See Ed Begley Jr.'s talk at Strand Book Store

If you didn't have the chance to come to Strand Book Store last Wednesday to hear Ed Begley, Jr. speaking about his new book 'Living Like Ed' and his 30-year green experience, and maybe also to grab a signed copy of the book, you are welcome to see the video of the event on the Strand TV (and thank you to Strand Book Store for broadcasting it live!).

As you can see, Ed Begley, Jr. was the star of this evening, but another happy occasion on that evening was the announcement on the collaboration between Eco-Libris and Strand Book Store. The store is offering now its customers, in both of its stores on 828 Broadway and 95 Fulton Street, the option to pay to plant a tree to balance out the books they buy in the store.

Customers of Strand Book Store (in both locations - on 828 Broadway and 95 Fulton Street) will have the opportunity to pay to plant a tree to balance each book they purchase in the store. They will also receive an Eco-Libris sticker at the store for each book they balance out, saying 'One tree planted for this book'.

So check out the video of the event, which was recorded by Strand Book Store and is available on the store's online TV.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: plant a tree for every book you read!

Eco-Libris is now available in two bookstores in New York

Eco-Libris is coming to the Big Apple! I am happy to announce on two new bookstores in NYC that will be offering their customers to balance out books they buy with Eco-Libris at the store: The Hue-Man Bookstore and Strand Book Store.

Customers at these stores will have the opportunity to pay to plant a tree to balance each book they purchase in the store. They will also receive an Eco-Libris sticker at the store for each book they balance out, saying 'One tree planted for this book'.

Here are few details on these bookstores:

Hue-Man Bookstore and Cafe

Located in Harlem's main business district, Hue-Man Bookstore is the largest and best-known African-American bookstore in the country.

Address: 2319 Frederick Douglass Blvd (between 124th and 125th Streets), New York, NY 10027 http://www.huemanbookstore.com/

(picture above is from a signing event of Fonzworth Bentley's new book Advance Your Swagger: How to Use Manners, Confidence, and Style to Get Ahead at the bookstore)

Strand Book Store

New York's independent landmark book store for over 80 years, featuring a tremendous selection of more than 2.5 million used, new and rare books.

Address (main store): 828 Broadway (at 12th St.) New York, NY 10003 http://www.strandbooks.com/

Tonight, between 7:00-8:30PM Strand Bookstore is hosting an event of Environmental Defense with Ed Begley, Jr. whose new book 'Living Like Ed' was published yesterday. Begley, Jr. will share in the event some of his ideas on how we can live green in NYC. And Eco-Libris stickers will be there as well! So if you're around, come to Strand Bookstore tonight.

These bookstores join other bookstores in the U.S., where you can already find our stickers and balance out the books you buy on spot, which will result in one new tree planted for every book you buy. The full list of bookstores can be found on our bookstores page.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: plant a tree for every book you read!

Monday's green book series: Living Like Ed

Today on our green books series we present a new book of Ed Begley, Jr., who was dubbed "the star of climate change" by Newsweek magazine . The book will be published tomorrow (Tuesday, February 19), so it's fresh from the oven (you can already pre-order a signed copy from Strand Bookstore).

Before we get to introducing the book, I would like to say that if you would like to meet Begley Jr. himself and you live in the New York area, you are welcome to an event with him at Strand Bookstore in NYC (828 Broadway on the corner of 12th st.) on Wednesday, February 20, 07:00PM - 08:30PM. Begley, Jr. will share in the event some of his ideas on how we can live green in NYC. This event is free and open to the public, and you will also be able to find there Eco-Libris stickers, as part of a new collaboration we start with Strand Bookstore.

So now that you know where you can meet Ed, it's time to introduce his new book:

Living Like Ed: A Guide to the Eco-Friendly Life

Author: Ed Begley, Jr.

Ed Begley, Jr., became a star for his convincing portrayal of the obsequious, socially awkward Dr. Erlich on the acclaimed television series "St. Elsewhere," a performance which earned him an Emmy nomination. The son of distinguished radio, television, and screen actor Ed Begley, the younger Begley made his acting debut at age 17 in an episode of "My Three Sons."

Later, he worked on the college and nightclub circuit as a standup comedian and then was a TV cameraman for a short while. During the '70s, Begley returned to acting and guest starred on several series, including "Happy Days" and "Starsky and Hutch." In film, he made his debut in the Disney comedy "Now You See Him, Now You Don't," and went on to play small roles in a couple more Walt Disney comedies.

Steadily employed in Hollywood as a supporting actor and occasional lead in television and feature films, Begley has displayed a broad range of talent that has allowed him to play anything from hippies to deadly villains in a variety of genres.

When not acting, Begley is a tireless promoter of environmental causes. He has also served as the Environmental Affairs Commissioner for the City of Los Angeles and on the boards of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the Environmental Research Foundation, The Coalition for Clean Air, and the American Oceans Campaign. Begley's environmental efforts have earned him awards from the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Coalition for Clean Air.

As of 2007, Begley and his wife Rachelle Carson star in their own reality television series, Living With Ed, on the Home & Garden Television, focusing on their pursuits of sustainable living.

Furthering Begley’s pursuit of sustainability is his line of natural home cleaning products, Begley’s Best, "a terrific all-purpose cleaner designed to replace all other household cleaning products...made from extracts of pine, palm extract, de-acified citrus, maize, fermented sugar cane roots, and olive seeds. The ingredients are all natural, non-toxic and totally biodegradable in just 3 to 7 days."

Publisher: Clarkson Potter

Published in: February 2008

What it is about: Begley Jr., an actor and a committed environmentalist, presents a do-it-yourself guide to green living that explains how to incorporate eco-friendly products and practices into one's everyday life. The book is covering areas such as the home, transportation, recycling, energy, food, gardening, clothing and furnishing. Begley shares his experiences on what works, what doesn't, and what will save you money!

From the book description: "And if you think living green has to mean compromising on aesthetics or comfort, fear not; Ed's wife, Rachelle, insists on style - with a conscience. In Living Like Ed, his environmentalism and her design savvy combine to create a guide to going green that keeps the chic in eco-chic. From recycling more materials than you ever thought possible to composting without raising a stink to buying an electric car, Living Like Ed is packed with ideas - from obvious to ingenious–that will help you live green, live responsibly, live well. Like Ed."

Why you should get it:
1. I always in favor of such guides that give you advice how to go green from first-hand experience.

2. I like the book's approach that as far as I understand is led by Rachelle, Ed's wife, which is that going green does not mean you have to compromise on quality, comfort, style, etc. Many people afraid that going green means trade-offs and this book means to show them it ain't necessarily so.

3. Ed Begley became green many years before being green became popular or even understandable. As described on therenewableplanet.com, Begley has been recycling since before many other eco-celebs were born and has owned a wind turbine since the ’80s. Even in the '90s many saw him, as his wife explains, some kind of green freak, which then may also even cost him a little bit in his career.

I think it's kind of historical justice that Begley Jr. enjoys now the fruits of being loyal all of these years to his green beliefs. I also believe that this is the exact kind of person you would like to receive advice from about how to green up your life.

What others say about it:
“Filled with sound advice and first-hand experience from someone who has been walking the walk for more than 38 years, Living Like Ed provides a wide array of practical options for anyone who wants to make his life a little-or a lot-greener. Ed Begley is more than a beloved Hollywood figure; he¹s an all-American hero, and Living Like Ed is a comprehensive yet accessible guide to becoming more environmentally savvy that light greens and bright greens alike will find themselves dog-earing for years to come.” - Treehugger.com

Enjoy the book, and if you're looking for other interesting green books, you are invited to check out our green books page on our website's green resources section.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: plant a tree for every book you read!