This Is Our Home: A Sustainability Story to Help You Start Your Own Eco-Friendly Journey

by Trent A. Romer

There are grave environmental issues plaguing our world, from pollution to climate change. These global crises can often leave us feeling powerless, "How can one person make a real impact?"

Drawing from his personal experiences of growing up in a town marred by toxic waste, and his professional journey in the plastic bag manufacturing industry, sustainability expert Trent Romer demystifies the concept of sustainability and how you can make choices that shape our planet’s future.

Follow his story as he takes you to locations of stark environmental degradation—four Superfund sites that represent the grim reality for 22% of Americans living within three miles of such areas—and contrasts them with places of unspoiled nature like Yosemite National Park, Rachel Carson’s ME Wildlife Preserve, Acadia National Park, and the Cape Cod National Seashore. The answers to our sustainability issues reside in these contrasting environments.

You’ll Whether you are a seasoned green advocate, a naturalist just starting out on your journey, or simply someone who wants to make a difference, This Is Our Home will inspire and empower you to take action and create a better world for future generations. Grab your copy today!

228 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 13, 2023

About the author

Trent Romer is a sustainability leader, author, and TEDx speaker who has spent 30 years in the plastic bag manufacturing industry before serving as a sustainability operating partner for a private equity firm focused on environmental, social, and governance issues. His latest book, This Is Our Home, is a cautionary yet inspiring tale to take personal action in the fight against the planet’s destruction.

Romer draws on two clear experiences that motivated his own journey toward sustainability. The first was as co-owner of Clear View Bag Co., Inc, founded in 1961 by his grandfather. When the 2017 anti-plastic narrative swept the globe, Romer realized it was time to find an eco-friendly alternative to the manufacturing process. The second was childhood memories growing up near Nassau Lake, a once beautiful body of water turned polluted by a nearby toxic dump. These pivotal periods in Romer’s life led him to discover and enable tangible, personal methods to encourage nature preservation and environmental sustainability.

Romer has earned sustainability certificates in Corporate Sustainability Management Risk, Profit and Purpose from Yale University and Education for Sustainability Leadership from Harvard University. He obtained his undergrad in economics at Hamilton College and a master’s in education and an MBA from the University at Albany. In 2022, Romer spoke at TEDxBoston, a year after completing Climate Reality Leadership Training. He authored Finding Sustainability, a “gold winner” in the Non-Fiction Book Awards.

When Romer isn’t writing, speaking, or working with companies to find their own sustainability path, you can find him by the ocean, exploring a national park, watching basketball, or taking long bike rides in nature. He is guided by his faith, passionate about the planet, and dedicated to his wife, three boys, and their beloved dog, Bear. Romer lives with his family outside of Albany, NY.

Learn more at www.trentromer.com

Reviews

[Kassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Earth is about 4.6 billion years old and will continue to adapt. The lake has already and will continue to adjust. I wonder if we will be able to.

I started out feeling sorry for the lake. I know think it is the reverse."

While reading this book I was startled by many of the connections I was able to make to the story. I didn't grow up in Nassau, the town this book focuses on, but it still seemed so similar to many of my own life experiences. As I continued reading, a lake I grew up near, Onondaga Lake, was also mentioned as a SuperFund site. I realized that we all have a Nassau Lake story. Maybe we didn't grow up directly across the street, but every one of us has been affected by pollution.

This Is Our Home approaches the idea of sustainability and natural clean-up in a refreshing and non-preachy way. Romer recognizes there are multiple factors that have contributed to our problems, and sometimes those that are the least able to mitigate the issues (whether due to social, financial, or other pressures) are the most affected. I also appreciate the recognition that eco-friendly living isn't an all or nothing game. As he explains, even the "partially green" are helping.

I read this book after spending a week on a beautiful Adirondack lake with my three boys. As Trent notes in the quote above referencing Nassau Lake, nature, no matter what we do it, is going to be fine in the end. Us humans who are here for a small time on Earth are the ones who are most affected. Thanks to the hard work of people, from the governmental to the individual level, I am grateful that the this Adirondack Lake is "unspoiled" and we are able to enjoy its beauty now. I am also grateful that mitigation efforts can help to slowly clean up and preserve natural areas (like Onondaga Lake), and I am hopeful that these efforts can extend to other areas so future generations can enjoy natural beauty and preserve their health.

