Reading List – Page 3
David Suzuki’s Green Guide, David Suzuki and David R. Boyd, Greystone Books (2008)
This timely book identifies the most effective ways individuals can be more green in four key areas: home, travel, food, and consumerism. It also describes how citizens can ensure that governments take the actions necessary to make sustainable lifestyles the norm instead of the exception.
Environmental lawyer David Boyd and celebrated ecologist David Suzuki provide vital tips for choosing a home, creating a healthy indoor environment, and decreasing energy and water use — and utility bills. They discuss what readers can do to drive and fly less, profile the most environmentally friendly transportation choices, and explain how to purchase carbon credits, among other suggestions.
In addition, they offer simple changes individuals can make in their diet to eat fresher, tastier, healthier food. Included too is invaluable advice about how to buy fewer things and avoid toxic consumer products.(Publisher’s Review)
(Added to the “Reading List” on September 17, 2008)
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The Sustainability Advantage: Seven Business Case Benefits of a Triple Bottom Line, Bob Willard, New Society Publishers (2002)
Corporations are under increasing pressure from customers, investors, employees, legislators, banks, and insurance companies to embrace social and environmental responsibility. But Wall Street demands quarterly results, a stringent return on investment, and a short payback period. Up until now, there’s been very little evidence expressed in business language showing the benefits of the “triple bottom line” relevant to the short- and long-term priorities of senior executives. So how can these seemingly incompatible goals be accomplished at the same time?
Each of the seven sustainability strategies presented in this practical guide are easy to grasp, yet powerful enough to lead to significant business opportunities, from reducing hiring and retention costs and improving productivity, to decreasing expenses and increasing revenue and shareholder value. Executives will especially appreciate a unique spreadsheet into which they can insert their own data to see for themselves whether the business case for sustainable initiatives is a profitable one for their company. (Publisher’s review)
(Added to the “Reading List,” August 13, 2008)
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Green Marketing: Opportunity for Innovation, Jacquelyn A. Ottman, BookSurge Publishing (1998)
The marketplace is greener now than ever before – and will become even more responsive to products and services promising environmental responsibility well into the 21st century. The reasons are many:
- People are worried
- Environmentalism is a core societal value
- Citizens are responding
- Green product sales soar
- Children are green
- Trading partners are green
- Green marketing opportunities
Comments from people we might know:
“I am certain that I will be able to utilize this book, with its practical examples, as a guide for providing information to our customers on the environmental quality of our products.”
Thomas J. Dagon
Director, Health, Safety, and Environmental Affairs
Worldwide Business Units – Eastman Kodak Group
“Green Marketing provides an enlightening look at the importance of the environmental perceptions to marketplace consumers…. A key insight, substantiated by HP’s experience, is that investing in the environment pays solid dividends in improved customer loyalty.”
Doug Johnson
General Manager – Hewlett-Packard Laserjet Supplies
Look for the second edition of this book, copyright 1998; some of the examples may be a little dated, but overall information is as pertinent today as it was 10 years ago. Maybe more!
(Added to the “Reading List” August 12, 2008)
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Paper Trails: From Trees to Trash – the True Cost of Paper, Mandy Haggith, Virgin Books (2008)
Paper charts the course of our lives, from the medical sheets in maternity wards to our death certificates. We write on it, package things in it, use it as currency and blow our noses on it. Yet our dependence on this seemingly ‘green’ product is damaging our planet and creating mountains of unnecessary waste.
Join Mandy Haggith on a journey to the heart of the global paper industry, traveling from the pristine forests and managed plantations of Canada, Russia and Indonesia to the pulp mills and paper factories of China and Britain, and the end users in businesses, governments, schools and homes throughout the world.
Pursuing the paper trail from forest to landfill, she uncovers the origins, multiple uses and disposal of this everyday product and gives a fascinating new perspective on the paper industry’s dirtiest secrets, from environmental devastation to human rights abuses. You’ll discover the truth about the paper we use every day and the simple, practical steps you can take to minimize your own paper trail. (Publisher’s review)
(Added to the “Reading List” July 30, 2008)
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SustainAble: A Handbook of Materials and Applications for Graphic Designers and Their Clients, Aaris Sherin, Rockport Publishing (2008)
Graphic designers and their clients are increasingly demanding sustainable solutions. Designers want to address these needs when presenting their work for consideration. As businesses continue to adapt to and provide environmental solutions with their own products, they are demanding it from their creative partners, and designers need to be on the forefront of these initiatives by being well informed. SustainAble will provide the information they need to be ahead of the curve on sustainability issues, inform them on sustainable applications and to approach the issue of sustainability in the areas of paper, printing, formats, materials, inks, and executions. (Amazon editorial review.)
