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A Country Year – Sue Hubbell

by Myrna Posted on April 11, 2018

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A Country Year

Living the Questions

Sue Hubbell

Genre: Nature

Price: $11.99

Publish Date: January 24, 2017

Publisher: Open Road Media

Seller: OpenRoad Integrated Media, LLC


A “delightful, witty” memoir about starting over as a beekeeper in the Ozarks ( Library Journal ).   Alone on a small Missouri farm after a thirty-year marriage, Sue Hubbell found a new love—of the winged, buzzing variety. Left with little but the commercial beekeeping and honey-producing business she started with her husband, Hubbell found solace in the natural world. Then she began to write, challenging herself to tell the absolute truth about her life and the things she cared about.   Describing the ups and downs of beekeeping from one springtime to the next, A Country Year transports readers to a different, simpler place. In a series of exquisite vignettes, Hubbell reveals the joys of a life attuned to nature in this heartfelt memoir about life on the land, and of a woman finding her way in middle age.   “Once in a while there comes along a book so calm, so honest, so beautiful that even the most jaded or cynical readers have to say thank you. . . . This is such a book” ( The San Diego Union-Tribune ). “Steadily eloquent, not just of her life but of all life.” — The Washington Post   “Oh, my, can this lady write.” — Sports Illustrated   “A calm, clear-eyed record of a country year and its beauties.” — Los Angeles Times   “Sue Hubbell’s writing is like butter, for it tantalizes, enriches and satisfies.” — The Atlanta-Journal Constitution   “[Hubbell’s] delightful, witty book will appeal to all those who are intrigued by the natural world.” — Library Journal   “This is a book one wants to quote from beginning to end. . . . Stirring—and more richly alive than any PBS nature film.” — Kirkus Reviews Sue Hubbell is the author of eight books, including A Country Year and New York Times Notable Book A Book of Bees . She has written for the New Yorker , the St. Louis Post-Dispatch , Smithsonian , and Time , and was a frequent contributor to the “Hers” column of the New York Times . Hubbell lives in Maine and Washington, DC.

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A Country Year – Sue Hubbell

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Human Universe – Professor Brian Cox & Andrew Cohen

by Myrna Posted on April 11, 2018

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Human Universe

Professor Brian Cox & Andrew Cohen

Genre: Science & Nature

Price: $2.99

Publish Date: May 7, 2015

Publisher: William Collins

Seller: HarperCollins


Top ten Sunday Times Bestseller ‘Engaging, ambitious and creative’ Guardian Where are we? Are we alone? Who are we? Why are we here? What is our future? Human Universe tackles some of the greatest questions that humans have asked to try and understand the very nature of ourselves and the Universe in which we live. Through the endless leaps of human minds, it explores the extraordinary depth of our knowledge today and where our curiosity may lead us in the future. With groundbreaking insight it reveals how time, physics and chemistry came together to create a creature that can wonder at its own existence, blessed with an unquenchable thirst to discover not just where it came from, but how it can think, where it is going and if it is alone. Accompanies the acclaimed BBC TV series. Reviews Praise for Professor Brian Cox: ‘Cox’s romantic, lyrical approach to astrophysics all adds up to an experience that feels less like homework and more like having a story told to you. A really good story, too.’ Guardian ‘He bridges the gap between our childish sense of wonder and a rather more professional grasp of the scale of things.’ Independent ‘If you didn’t utter a wow watching the TV, you will while reading the book.’ The Times ‘In this book of the acclaimed BBC2 TV series, Professor Cox shows us the cosmos as we have never seen it before – a place full of the most bizarre and powerful natural phenomena.’ Sunday Express ‘Will entertain and delight … what a priceless gift that would be.’ Independent on Sunday About the author Professor Brian Cox, OBE is a particle physicist, a Royal Society research fellow, and a professor at the University of Manchester as well as researcher on one of the most ambitious experiments on Earth, the ATLAS experiment on the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland. He is best known to the public as a science broadcaster and presenter of the popular BBC Wonders trilogy. Andrew Cohen is Head of the BBC Science Unit and the Executive Producer of the BBC series Human Universe. He has been responsible for a wide range of science documentaries including Horizon, the Wonders trilogy and Stargazing Live. He is an honorary lecturer in Life Sciences at the University of Manchester and lives in London with his wife and three children.