[Paul Miesing · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t imagine how Trent Romer could follow up on his previous book, Finding Sustainability, which thoroughly tells how his family’s plastic bag manufacturing company went green and offers advice for other companies that think environmental sustainability is too heavy a lift. Yet, in this follow-up he challenges readers to take personal responsibility to clean their home by blending and contrasting how the environment can be used and abused. I’m reminded to this day of a simple observation Desmond Morris made in his 1967 book The Naked Ape I read ages ago that we are the only creature that spoils its own nest. Whereas Romer’s first book was a call to action, this one is his call to alarm. His tales are genuinely heartfelt, warning against the perfect being the enemy of the good so that incremental progress can defeat the status quo. Accumulated personal actions do have large consequences, even if not immediately obvious or predictable. Taking that “one small step” has always been significant, from Chairman Mao to Neil Armstrong.

While some continue to debate whether the climate crisis is real, this summer has been the warmest on record all over the world causing U.N. secretary general António Guterres to recently state: “The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived.” This is not only a capitalism problem but universal regardless of political and economic ideology, and pointing fingers or burying heads will not make it disappear. Since we all inhabit the same home, I see the following options: 1. Wait it out until hell freezes over; 2. Enact more government regulations that dictate how business is run; 3. Let the market work, such as the ESG and Triple Bottom Line initiatives where shareholders and customers force large public corporations to become socially responsible; or 4. Hope that more self-enlightened businesses with a conscience will realize they can multi-task, doing good while their business does well. Which option is best in a free, open market? Can we appreciate the natural environment without depreciating it? Romer argues for option #4, forcefully warning us that it is imperative to do so even if it requires personal sacrifice.

This is a very easy read because Romer’s tale is both intriguing and inspiring, adroitly weaving thorough research throughout. Moreover, everyone should be able to relate to his stories and examples then project them to the broader lessons he hammers away at. His heartfelt personal odyssey conjures up an image of a curious Tom Sawyer having an epiphany when he meets Rachel Carson on his local Nassau Lake. Wonderment leads to questions and ultimately self-discovery and a broader perspective of our responsibilities, showing how self-interest can result in protecting our common home. Such counterintuitive conclusions make the reader reassess values and assumptions. For instance, what some consider waste to be freely disposed into the environment others consider a resource replete with value to be captured in a circular economy.

Since Romer frequently uses analogies and personal experiences to great effect in both books, I’ll conclude by similarly telling my own story. Walking in a grocery store parking lot on a hot summer day, I noticed an elderly gentleman parked in the handicap spot with his engine idling and windows down. I was tempted to say something but thought it wouldn’t matter so why get into an argument? Coming out of the store and heading to my car, he was still parked running his engine. For whatever reason, I said smething along these lines (but using other words and in an angry tone): “You were sitting here with your car running when I arrived twenty minutes ago. You’re harming the environment, wasting gas, and your air conditioner is not doing you any good. It’s stupid.” I felt good, then even better when he turned off his engine as I walked to my car. Was it inspiration or intimidation? It doesn’t matter, I was one person whose small step had an impact which hopefully will multiply. But why did he have to be told to do the obvious? This incident represents many of the obstacles and challenges Romer deftly addresses along with advice to overcome them.

[Reader Views · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book on eco-friendliness. *Sighs*

Yes, it’s a critically important topic, so I had chosen to pick up the book and read it. I am, after all, a child of this generation, as well as of past ones. My parents reused everything. Sustainability matters were part of life and weren’t even touted as such—those labels came into vogue generations later. It was simply the *right* way to do things.

However, these days, the issue has ballooned. Renewability and preservation of the environment has become a more and more important topic as environmental issues stack on each other daily—a kind of grotesque, passionless compound factor that has the capacity to weaken, then kill us all.

