Go Green, Live Rich, by David Bach with Hillary Rosner (Read by the author and Oliver Wyman)
Placed above the title on the CD box, so it really doesn't qualify as a subtitle is the additional title: "50 Simple Ways to Save the Earth (and Get Rich Trying)," and that is the only thing that is confusing or ambiguous about this mighty little audio book. David Bach of "…Finish Rich" fame is once again trying to improve the lives of consumers by offering sound advice. The message in this audio book is that by taking any of 50 different actions to live in a more environmentally friendly way, not only will we improve the quality of life on Planet Earth, but we will save or make money.
The book is divided into different "green areas," with my favorite being "Raising a Green Baby." No, he's not advocating adopting frogs or importing Martians, he's talking about making "Going Green" a family value by making choices in childcare. These will make children healthier and ultimately shape the decisions about the environment that they will make. His other advice ranges from energy conservation to consumerism to health maintenance to investment strategies to philanthropy. Many of his tips are obvious, but some are less so. By eating less meat, not only could we improve health by reducing fat and cholesterol, but our choice could have an effect on greenhouse gas emissions because fewer cows would be creating less methane. He goes beyond the expected directive to give statistics, examples and in many cases, Web links for further information. When he talks about the 40 pounds of junk mail each American receives per year, he also gives directions for getting off catalog and junk mail lists. He points listeners to his Web site where he has a "Latte Factor" calculator that can be used to determine how much money could be saved by various fast food, beverage or lunch choices.
This is a book to be listened to many times,
because it is packed with ideas and motivation. It's
a perfect book for family listening, since even very
young children can contribute to the effort to save
the planet. This book would make a great gift, because
the message is heartfelt -- not condescending or preachy
-- while the advice is timely and crucial. Bach urges
listeners to take action and experience the peace of
knowing we are doing something to save the planet, while
making us healthier and richer. It's a no-brainer. Immensely
informative and enjoyable!
Ruth
Mormon
11/21/08
