New Different
TURNING OVER AN OLD LEAF
One of the world’s largest agricultural crops until the late 1800s, hemp is not only the plant from which marijuana is derived, it is also thought to be the first cultivated plant. Indeed, hemp fiber, harvested from the Cannibis sativa plant, is famous for its versatility, and is found in everything from the first American flag, to paper, oil and rope. A thoroughly researched video, The Hemp Revolution documents not only the history of hemp, but its many possibilities for the future.
CONTACT
Available for $24.90 postpaid from:
Tara Entertainment
124 Belvedere Street, Suite 5
San Raphael, CA 94901
Tel: (800) 995-6068
—Tracey Rembert
SPELUNKING SAVVY
Interested in caves and how to protect them? The American Cave Conservation Association (ACCA) publishes the biannual American Caves magazine to show you how, updating spelunkers on topics like protecting cave species, the impact of rock art and cave litter. The ACCA also operates the Kentucky-based American Cave and Karst Center and Museum, providing educational programs, professional services, and projects concerning the nearby Hidden River Cave restoration and karst areas (limestone sinkholes). Membership in ACCA includes free admission to the museum and cave, discounts, invitations to special events and the magazine. Regular membership is $25; $15 for students.
CONTACT
American Cave Conservation Association
PO Box 409
Horse Cave, KY 42749
Tel: (502) 786-1466
—Shannon Glynn
THERE’S DANGER DOWNSTREAM
As it tells the story of America’s obsession with cancer-causing chemicals, /ital/Living Downstream/end ital/ by Sandra Steingraber takes readers on a journey to the author’s Illinois hometown, her post-war upbringing, and the life and death of fellow ecologist and chemical researcher Rachel Carson. Steingraber links industrial and agricultural practices of the past, like DDT trucks going door-to-door to spray backyard fruit, with the realities of cancer. “At the very least…we are obliged to investigate: with the right to know comes the duty to inquire,” Steingraber proclaims.
CONTACT
Available for $24 (hardcover) in bookstores nationwide, or postpaid (checks only) from:
Addison Wesley Publishing
1 Jacob Way
Redding, MA 01867
Tel: (800) 358-4566
—Jennifer English
A RABBIT AND A WHALE
How can a little rabbit save a whale? Bernie the Rabbit, the official mascot of Annie’s Homegrown Totally Natural Macaroni and Cheese, is attempting to return the real-life Keiko the Whale (star of Free Willy) to his family in Iceland. Annie’s Homegrown pledges to contribute a portion of its sales from its Mild White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese to the Free Willy Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and return to the wild of captive and stranded dolphins and whales. Annie’s Macaroni and Cheeses is made from all natural ingredients, and can be purchased at grocery outlets and natural food stores nationwide for $1.29.
CONTACT
Annie’s Homegrown
PO Box 128
Hampton, CT 06247
Tel: (617) 889-9407
—S.G.
GREENING YOUR KITCHEN
Did you know that getting rid of flies can be as easy as hanging a plastic bag full of water from a window? Or that side-by-side refrigerator/freezers use more energy than standard units? These simple tips and a myriad of practical advice for an ecologically-sound kitchen are available in The Green Kitchen by Annie Berthold Bond and Mothers & Others for a Livable Planet. Also covered are starting a Green Diet, dealing with kitchen waste, preserving foods and shopping for organically grown products. Available in bookstores for $15.
CONTACT
Mothers and Others For A Livable Planet
40 West 20th Street
New York, NY 10011
Tel: (212) 242-0010
—S.G.
GREEN PLANNING FOR GREENER TRAVEL
Discover the rainforest treetops of Ghana, the wildlife of Madagascar and the lushness of African savannahs—all without leaving your desk. Check out Conservation International‘s new “Ecotravel Center” on the World Wide Web. Offering advice on specific eco-destinations, including what time of year to travel, how to get there, what to pack, health and medical advice, currency rates and language, the center also comes equipped with a “Travel Chat” service, allowing you to exchange information with other ecotravelers. You can also order the necessary gear for your trip through travel equipment links. Just voyage to http://www.ecotour.org.
—S.G.
REDWOOD CHAINSAW MASSACRE
When a tree falls in the forest, does it cry out? Maybe not, says David Harris, author of The Last Stand,but there sure is a lot of noise. He writes that giant diesel-operated machinery used in the logging industry is “a mere dull rumble behind the high-pitched shrieks generated by the assault of four-foot chainsaw blades upon tree trunks 15 feet thick.” His book tells the story of Pacific Lumber’s involvement in the logging industry, and describes the pitched battle over the company’s endeavors to log California’s redwood forests.
CONTACT
Available in paperback for $19 postpaid from:
Sierra Club Books
85 2nd Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Tel: (800) 935-1056
—M.W.
CHOCOLATE CONSERVATION
Experience chocolate heaven and help save an endangered species at the same time! That’s the goal behind founder Jon Stocking‘s, The Endangered Species Chocolate Company, featuring 16 flavors of Belgian chocolate bars, with all-natural ingredients ($1.99 each). The labels are printed on recycled paper, using soy-based inks and detail information on imperiled species. The company also donates 10 percent of its profits to groups like the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. Stocking’s intention: “Chocolate That Can Make A World of Difference.”
CONTACT
The Endangered Species Chocolate Company
809 Royal Pacific Highway
Talent, OR 97540
Tel: (800) 749-0160
—Colleen Labbe