Saturday, May 31, 2008

Financial Advice: Going Green

*A BIG THANK YOU to Ann from Random House who I had forgotten had mentioned this in the comments of my earlier financial post! :)

This is basically a postscript to the earlier post reviewing financial books, some of which centered on green or socially responsible investing.

Go Green, Live Rich by David Bach
A co-worker left this book on the counter the other day, and I picked it up and have been breezing right through it, much to my own surprise. I say that because this book is part of the "do something, Get Rich" series and I'm not a huge fan. (Probably for the same reason I'm not a huge fan of the "guides for dummies/idiots" books - I think they're rather crass). But I have to say that this book impressed me by the depth of the "going green" information that was dispensed in a handy little handbook sort of way.
There are different sections to the book that describe ways in which you can simultaneously switch to a greener, more environmentally friendly, and also more cost-effective way of living. It was gratifying to find that I do some of these already without even thinking about it. I carpool to work on days when it is possible (Shout-out to Darcy!), I bring my lunch to work in our new Happy-Sacks! and other reusable containers whenever possible, I turn off/unplug everything except my clock religiously in order to cut down on phantom electricity use (if you don't know what I'm talking about, read the book, page 43), etc. But there were some things I'm surprised never crossed my mind to wonder about; things like restaurant take-out (duh, I'm saying to myself, those little containers of Chinese food can hardly be recycled), taking myself off junk mail lists, and going on "Green" vacations (eco-tourism or even volunteering vacations - not that I have the time to vacation, but you know, it's a thought). There's even a small section in the back that talks about Green Investing!
The other positive, for me, element to this book is that it gives handy little websites and side tips/notes for each write-up of environmentally-friendly changes you can make, in case you want to go find some more information. It's always nice to be directed to exactly what you're looking for rather than trying the hit-and-miss Google search (though that can certainly yield some fruitful results). All-in-all, I give this book 2 thumbs up for what it is - a brief, breezy guide that shows you how to reduce your carbon footprint, and your financial output, all at the same time.
Paperback: 9780767929738 $14.95

Go Green!

-Rebecca

3 comments:

Tiffany Fairbanks said...

I really liked this book the best out of all the Green books that I have read. The Complete Idiots Guide to Going Green was less a guide and more of a fact book. I felt Go Green, Live Rich provided many more resource to the reader that wants to find more ways to go green than those that are obvious. I loved the layout of the book and was very impressed with the simplicity of the message. Please drop by my blog bloog if you would like to read my review of this book. I like your blog by the way.

The Odyssey Bookshop said...

Hey, thanks for your comment! I did drop by your blog, and I'm excited to check out those sheets you mentioned. I'm also going to post in the next week or two about on book on green travel, for all those folks planning greener vacations. Whenever that happens, feel free to write a post/comment about that hotel you stayed in. Hope you had a blast! - Rebecca

Unknown said...

I like your blog very much. Go green is a very nice book and have a very useful information and tips. Thanks for posting.