Books published by New Society Publishers

Nature-Based Therapy is a practical guide for those working in educational and therapeutic settings. It addresses the disconnection between humans and their ecological home, and offers successful theories and practices undertaken with children, youth, and families.

The second edition of bestselling Keeping Bees with a Smile shows beginner and practicing beekeepers how to attract local bee swarms, keep bees healthy and productive, build simple bee-friendly hives, and harvest honey without stressing bees. Chock-full of techniques for natural beekeeping.

"e;Offering clear and comprehensive instructions for low-tech growing for a range of budgets, interests, and scales, this book offers practical inspiration and a sense that "e;hey, I can do this!"e; -- DANIELLE STEVENSON, owner, DIY FungiDIY Mushroom Cultivation is full of proven, reliable, low-cost techniques for home-scale cultivation that eliminate the need for a clean-air lab space to grow various mushrooms and their mycelium.Beautiful full-color photos and step-by-step instructions accompany a foundation of mushroom biology and ecology to support a holistic understanding of the practice. Growing techniques are applicable year-round, for any space from house to apartment, and for any climate, budget, or goal. Techniques include:Setting up a home growing spaceInexpensive, simple DIY equipmentCulture creation from mushroom tissue or sporesGrowing and using liquid cultures and grain spawnGrowing mushrooms on waste streams Indoor fruitingOutdoor mushroom gardens and logsHarvesting, processing, tinctures, and cooking.Whether you hunt mushrooms or dream about growing and working with them but feel constrained by a small living space, DIY Mushroom Cultivation is the ideal guide for getting started in the fascinating and delicious world of fungiculture.

Everything you need to know to build with rammed earth in warm and cold climates. Rammed earth - sand, gravel, and clay or lime/cement binder packed into forms - is a low-energy, high-performance building method, yielding beautiful, sustainable results. It's thermally stable and can be insulated, can actively modulate humidity, provides a healthy indoor environment, and allows site materials to be used for major structural and building envelope elements. Essential Rammed Earth Construction covers design, building science, tools, and step-by-step building methods for any climate, with a special emphasis on building in cold climates of the northern US, Canada, and northern Europe. Coverage includes: Overview of earthen building Appropriate use of rammed earth walls Stabilized versus raw rammed earth Design considerations, including structural, insulation, and building envelope details Special considerations for cold and freeze-thaw climates Construction drawings, with step-by-step building instructions Tools and labor covering industrial methods, low-tech techniques, formwork options, mix design, budgets, and schedules Codes, inspections, and permits. This guide is an essential resource for experienced builders, DIY home owners, designers, engineers, and architects interested in learning about rammed earth construction.

Power - why giving it up might just save humanity and the planet This is the story of power - humanity's power over nature and the power of some people over others. How has Homo sapiens - one species among millions - become powerful enough to threaten a mass extinction and disrupt the Earth's climate? Why have we developed so many ways of oppressing one another? Can we change our relationship with power to avert ecological catastrophe, reduce social inequality, and stave off collapse? These questions - and their answers - will determine our fate. Weaving together findings from a wide range of disciplines, Power traces how four key elements developed to give humans extraordinary power: tool making ability, language, social complexity, and the ability to harness energy sources - most significantly, fossil fuels. It asks whether we have, at this point, overpowered natural and social systems, and if we have, what we can do about it. Most crucially, the book explores how self-limitation of power is rooted in evolution and human history, though our memory of it has been buried under a century of fossil-fuel driven economic growth. Now, at this vital moment, we must rapidly relearn the lessons of power if humanity is to have a thriving future. Essential reading for everyone who calls planet Earth home.

The Aquaponic Farmer is a complete practical guide to understanding, constructing, and operating a family-farm scale commercial cold-water aquaponic system for raising trout and vegetables. It details a commercial Deep Water Culture system, with step-by-step design, construction, and management principles, based on actual production numbers.

Light straw clay is a code compliant high-performance, low-impact building material with insulation and moisture handling qualities. This illustrated guide to light straw clay for stud, timber, pole and other framing styles covers material specifications, best use, mixing, installation, retrofits, code compliance, finishing and maintenance.

Maximize your water harvesting potential with efficient, cost-effective earthworks

The cohousing "e;bible"e; by the US originators of the concept. A man's home is his castle. But demographic and economic changes haveturned our castles into islands. How can we regain the elements of the traditional village - family, cooperation, community and a sense of belonging - within the context of 21st century life? Creating Cohousing: Building Sustainable Communities is an in-depth exploration of a uniquely rewarding type of housing which is perfect for anyone who values their independence but longs for more connection with those around them. Written by the award-winning team that wrote the original "e;cohousing bible"e; and first brought cohousing to North America, this fully-illustrated manual combines nuts-and-bolts practical considerations and design ideas with extensive case studies of dozens of diverse communities in Europe and North America. Cohousing communities create unique opportunities for designing more sustainable lifestyles. Whether urban, suburban or rural; senior or intergenerational; retrofit or new, the authors show how the physical structures of cohousing communities lend themselves to a more efficient use of resources, and make everything from gardening to childcare to socializing easier. Creating Cohousing puts the "e;neighbor"e; back into "e;neighborhood"e;; and is an essential resource for anyone interested in more environmentally and socially sustainable living.

Discover forgotten low-input food gardening methods for surviving uncertain times ahead. The decline of cheap oil is inspiring increasing numbers of North Americans to achieve some measure of backyard food self-sufficiency. In hard times, the family can be greatly helped by growing a highly productive food garden, requiring little cash outlay or watering. Currently popular intensive vegetable gardening methods are largely inappropriate to this new circumstance. Crowded raised beds require high inputs of water, fertility and organic matter, and demand large amounts of human time and effort. But, except for labor, these inputs depend on the price of oil. Prior to the 1970s, North American home food growing used more land with less labor, with wider plant spacing, with less or no irrigation, and all done with sharp hand tools. But these sustainable systems have been largely forgotten. Gardening When It Counts helps readers rediscover traditional low-input gardening methods to produce healthy food. Designed for readers with no experience and applicable to most areas in the English-speaking world except the tropics and hot deserts, this book shows that any family with access to 3-5,000 sq. ft. of garden land can halve their food costs using a growing system requiring just the odd bucketful of household waste water, perhaps two hundred dollars worth of hand tools, and about the same amount spent on supplies-working an average of two hours a day during the growing season. Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series

The only how-to manual on the subject directed to mainstream owner-builders

Microhydro features the smallest version of the renewable engery technology dubbed the simplest, most reliable and least expensive way to generate power off grid. Highly illustrated and practical, it is a complete guide to designing and constructing reliable hydroelectric power systems.

Essential steps for leaders working to build an antiracist organizationProviding a roadmap to workplace and organizational change, Inside Out is packed with practical tools for working collectively towards racial justice and dismantling institutional racism.This essential guide includes:An adaptive approach to moving race conversations forward with authenticity and genuine curiosityConcrete strategies to help unpack the painful legacies of power, privilege, and oppressionA framework including awareness, knowledge, skills, and action/advocacyKey components for engaging effectively, calling people in, bridging the divide, identifying and addressing microaggressions, and guiding difficult interactionsCritical cross-cultural skills for facilitators and leaders faced with fears, worries, conflicts, and concerns that surface in PoC and White participantsHelpful suggestions for equity leaders trying to find their why and identify their foundational beliefs, as well as tips for practicing self-care to lessen burnout and fatigueHow to establish an equity team and bring decision makers on boardChecklists, discussion questions, recommended readings, best practices, and many other valuable resources.Inside Out is written specifically for prospective leaders championing diversity, equity, and inclusion in their workplace. It is a must-read for anyone guiding the challenging work of becoming an anti-racist organization where no one's identity is a barrier to access or opportunity and everyone belongs.

Go outside and play! A seasonal guide to activities, information, stories, and games to take learning outside "These are the understandings humans have passed down over hundreds of generations; now we need to make a conscious effort to ensure our kids can understand and enjoy the gorgeous world around them" - Bill McKibben, author, Long Distance and Eaarth " The Big Book of Nature Activities is a welcome book that should be a bible for all adults and children eager to rediscover the very source of our health, joy, and spiritual connection." - David Suzuki, science broadcaster and environmental activistThe average North American child can identify over 300 corporate logos, but only 10 native plants or animals-a telling indictment of our modern disconnection from nature. The Big Book of Nature Activities is a comprehensive guide for parents, grandparents, caregivers, and teachers to help youth of all ages explore, appreciate, and connect with the natural world. This rich, fully illustrated compendium features:Nature-based skills and activities such as species identification, photography, journaling, and the judicious use of digital technologyIdeas, games, and activities grounded in what's happening in nature each seasonCore concepts that promote environmental literacy, such as climate change and the mechanisms and wonder of evolution, explained using a child-friendly, engaging approachLists of key species and happenings in nature to observe throughout the year across most of North America.Perfect for families, educators, and youth leaders, The Big Book of Nature Activities is packed with crafts, stories, information, and inspiration to make outdoor learning fun."This book provides a wealth of ideas for adults to engage children and themselves in the wonders of the natural world with suggested activities for all seasons. Nature is magic. And nature is free."- Robert Bateman, artist" The Big Book of Nature Activities will be a great resource for all of us who work with children." - Jackie Ostfeld, Nearby Nature Director, Sierra Club Jacob Rodenburg is the Executive Director of the Camp Kawartha summer camp and outdoor education centre. As well as publishing numerous articles on children, nature, and the environment, he has worked in the field of outdoor education for 25 years. Drew Monkman is a naturalist, retired teacher, and an awardwinning environmental advocate. In addition to his weekly nature column, Drew is the author of two seasons-based nature guides, including Nature's Year. He has received an honorary Doctorate of Science from Trent University, for his work in promoting nature education.

MEET THE NEW BLACK FRIEND YOU NEVER HAD An excellent resource for all those who are committed to equity. - PAUL KIVEL, author, Uprooting Racism This is the book that is going to save you from theory and guilt trips. - AKILAH S. RICHARDS, author, Raising Free People COMMUNITY, BUSINESS, and organization leaders often ask: How do I get diversity in my group? The thing is, the work is real, but it's a minefield out there. With a blunt style that pulls no punches, your new token Black friend, Crystal Byrd Farmer, acts as the bridge between majority white organizations and "diverse" people across identities of race, LGBTQ, socioeconomic status, and disability. Crystal tells you how it is, calling you out on tokenism, while extending a helping hand. Coverage includes: What marginalized people experience and what they need to succeed Doing "The Work" - how to have deep conversations with your membership about the reality of bias, privilege, and microaggressions Choosing appropriate meeting locations and establishing ground rules Practical exercises and discussion questions and when to bring in outside help Building support within your organization and talking to resistant friends. This provocative, humorous, and accessible guide is for all people leading progressive organizations who acknowledge the need for diversity but don't know where to start. Honest and unfiltered-a treasure trove of tools, stories, and resources. - JOE COLE, Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Department of Peace and Conflict Studies Not sure what The Work is? Don't worry, Crystal Byrd Farmer is here to help. - CYNTHIA TINA, Co-Director, Foundation for Intentional CommunityCRYSTAL BYRD FARMER is an engineer turned educator, organizer, and speaker who focuses on cohousing, Black, and polyamorous communities. She lives in Gastonia, NC.

The economic operating system keeps crashing. It's time to upgrade to a new one.Five decades ago, The Limits to Growth shocked the world by showing that population and industrial growth were pushing humanity towards a cliff. Today the world recognizes that we are now at the cliff edge: Earth has crossed multiple planetary boundaries while widespread inequality is causing deep instabilities in societies. There seems to be no way out.Earth For All is both an antidote to despair and a road map to a better future. Using powerful state-of-the-art computer modeling to explore policies likely to deliver the most good for the majority of people, a leading group of scientists and economists from around the world present five extraordinary turnarounds to achieve prosperity for all within planetary limits in a single generation. Coverage includes:Results of new global modeling that indicates falling well-being and rising social tensions heighten risk of regional societal collapsesTwo alternative scenarios - Too-Little-Too-Late vs The Giant Leap - and what they mean for our collective futureFive system-shifting steps that can upend poverty and inequality, lift up marginalized people, and transform our food and energy systems by 2050A clear pathway to reboot our global economic system so it works for all people and the planet.Written in an open, accessible, and inspirational style using clear language and high impact visuals, Earth For All is a profound vision for uncertain times and a map to a better future.This survival guide for humanity is required reading for everyone concerned about living well on a fragile planet.

Grow vegetables year-round in a greenhouse powered only by solar energy "Wonderfully researched. I thank Dan Chiras for having gifted us such brilliant work. "- Jean-Martin Fortier, farmer, author, The Market Gardener, editor, Growers Magazine "Thankfully, Dan Chiras has written a prescription for survival in this gorgeously illustrated and accessible guide to the future of farming".- Albert Bates, author, The Biochar SolutionORIGINALLY DEVELOPED in China to feed millions, Chinese greenhouses are earth-sheltered, solar-heated, east-west oriented, intelligently-glazed, and well-insulated. They have proven highly-effective in growing warm-weather vegetables and fruits like green peppers and tomatoes in cold climates through fall, winter, and early spring using passive solar energy as the sole heat source.The Chinese Greenhouse is a full-color, comprehensive guide to these passive solar greenhouses for self-sufficiency and year-round growing in soil or aquaponic grow beds. Coverage includes:How to design and build a Chinese greenhouseImproving performance via short-term and long-term heat bankingAdditional heating options to make your greenhouse operate even more effectivelyCooling your greenhouse during the summerOperating and optimizing your Chinese greenhouse for maximum productivity.Become a more self-sufficient gardener, growing and harvesting a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables year-round, with your own Chinese greenhouse."Essential reading for pioneers of Chinese greenhouses."- Pam Dawling, author, The Year-Round Hoophouse and Sustainable Market Farming "If you are looking to increase your antifragility by building a truly passive solar greenhouse you will get a ton of value from this book."- Rob Avis, P. Eng, co-author, Essential Rainwater Harvesting DAN CHIRAS, Ph.D, is the author of numerous books on renewable energy, including Power from the Sun and The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy. He has been growing in green- houses for nearly two decades and in his own passive solar Chinese greenhouse since 2017. Dan lives in Gerald, MO.