Good reads to jumpstart an eco-friendly way of living by Laura Holloway
Treehuggers, environmentalists, earth lovers, naturalists, friends of the Earth. Whatever the nickname, members of the eco-friendly movement are those who are devoted to living an earth-friendly lifestyle and making choices in their everyday lives that are not harmful to the environment. Maybe you’ve helped to gather trash from the beach, or joined a group working to protect sea turtle habitats, or perhaps you’ve just done something as simple (yet meaningful) as committing to a recycling program in your own home. But now you’re ready to learn more about a truly eco-friendly lifestyle and you’re not sure where to start. Sundog Books, right here in Seaside, has several good guides, all bound and waiting on the bookshelf.
The Hidden Life of Trees
Just as someone who spends some time with the intelligent and affectionate pig might reconsider their love for bacon, The Hidden Life of Trees presents our arboreous counterparts in a light that just might make you stop wasting paper. Author Peter Wohlleben worked for more than 20 years in the forestry commission in Germany. His book explores the communication tactics of trees, even presenting them as social creatures. It might change your perspective when walking through the woods. And it serves as inspiration for a truly eco-friendly take on the world.
Sundog Books has a vast selection of books you can use as a guide to preserving the Earth.
You Can Save the Earth
Subtitled “A Handbook for Environmental Awareness, Conservation and Sustainability,” You Can Save the Earth offers a true roadmap for those looking to take a more eco-friendly path through life. Containing encouraging quotes from respected environmentalists like Walt Whitman and Jacques-Yves Cousteau, the book offers an uplifting and motivating approach to saving the earth, as opposed to many similar books that focus on what the human race has already done wrong. Just buying the book gives you the chance to make a difference, as a portion of proceeds from the book’s sale even goes to organizations that are working to make a difference, including the National Audubon Society, Save the Whales and The Rainforest Foundation.
A Plea for the Animals
What the Hidden Life of Trees will make you feel for leafy beings, A Plea for the Animals will move you with compassion for the webbed, scaled, furry, feathered, shelled and winged inhabitants of our earth. Subtitled “The Moral, Philosophical, and Evolutionary Imperative to Treat All Beings with Compassion,” this book makes you stop and really consider how humankind’s most simple actions can have dire effects on the other creatures with whom we share our environments. More than that, though, it explores the importance of treating animals with the same consideration and sympathy which with we treat each other.
And for those who are looking to gain insight and perspective of the environment right here in South Walton, Sundog Books presents an abundant assortment of easy-to-read, colorful booklets that highlight various aspects of this diverse setting, including Florida Wildlife, Saltwater Fish, Gulf Coast Birds, Common Butterflies of Florida, and Florida Trees and Wildflowers. Sometimes simply learning more about the other life that shares our beautiful coastline can be enough to adopt a more eco-friendly lifestyle, if only to protect these creatures and ensure the future of the beauty of this area.
For these books and many others promoting an environmentally conscious way of living, visit Sundog Books on Central Square in Seaside.