(Added to the “Reading List” July 17, 2008)
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Green Plans: Blueprint for a Sustainable Earth (Our Sustainable Future), Huey D. Johnson, Bison Books (2008)
This book is quite informative. It would be useful for anyone seeking (detailed) knowledge about designing a “greenprint for sustainability.” The more technical emphasis, in combination with a case-study approach, makes it quite suitable for public officials, such as environmental planners/managers, and for beginning students of environmental policy. . . . This is a welcome addition to the literature relating to the operationalisation and implementation of the concept of sustainability. (Amazon editorial review.)
(Added to the “Reading List” June 18, 2008)
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The Green Marketing Manifesto, John Grant, John Wiley & Sons (2007)
The Green Marketing Manifesto provides a road map on how to organize green marketing effectively and sustainably. It offers a fresh start for green marketing, one that provides a practical and ingenious approach. The book offers many examples from companies and brands who are making headway in this difficult arena, to give an indication of the potential of this route.
John Grant creates a “Green Matrix” as a tool for examining current practice and the practice that the future needs to embrace. This book is intended to assist marketers, by means of clear and practical guidance, through a complex transition towards meaningful green marketing. (Amazon publisher review)
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Green Manufacturing: Case Studies in Lean and Sustainability, Association of Manufacturing Excellence, Productivity Press (2007)
No manufacturer can afford to ignore the pressing environmental issues of today. To do so puts both their profit line and their legacy at risk. As part of the Enterprise Excellence Series, this book brings together articles and case studies covering environmental, and energy issues that were previously published in the Association of Manufacturing Excellence’s Target Magazine. It covers both areas of moral responsibility, as well as legal and economic considerations. Chapters are organized in three areas: Protecting the Environment, Using Energy Wisely, and EPA Case Studies, making it easy to track down the information desired. (Amazon publisher review)
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Green to Gold, Daniel C. Esty and Andrew Winston, Yale University Press (2006)
“Green to Gold is a must-read for the twenty-first century CEO. Esty and Winston provide convincing examples of how companies out-compete their peers by tackling sustainability head on, engaging stakeholders, developing NGO partnerships, and folding environmental stewardship into their corporate culture.” Tensie Whelan, Executive Director, Rainforest Alliance
(Amazon reader review)
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Capitalism at the Crossroads, Stuart L. Hart, Wharton School Publishing (2007)
“Is the business sector more then just a entity that creates products and jobs? The author of this book believes that the corporate sector can be the catalyst for a force of global development. The author argues that there is no conflict between making the world a better place and make a profit. He does believe that business leaders need to maintain a principled commitment to civic responsibility, for if nothing else then to keep your company out of the spot light of issues that could arise from actions that are less then ethical.” John Hillard (Amazon reader review)
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Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough and Michael Brangart, North Point Press, 2002.
“The authors present a manifesto calling for a new industrial revolution, one that would render both traditional manufacturing and traditional environmentalism obsolete. Recycling, for instance, is actually “downcycling,” creating hybrids of biological and technical “nutrients” which are then unrecoverable and unusable. Why settle for the least harmful alternative when we could have something that is better–say, edible grocery bags!” (Amazon publisher review)
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Making Sustainability Work: Best Practices in Managing and Measuring Corporate Social, Environmental and Economic Impacts, by Marc J. Epstein, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2008.
“Drawing on the latest research and the best practices of 100 companies worldwide, Epstein provides an extraordinarily complete model for implementing sustainability initiatives. He covers the role of senior managers and corporate boards in leading and governing sustainability activities; organizational design issues that can improve sustainability; integration of social risk factors into capital investment, costing, and risk management systems; incentives and rewards to improve sustainability performance; identification and measurement corporate social, environmental, and economic impacts; and much more.” (Amazon publisher review)
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