Climate Change Begins at Home: Life on the Two-Way Street of Global Warming eBook: Dave Reay: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

Review

'Dave Reay has done a good job of answering the question: What can I do?. You will learn everything you need to know about cutting your contribution to emissions of greenhouse gases, and some good ideas for turning climate saving into a communal activity.' - Times Higher Educational Supplement

'...[an] excellent primer on how to cut your contribution to climate change. The average person in the rich world, he says, can cut their greenhouse gas emissions during their lifetime by a thousand tonnes. With politicians unwilling to act to save the planet, it seems that direct action is the only way.' - Fred Pearce, NewScientist's Environment Consultant writing in BBC Focus Magazine

'... advocates myriad ways in which we could all reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 60 percent.' - Josie Glausiusz, Discover

'This is one of the most easily readable popular science books I've seen in several years, it's practical rather than ridiculous, it puts the case without being preachy - it really is a wonderfully effective description of the realities of climate change, how it will effect us and our families, and what we as individuals can do about it. So go out and buy one. In fact, buy two and send one to the world leader or large company CEO of your choice.' - www.popularscience.co.uk

'Dave Reay has succeeded where so many scientists, academics and environmentalists have failed...in bringing climate change down to the level of the ordinary family. If you're not convinced about climate change, this book will change your mind. It may even change your life.' - Mark Lynas, Author of High Tide: News from a Warming World

'How can David Reay be this wise, and still so funny? If you want to get to grips with your own CO2 emissions - from air- freighted grapes to the family runaround - this Edinburgh boffin has written a brilliant, incredibly motivating book. Read it and see.' - Nicola Baird, Friends of the Earth

'Someday your grandchildren will ask why our generation lived as if fossil fuels were problem-free. Dave Reay's book might help you answer their question.' - Northern Sky News

'Brilliant work - I am a fan.' - Penney Poyzer of BBC2's No Waste Like Home

'It is not often that one comes upon a book on the environment that manages to be passionate, extremely well informed, and also very funny. Climate Change Begins at Home should be enough to convince anybody that they should do something about climate change and that they can do something about it, while still enjoying a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle.' - Robin Harper, MSP Greens, The Herald

'I think it's the most important book I've ever read.' - Nick Crane, presenter BBC Coast

'Dave Reay's book Climate Change Begins At Home was a huge inspiration to us when making our films' - Nicolas Brown, director BBC1/Discovery Channel Climate Chaos with David Attenborough

'A sparky journey through the connections between global climate and everyday decisions - and how to change them.' - Joe Smith, Open University

Nicola Baird, Friends of the Earth

'How can Reay be this wise, and still so funny? He has written a brilliant book. Read it and see.'

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

More than an emissions reduction manual 20 Oct 2005

By Barbara Browning

Format:Hardcover

This book is easy to read, the metaphores are simple and powerful and the jokes are funny if a little ironic. It's more than an emissions reduction manual because Dave Reay gets inside your head through his fictitious family the Carbones. Ma and Pa Carbone start to feel good about themselves as they discover that cutting their emissions brings other benefits, Ma Carbone is proud of her organic vegetable patch and Pa saves money at work by a little thoughtful energy saving.
It's quite a useful book if you're already trying to reduce emissions, it explains where some emissions are hidden and ways to avoid these and points out easy ways to make reductions that seem obvious after you've read them.
It's very powerful in it's argument that we should be reducing our emissions as much and as soon as posible. This from the author's own feeling which he has poured into his writing and from his consideration of the future life of Lucy Carbone and others.

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

Climate Change Begins at Home 19 Oct 2005

This is a good book. Dave Reay uses his ironic wit to make the point that our future and our children's future really is in our own hands.
As his fictional family the 'Carbone's' become more informed about the causes and potential effects of climate change they also find ways to reduce their own climate impacts. This turns out to be surprisingly easy.
Offsetting as a techinique for reducing personal emissions is viewed a little negatively. It does, however, offer the potential to 'cancel out' unavoidable emissions and also raises awareness of the issue.
Overall this is a well written book, amusing to read and packed full of facts and information. Buy it, read it and choose a future.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

A Book For All Seasons 1 Nov 2005

By A Customer

In spite of its dire warning, this is actually a sane, factual and practical book, one that puts global warming right back where it can make a difference: with each one of us. In a series of highly readable, highly convincing (because the evidence is right there in front of us, and all of it thoroughly footnoted, if we want to check) and highly engaging chapters, Reay shows how every action by every individual has global warming consequences, and moreover can be changed, replaced by something less harmful and with fewer awful consequences for our children's generation. It's a positive book - not that it doesn't make you wince, and even swear from time to time, especially at the persistent stupidity and self-interested shortsightedness of governments and politicians. With being positive comes the right to laugh. We, after all, can do something: we needn't be total victims to this multinational conglomerate or that administration in hock to vested financial interests. We can learn the real implications of our choices and find the alternatives, with the help of this extraordinary book. (What's more, as Dave Reay shows over and over again, we can actually save money by doing so!)
Our generation is suffering the consequences of years of our own slaphappy use of energy. What this book shows us is that we can avoid our children, and their children, having to endure far worse consequences of our actions. That's a very positive thought to come away with, and to act on.