Collection Development "Sustainability": Sense & Sustainability

A 2006 Canadian opinion poll found that more than half of the respondents had never heard of the term sustainability; seven out of ten were incapable of defining it; once defined, however, more than 80 percent saw sustainability as a high-priority national goal. Polls probing U.S. attitudes show similar numbers. With the citizenry so clearly behind a concept it seemingly does not fully grasp, and with “going green” going mainstream, the time is ripe for collection development librarians to deepen public understanding of what is a hugely important issue.

What exactly is sustainability? Writer Bill McKibben characterized it as a “buzzless buzzword”; a “big, sloppy term for a big, complex subject,” said another; one wag called it, simply, “sustainababble.” The term may be semantically slippery, but it's not new. The Iroquois Confederacy's Great Law of Peace, c.1142, enshrined elements of the long-term thinking and responsibility, as well as intra- and intergenerational equity, we now regard as central to the notion of sustainability. Jumping ahead eight centuries to the 1960s and Rachel Carson's arguments for the protection of biodiversity, followed by the 1972 publication of the alarming Limits to Growth, which predicted an overpopulated planet, and Wes Jackson's writings on sustainable agriculture, we begin to see the modern idea of sustainability take shape: to preserve life on Earth.

On an international level, the 1987 report of the UN-sanctioned Brundtland Commission, Our Common Future, popularized the idea of sustainability and a narrower concept, sustainable development, which it defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Analyzed, deconstructed, and sometimes disparaged, the report described the extent of world poverty and global environmental calamity and articulated, for the first time, sustainability's “Three Es”—environment, economics, and social equity—arguing how all three realms must be optimized, and how, over the long term, a just and truly sustainable world cannot have one without the other. Just as importantly, the document introduced the idea of planetary “overshoot”—when our needs outrun the planet's capacity to provide.

Twenty years after “Brundtland,” the idea of sustainability might best be considered a work in progress, a global dialog in session, a still-evolving, messy social experiment. Librarians building collections in this area would do well to give the issue historical context by including some pioneers' work. Publishers have made it easy by issuing handsome “anniversary editions” of a few of the seminal ones. Carson has been so honored more than once; others include E.F. Shumacher's Small Is Beautiful, Wes Jackson's New Roots for Agriculture, David Orr's Earth in Mind, McKibben's End of Nature, Ian McHarg's Design with Nature, Sim Van Der Ryn and Stuart Cowan's Ecological Design, and Frances Moore Lappé's Diet for a Small Planet.

Crack open Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas M. Kostigen's The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time (Three Rivers, 2007), and one is astonished to read that the book originated with the authors' “desire to be environmentally friendly while remaining selfish consumers.” Publishers, perhaps seeing gold in all the green, are pushing this sort of effortless sustainability with titles like The Lazy Environmentalist and It's Easy Being Green.

Some environmentalists argue that this “ecoconsumerism” has very little to do with sustainability—that reducing such a complex idea to personal, if environmentally sensitive, consumer choices simply serves to deflect attention from its deeper political and social aspects. New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman noted that for most Americans green living is “more than a hobby, but less than a way of life.” Thus, for librarians looking to build their sustainability collections, one challenge will be to attain the right balance between satisfying their green hobbyists and addressing the subject's deeper and sometimes baffling layers.

Among the leading publishers of sustainability-related materials are Chelsea Green, Island Press, and New Society. All three are small, independent, and activist; their catalogs show robust coverage of a variety of subjects. Lark Books, another small house, has an interesting selection of titles on green building, which, like the green lifestyle movement, may be a growth area in the sustainability literature.

Conservation groups, like Audubon and the Sierra Club, have a few choice offerings. Earthscan, a nonprofit organization based in Britain, specializes in international sustainable development issues; much of its list will be appropriate for higher-level audiences. The Washington, DC–based Worldwatch Institute is a key source of environmental statistics: its flagship annuals, The State of the World and Vital Signs, will be core selections for even the smallest library. Most UN and governmental environmental or developmental agencies' data can be found on the web; some of their derivative print products may be better suited for general audiences (e.g., World Bank's annual Little Green Data Book).

Nearly 150 publishers, including the aforementioned small presses, have signed on to the Green Press Initiative (www.greenpressinitiative.org), which works to protect forests by switching to recycled papers and by phasing out paper that may contain fiber from endangered forests. Look for the “Environmental Benefits Statement,” usually at the back of the book.

Another development is Melcher Media's patented DuraBooks Technology, in which plastic resins and inorganic fillers, rather than wood pulp and cotton fiber, are used to make the pages. Completely waterproof, highly durable, and “upcyclable,” the paper can be melted down and reused in perpetuity. While the list of titles using this technology is small (see Clean Green, Cradle to Cradle, below), the possibilities for libraries—for example, washable board books—remain large.

