Almost Green (How I Saved 1/6th of a Billionth of a Planet)

"Reading Almost Green is like getting a new pair of glasses when you thought you could see just fine. Many important shades of distinction and subtle insights fill the book. A smart, contemplative read."—Douglas Coupland James Glave, a self-proclaimed "child of suburbia," learns about the real implications and sacrifices involved in sustainable living when he practices it at his home on Bowen Island, British Columbia, where "eco-yuppies" and local hunters are engaged in a turf war. Employing gurus and energy-savvy builders, Glave sets out to build a "green" writing studio on a budget of $50,000. But he remains skeptical of the current trends in the eco-movement, and questions the high-and-mighty "conservationist" rigmarole. How can a family man on a modest salary afford to live a green lifestyle? At what cost to his children? How do you get rain to go to your garden? How much eco-destruction is too much? The book that results from Glave's attempts to answer questions such as these is a surprisingly funny, informative, and refreshingly irreverent take on green issues and a candid look at the costs and benefits of living an eco-friendly lifestyle.