Quietly. Silently. Without fanfare. It simply gets the job done.
So, this book? Pretty important. Vitally important.
Still. A book on eco-friendliness. *Sighs*

I settled in for a boring read, visions of needing to pry my eyelids open after a while dancing in my head.
I could not have been more wrong.

Trent Romer’s writing is evocative and beautiful. Moreover, he has the skill to draw you into a story, hooking you, chapter after chapter. A surprise. Also, Mr. Romer—a TED Talk speaker—knows what he speaks of. His path to this area of study and education was not fueled by fights against The Man, after sharing psychedelic drugs at Woodstock. As a long-term resident of Nassau, New York, his family owned and operated a multi-generation plastics company until 2021. With strains of It’s A Wonderful Life playing in my mind as I read his words and envisioned myself growing up in the same small town—with the same interesting and quirky residents—I learned that as he grew up, there was a common, well-known mantra in his area, one that seemed out of place as the beautiful orb of the sun shimmered on the brilliant waters of Lake Nassau–

Stay out of the lake.

As he unravels this first-person report of his journey learning more about the lake he grew up sharing his life and intimate space with, I found myself more and more drawn into the story. He invites you in, deeper and deeper, chapter by chapter. Historical accounts are unearthed, as are present-day first-person accounts.

His storytelling skills are evident. Using stunning symbolism, he withholds just enough information to keep you reading. In the meantime, you learn a great deal about eco-friendliness. He explains shock events, their effects, path dependence, and more.

Yet, in a sense, this is Trent Romer’s own version of Walden Pond, mirroring Thoreau’s generations earlier quest, one with critical repercussions for all of us. All fueled by that persistent, unceasing admonition, constantly repeated, the notes of an unintended horror story growing…

…stay out of the lake.

As a writer myself, I am humbled. Mr. Romer could (and I think should) write mysteries. They wouldn’t be flashy, pulp-fiction volumes. Rather, from what I read here, they would pull you in with a tapestry of emotion, while being ultimately readable.

This book is a quiet page-turner.

By now, you might have guessed that I am eminently glad I picked up this book. As I strive toward more and more minimalism myself (yes, that’s a journey as well), this is a prized volume. I won’t let go of it. It’s a keeper. For the story, as well as for a book I can study on how to become a better writer and serve my readers better. (I write under a pseudonym).

And what it teaches about eco-friendliness also stays with you.

One direct request to Mr. Romer, from me, echoing comments I’ve already made. Please, Sir. Write mysteries. Really. Use them as a vehicle to generate funds for environmental education if you choose.

But please, Sir. Write mysteries. Post-haste.

One last thing. Did he, after all those darkly uttered admonitions, dictated to all, literally, for generations…stay out of the lake?

You’ll have to read it to find out.

