential to human life, yet man has shown a remarkable disrespect for air since the industrial revolution. We spew pollution, including carbon dioxide, sulfur, and other harmful chemicals, into the atmosphere at startling rates. It is vital to the ongoing health of mankind that we begin to show more respect for the atmosphere and what we put into it. The Limits of Fossil Fuels: Oil has been an abundant resource for hundreds of years, but supplies are becoming scarcer. Indeed the scarcity of oil has led to an increase in oil prices, making it important and economical for consumers to focus on efficiency of usage. Efficiency in the home, car, and in life can not only save money, it can help the environment.The Food That Nourishes: Many of the foods we eat on a year round basis are in fact seasonal in different areas of the world. This means that to get these foods during seasons they do not grow, they are shipped from elsewhere in the world. While this allows us to have tomatoes in the winter, it is important to note that these tomatoes are not as fresh or flavorful as those grown locally. In addition, the constant transport of food over vast distances contributes heavily to global pollution, as the amount of energy consumed and waste created to transport fresh food is extremely large.The Fragile Balance: The Earth is hospitable to mankind because of the balance maintained in the environment. With our constant pollution and energy use, we are threatening that balance, and so harming ourselves and our future. If this balance is disturbed in any major way, the planet could become uninhabitable to future generations.You Can Save the Earth Offers Seven Simple Ways that YOU can Contribute to a Positive Future:Love the Earth: A deeper understanding of your relationship with the Earth, and the joy and health it brings you, is important to changing your behavior to accommodate the Earth’s needs.Make Wiser Choices: In this day and age, there are a plethora of products that offer energy-saving, environmentally friendly options for the home and business. Choose to Reduce: Reducing energy usage and consumption are great ways to help the environment and save money. Embrace Green Technology: Compact Fluorescent Lights offer a more energy efficient alternative to incandescent lights. Adding insulation to your home can help you reduce your energy consumption and save you money.Recycle, Reuse, and Repair: The rampant consumerism and short-lived product life spans we see today are relatively recent developments. During more challenging economic times people often made do with what they had. This meant repairing things in unique and inventive ways. Next time you are considering throwing something away in favor of buying a new copy, think of ways you could continue to use or it or repair it. Think Local: Ride your bicycle to work, take public transportation, eat locally grown foods purchased at farmer’s markets; these are all ways that you can contribute to your local community, save energy, and live a healthier life. Cherish the Earth’s Precious Gifts: We have been blessed with a beautiful home, a beautiful environment, and an often picturesque habitat in which we can grow and thrive. It is important to appreciate the beauty and opportunity that the Earth offers us, and in turn work to respect the Earth and conserve its natural wonder and beauty. A portion of the proceeds from your purchase goes to good, designated for non-profit organizations specifically active in addressing the issues that face the survival of the Earth, including:Wildlife Conservation SocietyNational Audubon SocietySave the WhalesSierra ClubWaterkeeper Alliancecharity: waterThe Nature ConservancyCousteau SocietyThe We CampaignCommunity Food Security CoalitionSlow Food USAAppalachian Mountain ClubWWF, the global conservation organizationCommunity TreesEarth CorpsGo Green InitiativeThe Kids Ecology CorpsNational Resources Defense CouncilPeople and PlanetTrees ForeverOutward BoundMillennium VillagesShoe 4 AfricaThe Mountain InstituteThe Rainforest Foundation-USFINCA International

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Book SynopsisEver Wonder What A Green Renewable Sustainable World Would Look Like?With the state of our world and its limited resources, more and more people are trying to lead a greener lifestyle in order to do their part. The Green Revolution provides comprehensive information associated with adopting daily practices that will ultimately sustain, not deplete, precious natural materials in an ever-growing population.Renewable energy expert Norman Nadeau leads by example as he details how he has committed his life to living green. From the application of solar and wind turbine technology, to recovering energy embedded in places one may not expect (such as animals’ manure), The Green Revolution highlights the highly sustainable system Norman Nadeau developed for his family farm.The Green Revolution serves as a broad introduction for those who want to conserve rather than squander. At this very important turning point in our planet’s history, this book offers the principles by which anyone can live in the most sustainable way possible.

