Practical Tools

sitopia

Sitopia

By Carolyn Steel, Penguin Press

We live in a world shaped by food, a Sitopia (sitos - food; topos - place). Food, and how we search for and consume it, has defined our human journey. From our foraging hunter-gatherer ancestors to the enormous appetites of modern cities, food has shaped our bodies and homes, our politics and trade, and our climate. Whether it's the daily decision of what to eat, or the monopoly of industrial food production, food touches every part of our world. But by forgetting its value, we have drifted into a way of life that threatens our planet and ourselves. Yet food remains central to addressing the predicaments and opportunities of our urban, digital age. Drawing on insights from philosophy, history, architecture, literature, politics and science, as well as stories of the farmers, designers and economists who are remaking our relationship with food, Sitopia is a provocative and exhilarating vision for change, and how to thrive on...

    • October 15, 2020
    bookcover

    The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments

    By Nigel Palmer

    Foreword by John Kempf Revitalize your garden—and go beyond compost—by making your own biologically diverse inoculants and mineral-rich amendments using leaf mold, weeds, eggshells, bones, and other materials available for little or no cost! In The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments, experimental gardener and author Nigel Palmer provides practical, detailed instructions that are accessible to every grower who wants to achieve a truly sustainable garden ecosystem—all while enjoying better results at a fraction of the cost of commercial fertilizer products. These recipes go beyond fertilizer replacement, resulting in greater soil biological activity and mineral availability. They also increase pest and disease resistance, yields, and nutrient density. Recipes include: Extracting nutrients from plant residues using simple rainwater techniques Extracting minerals from bones and shells using vinegar Fermenting plant juices and fish Culturing indigenous microorganisms (IMO) Inspired by the work of many innovative traditional agricultural pioneers, especially Cho Ju-Young (founder of the...

    • August 11, 2020
    3320960
    Mesquite

    Mesquite

    By Gary Paul Nabhan, Chelsea Green Publishing

    In his latest book, Mesquite, Gary Paul Nabhan employs humor and contemplative reflection to convince readers that they have never really glimpsed the essence of what he calls “arboreality.”

    • July 9, 2020
    book cover

    Grassroots Rising

    By Ronnie Cummins, Chelsea Green

    Grassroots Rising is a passionate call to action for the global body politic, providing practical solutions for how to survive—and thrive—in catastrophic times. Author Ronnie Cummins aims to educate and inspire citizens worldwide to organize and become active participants in preventing ecological collapse.

    • February 12, 2020
    Climate Justice march in Mexico

    Climate Futures: Re-imagining Global Climate Justice

    By John Foran, Kum-Kum Bhavnani, Priya Anna Kurian, Debashish Munshi, Zed Books

    Approaching the issues of climate change and climate justice from a range of diverse perspectives including those of culture, gender, indigeneity, race, and sexuality, as well as challenging colonial histories and capitalist presents, Climate Futures boldly addresses the apparent inevitability of climate chaos.

    • January 3, 2020
    Fibershed

    Fibershed: Growing a Movement of Farmers, Fashion Activists, and Makers for a New Textile Economy

    Chelsea Green

    There is a major disconnect between what we wear and our knowledge of its impact on land, air, water, labor, and human health. Even those who value access to safe, local, nutritious food have largely overlooked the production of fiber, dyes, and the chemistry that forms the backbone of modern textile production. While humans are 100 percent reliant on their second skin, it’s common to think little about the biological and human cultural context from which our clothing derives.

    • November 22, 2019
    Eating Tomorrow cover

    Eating Tomorrow

    By Timothy A. Wise, The New Press

    A major new book that shows the world already has the tools to feed itself, without expanding industrial agriculture or adopting genetically modified seeds, from the Small Planet Institute expert

    • September 10, 2019

    The Agroforestry Handbook

    By Ben Raskin, The Soil Association

    Written for farmers and advisors this book will help you assess the potential business benefits of agroforestry for your farm or client and to understand the possible benefits to the wider environment.

    • August 16, 2019

    Local is Our Future

    By Helena Norberg-Hodge

    Distilling the wisdom gleaned from four decades of activism and direct experience in both the global North and South, Helena lucidly deconstructs the old narrative of ‘progress’ through technological advance and corporate growth, while presenting a concise and compelling case for economic localization.

    • July 9, 2019
    ×Close