Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, by William McDonough and Michael Braungart

Sorry it's been so long since I posted - I've been busy and this book took 2-3 weeks to come into the library. I'm making my way through my reading list, which contains a lot of nonfiction (Kolbert's climate change novel was also on that list). In a similar thread, Cradle to Cradle is basically about environmentalism, but it absolutely shattered every notion I'd had about being good to the environment. McDonough and Braungart start off talking about the effects the many different products we use on a daily basis have on us. They don't bog down with statistics, chemical or biological terms, but run quickly through some of the hazards of modern chemical living.

One concept I found very interesting was their view on recycling. Braungart, a chemist, explains that to break down soda bottles into rugs or coats, or even more soda bottles, not only are you doing more damage to the environment with chemical processes, risking your own health as these chemicals off-gas into your home and using much more energy than just creating a new bottle, you're "downcycling" the material. An analogy I would like to make is to recycled paper. Compare it to a new piece of virgin paper - recycled paper is grainy, brown, thin and aesthetically very unappealing. This is because turning that used piece of paper into "new" paper, actually downgrades the quality of the material - the same with almost everything we recycle in modern life. They say our products should be designed to be recycled indefinitely, with no effect on quality (which is possible). Braungart and McDonough blow the cover off modern environmentalism, basically stating that we need to redesign the way we live. Being "less bad" by buying recycled paper, "all natural" sheets and using the bus isn't good enough. They want American innovators to design products that are made to be good. Focusing less on what we're taking out of the environment, but how to give back to it. Basically, a version I suppose of their ideal product would be something made of nonharmful, effective and limited "ingredients" that benefits whatever it is meant to be used on, then goes back into the earth and further benefits the ecosystem that lives there. Their design proposition for products basically is this: Think outside the box. Don't work on improving the car - redesign our transportation system so that it eliminates the need for cars entirely.

I would also describe them as "locavores" in that they believe products should be made for individuals, not in a "one size fits all" mentality. They say that laundry soap flakes are made for the hardest job they might have to do, which means they can do anything, but it also means they are too strong for the job they usually have to do. Many people in less developed countries apply these soaps with their hands, in rivers used for bathing and washing. In this situation, these women need gentler soap that will work with the environment they are being used in. They want to design products made to be used in particular situations, suited totally to the needs of one system or group, and that are enjoyable to use. Respect diversity, don't eliminate it.

Another concept they introduce in the book is improving modern manufacturing. They describe the work they did with a Ford factory implementing eco-effective strategies to manage problems from worker happiness to rainwater management. With Braungart and McDonough (and a team of biologists, chemists and toxicologists), Ford cleaned up the dead and polluted soil around the factory using native plants and microrganisms, installed an underground water collection system that would filter water out to local waterways in a safe way. They also installed tons of skylights and windows in their building and implemented new heating and cooling strategies - making the workers much happier and more productive, aesthetically improving their building, and saving thousands on energy costs.

The book was exceptionally well-written, well-organized and easy to read. Their language flowed beautifully and kept the reader interested and in the loop - you won't find dry statistics, charts and technical jargon here. That being said, you must have an interest in environmentalism - it will be boring without one. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone as an essential read - but get it from the library. Although it is made of a durable, waterproof, indefinitely-recyclable and chemically safe synthetic, this technology is new and very expensive.

Overall: 10 out of 10.

Details:

Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: North Point Press; 1st edition (April 22, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0865475873
ISBN-13: 978-0865475878

Colleges That Change Lives, by Loren Pope

This is a book I heard about after meeting a professor from Clark (he mentioned that Clark University was included in Pope's list of influential colleges). I bought two copies off Amazon (one for myself and one for my boyfriend), and while I do have some new colleges on my list to tour and consider, I found myself rather underwhelmed.

Pope and I at least agree on something - the racket about the Ivy Leagues. These schools are ridiculously overpriced (unfortunately, setting the standard for tuition rates), and often don't have the quality of education everyone thinks they do. Most often, you are taught by grad students (TAs to professors). Ivy Leagues have great appeal for professors - the promise of research resources without having to teach as much as other schools. Pope endeavored to create a list of the best colleges across the country, based on student satisfaction and graduate paths.