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Book SynopsisSince 1973, Storey's Country Wisdom Bulletins have offered practical, hands-on instructions designed to help readers master dozens of country living skills quickly and easily. There are now more than 170 titles in this series, and their remarkable popularity reflects the common desire of country and city dwellers alike to cultivate personal independence in everyday life.

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Book SynopsisDescribing his spiritual awakening amid the mountains and valleys of central California, John Muir's My First Summer in the Sierra is, like Walden, one of the seminal texts in the literature of the American environment. It is presented here with an introduction by writer and activist Bill McKibben and related essays about Yosemite, the Hetch Hetchy Valley, and other wonders of the Sierra Nevada.

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Book SynopsisA special edition of one of the greatest masterpieces of the environmental movement—plus original photographs and other writings on environmental ethicsSince his death in 1948, Aldo Leopold has been increasingly recognized as one of the indispensable figures of American environmentalism. A pioneering forester, sportsman, wildlife manager, and ecologist, he was also a gifted writer whose farsighted land ethic is proving increasingly relevant in our own time. Now, Leopold’s essential contributions to our literature—some hard-to-find or previously unpublished—are gathered in a single volume for the first time. Here is his classic A Sand County Almanac, hailed—along with Thoreau’s Walden and Carson’s Silent Spring—as one of the main literary influences on the modern environmental movement. Published in 1949, it remains a vivid, firsthand, philosophical tour de force. Along with Sand County are more than fifty articles, essays, and lectures exploring the new complexities of ecological science and what we would now call environmental ethics. Leopold’s sharp-eyed, often humorous journals are illustrated here for the first time with his original photographs, drawings, and maps. Also unique to this collection is a selection of over 100 letters, most of them never before published, tracing his personal and professional evolution and his efforts to foster in others the love and sense of responsibility he felt for the land.LIBRARY OF AMERICA is an independent nonprofit cultural organization founded in 1979 to preserve our nation’s literary heritage by publishing, and keeping permanently in print, America’s best and most significant writing. The Library of America series includes more than 300 volumes to date, authoritative editions that average 1,000 pages in length, feature cloth covers, sewn bindings, and ribbon markers, and are printed on premium acid-free paper that will last for centuries.

