"Walk lightly on the earth." - Native American saying.
"Live simply that others may simply live."
Freedom and fun is better than overwork and overconsumption.
Spend less, consume less, work less, enjoy more.
Book Cover Display
Voluntary Simplicity
Simplify Your Life: 100 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy the Things That Really Matter, by Elaine St. James. Reviewed by Amazon.com.
Living Cheaply With Style: Live Better and Spend Less, by Ernest Callenbach.
Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship With Money and Achieving Financial Independence, by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin, founders of the New Road Map Foundation, which publishes both booklet and online versions of All-Consuming Passion: Waking up from the American Dream. You can also buy a Spanish version of this book. Reviewed by Amazon.com.
The Penny-Pinching Hedonist: How to Live Like Royalty With a Peasant's Pocketbook, by Shel A. Horowitz. How to enjoy life more while spending less. Includes a 23-page resource list.
Simplify Your Life With Kids: 100 Ways to Make Family Life Easier and More Fun, by Elaine St. James. Reviewed by Amazon.com.
Choose to Reuse: An Encyclopedia of Services, Businesses, Tools & Charitable Programs That Facilitate Reuse, by Nikki and David Goldbeck. Reviewed by Amazon.com.
New Fix-It-Yourself Manual, by Reader's Digest. Reviewed by Amazon.com.
Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television, by Jerry Mander. One way you can simplify your life is to cut back or stop watching TV, which is exactly what former adman Jerry Mander advocates in his 1978 book. Reviewed by Amazon.com. (Note: While I have mixed feelings about TV, I believe the VCR machine has empowered people to have more control and flexibility about what TV they watch, and also allows people to rent and watch whatever movie or video they want to watch.)
TV is popular, powerful, and here to stay. But it does have some drawbacks, which this book should fill you in on.
Alternatives for Simple Living, a Christian organization advocating voluntary simplicity, offers some good books on voluntary simplicity.
Available from PBS.
Affluenza and Escape from Affluenza, based on the 2 PBS specials on voluntary simplicity, provide additional information and resources on voluntary simplicity, as does Earth Friendly Living.
Ecological Living
Out of print.
The Little Green Book: A Guide to Self-Reliant Living in the 80's, by John Lobell, published in 1981 by Shambhala, is an excellent book. (Another version of this book is titled The Little Green Book: An Owner's Manual to the Planet.)
The Good Life: Helen and Scott Nearing's Sixty Years of Self-Sufficient Living, by Helen Nearing and Scott Nearing. (See also Simple Food for the Good Life, by Helen Nearing.) Reviewed by Amazon.com.
The Safe Shopper's Bible: A Consumer's Guide to Nontoxic Household Products, Cosmetics, and Food, by David Steinman and Samuel S. Epstein. This book rates thousands of consumer products Consumer Reports-style for any health hazards or toxicity associated with them. Forward by Ralph Nader. Reviewed by Amazon.com.
Out of print.
Nontoxic, Natural and Earthwise: How to Protect Yourself and Your Family from Harmful Products and Live in Harmony With the Earth, by Debra Lynn Dadd. This book lists a cornucopia of nontoxic products for yourself, your family, and your home. Reviewed by Amazon.com.
Publisher out of stock in Nov. 2000.
The Nontoxic Home and Office: Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Everyday Toxics and Health Hazards, by Debra Lynn Dadd. Reviewed by Amazon.com.
Out of print.
The Green Consumer, Rev. ed., by Joel Makower. This book provides an overall basic education on being a Green consumer. Foreward by Ben Cohen (of Ben and Jerry's). Reviewed by Amazon.com.
Out of print.
50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save The Earth, by the EarthWorks Group.
Wild Neighbors: The Humane Approach to Living With Wildlife, edited by John Hadidian, Guy R. Hodge, and John W. Grandy. Reviewed by Amazon.com.
Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2002. Reviewed by Amazon.com.
Consumer Reports New Car Buying Guide 2001, by the editors of Consumer Reports. Reviewed by Amazon.com.
Consumer Reports Used Car Buying Guide 2001 (Annual), by the editors of Consumer Reports. Reviewed by Amazon.com.
Consumer Reports Best Travel Deals 2001, by Donna Heiderstadt. Reviewed by Amazon.com.
See also Consumer Reports Online.
Ecological Homes
The New Natural House Book: Creating a Healthy, Harmonious, and Ecologically Sound Home, by David Pearson. Beautifully illustrated. Reviewed by Amazon.com.
The Real Goods Solar Living Sourcebook: The Complete Guide to Renewable Energy Technologies and Sustainable Living (10th Ed), by John Schaeffer and the Real Goods staff. Published in July 1999. Reviewed by Amazon.com.
Independent Builder: Designing & Building a House Your Own Way (Real Goods Independent Living Books), by Sam Clark. Reviewed by Amazon.com.
The Natural House Catalog: Everything You Need to Create an Environmentally Friendly Home, by David Pearson. Beautifully illustrated. Reviewed by Amazon.com.