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Human Universe – Professor Brian Cox & Andrew Cohen

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The Universe and the Teacup – K. C. Cole

by Myrna Posted on April 6, 2018

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The Universe and the Teacup

The Mathematics of Truth and Beauty

K. C. Cole

Genre: Mathematics

Price: $2.99

Publish Date: January 15, 1998

Publisher: Mariner Books

Seller: OpenRoad Integrated Media, LLC


From the acclaimed Los Angeles Times  science writer, a wise, witty, and elegant study of how math provides practical solutions to everyday problems.   Are the secrets of the universe written in words—or is it all about the digits? K.C. Cole follows up her paean to the power of physics, Sympathetic Vibrations , with this engaging and accessible guide to the might and majesty of mathematics. The Universe and the Teacup uses relatable examples, humorous prose, and whimsical line drawings to demonstrate math’s ability to “translate the complexity of the world into manageable patterns.”   Cole shows how mathematical concepts illuminate everything from human risk-taking behavior to astronomical investigation, game theory to logic problems—not to mention the very structure of the universe itself. Brimming with trivia stressing the importance of math throughout history, this is a book both math nerds and the “innumerate” everyday person can enjoy in equal measure.   “Cole writes clearly, simply and vividly,” noted The New York Times . “She so obviously likes mathematics, the reader can't help liking it too.” Filled with “a thousand fascinating facts and shrewd observations (Martin Gardner, Los Angeles Times ), this book demonstrates how the truth and beauty of everything, from relativity to rainbows, is all in the numbers.  A popular science columnist for the Los Angeles Times and teacher at UCLA, K. C. Cole is a recipient of the 1995 American Institute of Physics Award for Best Science Writing.  She is also the author of the internationally bestselling The Universe and the Teacup , First You Build a Cloud , and The Hole in the Universe . Cole lives in Santa Monica, California. “Even the most confirmed mathophobe should find it an easy read, and possibly even a fascinating one. . . . Science journalism can be a frustrating craft. . . . K. C. Cole of the Los Angeles Times is one of the best.” — The Boston Globe   “A most unusual book, one with no math in it at all . . . Cole’s beguiling and lucid book provides fresh insights into the crucial role that mathematics plays in science. . . . With lighthearted wit, she makes clear how numbers alone can explain so much but never all.” — San Francisco Chronicle   “Cole helps to teach us that math is more than just a tool to balance our checkbooks. It’s the key to understanding the beauty of a rainbow and to discovering our true place in the universe.” — Astronomy

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The Universe and the Teacup – K. C. Cole

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Shell predicted it would get sued over climate change back in ’98.

by ZackBaldessin Posted on April 5, 2018

Now, those lawsuits are here, and that prediction could bite the multinational oil company in the ass.

A treasure trove of documents released Thursday provide new evidence that Shell, like Exxon, has been gaslighting the public for decades. The documents, dating as far back as 1988, foretold “violent and damaging storms,” and said that “it would be tempting for society to wait until then before doing anything.”

At that point, the documents predicted, “a coalition of environmental NGOs brings a class-action suit against the U.S. government and fossil-fuel companies on the grounds of neglecting what scientists (including their own) have been saying for years: that something must be done.” Sound familiar?

When the scientific community began warning that the world could go down in fossil-fueled flames, Shell tried to convince them to take a chill pill, derailing global efforts to curb climate change.

And it gets shadier: This whole time, Shell has known exactly how culpable it is for a warming planet. By the mid ’80s, it had calculated that it was responsible for 4 percent of global carbon emissions.

That means San Francisco, Oakland, and New York now have more ammo for their lawsuits against Shell. The biggest hurdle to their cases wasn’t proving that climate change is a thing — even Big Oil’s lawyers can’t argue that anymore — but that fossil fuel companies can be held legally liable for the damages caused by climate change.

Shell just made that a lot easier.

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Shell predicted it would get sued over climate change back in ’98.