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Book SynopsisMals, Italy, has long been known as the breadbasket of the Tyrol. But recently the tiny town became known for something else entirely. A Precautionary Tale tells us why, introducing readers to an unlikely group of activists and a forward-thinking mayor who came together to ban pesticides in Mals by a referendum vote—making it the first place on Earth to accomplish such a feat, and a model for other towns and regions to follow. For hundreds of years, the people of Mals had cherished their traditional foodways and kept their local agriculture organic. Their town had become a mecca for tourists drawn by the alpine landscape, the rural and historic character of the villages, and the fine breads, wines, cheeses, herbs, vegetables, and the other traditional foods they produced. Yet Mals is located high up in the eastern Alps, and the valley below was being steadily overtaken by big apple producers, heavily dependent on pesticides. As Big Apple crept further and further up the region’s mountainsides, their toxic spray drifted with the valley’s ever-present winds and began to fall on the farms and fields of Mals—threatening their organic certifications, as well as their health and that of their livestock. The advancing threats gradually motivated a diverse cast of characters to take action—each in their own unique way, and then in concert in an iconic display of direct democracy in action. As Ackerman-Leist recounts their uprising, we meet an organic dairy farmer who decides to speak up when his hay is poisoned by drift; a pediatrician who engaged other medical professionals to protect the soil, water, and air that the health of her patients depends upon; a hairdresser whose salon conversations mobilized the town’s women in an extraordinarily conceived campaign; and others who together orchestrated one of the rare revolutionary successes of our time and inspired a movement now snaking its way through Europe and the United States. A foreword by Vandana Shiva calls upon others to follow in Mals’s footsteps.Trade ReviewBooklist— "Northern Italy’s South Tyrol province is at a cultural crossroads where the Swiss, Austrians, and Italians have all claimed the region’s fertile slopes. The latest struggle for the area is agricultural, pitting organic farmers against Big Apple, the opposition’s nickname for a cooperative of fruit growers who spray pesticides on their high-tech orchards up to 20 times per year. Due to frequent winds, Big Apple’s pesticides drift into the adjacent organic fields, harming the income and reputation of farmers who pledged to be chemical-free. Thanks to its remoteness, Mals, a municipality in South Tyrol, has been out of Big Apple’s reach, but the construction of industrial orchards is approaching. This is the story of Mals and its successful, preemptive campaign to ban pesticides within the township borders. With profiles of organic farmers, descriptions of traditional foods, and accounts of creative local politics, the book will appeal to readers who enjoy reading encouraging stories of grassroots environmental action. A short 'activist’s primer' is included." Publishers Weekly— "In this down-to-earth volume on the effects of pesticides, Ackerman-Leist (Rebuilding the Foodshed), a farmer and professor at Green Mountain College, chronicles the agricultural battles waged in Mals, a town in the Italian Alps filling fast with apple orchards. Residents had grown accustomed to the 'gradual march of the orchards up the slopes' but were dismayed by the 'enveloping mists blasted from the spray machines mounted on the back of the advancing tractors.' Ackerman-Leist profiles some of the crucial actors in Mals’s fight against 'Big Apple,' during which the residents of Mals passed a referendum vote to ban pesticides. He introduces Günther Wallnöfer, an organic dairy farmer whose family business sat adjacent to a new orchard; residue from the orchard’s chemical sprays had found its way to Wallnöfer’s livestock. Ackerman-Leist also talks with Peter Gasser, a veterinarian who interacted daily with farmers and livestock. As a result of this work Gasser had a thorough knowledge of the community’s issues, which he would later use to help lead the fight against pesticides in the town. Ackerman-Leist argues that Mals’s story has particular relevance for American farmers who face similar circumstances, and he concludes his discussion with useful suggestions for farming communities on topics such as information gathering and political engagement.”Foreword Reviews- "Focusing on a region of the Alps where farming has been a mainstay for millennia, this book examines a successful grassroots movement to ban pesticides…. A Precautionary Tale is an optimistic read with an enthusiastic and celebratory tone. Activists will find it inspiring, and community leaders in a position to take the example of Mals may see in it a blueprint for peaceful, calm, and productive civil discussion around the environment."“An inspiring tale of citizen science and community action.”—Raj Patel, author of Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System“Ackerman-Leist tells the story of how a small town took on the powerful forces of chemical agriculture and not only won, but created a template that anyone seeking a poison-free environment anywhere in the world can follow.”—Barry Estabrook, author of Tomatoland and Pig Tales“Climate change, xenophobia, war, hunger, madmen and autocrats running the world. It’s easy to feel paralyzed when faced with the enormity of our modern dilemma. Philip Ackerman-Leist’s A Precautionary Tale gives us hope, and provides us with a real-life tale of regular folk who stood up to the Goliath that was about to swallow their community, and succeeded. This book is living proof that even against overwhelming odds we have enormous power in and around the places where we live.”—Michael Ableman, farmer and; author of Street Farm: Growing Food, Jobs, and Hope on the Urban Frontier“A Precautionary Tale is the hopeful message we all need! Philip Ackerman-Leist shows us that we still have the power, as citizens, to gather and change the reality of our daily lives. The people from Mals could be you and me. They have proven that working for empowerment is not in vain. Indeed, they have managed to defeat giant corporations. And they remind us that we can’t let despair or sadness paralyze us, that we can trust the strength of community, and that we must do our part and act.”—Perrine and Charles Hervé-Gruyer, authors of Miraculous Abundance“Many, many thanks to Philip Ackerman-Leist for telling us the wonderful story of Mals, the town in Italy that decided to ban the use of pesticides! This story is extremely inspiring for us all. It shows that there is a way out of the actual dependency of our agriculture on pesticides, and that a group of informed and active citizens, together with brave local politicians, can change the world for the better. May this excellent book inspire communities all around the world—and our politicians, too!”—François Veillerette, chair, Pesticide Action Network Europe