Sustainability literature is inchoate, multidisciplinary, and vast. On the selection side for collection developers, it will mean a judicious spreading of the book budget in virtually every subject area. As for deselection, technical titles concerning energy and building will need to be monitored for currency, as will statistical sources. For all else, a ruthless weeder's eye for the inaccurate, unused, damaged, or just plain ugly will be necessary. In time, as sustainable practices around the home become habitual, the need for retaining more than a minimal number of basic handbooks on recycling, energy conservation, and general green practices will likely diminish.

The following bibliography aims to serve a broad range of public and college library users. Works on global warming and studies of particular ecosystems merit their own articles and will therefore not be included here. Starred [*] titles are essential for most collections.

Magoc, Chris J. Environmental Issues in American History: A Reference Guide with Primary Documents. Greenwood. 2006. 328p. maps. index. ISBN 978-0-313-32208-2. $85.

Arguably one of the most significant dimensions of the modern age is its environmental history; here is a valuable overview with chronology, discussion, and relevant primary documents.

*The New Atlas of Planet Management. Univ. of California. 2005. 304p. ed. by Norman Myers & Jennifer Kent. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-520-23879-4. pap. $39.95.

With text contributions from eminent scientists and graphics that will appeal to a wide audience, this update of the 1984 groundbreaking state-of-the-planet survey offers a revelation on nearly every page.

Our Earth's Changing Land: An Encyclopedia of Land-Use and Land-Cover Change. 2 vols. Greenwood. 2005. 715p. ed. by Helmut Geist. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-313-32704-9. $225.

Land-use conversion is one of the biggest threats to biodiversity and healthy ecosystems. This authoritative set addresses all aspects of the science of land-use change and is appropriate for upper-level high school students on up. (LJ 6/15/06)

*Edwards, Andres R. The Sustainability Revolution: Portrait of a Paradigm Shift.New Society. 2005. 206p. index. ISBN 978-0-86571-531-8. pap. $16.95.

A clear, concise articulation of sustainability: its history, its principles, and its future.

*McNeill, J.R. Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth-Century World.Norton. 2000. 421p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-393-32183-8. pap. $18.95.

An immensely learned yet highly readable history of modern humanity's sorry impact on the planet's ecosystems. (LJ 4/1/00)

*Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century.Abrams. 2006. 596p. ed. by Alex Steffen. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-8109-3095-7. $37.50.

This hefty compendium offers workable tips for achieving sustainability. Especially valuable is the source list; the web site (www.worldchanging.com) is also useful. (LJ Xpress Reviews, 12/19/06)

*Meadows, Donella & others.Limits to Growth: The 30-Year Update. Chelsea Green. 2004. 338p. illus. index. ISBN 978-1-931498-58-6. pap. $22.50.

First published in 1972 to some controversy, this became an international best seller. The update is every bit as alarming, concluding that the world is in a potentially catastrophic “overshoot” mode. What's needed? A sustainability revolution.

*Nielson, Ron. The Little Green Handbook: Seven Trends Shaping the Future of Our Planet.Picador. 2006. 365p. index. ISBN 978-0-312-42581-4. pap. $15.

Nuclear physicist Nielson is an unlikely environmentalist. His blunt and exhaustively researched guide makes complex ideas and supporting statistics intelligible to a wide variety of readers. For reference and circulating collections.

*Speth, James Gustave. Red Sky at Morning: America and the Crisis of the Global Environment.Yale Univ. 2005. 329p. index. ISBN 978-0-300-10776-0. pap. $16.

A sobering analysis of why international attempts to protect the environment have failed. With a “Resources for Citizens” chapter.

*Worldwatch Institute. Vital Signs 2007–2008: The Trends That Are Shaping Our Future.Norton. 2007. 166p. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-393-33129-5. pap. $18.95.

Along with Worldwatch's State of the World, these annuals are key sources of world environmental, economic, and social data.

*Evans, Robert L. Fueling Our Future: An Introduction to Sustainable Energy.Cambridge Univ. 2007. 180p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-521-68448-4. pap. $24.99.

Evans (director, Clean Energy Research Ctr., Univ. of British Columbia) outlines current energy demands and supply, then explains how our reliance on fossil fuels can be switched to a more sustainable supply mix. For students and general readers.

*Gipe, Paul. Wind Power: Renewable Energy for Home, Farm, and Business.Chelsea Green. 2004. 496p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-931498-14-2. pap. $50.

The bible on wind energy has been updated from the 1993 original. Writes Gipe, “Wind works. It's reliable. It's economical. It makes environmental sense. And it's here now.”