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Should You Buy Organic Wine?

by MeredithSauls Posted on April 5, 2018

While organic produce may be increasing in popularity, it is surprising how many organic devotees give little thought to their wine. Wine is made from grapes, a highly pesticide-sprayed crop, which would lead many to believe that purchasing organic wine would be a top priority for health-conscious wine drinkers.

But are wines often affected by pesticide and herbicide use? What are sulfites, and should you worry about their presence in your wine? And finally, is it really worth it to go organic when it comes to your vino?

Organic vs. Biodynamic

While grapes are indeed a highly sprayed crop, a USDA organic label may be slightly less meaningful in winemaking than it is in other areas of agriculture. To be certified organic in the United States, winemakers must not only avoid using pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals on their grapes, they must also steer clear of sulfites, which many winemakers prefer not to do ? wine lovers tend not to like the taste of sulfite-free wine. As a result, many of the highest-quality, top-rated wines out there do not apply for an organic label.

So how can you avoid pesticides and herbicides in your wine while and ensure you’re getting a high-quality vino without sacrificing flavor? Many wine lovers look instead for the word “biodynamic” in wines. Though not regulated by the USDA, this term is used by fine wine makers to refer to a synergistic growing process that encompasses natural, eco-friendly practices and the avoidance lack of chemicals and additives.

Sulfites in Wine

Okay, so you’re on the hunt for a naturally grown biodynamic vino that is?crafted in a rich environment and lovingly crafted by expert winemakers. Should you worry about sulfites?

The truth is, sulfites ? essentially, sulfur that is naturally occurring in wine and also added to wine as a preservative to keep its flavor stable ? aren’t a big deal for people who are not sensitive to them. According to Wine Folly, 5 to 10 percent of people have asthma sensitivities to sulfites, which can cause major health issues if sulfites are consumed in excess. For these people, sulfite-free wines are probably a must. But for everyone else, they’re probably not a huge deal. And furthermore, if you are concerned about reducing your sulfite exposure but feel that a high-quality, artisan wine is a treat you enjoy, you may be better served by giving up french fries or dried fruit, both of which contain much larger amounts of sulfites than wines.

Image via Wine Folly.

Where to Find High-Quality Wines

In case you haven’t already gathered, finding a high-quality, non-toxic wine can be difficult, because wine growers don’t tend to want to sacrifice the quality of their wine (which does happen when sulfites are removed) for an organic label. Here are some tips for finding safe, high-quality wines you can trust:

Ask the attendant at a small, locally owned wine store to point you in the direction of wines that are not sold and distributed by large, behemoth companies. Smaller distributors tend to carry wines that are made by true wine artisans and small vineyards.
Purchase your wine at a local vineyard to enjoy the specific terroir of your home region. Be sure to ask the vintner about their pesticide and herbicide use practices.
Look for wines labeled “biodynamic.”
Consider a subscription service such as Dry Farm Wines.
If you are vegan, be sure to look for wines that are labeled as “vegan,” as even USDA organic wines are allowed to filter their wines through animal-derived “fining agents,” according to Dr. Weil.

Related Articles:

Is Your Honey Loaded With Pesticides?
Are Pesticides Making You Sick and Fat?
How to Tell If Your Wine Habit is Healthy

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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Should You Buy Organic Wine?

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An Eco-Do: Getting Your ’Do Done at a Green Salon

by Ilaria3pl Posted on April 4, 2018

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Treating yourself to a cut and color feels luxurious and, sometimes, essential. The confidence boost that comes with a new ’do is priceless, and the blissful head-massage-meets-shampoo-services is icing on the cake.

Salons are bursting with styling tools, hair clippings, dyes and various other beauty products that need recycling, reuse or proper disposal. Considering our personal eco-friendly behavior is one thing, but larger-scale businesses like salons deal with a green dilemma, too. Efficient recycling, waste management and green actions are a common concern in the industry.

The salon industry in North America generates more than 400,000 pounds of waste every day.

How long will your hair dryer live if you use it, say, every other day? In salons, electronics like these are used much more frequently. The amount of electronics, shampoos and other environmental pollutants salons churn through is staggering.

Until recently, most salons were unsure of what to do with their excess.

Salons Go Sustainable

Green Circle Salons was born in 2009. The innovative company is focused on creating sustainable salons in North America, primarily through a green certification for salons that meet their recycling and waste-reduction standards.

Their efforts have diverted nearly 3 million pounds of waste from landfills so far, and they’re still going strong. Green Circle Salons are committed to recycling and reusing electronics, paper and plastic products, color by-product, aerosol cans, foils, and hair clippings. Green Circle collects these items from certified salons on a weekly basis, recycling and disposing of materials appropriately.

The company also encourages salons to cut down on water use, reduce energy with LED lights, and invest in organic tea and coffee for clients. Certified salons often implement water-saving faucets and eco-friendly cleaning products, too.

Instead of rinsing hazardous chemicals down the drain, they are sent to chemical waste plants. Foil, plastic and paper products are dutifully recycled, and collected hair clippings are used to make ultra-absorbent brooms to clean up oil spills.

In green salons, those hair clippings go to good use. Photo: Adobe Stock

Where Can I Find a Certified Salon?

Though the company is based in Canada, Green Circle Salons has certified thousands of green salons across North America.

Green Circle certified salons are a win-win — both stylists and clients can feel comfortable knowing they are supporting a sustainable business.

Any salon in North America can join the movement. It’s as simple as giving them a quick call or filling out their short online form. Once you’ve undergone a staff orientation, Green Circle Salons will send you everything you need to take eco-friendly initiatives at your salons. Recycling bins, bin labels and promotional materials will arrive on your doorstep in no time.

Becoming Green Circle certified does wonders for salons. Green-minded clients (like Earth911 readers) come running when it’s time for their next service.

The company has an online directory of certified salons, so you can easily find a green stylist in your area.

Convert Your Favorite Salon

If you notice your community is lacking in green salons, you don’t have to give up haircuts and let your locks grow to your knees.

Green Circle Salons trains teams of ambassadors to help get the word out about their green certification. With the public’s growing interest in sustainability, a business lacking an environmental impact plan is hopeless. It’s important for behind-the-times salons to learn about the benefits of becoming Green Circle certified.

Becoming an ambassador is simple. Anyone is eligible to sign up for the program on the website, go through a training session, and begin backing the company’s mission. They’ll arm you with the tools needed to motivate your favorite salons to go green, build revenue and gain eco-minded clients.

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An Eco-Do: Getting Your ’Do Done at a Green Salon

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An Eco-Do: Getting Your ’Do Done at a Green Salon

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This Idea Is Brilliant – John Brockman

by Myrna Posted on April 4, 2018

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This Idea Is Brilliant

Lost, Overlooked, and Underappreciated Scientific Concepts Everyone Should Know

John Brockman

Genre: Essays

Price: $1.99

Publish Date: January 16, 2018

Publisher: Harper Perennial

Seller: HarperCollins


Brilliant but overlooked ideas you must know, as revealed by today’s most innovative minds  What scientific term or concept ought to be more widely known? That is the question John Brockman, publisher of the acclaimed science salon Edge.org (“The world’s smartest website”—The Guardian), presented to 205 of the world’s most influential thinkers from across the intellectual spectrum—award-winning physicists, economists, psychologists, philosophers, novelists, artists, and more. From the origins of the universe to the order of everyday life, This Idea Is Brilliant takes readers on a tour of the bold, exciting, and underappreciated scientific concepts that will enrich every mind.  Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Guns, Germs, and Steel JARED DIAMOND on the lost brilliance of common sense * Oxford evolutionary biologist RICHARD DAWKINS on how The Genetic Book of the Dead could reconstruct ecological history * philosopher REBECCA NEWBERGER GOLDSTEIN on how to extend our grasp of reality beyond what we can see and touch * author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics CARLO ROVELLI on the interconnected fabric of information * Booker Prize–winning novelist IAN McEWAN on the Navier-Stokes equations, which govern everything from weather prediction to aircraft design and blood flow * cosmologist LAWRENCE M. KRAUSS on the hidden blessings of uncertainty * psychologist STEVEN PINKER on the fight against entropy * Nobel Prize–winning economist RICHARD THALER on the visionary power of the “premortem” * Grammy Award–winning musician BRIAN ENO on confirmation bias in the Internet age * advertising guru RORY SUTHERLAND on the world-changing power of sex appeal * Harvard physicist LISA RANDALL on the power of the obvious * Wired founding editor KEVIN KELLY on how to optimize your chances at success * Nobel Prize winner FRANK WILCZEK on the creative potential of complementarity * Pulitzer Prize–winning New York Times reporter JOHN MARKOFF on the synthetic metamaterials that soon will transform industry and technology * euroscientist SAM HARRIS on the lost art of intellectual honesty *Berkeley psychologist ALISON GOPNIK on the role of life history in the human story, and many others.