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Book SynopsisOriginally published in 2007, "Ecological Restoration" has become one of the seminal books in this quickly developing field. This completely revised and reorganised edition presents up-to-date developments and current trends in the field by two of its leaders. Among its key features are: entirely new Virtual Field Trips, with additional examples woven into chapters; full treatment of the controversial topic of the restoration of semicultural ecosystems; up-to-date discussion of reference systems and reference models, which inform almost every aspect of restoration planning; and full discussion of the global issue of ecosystem impairment and the complex topics of what restoration recovery means and how it is accomplished. The authors focus on clarifying terminology, stressing the importance of precision in language for a field that is quickly becoming an established discipline. This new edition will be an invaluable resource for practitioners and theoreticians from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives, ranging from backyard volunteers to highly trained academic scientists and professional consultants.

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Book SynopsisCITIZEN SCIENTIST is award-winning environmental journalist and author Mary Ellen Hannibal's story of becoming a citizen scientist - and finding more than she bargained for at every turn. She knew she was joining a flourishing community of volunteers who help conserve nature, but she was surprised to learn how this new and tech-enabled movement continues a rich tradition of amateur observation established by writers and naturalists over centuries. And she knew, in the midst of an unprecedented mass extinction, that she would find a shrinking number of species, but she couldn't know how her father's sudden passing would tear open her quest to confront loss.Ultimately, to be a citizen scientist is to intimately examine all the life that still finds a way. So as Hannibal, alongside an inspiring cast of fellow citizen scientists, discovers a wealth of species - by wading into tide pools, tracking hawks, scouring mountains - she also rescues herself from an odyssey of loss, and finds a hopeful and practical way forward.

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Book SynopsisCounting Bounty highlights a widespread blindspot: most of us overlook land and its power to twist an economy. Householders typically spend most of their budget on land without awareness. The story begins with the official and academic efforts to minimize the total worth of Earth in America. A perusal of the historical relationship between the elite and the intellectual shows that "paying the piper" is the norm, even up to the present. Using a slew of statistics and others’ research findings, this book tracks rent to its recipients, the rentiers who own much and wield power. Aware reformers can address pressing problems by tapping land value. Watching rent flow sheds light on how economies operate, why they sometimes fail, and what a society can do about it.Trade Review"The vast number of references and the apt details reflects the enormous amount of expertise and time which has been invested in it." -- Team PlanningTank"Land and money are the two main elements in political economy. Jeff Smith has been digging into "the land problem" for a long time and his expertise in that subject is without question. His findings deserve a wide audience as we struggle to bring into being a more just, equitable, and sustainable world order. In this book, Smith reveals many little-known facts about things that affect our lives, particularly land ownership, the process of rent-seeking, the concentration of wealth, and the corruption of politics, education, and other aspects of society by which the one percent continue to control the general framework of public thought." -- Thomas H Greco, author of The End of Money and the Future of Civilization"All property is made partly out of natural resources that aren't 'naturally' anybody's property. The government makes them into property. It gives them to private interests for free, and they sell it back to us for money. That might be an opportunity for corruption. This book explains problems caused by the way the world's governments dole out resources to the privileged and the potential of a better resource policy." -- Karl Widerquist, an American political philosopher and economist at Georgetown University-Qatar, is co-founder if the US Basic Income Guarantee (USBIG) Network, has been co-chair of the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN) since 2008, and co-founded Basic Income News in 2011

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Book SynopsisAn epic story of the American wheat harvest, the politics of food, and the culture of the Great PlainsFor over one hundred years, the Mockett family has owned a seven-thousand-acre wheat farm in the panhandle of Nebraska, where Marie Mutsuki Mockett's father was raised. Mockett, who grew up in bohemian Carmel, California, with her father and her Japanese mother, knew little about farming when she inherited this land. Her father had all but forsworn it.In American Harvest, Mockett accompanies a group of evangelical Christian wheat harvesters through the heartland at the invitation of Eric Wolgemuth, the conservative farmer who has cut her family's fields for decades. As Mockett follows Wolgemuth's crew on the trail of ripening wheat from Texas to Idaho, they contemplate what Wolgemuth refers to as "the divide," inadvertently peeling back layers of the American story to expose its contradictions and unhealed wounds. She joins the crew in the fields, attends church, and struggles to adapt to the rhythms of rural life, all the while continually reminded of her own status as a person who signals "not white," but who people she encounters can't quite categorize.American Harvest is an extraordinary evocation of the land and a thoughtful exploration of ingrained beliefs, from evangelical skepticism of evolution to cosmopolitan assumptions about food production and farming. With exquisite lyricism and humanity, this astonishing book attempts to reconcile competing versions of our national story.

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Book SynopsisA Michelle Obama Reach Higher Fall 2022 reading list pickA Library Journal "BEST BOOK OF 2022""Aguon’s book is for everyone, but he challenges history by placing indigenous consciousness at the center of his project . . . the most tender polemic I’ve ever read." —Lenika Cruz, The Atlantic "It's clear [Aguon] poured his whole heart into this slim book . . . [his] sense of hope, fierce determination, and love for his people and culture permeates every page."—Laura Sackton, BookRiotPart memoir, part manifesto, Chamorro climate activist Julian Aguon’s No Country for Eight-Spot Butterflies is a collection of essays on resistance, resilience, and collective power in the age of climate disaster; and a call for justice—for everyone, but in particular, for Indigenous peoples.In bracing poetry and compelling prose, Aguon weaves together stories from his childhood in the villages of Guam with searing political commentary about matters ranging from nuclear weapons to global warming. Undertaking the work of bearing witness, wrestling with the most pressing questions of the modern day, and reckoning with the challenge of truth-telling in an era of rampant obfuscation, he culls from his own life experiences—from losing his father to pancreatic cancer to working for Mother Teresa to an edifying chance encounter with Sherman Alexie—to illuminate a collective path out of the darkness.A powerful, bold, new voice writing at the intersection of Indigenous rights and environmental justice, Julian Aguon is entrenched in the struggles of the people of the Pacific to liberate themselves from colonial rule, defend their sacred sites, and obtain justice for generations of harm. In No Country for Eight-Spot Butterflies, Aguon shares his wisdom and reflections on love, grief, joy, and triumph and extends an offer to join him in a hard-earned hope for a better world.Trade ReviewA Library Journal "BEST BOOK OF 2022"A Michelle Obama Reach Higher Fall 2022 reading list pick"Julian Aguon is an astounding writer . . . No Country for Eight-Spot Butterflies is a fierce yet tender lyric essay, one that demands our attention at every page . . . He is a remarkable human being, and his book could not have come at a better time. The world needs this kind of story right now. Julian’s words, his resistance and resilience give us hope. This book is a gift." —Sasha LaPointe, Publishers Weekly"If there’s one book of the year for me, it’s Julian Aguon’s No Country for Eight-Spot Butterflies . . . [Aguon] reminds us of the importance of remarking beauty, storytelling and awareness as medicine. This book will expand your imagination and nourishes the soul of the world." —Joseph Han, The Millions“Aguon is a skilled and heartfelt writer, and his book will most likely be inspiring to readers who share his political analysis and seek out the personal stories hidden by geo-political conflicts.” —Adrienne Ross Scanlan, New York Journal of Books"No Country for Eight-Spot Butterflies . . . inspires activism and celebrates beauty worth preserving . . . [A] varied and heartfelt collection. The author's deep love for Guam's people and nature shines through."