[John Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

FULL DISCLOSURE: I personally know the author of This is Our Home and grew up one street over from him at the same time in the Village of Nassau, New York.
This Is Our Home: A Sustainability Story to Help You Start Your Own Eco-Friendly Journey by Trent A. Romer is a well-written, personal recollection of growing up in a village of a small town in upstate New York during the 1970s and 1980s, as well as a deeply researched essay on the devastating environmental impacts experienced by those living next to the polluted Superfund site of Nassau Lake, all encased within an expert treatise discussing the complexities and difficulties one encounters when attempting to achieve sustainability in our modern world.
This book details the history of Nassau Lake, a man-made reservoir created back in the 1700s by one of the first European settlers in the region, following it as the lake evolved from a source of power for mills downstream, to a summer getaway for families and famous people alike, to the inadvertent casualty of unregulated dumping of industrial chemical waste in a landfill not far uphill from the lake itself. Growing up within a mile from the lake, the author (myself included) was taught not to touch the waters of the polluted lake. This fear was well founded and led to a lifetime of avoidance and ultimate ignorance of the problem. This book is the author’s journey of discovery about Nassau Lake after living next to it yet practically ignoring it for 50 years of his life.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book not only because I too lived near the lake and reminisced right along with the author as he described the lake, the village, and the people we both grew up with, but because he deals with the larger issue of environmentalism as it pertains to recycling and sustainability. This book is written by a man whose family have been the proprietors of a plastic bag manufacturing company for the last 60 years or so. [He has an earlier book titled Finding Sustainability: The Personal and Professional Journey of a Plastic Bag Manufacturer which follows his journey of discovery and change as he taught himself about sustainability and his attempts to update his 57 year-old family business towards a more eco-friendly manufacturing company.] I found his insights to be genuine and thoughtful, especially coming from someone who, let’s not mince words here, was essentially part of the problem (environmentally) for many, many years. This book is a deeply personal story for the author and that comes out in his writing. We learn about his struggles as a plastic bag manufacturer and how he has come to worry and care about long-term sustainability, but we also catch a glimpse of his family-life and his growing appreciation and love of the environment we all sometimes take for granted.
I would recommend this book for anyone interested in learning more about how we as individuals can affect global environmental issues through small changes that we can make in our own lives. I would recommend this book to anyone who lives near or is interested in the impacts Superfund sites can have on the communities situated on or near them. I would also recommend this book to anyone who lived or is living in or near Nassau, NY as it is a great look back on life in a small town during earlier, perhaps more innocent, times. Yes, I know the author, I would go so far as to call him a friend, but this isn’t some sycophantic flattery I’m giving to a buddy. I actually enjoyed reading this book. In fact, other than reading the first three pages or so on the day I received an email with a PDF advance reader copy, I devoured the pages in one sitting on a rainy Sunday. I recommend this book wholeheartedly and know that anyone who takes the time to read this review will absolutely love this book too.

[Paul Fiore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book.

Trent Romer wants us to get in our boat and start our journey. What journey? The journey towards sustainability and an eco-friendly way of life. It won’t be an easy trip. The journey, as Trent warns us, is laden with traps and obstacles: selfishness, not in my backyard, not a big deal, polarized politics, we have time, small actions don’t matter, hyper consumerism, apathy, path of least resistance, blaming others. All the excuses are still there. As Trent warns, the journey may be daunting, but it is an important journey, perhaps the most important.

In his book, “This Is Our Home: A Sustainability Story To Help Start Your Own Eco-Friendly Journey”, Trent takes us back to his hometown of Nassau, New York, a small village about 15 miles east of Albany, the capital of New York. He describes his idyllic childhood growing up in small town USA. Little did he know of the environmental disaster that was to change the very nature of this small town. In the 1960’s the town’s landfill became the dumping ground for toxic waste, mainly PCB’s, from local manufacturing plants. The toxic waste soon found its way into Nassau Lake, a once vibrant, lively lake and a main source of economic growth for the village. The town never fully recovered and still suffers from the ill effects of this environmental catastrophe.

Trent uses this story of his beloved home town as a cautionary tale. What happened in Nassau can happen anywhere, and, in fact, is happening to us all right now. We are inundated with waste products that are polluting our skies and waterways. Would we have saved Nassau Lake and Nassau, New York if we knew the danger of that toxic waste that made its way to a landfill over 60 years ago? It’s an obvious answer. Today, we know what is poisoning our environment. 60 years from now, will people look back and ask, “Why didn’t they do something?” This book is nudging us all to do something. And, as Trent points out in his book, there is much we can do.

So, grab this book. It’s a good read that will start you thinking about what is possible. Then, get in your boat and start rowing.

[Sally Courtright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Is Our Home, Trent Romer’s second book is a treasure. At the heart of this book is passion; passion for people, passion for one’s hometown and passion for nature. It is a perfect mix!

The storytelling aspect of this book is well developed and enjoyable. The reader is drawn into Trent’s childhood in Nassau, New York in a very positive way. One enjoys “meeting” the people in his life and understanding their influence on his thinking.

Romer’s writing is very clever and a few quotes from the book found their way into my personal notebook of great quotes. My favorite is near the end of the book. “If we can see nature as a reflection of ourselves the path to take becomes self-evident.” What a useful and noble thought!

At the core of this book is the dumping of toxic chemicals in a landfill in upstate New York and the resultant contamination of a lovely lake. Years later it is declared a national Superfund site. This saga has had a huge impact both on the town of Nassau and the author. Romer draws parallels between dumping chemicals in a landfill and dumping a plethora of carbon in the atmosphere. He notes that we are still dumping.

