Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-Friendly Life

Generation Green is refreshing and informative in a way that can appeal to all ages. As a busy working mother I have not taken the time to be as educated on " being green" as I would have liked. This is a tool that has been a bridge to discussion and action for my family. My 10 year old was actually more educated that we were.The book talks about issues great and small in a way that doesn't seem like preaching. The tips on eating, shopping, traveling, pet care and cleaning are sensible, doable, and things we would never had thought of ourselves. I am donating a copy to my son's school library. (The fact that a mother and teenage son did this socially conscious project together is just heart-warming icing on the cake)

Great book for teen researching subject for school project. It is difficult to find books on this topic which are not too technical or pedantic. Highly recommended. Prompt delivery of the book in excellent condition.

this book is a great intro for a new way of thinking - not just for teens, but the will get the modern references

I needed this book for a science class. I had to do reflections on five different chapters. It was a good book!

Generation Green is a great guide for young people who want in on the kinds of changes that will have to take place quickly if we are to live in a way that is ecologically sustainable in the long term. It is written from the perspective of a mother and son, who have both had the privilege and the dedication to be on the cutting edge of "Green culture."I mention "privilege" because many of the choices they make and advocate for have been and will continue to be, in the short term, more expensive and more difficult than more "mainstream" ways of life. Buying organic, going vegetarian, voting at the grocery store and the furniture store for companies with good policies -- are practices that for some can seem out of reach. But, and here is the important point, even for those who have been able to afford the time and cost of green living have only been able to do so with difficulty and dedication. It is thanks to people like the Silversten's that green practices are beginning to enter the mainstream and it is now not all that much more expensive or difficult to live a more ecologically sound lifestyle. As more and more young people come to recognize the value and importance of living in a way that is consistent with a healthy Earth, it will become even easier and in the long run will be the only thing that will keep food and energy and cost-of-living expenses from skyrocketing.That is why books like Generation Green are important and valuable -- and while I've read many books of its kind addressed at adults this is the first one I've seen that focuses on teens and youth. It is an excellent manifesto and guide, that can be read straight through but also browsed for tidbits of information and advice. It is clear and well-written, easy to follow, and strikes me as quite valuable.There is, probably, far more advice and information here than any young person is likely to incorporate into their life, but that's not a problem. It is not an encyclopedia, and can be easily read all the way through. The real strength of the book is in informing its readers about options and alternatives to "business as usual." Readers should walk away with a familiarity of some of the things they might do -- and some ideas about how they might do that and why they might want to. Only when we care about a problem, or think we might have some impact on a problem can we help to solve it.One thing it doesn't do is go into a lot of detail on the tradeoffs -- for example, it points to some of the benefits of biodiesel, but doesn't indicate that right now the costs can be much higher than gasoline and that there are tradeoffs insofar as land that could go to food crops is being used for fuel and, more importantly, water often needs to be diverted from food production to fuel production. (These aren't insurmountable problems, and I've seen some interesting proposals out there, but they are problems that need to be faced.) There is some reason to be skeptical about some of the practices that are often considered to be "green" -- and some of the practices advocated by this book -- but I think the most important thing is that in America and around the world we do need to shift our mindset from one that focuses on maximizing profits through efficiency to finding ways to live by focusing on sufficiency and sustainability. Always such changes start in the home at the level of individual practices that develop into core values. This book would be an excellent one to give to young people with the potential of being leaders of the future who help to effect such changes in core values. Highly recommended.

Let me start by saying I'm glad this book was written. We need more "green" books out there, especially ones geared towards young people. And this book has a pretty decent spread of information. Most of this information was already known to me, but I did get a few new ideas/new information from it.That being said, I don't see how this book is geared towards young people. The design & layout is for boomer-aged people, and the language is about a 6th-8th grade reading level, which is the same as your average book. And, a few of the passages were slightly patronizing.It definitely needed more visual aids, more pictures (whether your reader is young or old, the text in this book needs to be broken up).Having laid out that criticism, I still think it's a pretty good book. I would say, if you're looking for a primer on living green, regardless of age, this may be a good place to start. It's and easy/quick read, and the layout accommodates those of us who like to jump around/skim at your own pace (unless you're one of these types who needs to read a book straight through, cover-to-cover). Most importantly, this seemed like very accurate information, and written in a true "green" spirit.However, if you're already an eco-radical, if you're looking for the next stage of activism, if you're ready to move towards being off the grid, or if you're looking for something for teens, this may not be the best place to start.If you're a young person looking for a "big picture" portrayal of the problem, try  How The Rich Are Destroying the Earth . If you're interested in seeing a grass-roots example of an eco-organization, check out Books for the Planet. They are a little-known group, but making a huge impact on the earth, and on the lives of thousands of African children. Finally, if you're looking for a practical sustainability resource guide, with actual product recommendations and info on where/how to buy, try Jim Schaffer's legendary  Solar Living Source Book: Complete Guide to Renewable Energy Technologies and Sustainable Living .Overall, a 3.5/4.0 stars.