—Rebecca Foster, Shelf Awareness"[No Country for Eight-Spot Butterflies is] a moving, invigorating and deeply personal call to action from a man who has been working to combat some of the most important issues facing our world today; a deeply profound collection." —Evan Rosen, Brooklyn Daily Eagle"It's clear [Aguon] poured his whole heart into this slim book . . . [his] sense of hope, fierce determination, and love for his people and culture permeates every page."—Laura Sackton, BookRiot"Skillfully balancing his individual struggles while stressing the importance of community, No Country for Eight-Spot Butterflies is a call for justice and protection for the environment, one that encourages both outrage and hope." —Alejandra Gularte, Vulture "Aguon's clear thinking and bright language illustrate the urgency of fighting global climate injustice . . . [His] clarity of focus and radical empathy are desperately necessary for imagining another world." —Diego Báez, Booklist"It is hard to pin down this book. It is political, in the sense that 'the personal is political,' but it is not a political history of the colonization of Guam by the United States. It is philosophical, but not dense, nor full of moral arguments . . . Perhaps it is easier, then, to call this book a gift: a gift to Indigenous communities everywhere in the world."—Sarah Souli, Teen Vogue“Aguon’s writing is not prescriptive, so much as it is a call to action to reimagine, to reclaim language . . . if colonization fails the imagination, and it kills dreams and self-realization, then self-determination is the cure and Aguon inspires a future of connection and liberatory possibilities.”—Jason Wu, Truthout"Moving and impassioned . . . This collection of essays, personal stories, speeches, and prose shines a light on the struggles of Guam, nuclear warfare, and global warming . . . While there are serious themes in this book, there is also plenty of hope. This short read packs a great deal of heart and promise for readers. Aguon has written both an informational and philosophical book that will please readers interested in environmental and political issues." —Anna Kallemeyn, Library Journal"[An] incandescent debut . . . In eloquent maxims that call forth comparisons to Thoreau, Aguon pits lofty ideals against a backdrop of racism, brutality, and habitat destruction, but optimism prevails . . . This is bound to inspire any activist."—Publisher's Weekly, Starred Review "A slender but meaningful call for justice."—Kirkus Reviews"Aguon’s book is for everyone, but he challenges history by placing indigenous consciousness at the center of his project . . . The result is the most tender polemic I’ve ever read."—Lenika Cruz, The Atlantic"Julian Aguon connects the global struggles for justice with the local precision and anecdotes of Guam and Oceania. The result is this deeply felt book: Aguon writes so you understand the arguments for change with your mind and feel the urgency in your heart."—José Olivarez, author of Citizen Illegal "No Country for Eight-Spot Butterflies is a masterpiece, a literary talisman shaped by mad beauty and grief, evoking the magic of presence and poetry, warding off cynicism and injustice. I keep it close. You will too."—V (formerly Eve Ensler), author of The Vagina Monologues and The Apology“A powerful, beautiful book. Its fierce love—of the land, the ocean, the elders, and the ancestors—warms the heart and moves the spirit.”—Alice Walker, author of Taking the Arrow Out of the Heart“Powerful with love, and tender about what it needs to be tender about, and direct, even fierce where it means to tell us what we need to be thinking about what we’ve been doing to this world, to Aguon’s people, and to Indigenous people everywhere, to the land and to all its beings . . . as the dying eight-spot butterfly he writes about, strong and luminous as a needed beacon in a fog of disinformation and dismay, Julian Aguon with this small book emerges already a giant.”—Tommy Orange, author of There There“I did not know I needed this book until it had me in its embrace like the oldest and dearest of friends, from the very first page . . . With bottomless love for his people and place, Aguon guides us through a portal to the Pacific, sharing deep insights earned from life on the existential knife’s edge.”