I must comment on Romer’s out-of-the-box thinking. He speaks of several bandits, things that interfere with our collective road to sustainability. My favorites include ignorance, selfishness, NIMBY and closed mindedness. We are all being robbed of a stable future by these bandits.

I highly recommend This Is Our Home as it is clever, readable and informative.

[Réal Laplaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Our Home: A Sustainability Story to Help You Start Your Own Eco-Friendly Journey, by Trent A. Romer, a sustainability expert and former private business owner, presents an interesting and eye-opening narrative about the effects of humanity on the eco-system around us. The author does not soap-box the issue, but rather, shows us the effects of our actions on the environment through a very personal lens, drawing from his own childhood and more recently, visiting locations where the eco-system has been, or is being destroyed by a failure to recognize the effects of industrial and manufacturing activities. As opposed to lecturing the reader, he takes us on a tour to actual sites, towns and reserves, where the long term effects of pollutants has either destroyed the environment or rendered it unhabitable. The story is both personal and broader, told on a level that speaks to everyone. This is an important subject to all of us, and the author lets the reader take small gulps, culminating in the realization that we must act responsibly, with a view to the future, as opposed to wanton and reckless practices which destroy the planet we live on and our future generations will rely on. I think this quote from the book says it all: "Seeing yourself as a reflection of nature will engage your movements to act on it's behalf." Recommended reading for anyone and certainly should be part of school curriculums to help raise awareness for future generations to come.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Our Home reads like a beginners' guide to sustainability, which is what it is. I hoped for a little more substance on ways to decrease my environmental impact, but I was not the primary audience of this book. It would be great for a person just beginning to think about environmental issues.

As the subtitle suggests, the book blends personal narrative with thoughts on how to motivate yourself to "get in your sustainability boat," as the author says. As a plastic bag manufacturer, he uses ideas from business to shape most of his thinking, and as a Christian, tenants from his faith. Some of the terms may be unfamiliar to people outside of manufacturing or Christianity, but he explains them well. The epilogues are helpful lists of definitions and ideas.

This would be a great gift for relatives or friends inching towards environmentalism. If you yourself are starting to think about conservation and preservation of the planet, it would be great for you, too.

I think a curated list of further reading would add to the books impact, as well as concrete and easy steps to start moving.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mystery · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway.

I like how much you learn about the Nassau lake and about superfund sites. The book was educational but it also seemed to want to immerse you in the life of the people in Nassau. It almost makes you feel like you lived there and knew of its history. It’s almost like a long reflection. In some ways that’s an interesting take to approach waste and landfills and the idea of a circular economy. And in other ways it felt like we could have used a wider variety of examples while exploring these concepts rather than sticking to just Nassau lake. I guess it’s a little hard to pinpoint how I exactly feel about the book.

He also gets a little spiritual I. The middle which also throw me off a bit.
Overall if you want to learn more about our waste cycle then it’s not a bad book. But if you’re thinking king about a more actionable sustainability book, this might not be it. It’s a little exclusive for that.

[Tim Gicewicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking to start your journey to sustainability, this book is the place to start! The author does a marvelous job of weaving his experience of living near a superfund site with the challenge we face to preserve our home! The book outlines the challenges that we custodians of this beautiful planet face to do our small part. Written by a sustainability expert, he uncovers the actions needed by government, industry, and us to start(or continue) the fight to preserve OUR HOME! Start your journey with this book and get in the boat to learn how you can make a difference!

[Lora Werner · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a perfect background for a sustainability expert! Easy to read with practical advice for all of us.

How great to learn from someone with such a passion for the environment alongside a deep understanding of the business side from co-owning his family’s plastic bag manufacturing company.

This is one of those books you will want to pass around to all your friends and colleagues!

[Sara Schuman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Want to become more environmentally conscious? This book helps you think about your everyday decisions as a consumer, producer of waste, and recycler. Romer takes you on his investigation of Nassau Lake, inspiring along the way to be more sustainable in our daily living.