readabilitea's Reviews (427)

Simple, delightful, and heartwarming!

A lot of interesting questions raised about modern society's impact on the environment, and things we can do to reduce our impact. I really liked hearing about the practicalities of Boyle's life, like the foraging, the building of a hot tub, the fishing etc. However, he does come across with a very 'high and mighty' attitude which is somewhat off-putting. He also very grumpy a lot of the time!

A hefty tome, but an absolutely worthwhile read! Quite academic in tone but takes you by the hand and introduces you to new vocabulary, concepts, and ideas that build upon one another with each chapter and section. Like all of the best nonfiction, it will inspire you to pick up other books you would have never considered before, and will leave you with a lasting impression.

It's important going into this book to remember that it is ten years old and some statistics are already wrong. Having said that, it isn't the statistics that have stuck with me, but rather the thought patterns it introduced me to in order to be able to think about my personal carbon footprint.

Mike Berners-Lee has truly considered the carbon impact of everything, from emails to volcanoes to, yes, bananas. The book is packed full of information that shocked me, busted a lot of 'green' myths, and showed that sometimes in pursuit of a more eco-friendly lifestyle we actually end up doing more harm than good. Without a doubt, this book will affect my daily life: my habits around the house, my grocery shopping, not to mention what I generally choose to spend my money on!

This is the kind of book that every household should have so that everyone can read it and dip in and out of it like a reference guide. It has so much to give, and I can see it changing a lot on the individual carbon footprint level.