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45th out of 99 books
—
18 voters
Radical Simplicity: Small Footprints on a Finite Earth
Imagine you are first in line at a potluck buffet. The spread includes not just food and water, but all the materials needed for shelter, clothing, healthcare, and education. How do you know how much to take? How much is enough to leave for your neighbors behind you—not just the six billion people, but the wildlife, and the as-yet-unborn?
In the face of looming ecological d...more
In the face of looming ecological d...more
Paperback, 248 pages
Published
September 1st 2003
by New Society Publishers
(first published August 31st 2003)
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This is one of the worst books I have read in a long time. The only reason I gave it two stars is because the author presents some good ideas that are worth thinking about. Too bad his way of presenting it is so awful and his ideas are so far-fetched as to be completely unrealistic.
First of all, a good chunk of this book is devoted to figuring out your ecological footprint. I don't know about you, but I have no desire to go around my house measuring my furniture and everything else I own or cons...more
First of all, a good chunk of this book is devoted to figuring out your ecological footprint. I don't know about you, but I have no desire to go around my house measuring my furniture and everything else I own or cons...more
It's both a little too mathematical/systematic and a little too quasi-religious for me. All of his appeals to the Humane were entwined with one or the other.
VERY interesting to read about Kerala in India where the GDP is very low and the quality of life very high (also democratically elected communists in power).
Has some radical and useful ideas about reducing one's environmental impact. His arguments for reducing family size failed to address having children later in life as a way to reduce im...more
VERY interesting to read about Kerala in India where the GDP is very low and the quality of life very high (also democratically elected communists in power).
Has some radical and useful ideas about reducing one's environmental impact. His arguments for reducing family size failed to address having children later in life as a way to reduce im...more
I have a big ecological footprint (big house, big cars, lots of airplane travel, etc.) and it weighs on me. Firstly, I'm a cheapskate at heart. The idea that I'm paying for things that I can cut out of my life and not miss is irksome. Secondly, I'd like to do what I can to pass on a green Earth to my children. I've made changes to my life without doing anything drastic like gradually switching to CFLs (my house has over 75 light fixtures), cut out the daily commute, combining errands, planting "...more
Without a doubt one of the most influential books I have ever read. I can't think of another book that so redefined the perspective from which I look at the way I live my life. Suddenly my environmental concern had an actual, tangible goal, in living lightly, and I began to realize that living simply doesn't always mean living poorly.
This is an engineer's practical guide to laying out your most sustainable life path. He has created a valuable reference - we've been pulling it out every time we sit down to make a big decision just to check the stats. A really wonderful compendium, even if you don't buy into the whole spiel.
C+ I was excited for this book, but ultimately, I disagree. Living simply is being satisfied with a tiny life, and according to Merkel it involves some things I agree with -- like eating locally, staying within your circles and limits, but then he has this whole thing about saving tons of money and living frugally so you can quit working and...Yeah, that's the question--and do what? Just live simply. I think there are lots of great jobs that give back -- like conservation biologist or teacher or...more
This person went from being an military engineer to living on $5000 a year. The book is in three parts 1) journey to simplicity; 2) the tools (finding your footprint, your money or your life (yep he's referring to the book) & 3) integration.
The things I learned are my footprint is 197.14. I'm below average on most of the sections but my carbon footprint is higher than average (because of my 18 mile commute & home utilities...although on some of those I guestimated & I tried to over g...more
The things I learned are my footprint is 197.14. I'm below average on most of the sections but my carbon footprint is higher than average (because of my 18 mile commute & home utilities...although on some of those I guestimated & I tried to over g...more
An interesting and inspiring book, even if somewhat flawed. The most compelling sections are about the author's own experiences in reducing his ecological footprint. However, there are long stretches of the book that devolve into overly didactic and arcane mathematical calculations for eco-footprinting. Not that these calculations aren't without merit, but I would be surprised if even a small percentage of readers actually go to the trouble of weighing everything they own. However, I still walke...more
While I understand and agree with the core impetus of this book, I just can't take seriously the suggestion that I "might wash dishes with wood ash" (p.178).