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This Idea Is Brilliant – John Brockman

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How It Began: A Time-Traveler’s Guide to the Universe – Chris Impey

by Myrna Posted on April 2, 2018

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How It Began: A Time-Traveler’s Guide to the Universe

Chris Impey

Genre: Astronomy

Price: $1.99

Publish Date: March 26, 2012

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

Seller: W. W. Norton


“Impey combines the vision of a practicing scientist with the voice of a gifted storyteller.”—Dava Sobel In this vibrant, eye-opening tour of milestones in the history of our universe, Chris Impey guides us through space and time, leading us from the familiar sights of the night sky to the dazzlingly strange aftermath of the Big Bang. What if we could look into space and see not only our place in the universe but also how we came to be here? As it happens, we can. Because it takes time for light to travel, we see more and more distant regions of the universe as they were in the successively greater past. Impey uses this concept—"look-back time"—to take us on an intergalactic tour that is simultaneously out in space and back in time. Performing a type of cosmic archaeology, Impey brilliantly describes the astronomical clues that scientists have used to solve fascinating mysteries about the origins and development of our universe. The milestones on this journey range from the nearby to the remote: we travel from the Moon, Jupiter, and the black hole at the heart of our galaxy all the way to the first star, the first ray of light, and even the strange, roiling conditions of the infant universe, an intense and volatile environment in which matter was created from pure energy. Impey gives us breathtaking visual descriptions and also explains what each landmark can reveal about the universe and its history. His lucid, wonderfully engaging scientific discussions bring us to the brink of modern cosmology and physics, illuminating such mind-bending concepts as invisible dimensions, timelessness, and multiple universes. A dynamic and unforgettable portrait of the cosmos, How It Began will reward its readers with a deeper understanding of the universe we inhabit as well as a renewed sense of wonder at its beauty and mystery.

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How It Began: A Time-Traveler’s Guide to the Universe – Chris Impey

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Natural Stain Removers (and Why You Should Use Them)

by JaninaIhzxdcqf Posted on March 30, 2018

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Natural Stain Removers (and Why You Should Use Them)

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The EPA is making ‘transparency’ look a helluva lot like censorship.

by Brook30Mlem Posted on March 27, 2018

An investigation by the Associated Press and the Houston Chronicle uncovered more than 100 releases of industrial toxins in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

The storm compromised chemical plants, refineries, and pipelines along Houston’s petrochemical corridor, bringing contaminated water, dirt, and air to surrounding neighborhoods. Carcinogens like benzene, vinyl chloride, and butadiene were released. In all but two cases, regulators did not inform the public of the spills or the risks they faced from exposure.

The report also found that the EPA failed to investigate Harvey’s environmental damage as thoroughly as other disasters. The EPA and state officials took 1,800 soil samples after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. After Hurricane Ike slammed into Texas in 2008, state regulators studied 85 soil samples and issued more than a dozen violations and orders to clean up.

But post-Harvey, soil and water sampling has been limited to 17 Superfund sites and some undisclosed industrial sites. Experts say this is a problem because floodwaters could have picked up toxins in one place and deposited them miles away.

“That soil ended up somewhere,” Hanadi Rifai, director of the University of Houston’s environmental engineering program, told the AP. “The net result on Galveston Bay is going to be nothing short of catastrophic.”

Seven months after Harvey, the EPA says it’s investigating 89 incidents. But it has yet to issue any enforcement actions.

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The EPA is making ‘transparency’ look a helluva lot like censorship.

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