*Pahl, Greg. The Citizen Powered Energy Handbook: Community Solutions to a Global Crisis.Chelsea Green. 2007. 347p. illus. index. ISBN 978-1-933392-12-7. pap. $21.95.

In this readable overview of energy alternatives, environmental journalist Pahl argues that ordinary citizens—ahead of governments and utilities—must take their energy future into their own hands now.

*Schaeffer, John. Real Goods Solar Living Sourcebook: Your Complete Guide to Renewable Energy Technologies and Sustainable Living. 30th anniversary ed. New Society. 2007. 634p. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-916571-06-1. pap. $35.

A catalog of renewable energy (not just solar) products by the president of Real Goods, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year as a pioneer in green products.

*Scheckel, Paul. The Home Energy Diet: How To Save Money by Making Your House Energy-Smart. New Society. (Mother Earth News Wiser Living). 2005. 307p. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-86571-530-1. pap. $19.95.

An energy auditor educates readers on how to make their homes more energy efficient.

Chan, Yenna. Sustainable Environments.Rockport. (Contemporary Design in Detail). 2007. 192p. illus. ISBN 978-1-59253-230-8. $50.

The homes depicted here are not so small, but the book's organization around the themes of “response to place,” “connection to habitat,” “conservation of resources,” and “use of building materials” is a good overview of sustainability as it applies to the built environment.

Design Like You Give a Damn: Architectural Responses to Humanitarian Crises. Metropolis. 2006. 335p. ed. by Architecture for Humanity. illus. ISBN 978-1-933045-25-2. pap. $35.

Examples of socially conscious projects, like fiberglass domes for L.A.'s homeless, remind us that “cutting edge” architectural design is not just found in Architectural Digest.

Green Building Products: The GreenSpec® Guide to Residential Building Materials. 2d ed. New Society. 2006. 338p. ed. by Alex Wilson & Mark Piepkorn. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-86571-570-7. pap. $34.95.

This directory covers all aspects of residential construction from site work and flooring to interior coatings and renewable energy sources. Useful not only for contractors—there is much here for tinkerers. Includes Canadian suppliers.

Salomon, Shay (text) & Nigel Valdez (photogs.). Little House on a Small Planet: Simple Homes, Cozy Retreats, and Energy Efficient Possibilities.Lyons: Globe Pequot. 2006. 265p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-59228-868-7. pap. $19.95.

Housing ranks third, after transportation and agriculture, among the most destructive human enterprises. This book takes “scaling down” to sometimes surprising limits. Includes floor plans.

*Snell, Clarke & Tim Callahan. Building Green: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods.Lark, dist. by Sterling. 2005. 615p. illus. index. ISBN 978-1-57990-532-3. pap. $29.95.

Snell (The Good House Book) and builder/contractor Callahan discuss the theory and philosophy behind green building and then take readers step by step (blunders included) through the design and construction of their own charming house. Nice color photographs. (LJ 3/1/06)

The Earthscan Reader in Sustainable Agriculture. Earthscan. 2005. 405p. ed. by Jules Pretty. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-84407-236-1. pap. $45.

“If we don't get sustainability in agriculture first,” says Land Institute cofounder Wes Jackson,“sustainability will not happen.” Edited by an expert on sustainable agriculture, this is a solid addition to larger collections.

Fossel, Peter V. Organic Farming: Everything You Need To Know. Voyageur. 2007. 159p. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-7603-2469-1. pap. $24.95.

Even for those lacking “acreage,” here is practical advice on soil building, pest and weed control, and flower and vegetable growing. Color photos and folksy style make this title suitable for even the smallest collections.

*Henderson, Elizabeth & Robyn Van En. Sharing the Harvest: A Citizen's Guide to Community Supported Agriculture. rev. ed. Chelsea Green. 2007. 292p. illus. bibliog. ISBN 978-1-933392-10-3. pap. $35.

Community-supported agriculture (CSA) unites consumers interested in safe food with farmers seeking stable markets. Here is easy-to-follow practical advice on getting started, choosing a farm, handling financial concerns, etc. (LJ 6/15/99)

*Weinstein, Jay. The Ethical Gourmet: How To Enjoy Great Food That Is Humanely Raised, Sustainable, Nonendangered and That Replenishes the Earth.Broadway. 2006. 353p. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-7679-1834-3. pap. $18.95.

Food writer Weinstein's guide to socially responsible eating stresses such sustainable practices as buying locally grown, organic produce.

Common, Michael & Sigrid Stagl.Ecological Economics: An Introduction. Cambridge Univ. 2005. 560p. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-521-01670-4. pap. $54.

Herman E. Daley (Univ of Maryland) is credited with founding the field of ecological economics in the 1970s. Along with Daley's own same-titled work, this text is a solid addition for larger collections in this emerging discipline.

