CHOICES & CHANGE ON THE PATH TO A SUSTAINABLE EXISTENCE

Haley offers a short handbook for more ecologically sensible living.

“Continuing on with unlimited growth and overconsumption, while ignoring Earth’s biophysical constraints, makes no sense,” writes the author at the beginning of this concise book. In order to survive and thrive as a species, Haley contends, humans must do a better job of dealing with the many dangerous factors increasing in number and tempo in the modern world—not only economic, political, and social upheavals, but also looming ecological crises. The author economically outlines practical and philosophical measures ordinary people can take to make small differences in their own lives. He gives detailed, pragmatic guidance on a wide range of topics, from efficient water use to improved gardening techniques, all of which consistently involves the careful re-use of existing household materials. Take an empty plastic one-gallon milk jug, for instance; cut it in half and use the top part as a “mini-greenhouse” and the bottom as a planting pot. His advice on gardening is extensive, with tips like grinding up eggshells (for their calcium) as fertilizer or using coffee grounds for similar nutrients (he also suggests burying a whole banana or a whole egg about 10 inches into the soil six to eight months before germination). While dispensing all of these pointers, Haley employs prose that is brisk and authoritative, effectively supported by his deeper sociological beliefs. In a real sense, he contends, the current system makes its inhabitants slaves—to debt and to the rat race. And who benefits? “Overwhelmingly, it’s the Super-Rich, the Upper Crust, the new aristocrats,” he writes. “Bottom line: stop drinking the Propaganda Kool Aid.” His insistence on the vital importance of food, water, clean air, and good soil will strike many over-stressed readers as a clear-eyed and bracing reminder of the basics.

A straightforward and useful guide to better living.