Pope's school listings were wide and varied, but one common theme I found was an abundance of statements like this: "We'd rather have the 2.0 or 3.0 student with mediocre SAT scores and a great character, goals, love of learning and experiences than a straight-A, 4.0 student." Which, to be honest, I would too, were I the dean of admissions at a college. However, I felt myself asking throughout the book, "I AM the straight-A, 4.0 student, who also has great goals and loves learning. What do you have to offer me?" The silence was deafening. This isn't to say these schools have nothing to offer for a student like myself, but they didn't mention too much about it.

My only other complaint about some of these schools is that a great percentage of them are religious schools. Which is fine if you're Methodist or Presbyterian, but I would prefer a nonreligious school. One school I found (Wheaton College) was Christian, but nondenominational (on my list). But for the most part, all religious schools were Methodist, Presbyterian, Catholic or evangelical fundamentalist. All in all, I give Pope's collection of schools a mediocre rating. It definitely changed the way I thought about college, but didn't go anywhere with that change in thinking. This is definitely a book to take out from the library, but probably not worth the investment to own.

Overall: 4 out of 10.

Details:

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics); Revised edition (July 25, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0143037366
ISBN-13: 978-0143037361

Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature and Climate Change, by Elizabeth Kolbert

Elizabeth Kolbert's nonfiction book, Field Notes from a Catastrophe provides an honest, factual and comprehensive look at climate change in today's world. From Alaskan villages to South American jungles, Kolbert details the devastating effects of pollution on today's world - in places where it's already happening. While the book is quite dry for anyone not interested in climate change, it is a crucial and encompassing work that will leave any reader better informed. Kolbert cites a lot of facts and figures in her book, but don't be alarmed if they aren't true - it is five or six years old, so I wouldn't take any of her numbers as fact before checking them yourself. Kolbert interviews many experts on the subject of climate change. She is also very factual when addressing the causes and solutions to many problems, but doesn't shy away from politics either. While many would say that climate change is a "leftist" issue, purported only by fear-mongering Democrats (and yes, Kolbert was a writer for the New York Times), she gives fair recognition to politicians of all stripes. She expresses disappointment at the Bush administration's handle on climate issues, but also praises Senator John McCain for supporting and introducing strong climate legislation in the Senate. She also addresses the arguments of global warming disbelievers, and explains the faults in a respectful but comprehensive way. Among all Kolbert's warnings of future devastation, hope is present. She spends an entire chapter detailing the efforts of Burlington, Vermont to make their town more eco-friendly. This rather large town has worked hard to reduce their carbon emissions by over 175,000 tons in 16 years. Their electricity use has dropped by 1%, while the rest of Vermont has risen by 15% (so a total 16% savings). Her book provides a clear, focused and wide-sweeping look at the effects of climate change (from melting ice sheets to extinct Costa Rican toads), to our future losses, to solutions to the problems facing the next generation. While not quite as passionate as other climate-related books, Field Notes from a Catastrophe is a hard look at our energy future, and the changes that need to be made for our planet, our children and future.

Happy birthday!

Happy late birthday to your favorite (or at least my favorite....) literary blog! We turned 1 in July, but I missed it, so here's a belated birthday message! To another great year. :)

The Resurrection Casket, by Justin Richards

The Resurrection Casket is a Dr. Who novel that my dad passed on to me. I have my reservations about these "fanfictions that knew someone", and this book was definitely not the one to try and prove me wrong. The premise started out interesting enough - a futuristic UK that has developed through time without using electricity and modern technology because of a mysterious interference field surrounding this area (aptly named Starfall). Steam-operated robots and spaceships, the whole nine yards. Sort of a steampunk geek's futuristic dreamworld. Starfall was once terrorized by a space pirate named Hamlek Glint and his crew of merciless pirate robots. Pirates, robots, time travel, planets, treasure and spaceships? Yeah. If a 12-year-old nerd could have thrown up any more all over this book, please, let me know how in the comments. Honestly, this book started out tolerable - the Doctor and Rose get stuck in Starfall because of the "zeg" (mysterious technology-slaughtering interference field), and have to find a way to get out. After hearing tales at the local pub (of course) about Hamlek Glint's lost treasure, several men are mysteriously murdered after selling fake artifacts to local collectors. The Doctor and Rose meet a few interesting yet stereotypical characters in their search for the killer:

Jimm: The precocious, mysterious ten-year-old who likes to hang around the pub with his half-robot friend Silver Sally.

