Going Green

Gr 7—9—Twelve essays present the pros and cons of going green, including the opinions of those who do not believe that global warming is a problem and that there is no need for environmental activism. The introduction draws readers' attention to large-scale natural disasters such as the Santa Barbara and the Exxon Valdez oil spills that shaped public opinion and motivated citizens and government officials to take action to save the environment. A short history of the environmental movement in the United States is followed by a series of articles, reprinted from other sources, debating topics that include global warming, reducing and reusing, recycling, and buying locally raised produce. Each essay begins with information about the author and a short summary of the article. Color photographs, charts, and graphs illustrate each selection, and terms are defined within the text. It should be noted that authors offer strong statements that some readers might find extremist and include the use of slang such as "pimp out" and "jones." Additional information and statistics about going green and what readers can do if they are interested are appended. The volume concludes with a list of organizations concerned with issues debated in the book. This volume could be utilized by teachers to spark classroom debate and research.—Patricia Ann Owens, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges