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Category Archives: Books

February 8, 2012

Sullie Saves the Seas, a story for children and adults

Ocean lover Goffinet McLaren has just released a new book for kids — as well as adults — about a seagull named Sullie who organizes all his marine animal friends to combat plastic pollution. I asked Goffinet to tell her story of how she came to love the sea and to write Sullie Saves the Seas.

Goffinet McLaren’s story

I was born and grew up in the small historic town of Carrickfergus, on the water`s edge of Northern Ireland. Surrounded by the sea, I became aware at a very early age of the importance of caring for the ocean and it`s inhabitants. As I grew into adulthood, my sense of right and wrong ripened into a positive passion to make a difference to our planet.

In 1979, I moved to the United States, where I married my husband Ian. We have one son, Moutray.

In 2006, Ian and I retired to Litchfield on the beautiful coast of South Carolina where I could renew my association with the sea and it`s precious marine life. From the first da… Read the rest

May 31, 2011

Guilt and a Green Conscience

A week or so ago, I asked you to leave a comment about one thing you feel guilty about — an eco-confession — to enter a surprise giveaway. The prize is a copy of Franke James’s illustrated book, Bothered by My Green Conscience: How an SUV-driving, imported-strawberry-eating urban dweller can go green.

But I asked the question about guilt for another reason. A while back, reading through ancient posts from a long-ago blog I used to keep, I came across a piece I wrote called, simply, “Guilt.” It’s heavy duty. It was written during a pretty bleak time in my life, a time long before plastic-free living and eco-activism. A time when I didn’t know where I was going and couldn’t manage to do much to figure it out.

Here are a few excerpts. You can read the entire post here, but be warned that it’s not pretty and some bits might even make you angry.

I’m depressed. Me and half the country. But I work on… Read the rest

April 18, 2011

Plastic: A Toxic Love Story Book Review

In the beginning of 2009, I sat in an Oakland Cafe with San Francisco journalist Susan Freinkel, explaining my plastic-free life. She was working on a book about the story of plastic and wanted to hear my point of view, which of course I shared enthusiastically, even dragging her off the butcher shop with me and my stainless steel pot to buy plastic-free meat for my cats.

Her book Plastic: A Toxic Love Story has been officially released today. After spending all weekend with it, I’m happy to give it a hearty recommendation. This is neither a dry environmental text nor alarmist rant. Telling the story of plastic through eight everyday plastic items — a comb, plastic chair, Frisbee, hospital IV bag, disposable lighter, grocery bag, soda bottle, and credit card — the book describes both the hopes and hazards of plastic in a conversational style that’s hard to put down.

The title of the book is appropriate. In the first chapt… Read the rest

September 28, 2010

Book Review: The True Adventures of Foamy and Leafy

Foamy and Leafy is a kids’ book about the plastic in the North Pacific Gyre. This review is a guest post by plastic-free blogger, Linda Anderson, who blogs at Citizen Green http://tippecanoegreen.blogspot.com. She’s filling in for me today while my eyes heal. Please stop by her blog and leave comments or suggestions.

Several months ago I was surfing the web to find children’s literature about the issue of plastic debris in the ocean and I came across this comic book called, The True Adventures of Foamy and Leafy. Foamy and Leafy are two pieces of colorful plastic foam that were glued to a Halloween pumpkin by a child. The pumpkin rotted and decayed, but the pieces of plastic, being very non-degradable, blew away with the wind.

Foamy blew into a small creek and eventually ended up in the Atlantic Ocean. She actually floats through the Panama Canal and ends up in the Pacific Ocean. Leafy blew away and got stuck to a truck t… Read the rest

May 27, 2010

The Joy of Being a Green Kid

November 8, 1988, I sat in the Hawk ‘n’ Dove bar on Capitol Hill drinking beer with my fellow Clean Water Action canvassers and watching the presidential election returns. I was 23 years old. As the night wore on, and it became apparent that nothing less than a miracle could save Michael Dukakis from losing to George H.W. Bush, a group of loud, big-haired yuppies (it was still the 80’s after all) cheered at the table next to us. One woman in a ruffled dress with big shoulder pads glanced over at our tie-dyed shirts and dismal faces and shouted over the din, “I used to be idealistic like you guys. I voted Democrat and thought I could change the world. But when you get older, you realize that it’s just not practical. You’ll want to keep your money. And then you’ll vote for the conservative guy. You’ll see.”