I quickly read this. It did help me understand how big my carbon footprint is, and discussed ways to reduce it.
The first part of the book, the memoir and travel part, was inspiring and interesting, but the second half of the book is all about how to figure out your environmental footprint in a mathematical way and I only skimmed it.
Challenging at times because it hits close to home and makes you realize that you need to not just talk about living simply, but you have to act radically NOW. I thought I was living incredibly environmentally compared to a lot of people, but I took the in-depth footprint quiz and found out my footprint is about 17 acres. The average American's is 24. The earth is only big enough for everyone to have an average of 4.something acres. This book helps you to get under 1 acre if you want, or at leas...more
I liked the first part of the book but after that it went downhill and I just skimmed the rest. If you're familiar with your ecological footprint, the book is a waste of time.
Truly inspiring. Though the data is a little out of date, the concepts and themes are just as pertinent and urgent today as when it was written. This is a great book for both reflection and action if you desire to decrease your footprint and strive towards a more sustainable life. My only wish is that he could discuss how to do these things as a college student, who is often working with limited resources and looming debt.
I admire that the author has achieved his personal goal of drastically reducing his ecological footprint but I don't like his two-part solution for "saving the planet"- part one, reduce your footprint and part two, have only one child. He reasons that since, in the industrialized world, we no longer have to worry about children living to adulthood, we "do not need to have more children to ensure the survival of the family's next generation." Who (other than Jim Merkel and other ecological extrem...more
I admit that I skimmed much of the book, my postpartum brain not willing to deal with equations in order to calculate my ecological footprint. Overall, it was a decent book, though more about the author's personal experience, rather than how-to. I do feel he idealized Kerala, the community he studied to come up with ideas on sustainable and local living. And, I would question some of his cited statistics and generalizations: "Every time you turn on a light, you take the life of an indigenous Ari...more
This book taught me a lot about our earth, its resources and that we should be changing. It also shows it can be done. However, I am totally overwhelmed. I think I need to know someone who lives on 6 or fewer acres and can live life while watching and learning from them. Some interesting ideas, and I like that the author acknowledges it's hard, especially in the US, but doable. I like, also, that he says it can take years to get to where you want to be.
I don't know. I honestly just skimmed it, and found a bunch of equations for calculating your eco footprint, bla bla bla, and a dry narration of the author's path to simplicity. Not that inspiring. I feel bad whenever I give one star for a book I didn't actually read, but I want to remember in the future how strongly I feel about not wanting to pursue this book.
It could be useful to others. It could be an awesome book. I wanted it to be.
It could be useful to others. It could be an awesome book. I wanted it to be.
It's good, but a little basic. If you've already studied ecological footprinting and have a good awareness of the resource-impact of your daily life, it's a little simplistic. And the plan for sustainability goal-setting just didn't seem that practical somehow - partly because of the heavy reliance on footprinting, which can be frustrating to use as an individual because of all the variables (I think it works better on a large scale).
i love learning about people who have developed, rather than lost, idealism as they aged. this book was inspirational, at the very least, but so much more than that.
Sep 23, 2009
Nicole
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Nicole by:
Sacramento Friends Meeting (film night)
Great. I've only given it a reading. I haven't used the tools, but they look amazing. May move to 5 stars once I get my own copy and make use of the tools (not enough time with a library copy). Everyone should read this and do what they can for themselves, humanity, and the planet.
Feb 15, 2008
John
added it
The author admirably attempts to quantify the environmental impact of all consumer activities one engages in with this book/workbook. I haven't run my life through the algorithm but the basic ideas have stuck and influence some of my decisions.
There's still so much to do.
My footprint allows for little wiggle-room. Review environmental impact and reduce until one planet (or less) is achieved.
this book taught me how to live off of about 5,000 dollars year by living sustainably. it completely changed my lifestyle.
Very objective view of our impact on the world. The author is now a Prof at Dartmouth.
Feb 02, 2008
Michelle.beller
marked it as to-read
R4 recommendation
mind-blowa.
Jun 16, 2013
Michelle Callicott
marked it as to-read
Jun 16, 2013
Shirley
is currently reading it
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