—Naomi Klein, author of How to Change Everything: The Young Human’s Guide to Protecting the Planet and Each Other“Inspired spiritual and practical wisdom from a Guam lawyer/poet/seer that transmits ways of knowing, feeling, and acting, which speak directly to the mind and heart of everyone on the planet. If reading this short book doesn’t change your life, nothing will.”—Richard Falk, author of Public Intellectual: The Life of a Citizen Pilgrim“A breathtaking book and I mean it—this book took my breath away . . . alive with passion, wisdom, and heart, you can almost feel its pulse. A call not only for justice but for a brand-new covenant with our world.”—Junot Díaz, author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction“Aguon’s pen is a spear. He has the unerring ability to pierce the heart of any matter he writes about, from colonialism to climate change, and he writes in a way that both exposes horrors and expresses love to the young.”—Noenoe K. Silva, author of Aloha Betrayed“This book is a gift—full of beauty, truth telling, and love. This book will enlighten and inspire anyone interested in understanding and doing something about colonialism, capitalism, racism, militarism, war, and violence of all kinds. As importantly, this book will move you emotionally. It will move you to change how you live your life. It will move you to help change the world for the better.”—David Vine, author of Base Nation and The United States of War“Aguon is one of Oceania’s most important thinkers who uses his ability to see through complicated systems to fight for our islands and peoples. With razor-sharp analysis and a ton of heart, he both defends and calls forth our communities. I will regularly return to this book for inspiration—to remind me why I do my own work.”—Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner, author of Iep Jaltok: Poems from a Marshallese Daughter“Aguon’s work transcends all boundaries and centers Indigenous relationships to people and place. Whether drawing on his legal or poetic skills, Aguon reckons with the rage and violence of colonialism while gently unfolding a new vision for justice and healing.”—Holly Barker, author of Bravo for the Marshallese“Aguon gifts us, in shrunken times, the indigenous version of the all-encompassing vision that Aristotle and his disciple Aquinas bequeathed humanity: truth equals beauty equals goodness.”—Maivân Lâm, author of At the Edge of the State“What an incredible gift. This book is a powerful spiritual remix, a multi-scalar tapestry of love, kinship, resistance, and creative survival from Oceania. His tribute to our late elder sister, Teresia, brought tears of grief and joy. Ko bati n rabwa Julian,‘we will live . . . on our own terms.’”—Katerina Martina Teaiwa, author of Consuming Ocean Island“A celebration of Indigenous hope and survival amid the destructive and desecrating forces of militarism, capitalism, and climate change, and a provocation for collective action for just and sustainable futures in the Marianas—a must read for anyone interested in the beauty of Indigenous worlds and struggles for liberation!”—Christine Taitano DeLisle, author of Placental Politics“Reading this collection reminds me of being immersed in our ocean. The sunlight that illuminates the water cannot be held, and yet to behold the ways rays and sea dance together opens the soul . . . Aguon is one of Oceania’s most brilliant advocates and expansive voices—a voice that urgently needs to be heard.”—Noelani Goodyear-Ka‘ōpua, author of The Seeds We Planted“A devastatingly gentle song of resistance.”—Jonathan K. K. Osorio, author of Dismembering Lāhui“Aguon tells the Chamorro story by merging a profound love for our indigenous people and culture with his potent intellect and creative genius.”—Anne Perez Hattori, author of Colonial Dis-EaseTable of ContentsIntroduction by Arundhati Roy The Properties of Perpetual Light Go with the Moon No Country for Eight-Spot Butterflies My Mother’s Bamboo Bracelets: A Handful of Lessons on Saving the World A Handful of Lessons on Saving the World Sherman Alexie Looked Me Dead in the Eye Once More Right Birthday Cakes Mean Birthdays Yugu Means Yoke A Crowbar and a Conch Shell The Gift Anne Gave Me Nirmal Hriday Mugo' The Ocean Within We Have No Need for Scientists | 59 We Reach for You Reflections While Driving Nikki and Me Onion and Garlic Fighting Words Yeye Tere Our Father Gaosåli Curved Sticks and Cowry Shells: A Conversation between Julian Aguon & Desiree Taimanglo-Ventura Afterword

