The Greenzys: A Sweet Read

Books from childhood (some read by teachers) have the power to stay etched in our memories forever. For me it’s books like Where the Wild Things Are, the Amelia Bedelia series and Little Women to name a few that I can still quote lines from to this day.

The Greenzys by the reputable children’s author Danielle Mentzer just hit shelves on Earth day 2010 and is a story with a message worth remembering. Greenzys is an “eco-friendly, literary-based brand” that parents and teachers alike should be happy to promote.

When GreenPhillyBlog was given an advanced copy of Greenzys to review I was pretty stoked. I love reading – kids book included! My take on the Greenzys book?

Confessions of an Eco-Sinner – Book Review

When I spotted “Confessions of an Eco-Sinner” at the local library, I was wary of a green-washing book However, I skimmed the brief summary and gave this book a read – I’m quite glad I did! Although my friends & family may be sick of me continuously spouting things I learned, I can’t get enough.

Fred Pearce is a British author who decided to track down where various items he uses originate, how they’re created and what the impact is on both the local inhabits & environment. For example, he follows the birth of his wedding band into the gold mines of Witwatersrand, Africa (by Johannesburg). He checks to see if his ‘Fair Trade” Coffee and cotton are actually “fair trade” – (which is quite complex).

Here are just a few fascinating takeaways I learned:

Meeting the Skinny Bitch Herself! Kim Barnouin Lecture & Book Signing

The Skinny Bitch herself came to Philly to talk about the “V” word.

Kim Barnouin, author of Skinny Bitch, discussed Veganism and her popular best-seller last evening at the Free Library of Philadelphia. She brought up some interesting topics including: the often controversial tone of Skinny Bitch (She & co-author Rory talk like that in ‘real life’. Plus, America’s in a food crisis: we need “Tough Love”, not babying); the increased awareness of Veganism (the book came out 4 years ago and we’re now seeing veganism popularized by Kind Diet and more); organic foods and protein to name a few.

Kim also brought up the environmental impact of animal-based food. The carbon footprint is huge:

Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet

I can’t believe I haven’t gushed about this book yet!

Alicia Silverstone’s The Kind Diet hit shelves this past October and it’s on my list of top five reads (and cookbooks) of last year. Silverstone’s candid yet gentle tone makes it an enjoyable read. And, it’s packed with delicious, vegan recipes.

The book discusses what Alicia calls “nasty “(think dairy, meat and sugar) foods and explains why they’re harmful to the body. Her approach isn’t as

Skinny Bitch Coming to Philadelphia Free Library 2/23!

Alright, alright. I’ll admit it.

I’m a bitch.

A (Skinny) Bitch.

A couple years ago,

"Eye of the Whale" Eco-Thriller in stores tomorrow!

Looking for a capturing read that you can’t put down?

No, I’m not talking about the Twilight series. I’ve been recommending Eye of the Whale by Douglas Carlton Abrams to many friends and family members.

The story follows Elizabeth McKay, a marine biologist who is finishing her PHD program with a thesis of cracking humpback whale communication. When a humpback swims up the Sacramento River with an unprecedented song, the clock starts ticking as Elizabeth must save the whale from danger. But as her journey to free this whale progresses, she starts catching the media and world’s attention… including opponents who are trying to cover up many dangerous secrets from Elizabeth and the world. Quickly, Elizabeth finds herself in danger, jeopardizing her marriage, her career – and even her life.

An ecological thriller, Abrams does an excellent job bringing in