The Little Green Handbook: Seven Trends Shaping the Future of Our Planet

by Ron Nielsen

Published for the first time in the United States, The Little Green Handbook is a unique reference work that illustrates the most important global developments facing us today, explains them, and suggests area for positive change. It relates physical trends to social and political repercussions, drawing together evidence from many interrelated fields to explain the science behind the news stories, sound bytes, and cocktail-party banter. Just how serious are our environmental problems? Are we doing enough to deal with them? How many people can the planet sustain? What are the long-term effects of continued environmental damage? How fast is the process of global warming? What are the implications of our continued dependence on fossil fuels?

The Little Green Handbook has the answers. This user-friendly sourcebook is filled with up-to-date facts and figures, making complex but vitally important ideas simple. It is our duty to ensure a sustainable future for our children; The Little Green Handbook gives us the information we need to make this possible.

Genres: Environment

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Linette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stuffed to the brim with up-to-date facts and figures. Extremely well researched.

I focused on Chapters 1, 8, and 9 (and glanced at the rest since it was due back at the library!). I enjoy the depressing facts because I find it strangely motivating. This book discussed and backed up how humans are destructive-- not only to the environment, but to ourselves/society.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was something I randomly picked up in the library as I was doing my usual meander through the shelves. Although it was published in 2006 (and therefore a smidge outdated), it had some really useful information and explanations. Our world is in a dire situation, and Nielsen certainly drove the urgency factor home for me. I'll admit, though, that I skipped over a few charts and tables; this whole text was overflowing with data! A strategically-placed fact or tidbit (with the research to support it, of course) can have a powerful effect. However, page after page of simply numbers has a slight mind-numbing effect on me -- which of course I felt guilty about as I read this book, as I do care very much about the environment. I would have liked to see some more "solution-based" information, but I have an even better understanding of the "problems" now. Side note: As a woman who is childfree by choice, I was also gratified to see that the author places the blame of every other environmental and social issue on the population explosion. I've always felt that was THE most problematic issue facing the world today as well, although beyond not having kids of my own I am not sure what to do about it...