My Bookshelf

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There are so many books that have shaped everything I’ve learned about living a sustainable lifestyle. I love to constantly learn new things and while so much can be found online these days, I do still love having a bookshelf full of incredibly useful books that I refer to constantly. Each book on this list is so useful that I think it’s worth owning given how many times I refer to each of them!

Cookbooks

The Hands-on Home by Erica Strauss

If you want an all around seasonal book for recipes on everything from canned foods to homemade soap, shampoo, and delicious seasonal recipes this is it! I refer to this book often and have loved every recipe I’ve tried. My favorites are the apricot barbecue sauce, glass cleaner, and the many salad dressing combos! Her approach to cooking, preserving, cleaning, and personal care is so appealing and flexible. This book checks all the boxes!

The I Quit Sugar Cookbook by Sarah Wilson

 This is an unexpected one but I definitely feel that it is in line with so many of my values. For one, it helps me check my sweet tooth and be healthier. It also is so easy and fun to read because of all the handwritten tips and tricks. It is more “workflow” than a traditional cookbook. I also love that the author tries to minimize food waste whenever possible! Not only does she have recipes for everything down to the leftover olive oil from marinated mozzarella. She also uses unconventional ingredients that would normally be wasted (like turnip greens or beef cheeks). The only downside is there is no emphasis on seasonal eating. There is also a fair bit of plastic used in some of the food storage but it’s easy to adapt to something plastic-free.

A Kitchen in France by Mimi Thorisson

This is as much romantic French countryside story as it is a useful cookbook. The photos are heavenly and everything is delightfully rustic. I love that the meals center around the author’s location and eating through the seasons. This book also has a traditional approach to preparing meat and includes a wonderful Asian twist inspired by the author’s childhood. It’s so beautiful it would be right at home on a coffee table!

 

Sustainability

Drawdown edited by Paul Hawken

 This is a great introduction for someone who wants the cliffs notes on climate change. Drawdown lists out 80 of the top environmental solutions in the order of which is most impactful. For anyone curious, solution #1 is refrigerant use (as in the chemicals that help refrigerate things like CFCs and HFCs) and #3 is reducing food waste! I love this book because it is easy to understand and it is also solution-focused which is so inspiring!

Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson

 The book that started the zero-waste movement! Bea really was the pioneer in the zero-waste movement and her book is inspiring for anyone new to the movement. Bea shares her experience as she tries to reduce (and virtually eliminate) her family’s waste. You won’t find much discussion on other environmental issues but it is a fantastic resource for anyone starting a zero-waste lifestyle.

Cradle to Cradle by William McDonough & Michael Braungart

 Want to know how our society can stop the resource to landfill consumption pipeline? The book introduces the idea that everything in society can be created with the intent to be reused indefinitely or decompose. The authors apply this principle to everything from clothes and homes to office chairs! This would help create a closed loop cycle where nothing enters the environment unless it is beneficial!

 

Food

In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

 All of the basics you need to know about our broken food system in one book! Pollan discusses how our food has changed immensely in the last few decades at the expense of our health and the environment. He talks about how our grandmas (or perhaps, great-grandmas) wouldn’t recognize much of the food we eat today! His main takeaway: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

The Third Plate by Dan Barber

 Dan Barber is a well-known chef in New York with a focus on sustainability (check him out on Netflix’ Chef’s Table!). He tells amazing stories in his book about the most incredible food at the forefront of the sustainable food movement. From perennial wheat restoring the soil of the midwest to naturally produced Jamon Iberico on the Spanish dehesas, Barber tells stories about how delicious food can be produced with lower environmental impact. This way, we can transform our relationship with food and create a more environmentally mindful plate – the third plate.

Gardening

The Urban Farm Handbook by Annette Cottrell & Joshua McNichols

This book is for anyone wanting to start growing their own food in the city. The authors transformed their backyard in a dense Seattle neighborhood into a food producing machine! This book has great advice for small space urban gardeners but it also includes recipes for the fruits of your labor.

Gaia’s Garden by Toby Hemenway

 The O.G. of the permaculture movement! This book introduces the principles of Permaculture. Using design principles, permaculture helps create ecological and beneficial spaces by using relationships in nature. Hemenway introduces concepts and design plans to increase biodiversity, soil wellness, nutrient recycling, and more.

Practical Permaculture by Jessi Bloom & Dave Boehnlein

This book builds on the basic tenets of Permaculture and provides practical solutions beyond the garden including energy efficiency and water recycling. It takes you through step by step on how to evaluate your property and needs and to design your space for maximum impact. The drawings, photographs, and tables are beautiful and informative. This book is an absolute must for anyone interested in maximizing production in their backyard garden or land.