Showing titles in Sustainable & Green Living

Vitamin N (for "nature") is a complete prescription for connecting with the power and joy of the natural world right now, with 500 activities for children and adults. Dozens of inspiring and thought-provoking essays. Scores of informational websites. Down-to-earth advice. Vitamin N is a one-of-a-kind, comprehensive, and practical guidebook for the whole family and the wider community, including tips not only for parents eager to share nature with their kids but also for those seeking nature-smart schools, medical professionals, and even careers.

To grow produce of the highest nutritional quality the essential minerals lacking in our soil must be replaced, but this re-mineralization calls for far more attention to detail than the simple addition of composted manure or NPK fertilizers. The Intelligent Gardener demystifies the process, while simultaneously debunking much of the false and misleading information perpetuated by both the conventional and organic agricultural movements. In doing so, it conclusively establishes the link between healthy soil, healthy food, and healthy people.

Whether you want to raise goats for the money or just for the fun of it - you’ve come to the right place! Have you always wanted to have goats running around in your backyard, but were intimidated by everything it would entail? With this clear-cut and easy-to-understand guide, you’ll feel completely confident in your ability to look after your herd, and you’ll quickly find yourself part of a growing and heartwarming community of goat farmers. No more doubts, no more feeling overwhelmed, and no more not knowing where to start.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, flour and vegetable seeds flew off the shelves. But homesteader and entrepreneur Jill Winger believes these longings for sourdough bread and fresh veggies are more than a trend. As our society races toward progress, we’ve left something important behind. We are more connected than ever before, yet we’re still feeling unfulfilled. In Old-Fashioned on Purpose, Winger shows how simplifying our lives and adopting retro skills such as gardening and handiwork can be the key to creating the happy and healthy life we’re yearning for.

What we eat matters—to us, and to the planet. Cool food is a game-changing new food category and way of thinking that can help fix the climate. This engaging and persuasive book will show you how to make simple choices, starting today—in the supermarket, in your kitchen, and in the world—to reduce your environmental impact. Hundreds of cool foods exist, but until now have gone largely uncelebrated for their climate-positive powers. Some of these foods may already be on your shelf, and some are just on the horizon.

In this four-manuscripts-in-one audiobook, learn the five different ways to preserve your food: canning, freezing, pickling, fermenting, and dehydrating; understand the basics and nuances of smoking meat; learn what root cellars are and how they work; and discover the importance and benefits of fermentation, with 75 healthy recipes to help you make tasty kombucha, sourdough, pickles, and more.

If the power grid fails, it’s not just your lights that go out. It’s your water supply. It’s your heating and cooling system. It’s all your usual ways of cooking food or doing the laundry. Without the grid, life as we know it changes in an instant.

How to raise chickens like a pro - even if you have zero experience with animals! Have you been toying with the idea of becoming more self-sustainable? Are you exploring the option of raising chickens? Do you have absolutely no idea where to start?Written with a complete beginner in mind, this easy-to-understand guide will give you the confidence you need to expertly navigate this amazing and unimaginably rewarding world.

Mini Farming describes a holistic approach to small-area farming that will show you how to produce 85 percent of an average family's food on just a quarter acre - and earn $10,000 in cash annually while spending less than half the time that an ordinary job would require.

Homesteading is having a new surge in popularity as people look for more ways to become self-sustaining. You can learn all the basics to start a backyard homestead. That means you need not go buy a plot of land; instead, you can homestead with the very foundation of it in mind, use what you have on hand, and cultivate for the future.

Become a farmer without leaving your backyard! Have you ever dreamed of growing your own food? Between the fresh air, the exercise, and the savings on rising grocery prices, there are so many great reasons to garden. But you can go one big step further when you start your own mini-farm. With backyard farming, you use the land you already have to grow your own fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices. Some people even raise livestock at home! A mini-farm is easy to start and doesn’t have to be expensive. You’ll eat healthier, help the environment, and relieve stress.

When we use chemical fertilizers, we injure the microbial life that sustains plants and then become increasingly dependent on an arsenal of toxic substances. Teaming with Microbes offers an alternative to this vicious circle and details how to garden in a way that strengthens, rather than destroys, the soil food web. You’ll discover that healthy soil is teeming with life - not just earthworms and insects, but a staggering multitude of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms.

Nearly every US city would like to be more walkable - for reasons of health, wealth, and the environment - yet few are taking the proper steps to get there. The goals are often clear, but the path is seldom easy. Jeff Speck’s follow-up to his best-selling Walkable City is the resource that cities and citizens need to usher in an era of renewed street life. Walkable City Rules is a doer’s guide to making change in cities, and making it now.

Microscopic organisms are as important to plant growth as water and light. Microbe Science for Gardeners highlights the essential role of microbes in plant biosystems and soil health, provides practical how-to gardening advice for enhancing plant microbiomes, and debunks common gardening myths.

Do you ever feel strange, gross, chaotic, underappreciated, or like you don’t quite fit in? Great news: you might be a goblin! That means your imperfections and idiosyncrasies are the most awesome things about you, and you can build a more balanced, comfortable, harmonious life by accepting and honoring them—taking inspiration from the frogs, fungus, moss, rocks, and dirt that goblins love.

In Zero Waste Home, Bea Johnson shares the story of how she simplified her life by reducing her waste. Today, Bea, her husband, Scott, and their two young sons produce just one quart of garbage a year, and their overall quality of life has changed for the better. They now have more time together, they've cut their annual spending by a remarkable 40 percent, and they are healthier than they've ever been.

We are exhausted. There's so much to do, and way too much to buy. Whether it's through late night TV ads, social media, or other sources of influence, we seem to be addicted to buying and then storing things. Sometimes we consume with no regret and other times we realize that we're doing more harm than good to our wallets and our homes. It's a constant cycle - one that many are longing to break. Who wants their hard-earned money to go toward something that soon ends up in a landfill?

In this remarkable challenge to conventional thinking about the environment, David Owen argues that the greenest community in the United States is not Portland, Oregon, or Snowmass, Colorado, but New York City.

Praise for the Author: “I convinced my husband that we needed to raise cows on our little piece of land. Now he’s hooked!” – FaithfulCowGirl Blog “This book is very much for someone who has little experience with raising cattle. I have only been on a cattle ranch once and fell in love with these gentle beasts. Start with this book!” – Mason P., Jacksonville, FL Starting a Cattle Ranch of Any Size Are you concerned about the high cost of groceries, especially ...

Do something good for your family by learning how to plant a garden that will yield healthy, wholesome food throughout the year. Melissa K. Norris, fifth-generation homesteader and host of the popular Pioneering Today podcast, will walk you through each step of the process, from planning your food crops and garden space to harvesting and preserving the food you grow. Even intermediate to experienced gardeners will discover dozens of new ideas.