Green List Wednesday - Earthy Books

With Earth Day around the corner, you may be looking for a book that celebrates nature for yourself, a student, or someone in your family.  Below I've compiled a list of worthy green reads for different aged readers.  Along with this list, you can also check out Authors for Earth Day, a coalition of authors who support conservation efforts through their literary work, or Amazon's Great Earth Day Book list, which includes many good non-ficiton titles for children.

Picture Books:

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

The Extremely Very Good Recyclers by Lauren Child

All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon (ill by Marla Frazee)

Middle Grade:

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

Flush by Carl Hiaasen

Here Where the Sunbeams are Green by Helen Phillips

Friends of the Earth by Pat McCarthy

Young Adult:

Wildflowers by Rhonda McCormack

Toms River by Dan Fagin

Moonbird by Phillip Hoose

or

follow the Lawrence (KS) Public Library flowchart for 

dystopian & ecotopian novels

Adult:

Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin

The Universe Within by Neil Shubin

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

Happy Earth Day Reading and Remember...

As the Writes blog enters the last week of its Earth Day celebration, I'm happy to share space with educators, librarians, students, and any readers who would like to stop by and comment on all things good and green. It'd be great to hear what's going on with curriculums, classrooms, and reading lists, as well as any work being done in schools (or communities). Planting gardens, trees, recycling, water conservation, learning about the inner workings of our planet and how to operate in synergy with nature...please share anything and everything you do, have done, or plan on for the future. Sharing is welcomed for all grade levels, preschool to high school.

As thanks for your participation, anyone who submits a comment between now and Earth Day (April 22, 2013 midnight) will be entered to win a wildflower gift pack (see below) or one of four signed copies of wildflowers.Please note that a separate Goodreads Giveaway runs through Earth Day, and free Kindle downloads of wildflowers will be available on April 22.

wildflower gift pack includes:

1 signed copy of wildflowers

1 12x12 original painting, 

recycled mixed media on canvas

1 travel-size orange moleskin journal,

1 hand-crafted bookmark

blog giveaway winners will be drawn on 4.23

**please note**

wildflowers is rated PG-13

If you wish to participant and you're under the age of 18, please get your parents permission.  Kids and teens should only use first names or initials when commenting, and if one of these participants win a drawing, alternate gifts will be awarded.  Winners under the age of 13 will receive the middle grade novel, Here Where the Sunbeams are Green by Helen Phillips and for those under the age of 8, the picture book All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon will be gifted.  Please indicate your age when commenting to receive the appropriate prize.

Green List Wednesday - Cities

Green List Wednesday

In the not-so-far of future of wildflowers, the towns and cities across the nation have all converted to more environmentally-friendly practices.  EVs (electric vehicles) sit in every garage, solar and wind power dominate as energy sources, and lifestyle changes abound.  In the here and now, green cities are cropping up left and right, and though some have been doing what they do for decades, others are just getting started.  If you're wondering what makes one city greener than another, the simplicity of the criteria may surprise you, though towns and cities who attempt such things know simple doesn't always mean easy.  Any community attempting more ecologically-centered development would think about:

Current energy sources, developing energy sources, and consumption of energy

They'll also have to consider the green lifestyle, which includes:

Improving transportation, creating green jobs, building parks and bikeways, employing sustainable building practices, while also consider recycling programs and local food resources

Green cities are everywhere...Sweden, Australia, Brazil, Spain...but here are a few cool ones stateside: 

Oakland, CA - home to the cleanest tap water and oldest wildlife refuge

Chicago, IL - with a city greenbelt created in the early 1900s and a new green roof program

Cambridge, MA - created a city compost program and fuels most city vehicles with biodiesel or electricity

Portland, OR - oh my, where to begin, they do everything green

Greensburg, KS - in 2007 after a tornado devastated the town, they committed to rebuild 100% of their buildings meeting platinum certified LEED standards

And speaking of cities and the people who do their part, I'd like to thank Homeology, the home interiors boutique dedicated to a greener way of living, for joining the fRead Project in celebrating Earth Day with an art sale.  Currently, all the R McCormack originals are discounted 20-40%.  This includes the wildflowers and cityscapes pieces that were part of the November show.  If you'd like more information, contact me or the shop.  Thanks Homeology!

Green List Wednesday - A Twist

Green List Wednesday...with a twist

Usually on a Green List Wednesday, I'd be giving you a list of environmentally friendly products, places, or ideas, but today I give you a list of people.  The people in the list below are those who do their part to nurture our communities through their products or acts of service and participation.  Yesterday, I put out a call for these people to come visit the blog on designated days in order to share their ideas and visions for the future.  That information follows the list.  For now, let's celebrate some of the most important contributors to the Community Garden:

Educators/Teachers - who mentor and guide our most important resource, kids

Librarians - sharing ideas, characters, and worlds that grow the mind

Students - our valuable seeds, who keep pushing until they sprout

Independent Bookstores - providing rich soil for readers and authors alike

Local First/Shop Small Businesses - creative growers providing communities a unique bounty

Enviro-minded Businesses - fertilizing for future growth and development

So, if you recognize yourself on the list, or know someone who fits the descriptors, check out the offers below...  

For businesses and bookstores: 

On Sunday April 7, businesses and Indie bookstores are invited to visit the blog and post a comment telling us about their business. With a brief description of the business, city and state, and web information, all blog traffic will learn what you do and where to find you.  This is the fRead Project's effort to thank the business owners for their dedication to their local communities, as well as the global community.

For educators, librarians, and high school students:

On Sunday April 14, the blog invites educators, librarians, and high school students to share their environmental curriculums, book recommendations, and Earth Day doings.  This event will run for the full week leading up to Earth Day (April 14-20), and in exchange for their participation, they'll be entered into daily drawings to win a books, music samplers, and other goodies.

If you or anyone you know would be interested in the events listed above, feel free to share as a tweet or post on Facebook.  Thank you for all your help to spread the word.  This promotion is hosted by The fRead Project and wildflowers, a young adult novel and ecotopian mystery.

Green List Wednesday - Electric Cars

In wildflowers, I send two rule-bending, 
Tesla-driving teens 

into the Restricted Zone to find 
the secret for rebuilding the West.

When crafting this novel, set in the not-so-far-off future, I saw a world where hybrids still exist, but electric vehicles (EVs) would replace gas-fueled cars.  My inspiration for this came in 2010 when Wired Magazine featured an article on the future of EVs, with the focus on the budding Tesla Motors.  It changed my perspective on the green car movement, and today it's great to see EVs popping up all over the place.  Below, I've compiled a list of EVs worth considering...for fun or for purchase.  I've broken out my top three with a bit of commentary.  

1.  Tesla Motors

This American car company's Model S won both Automobile Mag's 2013 Automobile of the Year  and Motor Trend's 2013 Car of the Year.  Stylish, quick, though expensive.

2.  Fisker

The Fisker Karma is so luxurious it won TopGear's Luxury Car of the Year.  With an eye on clean production, this car is bold and landscape-esque.  Also expensive.

3.  Zelectric Motors

This innovative car company reworks mid-century modern classic cars to a more sustainable fuel-source.  Their retro-specialty seems to be VWs.  This is recycling at its best!  Hip, clever, and totally do-able.

4.  Smart Car

5.  BMW i Series

6.  Chevy Volt

7.  Ford Focus

If you're considering buying an EV, I Want To Buy An Electric Car is a good site to check out. And if you'd like to learn more about electromobility, check out this article and vid from Siemens USA.