MetaEfficient Reviews » Book Reviews

Free Book: Sustainable Energy — Without The Hot Air

Justin — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:42:31 +0000

I’m very glad to see the publication of a book called Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air. Don’t be fooled by the cover — this is book is a lively look at sustainable energy.

I liked the way reviewer Cory Doctorow describes the book on Boing Boing: “This is to energy and climate what Freakonomics is to economics: an accessible, meaty, by-the-numbers look at the physics and practicalities of energy. MacKay, a Cambridge Physics prof, approaches the subject of carbon and sustainability with a scientific, numeric eye.” (more…)

Notes From The MetaEfficient Labs

Justin — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:18 +0000

I’ve been doing a lot of work in the MetaEfficient lab. I thought I would post an update on my experiments and research:

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How to Live Well Without Owning A Car

Justin — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:12:11 +0000

In his book, How To Live Well Without Owning A Car author Chris Balish exposes the true costs of car ownership, and shows how car-free living can put anyone on the path to financial freedom. Take a look at the book’s car cost worksheet, and see how much owning a car really costs — you’ll be surprised. Then, see how easy it is to transition to a car-free or car-lite lifestyle using Chris’s strategies for commuting, running errands, taking trips, dating, socializing, and more. Without car payments, rising gas prices, and traffic jams to worry about, you’ll have more money and leisure time to spend as you choose.

See also our review of the Carfree Cities book.

Available from Amazon.

Human Wildlife

Justin — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 01:02:55 +0000

This book, Human Wildlife, is an interesting survey of the fungi, yeasts, bacteria, worms and other creatures that inhabit the human body. Though sometimes hard to read, it’s certainly illuminating to know about the symbiotic relationships that the human body entertains, and well as the more parasitic ones.

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25 Houses Under 3000 Square Feet

Justin — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 02:26:15 +0000

As the Small House Society points out, compact homes are efficient in many ways: they require less power, they require less maintenance, they require less materials to build, and they have smaller environmental footprint. Another advantage is that you can invest in land, rather than spend money building a huge home.

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Off The Grid Homes

Justin — Wed, 30 May 2007 20:27:24 +0000

In Off the Grid Homes, architect Lori Ryker, examines a number of modern homes that are “off grid” — meaning they are self-sustaining in regards to electrical power and water use. Looking at each home, she highlights the techniques that were used to generate power and conserve it.

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Solar Water Heating: Book Review

Justin — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 23:56:58 +0000

Solar Water Heating is the first book I’ve seen that focuses solely on solar water heating. It’s a technique that’s been practiced since ancient times, but until now there’s been strangely few resources on the topic for a North American audience. The author, Bob Ramlow, examines state-of-the-art solar heating systems. He covers not only solar water heaters, but also solar water and space house heating systems and solar pool heating systems, including their advantages and disadvantages. Since people often get turned off by the up-front cost, the book focuses especially on the financial aspects of solar water or space heating systems, and shows that such systems can save significant costs in the long run.

It’s available from Amazon for $16.47.

Good Green Kitchens

Justin — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 17:11:11 +0000

This new book by Jennifer Roberts is a detailed and well-photographed guide to remodeling your kitchen using green techniques. Roberts examines green kitchen building materials in depth, and brief surveys water and energy efficiency in the kitchen. The book has over 150 color photographs, and includes case studies of some great looking green kitchens. The strength of this book is attention the author pays to weighing up the materials that go into a kitchen renovation. Each countertop material, for example, gets a full page discussion on it’s composition, manufacture and durability. I haven’t come across a more through examination of materials, with especially with an eye to their green attributes.

Available from Amazon for $19.77

Carfree Cities: Where Are They?

Justin — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 21:36:41 +0000

Interested in knowing where you can find places free of cars? There’s an extensive list of carfree places around the world, available now on the Wikipedia. There’s also a book about Carfree Citites available. Here’s our review:

Imagine life in a city free from the noise, stench, and danger of cars, trucks, and buses. Imagine that all basic needs, from groceries to child care, lie within a five-minute walk of every doorstep. Imagine that no commute takes more than 35 minutes from door to door, and that service is provided by a fast, cheap, safe, comfortable public transport system. This is the future that J.H. Crawford envisions in Carfree Cities.

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Efficient: Eating Weeds

Justin — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 23:20:34 +0000

Weed ‘Em and Reap is a light-hearted but informative introduction to the free bounty of wild foods in lawns and woods, prairies and pastures. Even if you have no intentions of brewing up a crock of dandelion wine or tossing a salad of sour dock and purslane, you will enjoy reading Roger Welsch’s adventures in the world of weeds. We’re betting it won’t be long before you will be watching roadsides and byways for your own secret trove of morel mushrooms, wild asparagus, or elderberries.

Available from Amazon for about $10.