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Book SynopsisIf you like to eat your fruits and vegetables (and even if you don’t!), you should value our planet’s bees. Yet, because of environmental pollution, loss of green spaces, and a general disregard for the well-being of insects, humans have caused the number of bees to plummet. In the past year, the managed honeybee population of the United States has dropped 40 percent, and there has been a 25 percent decline in wild bees—figures that are alarming at best. Helping the bees is easier than you might imagine, however, as outlined in this charmingly illustrated call to action. Here are 50 easy suggestions, along with an informative introduction, to get you started. Try cutting your lawn less frequently, buying ethical honey, and keeping your yard dark at night. You can follow easy instructions for building a bee-friendly window box or a green-roofed garden shed. Little things can make a big difference. Just ask a bee.

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Book SynopsisDavid Deardorff and Kathryn Wadsworth present 100 home projects designed to inspire and empower anyone who wants to help save our native flora and fauna in the face of habitat loss and climate change. This book focuses on saving creatures and plants that are especially vulnerable but that can be successfully helped by our efforts, such as bees, frogs, butterflies, birds, trees, and wildflowers. Each project meets four crucial criteria: (1) it will make a significant difference to the survival of the species, (2) has a high likelihood of success, (3) is easy to implement, and (4) is family-friendly. The book raises awareness of endangered species that readers can help by undertaking projects unique to their bioregion. Examples include building an amphibian house for salamanders, raising tadpoles, creating nesting sites for bees, and much more. Saving Nature One Yard at a Time is an inspirational and practical compendium that will give readers the knowledge and tools they need to take an active role in nurturing the world around us, no matter we live.

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Book SynopsisThe Hopper is a lively environmental literary magazine, along with stunning visual art, from Green Writers Press that strives towards an invigorated understanding of nature's place in human life. The annual publication in a series is part of a new phase in nature writing that seeks to include a modern consciousness in narratives of place. When used for cider making, a hopper is a wooden or metal box that collects fruits before they are funneled down through a chute to the crusher. In old Vermont towns, it was common for the community of growers to share one cider press instead of each farmer purchasing and maintaining his or her own. Come fall, people would cart their apples or pears to the farm that kept the mill, and into the hopper their fruits would go?often mixing with the products of a neighboring grower.The Hopper believes that in order to refashion our lives to accommodate the knowledge we have of our environmental crisis, we have a lot of cultural heavy lifting to do. To reacquaint ourselves meaningfully with the natural world we have to turn our interpretive, inquisitive, and inspired faculties upon it. Through what we publish and the communities we encourage, The Hopper seeks to be a leader in this cultural re-centering and can be used for environmental education and discussion.

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Book SynopsisThe Hopper is a lively environmental literary magazine, along with stunning visual art, from Green Writers Press that strives towards an invigorated understanding of nature's place in human life. The annual publication is part of a new phase in nature writing that seeks to include a modern consciousness in narratives of place. The Hopper believes that in order to refashion our lives to accommodate the knowledge we have of our environmental crisis, we have a lot of cultural heavy lifting to do. To reacquaint ourselves meaningfully with the natural world we have to turn our interpretive, inquisitive, and inspired faculties upon it. Through what we publish and the communities we encourage, The Hopper seeks to be a leader in this cultural re-centering and can be used for environmental education and discussion.

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Book SynopsisTasmania's old-growth forests, its wild, untamed rivers and its remote, rugged mountain peaks are etched in the minds of most Australians but these wilderness areas have been the focus of bitter conflict between government, big business and environmentalists for the past 30 years. Although told mostly from an environmentalist's point of view, this book is a factual record of events. Beginning in the 1970s with the flooding of Lake Pedder, it takes the reader through the heady days of the Franklin River blockade and the more recent battles for Tasmania's old-growth forests, culminating with the controversial proposal for the Gunns pulp mill in the Tamar Valley. Unfolding events reveal something of how politics is done in the island state and why a climate of suspicion and mistrust persists among the various interest groups. These battles also have had ramifications for the whole of Australia. They have played a defining part in the shaping of the Green party as well as The Wilderness Society and The Australian Conservation Foundation. Never before has Tasmania been examined through the prism of conflicting values over wilderness. This approach shows what influence this single issue has had upon Tasmania's recent history.

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