Eating to Save the Earth: Food Choices for a Healthy Planet

by Linda Riebel, Ken Jacobsen

U.S. food production is a $900 billion industry, and each day farming and meat production destroy native habitats; pesticides contaminate groundwater, rivers, and lakes; food processing and delivery contribute to ozone depletion; and food packaging overburdens landfills. Changing the way we eat can we improve the overall health of the planet, and in EATING TO SAVE THE EARTH, Linda Riebel and Ken Jacobsen prove that we can make a difference one meal at a time. In this focused blueprint for action, Riebel and Jacobsen discuss the environmental consequences of meat and fish consumption, the merits of sustainable agriculture and organic foods, and simple methods to reduce waste, conserve water and energy, compost, and recycle. Whether you at home or at work, in restaurants or while camping, every menu choice you make has the potential to create a healthier body, a safer environment, and a balanced ecosystem.

Genres: Nonfiction

94 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2001

About the author

Linda Riebel is a psychologist (retired from therapy practice after 25 years) and a member of the faculty at Saybrook University, where she helped create the sustainability program and currently works as an environmental educator. Linda serves on the board of Savenature.org, where she is the program director of Edible EdVentures, which brings the message of earth-friendly eating to classrooms around the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition she sits on the board of Sustainable Lafayette and volunteers at a Bay Area wildlife rescue hospital. Linda has received notable recognition for her work as an environmental educator and author. Most recently, she won a 2012 Green Book Festival Award for her policy paper on endangered species. In addition, her book, The Green Foodprint is a finalist in the 2012 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit dated, but many of the topics at hand are coming from a good place. It is challenging to delve into the more nuanced issues that this book raises, given its brevity, in any real detail. But worth the read for a general audience.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had pretty basic info on how food affects the environment. If you read any books about the production of food, this won't have any new info. It does have some good points about small changes you can make to help the environment, but seemed like a "beginner" book to me

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sub title of this book should be: Food choices for a healthy planet and healthy people. There is also a good section outlining greener choices for household cleaners.

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative quick read about how your food choices impact the environment both locally and globally. This would be a nice resource for high school students writing about the given topic.