Silver Sally: A half-robot barkeep.

Bobb: Jimm's protective yet aging uncle with a strong interest and expertise in Glint's treasure.

Drel McCavity: A local wealthy man with a strong interest in Glint's treasure but no expertise. Is a tad off his rocker after his wife, Larissa, left him for someone else.

So long story short, leaving the murders wide open, the Doctor and Rose commission a ship with Sally, Bobb, McCavity, and some of Sally's robot friends to hunt down Glint's ship and treasure (including the famed Resurrection Casket - if you can't figure that one out on your own I'm not explaining it). The Doctor and Rose intend to get out of the zeg so they can get the TARDIS working again. Before leaving, the Doctor meets the commissioned killer of the con artists, who tries to kill the Doctor, but is extremely apologetic. This "monster" is by far the most ridiculous creature I have ever heard of. He is an multidimensional hitman who hates his job and is being tagged into killing several Starfall residents. His mysteriously unknown master has "Kevin" at his beck and call. He often defies "monster" stereotypes by talking about his "hobbies", like sudoku and crossword puzzles. I can't make this stuff up.

After hiding in a cupboard aboard the steam spaceship, Rose finds out *gasp* that Sally and her pals are former Glint pirates, and that they have smuggled Jimm aboard. After a dumb mistake that alerts Sally to her eavesdropping, the pirates come after the crew, chasing them all around the ship in a game of cat and mouse. They find the casket, and (another SURPRISE), McCavity's wife Larissa is the one left in it, not Glint. She's dead of course (McCavity killed her) because according to the Doctor, the "Resurrection Casket" evidently doesn't resurrect you at all. FAIL. Leaving it totally open-ended as to how she got into the casket, Richards continues with his story. Eventually it is revealed that the casket uses living tissue to turn its contents back into a baby. So Glint was released from his casket as a baby by his mate Robbie. Robbie is Bobb and Jimm is baby Glint (clearly explaining his precocious intellect and ability to comprehend completely adult concepts like philosophy and relationships). More surprising explanations and eventually hugs are exchanged and the Doctor and Rose sail off into the sunset in the TARDIS.

Richards clearly has no grasp on humor, plots or good story-telling period. The dialogue was stilted and the humor was forced, cheesy and terrible. Plot holes were completely left wide open and the story itself was shaky to begin with. I love the steampunk universe concept and think Richards could have run with it in so many different directions, but honestly I don't think he could have intentionally written it worse.

Overall: 2 out of 10.

Details:

Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Random House UK; hardcover edition (June 13, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0563486422
ISBN-13: 978-0563486428

Born on a Blue Day, by Daniel Tammet

Born on a Blue Day is the extraordinary true story of a young man who experiences many setbacks in life - besides having Asperger's syndrome, as a young child Daniel suffered from epilepsy. Some scientists have suggested his seizures caused his savant syndrome (think Rain Man), a condition linked to his synethesia (a condition in which numbers, letters and words are perceived as shapes, emotions and colors). Tammet relied heavily on his parents growing up. He was sensitive to loud noises, certain textures, and had a difficult time learning. They helped him in whatever way they could to make his life more comfortable. He had a difficult time brushing his teeth, hating the sound and sensation. As a teenager and adult, shaving was incredibly difficult. Daniel socialized mainly with his many brothers and sisters. They aided in his care, and he learned how to work in groups, compromise, and problem-solve. However, he still could not make friends at school. He sat by himself at recess time, and played with his imaginary friend, an older woman named Anne. When he did make friends, he lost them quickly with annoying behaviors, such as standing very close to them, not making conversation or even feigning interest in their hobbies. He was different from the other children in many ways, and knew their experience of life was vastly different from his own. Interestingly, he suggests this helped him as a young adolescent, discovering he was gay. It did not bother him as much as other children - he already knew he was different, and had come to terms with it. After graduating high school, Daniel really didn't know what he wanted to do with his life. Instead of going to college, he travelled abroad to Lithuania as a volunteer English teacher. There, he discovered his speed language-learning abilities, and got in touch with other gay couples to learn more about himself as a person. Upon returning to the U.S., Daniel met his current partner online, which taught him more about himself and depending upon another person. After meeting and eventually moving in with Neil, he had a difficult time finding a job - something apparently not unique among individuals with autism. Using Neil's skills as a software developer, Daniel developed a language-learning software online. Today, he still operates the software, but has written several books and been involved with the production of a documentary. He describes how he learns and views language, and includes information on different studies and scientific discoveries regarding how people learn language. He also talks about his own language, the one he invented. Daniel describes the process he went through learning the digits of pi - to raise money for the Epilepsy Foundation, he learned and recited over 22,500 numbers. After this amazing feat, a documentary crew contacted him, looking to make a documentary (Brainman) about savant syndrome. Daniel travelled all over the world, met scientists and researchers, and Kim Peek - the inspiration for Dustin Hoffman's character Rain Man. This led to his book and an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman. He also describes briefly his journey to Christianity, before ending the autobiography with, "Everyone is said to have a perfect moment once in a while.... I imagine these moments as fragments or splinters scattered across a lifetime. If a person could somehow collect them all up and stick them together he would have a perfect hour or even a perfect day....he would be closer to the mystery of what it is to be human. It would be like having a glimpse of heaven."