“Never,” I thought. “I will never become so cynical. I’ll alway… Read the rest

April 7, 2010

Where Should Fake Plastic Fish Live?

In a Plastiquarium, of course!

Plastiquarium is the creation of artist David Edgar, whose work was pointed out to me long ago by an astute Fake Plastic Fish reader. According to legend:

The Plastiquarium is immersed in mystery. Modern myth suggests that a century of increasing phosphate levels in Earth’s marine environment caused new, synthetic life forms to emerge. As recyclable HDPE plastic containers spread concentrates of consumer product pollutants, the Plastiquarium creatures evolved in the image of their packaging forbearers.

And it’s not just fish. Other marine creatures like crustaceans have evolved into plastic versions of their former selves.

The Artist Explains

Wow, I thought. Another human has the same idea as I do, that “if we keep filling up our oceans with plastic, [fake plastic fish] could be the only kind we have left….” and has realized it beautifully it in a tangible way. It’s t… Read the rest

December 17, 2009

No Impact Man Ch 6 – 8: Plastic-Free Cheese, Saving Money, Living in the Dark

As always, the questions raised in my No Impact Man book posts are relevant to everyone whether they have read the book or not. Please join the discussion.

Two days ago I asked: Why are that the majority of Fake Plastic Fish readers female (according to Quantcast)? Reader “underbelly” responded with a theory of gender roles that are still promoted by the culture:

To me, the green-o-sphere seems to be dominated by people in charge of the domestic realm. And since gender disparity still overwhelmingly exists in things like parenting, cleaning, cooking, buying household items, etc., guess who reads more about non-toxic cookware?

[…]

Sure, [eco-men] out there, but as long as little girls help mommy cook during Thanksgiving while little boys watch football with daddy, there will always be this disparity.

Colin Beavan, the No Impact Man, happens to be one of those eco-men who defies gender stereotypes. In Chapter 6 of the book, h… Read the rest

November 13, 2009

Practically Green Book Review and DIY Project

Cloth silverware holder made by Micaela Preston

I first met Micaela Preston through the Green Moms Carnival. Her blog, Mindful Momma, is full of practical advice and Do-It-Yourself projects for living a more sustainable life. She was also my roommate at the BlogHer conference this summer, where she impressed everyone with her ingenious handmade business card holder, made from the pocket of an old blouse and sporting two compartments — one for her own cards and the other for cards she received from other people. So it’s not surprising that she has just published a new book.

Micaela sent me a copy of Practically Green: Your Guide to Ecofriendly Decision-Making. I love it. Each chapter is divided into two sections. Buy It Green includes useful charts and lists that explain the various green standards and environmental and health hazards to watch out for when purchasing food, clothing, home furnishings, toys, etc. Do It Green includes recipes and instructions for making your o… Read the rest

November 9, 2009

No Impact Man Chap 4: Wanting Is Not Getting

I just got back last night from a weekend meditation retreat, during which I sat in silence, ate in silence, walked around the retreat center in silence, and then snuck into my room to read Chapter 4 of No Impact Man. (Reading on retreat is discouraged. I do not encourage you to do such a think. Tsk tsk. Bad Beth!)

I’m really kidding about the “tsk tsk” because Chapter 4 actually fit in quite beautifully with the spirit of this weekend. While it’s one of my favorite chapters because it’s where Colin Beavan writes about plastic and its effects on our health and that of the planet, it’s also beautiful in how it explores what causes human beings to overconsume in the first place.

One day, early on in the project, Colin gets it into his head that if he can only find a particular type of net shopping bag that he saw in France, his life will be so much better and he’ll suddenly be the environmentalist he wants to be. He… Read the rest

My Plastic-Free Life

Think we can't live without plastic? Think again. In 2007 I committed to stop buying any new plastic & I've almost succeeded! Won't you join me? Let's see what plastic-free looks like today… for the health of our bodies, our oceans, our planet. ~Beth Terry