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NEW SOCIETY BLOG — Book Excerpt
Introduction to Making Shift Happen
Hempcrete, or hemp-line as it is referred to in Europe, is a promising sustainable building material. It is a green alternative to composites such as concrete, mortar and plaster. Today, we take an excerpt from Essential Hempcrete Construction: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide, where Chris Magwood outlines some of the benefits of using hempcrete in construction.
Introduction to Green Roofs
In Essential Green Roof Construction, Leslie Doyle provides step-by-step instructions to build a green roof. By blending common sense with beauty, a green roof is a system of layers that work together to support plant life, insulate homes, and make the world a greener place. Today, Leslie introduces green roofs in an excerpt shared from her book, Essential Green Roof Construction.
Thinking in Systems and Channeling Systemic Change
All across North America, severe weather events have become a common occurrence. Extreme heat, drought, flash floods, cold snaps, hurricane bombs, and many more are becoming regular seasonal changes. If you’re struggling to explain these events to your kids or feeling angst amidst climate change, Harriet Shugarman might be able to help. In her book, How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change, she provides tools and strategies for parents to explain the climate emergency to their children and galvanize positive action. Today we look at how thinking in systems and channelling systemic change can be a catalyst for a better future.
Focusing On Regeneration and Collective Good
Much of the last few years has been talking about getting back to normal. But what if we strived to get back to something better than what we had? In The Edible Ecosystem Solution, Zach Loeks provides a practical guidebook that looks at underutilized spaces to reveal the many opportunities for landscape transformation that are both far-reaching and immediately beneficial and enjoyable.
How well do you know the most popular tree of the season?
How much do you know about pine trees? In Growing Conifers, John Albers and David Perry share extensive information on identifying, selecting, and cultivating conifers. Today, we share an excerpt from the book on the 12 of the most commonly seen pine genera.
The World Unmasked
For many people the COVID-19 pandemic turned the world upside down and unrecognizable in a matter of weeks. For John Restakis, it only accelerated the existing trends of rising inequality, deep political polarization, and the pervasive power of corporations. In his book, Civilizing the State, Restakis explains the contemporary and historical contexts of the liberal state. He reimagines it, not as a handmaid to predatory elites but as a partner state that promotes equity, economic democracy, co-operation, and human thriving, driven by deep democracy and a fully sovereign civil society.
Navigating Sexism and Benefiting from White Privilege
In What’s Up With White Women? Ilsa Govan and Tilman Smith explore their gendered roles in systemic racism and the opportunities for action. Positioned between white men and BIPOC, white women are in a unique place of the power hierarchy. Today, in an excerpt from their book, we share their thoughts on navigating sexism and benefitting from white privilege.
Tags: Book Excerpt, Racism, Social Justice
A Slowly Warming Sun
In A Brief History of the Earth's Climate: Everyone's Guide to the Science of Climate Change, Steven Earle provides an accessible answer to why human-caused global warming and climate change is different from the natural evolution of the Earth's climate. Today, we share an excerpt of his book on how the first theories of a habitable planet became possible.
Tags: Book Excerpt, Climate Change, Sustainability
Why You Can Grow Figs In Cold Climates
For some, the taste of a fresh, juicy fig brings memories of travel to warm, faraway places. However, if you live in a colder region - it’s possible to enjoy figs grown on your own property. In Growing Figs in Cold Climates: A Complete Guide, Lee Reich provides methods for cultivating figs in cold regions. Today, Lee explains why it’s entirely possible to grow figs in cold climates.
Tags: Book Excerpt, Cultivation, Food & Gardening
What Does ‘Climate Hypocrite’ Even Mean?
Self-confessed eco-hypocrite Sami Grover says we should do what we can in our own lives, but then we need to target those actions to create systemic change. Today, we share an excerpt from We’re All Climate Hypocrites Now: How Embracing Our Limitations Can Unlock the Power of a Movement on what Sami means when he uses the term hypocrite.
Introduction to Power by Richard Heinberg
Richard Heinberg’s latest title, Power is an exploration of humanity's power over nature and the power of some people over others. Power traces how four key elements developed to give humans extraordinary power: tool making ability, language, social complexity, and the ability to harness energy sources — most significantly, fossil fuels. Today, we take an excerpt from Power that explains how Richard started on the journey of writing this book.
Individual Climate Action Does Make a Difference
How do we adapt our lives to reduce our carbon footprint? In Living the 1.5 Degree Lifestyle, Lloyd Alter reveals the carbon costs of everything we do and provides practical tips for making significant reductions and not sweating the small stuff. Today on the blog, we take an excerpt from Living the 1.5 Degree Lifestyle, where Lloyd explains how various forms of food waste impact our carbon footprint.
Tags: Book Excerpt, Climate Change, Sustainability
The Footprint of Food Waste
How do we adapt our lives to reduce our carbon footprint? In Living the 1.5 Degree Lifestyle, Lloyd Alter reveals the carbon costs of everything we do and provides practical tips for making significant reductions and not sweating the small stuff. Today on the blog, we take an excerpt from Living the 1.5 Degree Lifestyle, where Lloyd explains how various forms of food waste impact our carbon footprint.
Tags: Book Excerpt, Climate Change, Sustainability
Why is Collaborative Decision Making Effective for Problem Solving?
Today on the blog we take a case study from Building Community by James Gruber focused on participatory decision making processes. Many people may question why this problem solving process is so important when we elect and hire leaders to make decisions for us.
Tags: Book excerpt, Community, Education
Earth Rammed Construction: Building With Materials Found On Site
Since 1993, using rammed earth in construction for code-approved buildings has occurred in almost every province and proven themselves capable of enduring the harsh Canadian climates. Today, we take an excerpt from Essential Rammed Earth Construction: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide by Tim Krahn to discover more about one of the oldest construction methods on the planet.