Tammet's memoir is profound, touching, moving and thought-provoking. It provides a glimpse into one of today's most extraordinary minds and a unique perspective on a life most of us take for granted.

Details and resources:

http://www.optimnem.co.uk/

Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Free Press (October 16, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1416549013
ISBN-13: 978-1416549017

Girls Gone Mild: Young Women Reclaim Their Self-Respect and Find it's Not Bad to be Good, by Wendy Shalit

I received this book recently in the mail, but it took me a while to finish it. Basically the premise of Wendy Shalit's book is new feminism. She believes that a new generation of girls are reclaiming the self-respect that has gradually been lost since women's sexual liberation was first introduced. While Shalit never denounces female sexual liberation, she points out that basically now, we have reverted back to what original feminism fought to change - the image of women as sex objects. However, she argues, the solution to men sexualizing women is not to sexualize yourself. Instead, it is to respect yourself, dress modestly, and behave modestly. I was somewhat surprised, however, to realize Shalit was not advocating going back to the buttoned-up cardigans and docile housewives of the 1950s. From everything she said, she was in full support of women's complete liberation. However, today's sexy bad girl is less of a feminist than her predecessors - by dressing sexy and offering sexual favors, girls are really only pleasing men. Statistics show that many of these girls are not being fulfilled themselves. The real road to sexual liberation and control, Wendy Shalit says, is to attract the right kind of guy. Basically the tried and true motto: If you dress like trash, what do you think you'll attract? By dressing modestly and respecting yourself, Shalit thinks most guys will focus more on what's coming out of your mouth than what's spilling out of your clothes.

I don't agree with Shalit on everything. She thinks there is a very large modesty movement afoot in the United States, which I think is not the case. She supplies great examples of average teenagers making good choices and standing up for themselves (like Ella Gunderson, the eleven-year-old girl who sent a letter to Nordstrom, asking for more modest clothing, and the Girlcotters that started a nationwide boycott of Abercrombie and Fitch, after the well-known retailer printed T-shirts with messages like, "Who needs brains when you have these?"). However, the vast majority of the teenage population does not subscribe to modesty theory, and as a teenager I don't really feel any less put-upon by society to be sexy and sleep around. She also thinks abstinence-only education is the only "responsible" education choice, with which I disagree. Morals start at home - honestly, I don't think most teenagers pay much attention to their sex education classes, except for the information they want to know. I think abstinence education would fall on deaf ears, and leave us with a less-educated teen populace than we have now. A populace that would still be going out and having sex - but less safely. Morality education starts at home, with good family role models that have open and frank discussions with their children. Ignorance is not the same as morality.

Overall, Shalit's book was alright. Sometimes it felt like it was preaching to the choir, sometimes it dragged and sometimes it just didn't make sense.

Overall: 5 out of 10.

Details:

Hardcover
Publisher: RANDOM HOUSE (2007)
ASIN: B00136USH0