Jones, Ellis, et. al. THE BETTER WORLD HANDBOOK: FROM GOOD INTENTIONS TO EVERYDAY ACTIONS

Authors Ellis Jones, Ross Haenfler, and Brett Johnson present numerous ideas--and much food for thought--about how individuals can, in ways both large and small, affect the world in a positive way. Many of their ideas revolve around the way we spend our money--the food we buy, the cars we drive, the gifts we give, the clothes we wear. They offer statistics and data that supports their claims that consumerism is damaging to the environment, the culture, and the individual psyche. Most importantly, they offer many ways readers can assess their attitudes and behavior to make a more positive impact on the world around them.

The authors suggest 7 foundations for building a better world (economic fairness, comprehensive peace, ecological sustainability, deep democracy, social justice, culture of simplicity, and revitalized community), and then offer practical actions for making those ideals a reality. They divide their ideas into suggestions about things you can do in these areas: money, shopping, food, personal life, friends and family, community, home, work, media, politics, transportation, travel, and organization. In each area, they analyze some of the current problems and list ways you can help, ranging from buying from eco-friendly and reponsible businesses to getting enough sleep and exercise. Finally, they end with the top ten suggestions for building a better world include an "action index" that can be used to help remind you of some of the things you can do.