“Americans of all stripes are finding their footing in the green movement. What was once a road less traveled is quickly becoming a superhighway as those who were once reluctant find that going green is not about giving up. It’s about gaining more money, time, opportunity, health, and well-being even as we preserve the American lifestyle in a rapidly changing world.
Green, American Style is a guide to going green and loving it. Its uniquely American perspective means it speaks to readers from their own paradigm, taking into account the largely conservative values of much of this country, its democratic and capitalistic history, and its resistance to reining in. More than a list of ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle, this book explores the green movement from the diverse perspectives of business, faith, and lifestyle, recognizing the economic, physical, and spiritual benefits of sustainable living.” – BakerBooks
An Excerpt from the Introduction
It began as an experiment. What would it be like if I tried living life from a completely new angle? I had my reasons for going this direction, some voluntary, others not so much. But during the course of this transition, I discovered something amazing. Living greener is a better way to live. It’s easy. It’s exciting. It’s convenient. It’s purposeful. It’s fruitful. It’s fun. It’s none of the things I thought. I thought it would be about giving up, but I ended up saving money, getting healthy, finding my voice, making money, making a difference, and taking life at a more enjoyable pace. When I decided to take a break from living luxuriously, I finally learned how to live well. The secret? Sustainability, or what I like to call the “green advantage.”
The green advantage has worked so well for me that I can’t help but share my enthusiasm with anyone who will listen, so I started a consulting firm that would allow me to do just that. My company, EarthPeople, visits organizations large and small with the aim of teaching them how to be more profitable through eco-friendly practices. The goal is sustainability, which has been defined as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”In my experience, too many people still think sustainability is nonsense. The green movement has become so politicized that it’s easy to forget that it started as a necessary reaction to industrial threats to our human health and natural resources. Long before Al Gore took center stage, there were Americans in every generation (including presidents) who championed the cause of conservation. Even if the climate-change debate rages for decades, our individual beliefs about it have little bearing on the good we can do by practicing commonsense sustainability.
“Dispelling the eco-hype and celebrating a sustainable model of ‘business better than usual,’ Anna Clark makes going green seem as American as (organic!) apple pie. Read Green, American Style, then pass it along to a friend. It will change your life–satisfaction guaranteed.”–Matthew Sleeth, author of Serve God, Save the Planet, and Nancy Sleeth, author of Go Green, Save Green. Blessed Earth
“Anna Clark provides a practical guide for those wanting to learn more about minimizing the impact their lives have on our planet, especially as consumers. Clark’s insights, drawn from her personal journey to living sustainably, make this book a joy to read.”–Jim Thomas, vice president of corporate social responsibility, JCPenney
“Regardless of our belief system or worldview, we’ve all asked ourselves, ‘What really matters?’ and ‘How can I make a difference?’ Anna Clark asked herself these questions and took action, embarking on a mission to make the world a better place one step at a time. She invites us into the conversations she’s having with green leaders and friends across America who are seeking a greener way of living that saves money, our health, and our planet. At a time when many of us are experiencing ‘green fatigue,’ Green, American Style inspires us to think smarter, cultivate natural-grown leadership skills in others and ourselves, and use our pioneering spirit to cause a ripple effect that will transform our communities, our country, and our world.”–Lee Enry Erickson, community manager for SustainLane Creation Care.
“In Green, American Style, Anna Clark takes the out-sized and overwhelming world of sustainable living–from the living room to the corporate boardroom–and turns it into an engaging and detailed look at the green economy that’s rapidly taking root across the country. Through extensive interviews with green leaders ranging from oil tycoons to suburban chicken farmers, Green, American Style makes the case that every individual and every business can play a part in and benefit from the greening of America.”–Matthew Wheeland, managing editor of GreenBiz.com
“Well done, Anna! The more those of us who are helping our planet recover from the ravages to which we have subjected it are made to seem normal and correct, the more ‘Joe and Josephine Citizen’ will be inclined to do their bit without thinking that they’re behaving on the fringes. This is a book everyone should read!”–Tony Frost, former head of the World Wildlife Foundation in South Africa; author of After the Rain.
Anna M. Clark is president of EarthPeople, LLC, and an advisor to the Center for Global Sustainability and Ethics at the University of Dallas Graduate School of Management. Clark and her family live in Dallas, Texas, in one of the first Texas residences to earn a Platinum LEED-certified rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Reposted from BakerBooks, a Divison of Baker Publishing Group with permission by Anna M. Clark. Meet the Author. Learn more about green living and leadership on Anna’s blog Life in the GreenLane and Eco-Leadership on GreenBiz.com
Can’t wait to read it! I’ve met Anna through the Sierra Club and she is perceptive and genuine.