*Hitchcock, Darcy & Marsha Willard. The Business Guide to Sustainability: Practical Strategies and Tools for Organizations. Earthscan. 2007. 248p. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-84407-320-7. pap. $49.95.

Managers in small and mid-size companies trying to move their business toward sustainability will find this user-friendly title very helpful.

*McKibben, Bill. Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future.Times Bks: Holt. 2007. 261p. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-8050-7626-4. $25.

If you thought more-more-more was best, McKibben asks you to think again.

Nattrass, Brian & Mary Altomare. Dancing with the Tiger: Learning Sustainability Step by Natural Step.New Society. 2002. 301p. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-86571-455-7. $29.95.

Four case studies profile companies that managed the change to sustainable business practices by using the “Natural Step” framework, a set of understandable, scientifically based principles.

*McDonough, William & Michael Braungart. Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things.North Point: Farrar. 2002. 193p. bibliog. ISBN 978-0-86547-587-8. pap. $27.50.

This “treeless” book, made from synthetic paper, is a manifesto to rethink recycling—that is in “cradle to cradle” cycles in which materials are perpetually circulated in closed loops.

Thorpe, Ann. The Designer's Atlas of Sustainability: Charting the Conceptual Landscape, Through Economy, Ecology, and Culture. Island. 2007. 240p. photogs. index. ISBN 978-1-59726-100-5. pap. $29.95.

Design has been described as the “glue” that binds together sustainable consumption and production. British design instructor Thorpe offers a visual tour of the ecologic, economic, and cultural elements of sustainable design. (LJ 9/1/07)

*Hunter, Linda Mason & Mikki Halpin. Green Clean: The Environmentally Sound Guide to Cleaning Your Home. Melcher Media: DK. 2005. 176p. ISBN 978-1-59591-004-2. pap. $17.95.

DK used Melcher's DuraBooks synthetic paper technology in producing this helpful ecohousekeeping guide, which can be safely stored under the sink with the baking soda and vinegar.

*Merkel, Jim. Radical Simplicity: Small Footprints on a Finite Earth.New Society. 2003. 288p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-86571-473-1. pap. $17.95.

Merkel, who quit his job as a military engineer after the Exxon Valdez disaster, guides readers to personal sustainability through the use of ecological footprinting and cultivating a love for nature.

*Wann, David. Simple Prosperity: Finding Real Wealth in a Sustainable Lifestyle. Griffin: St. Martin's. 2007. 304p. illus. bibliog. ISBN 978-0-312-36141-9. pap. $14.95.

Like Thoreau, Wann (Affluenza) urges us to simplify, simplify, simplify, and focus on not the “quantity” of life but on the things that really matter.

*Blue Vinyl. color. 98 min. Judith Helfand & Daniel B. Gold, Docurama, www.docurama.com. 2002. DVD ISBN 978-0-7670-7595-4. $26.95.

Viewers may not know whether to laugh or be afraid as Helfand delves deeper into her parents' seemingly innocuous decision to upgrade the family home with pretty blue vinyl cladding. Her documentary taps a theme common in sustainability literature: Where does stuff come from? Where does it go? (LJ 2/15/05)

*A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash. color. 85+ min. Basil Gelpke & Ray McCormack,Docurama, www.docurama.com. 2007. DVD ISBN 978-0-7670-9851-9. $26.95.

A “shock doc” that explores the oil industry and its impact on the world economy. Harrowing opening images of abandoned oil fields in Azerbaijan set the tone.

*Adbusters. 1989. bi-m. $38. Adbusters Media Fdn., 1243 W. 7th Ave., Vancouver, BC V6H 1B7, Canada; 800-663-1243; www.adbusters.org. ISSN 0847-9097.

Proud sponsor of “Buy Nothing Day.” Its arch take on consumerism and the fuel that drives it—advertising—makes for refreshing reading. (LJ 10/15/99)

The Librarians' Internet Index (www.lii.org) lists nearly 200 choice sites. Two blogs deserve mention: New York Times reporter Andrew C. Revkin's Dot Earth (dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com) and a “guilty liberal's” No Impact Man (www.noimpactman.typepad.com).

*Big Picture TV

www.bigpicture.tv

This site streams free video clips of leading experts, activists, and thinkers in environmental and social sustainability. An excellent resource for teachers looking to bring speakers into the classroom.

Environmental Performance Measurement Project

www.yale.edu/esi

Can sustainability be counted? This site seeks the answer; while its methodology has raised some doubts, the project's chief virtue is to inject hard data and analytic rigor into the environmental debate.

*Sustainability

sustainability.publicradio.org

American Public Media gathers sustainability stories from its radio programs as well as blogs and other multimedia sources.