Almost Green

Almost Green
James Glave
(Douglas & McIntyre)
In the 1986 comedy The Money Pit, home renovator Tom Hanks laments, "Here lies Walter Fielding. He bought a house, and it killed him." Flash-forward two decades, replace house with Eco-Shed, and there's James Glave nearly breaking his arm using a wild hole-saw while his radio blasts classic rock. In this eco-century, some things haven't changed. James Glave's humorous memoir about building his Eco-Shed---a small, sustainably designed writing studio---chronicles his attempt to be green without going bankrupt, divorcing or changing routine. Whether searching for eco-lumber or a place to recycle shingles, Glave learns it's impossible. Like an anecdote told over a few beers, Almost Green is sparse on the sustainable-living fear mongering. Keeping numbers to a minimum, Glave introduces green visionaries and his typical middle-class family problems.Glave does find the solution to our eco-crises---simply doing without cars, giant houses and even eco-sheds. Realizing "being green is more of a direction than a destination," Glave shows how you can improve your life by eliminating little things at a time. More effective than Al Gore with a laser pointer, Glave's hilarious struggle is a must read for every eco-cynical gloomy-green.
--Mike Landry
type: book