Greeniology by Tanya Ha
Greeniology: How to Live Well, Be Green and Make a Difference is a “comprehensive, practical and fun guide” to greening your life. It’s written by Tanya Ha, a sustainability expert who gave advice to the families on SBS’s Eco-House Challenge and also writes an advice column in G Magazine.
It’s certainly a comprehensive book: first there’s an introductory section on the major environmental issues facing Australia, then there’s a chapter for greening each room in your home, then there’s chapters for major lifestyle areas like shopping, grooming, travel, having a baby, and so on. Each chapter has a thorough look at all the different aspects, such as energy use, water use, waste production, and health issues. It’s almost like a manual for all the possible green choices in the average Australian’s life.
It’s also very practical - Ha doesn’t just list the immediately obvious stuff, but also alternatives if you can’t find a product, or if the most environmental choice is too expensive for your budget. She explains the general principles so that you can find your own way of doing things if your situation is different than most. And she encourages us to start making small changes that will add up and lead you on to more difficult things as you gain confidence and experience. There are pointers on political action you can take, but most of the book is focused on day-to-day details and practical advice.
Ha has a positive, can-do attitude and doesn’t waste time laying blame for problems. But she doesn’t sugar-coat the bad news either - she makes it very clear how the environmental disasters you see on the news are caused by the accumulated actions of ordinary people like you and me. Thankfully, she then makes it clear what we have to do to stop contributing to those problems.
It’s possible to buy the earlier first edition of Greeniology as an eBook, something I didn’t discover until after I’d bought a copy. I wish more publishers would offer this as an option!
Recommended?
People who are new to being a greenie will love Ha’s clear way of explaining the situation and the actions you can take to help. She cuts through the fluff and greenwashing to give you the facts and let you know you are more powerful than you might realise. More experienced environmentalists will be grateful for the Australian information and resources, something that’s lacking from a lot of the “32 gazillion ways you can save the world” books. I really think that this is the best Australian book for making your day-to-day life greener. If you’ve made some green resolutions at New Years, Greeniology will be very helpful.
I actually meant to review it last year, but I let my mum borrow it and have only just had it back from her! I think this is the best recommendation for the book: you can read it through once, but after that you’ll want it on hand to refer to as you get on with the little choices to go greener in your everyday life. I know I’ll be leafing through it regularly in the future as I look for ways I can help the environment.