A Big Strategy by Peter J. Hughes and Kinga Monica is going green with Eco-Libris!

Last December we wrote here about a new interesting book - A Big Strategy by Peter J. Hughes and Kinga Monic. Now we have some more exciting news - the authors are collaborating with Eco-Libris to plant a tree for every copy sold! As you can see in the picture below you can also find our logo on the back cover of the book.


Here are some more details on A Big Strategy:

How many small actions and collective wisdom can change the world for the better.

A Big Strategy offers a framework for generating new answers to today's problems.

Everyday our world is changing; a worldwide financial crisis, emergency bank bail-outs and unemployment. Debt and food prices are surging. Scientists and economists predict environmental tipping points could lead to a convergence of many complex issues. The choices we make today shape and determine the outcome over the next decades.

With rapid restorative action we can change the conditions for the better. As fossil fuels start to become scarcer, we are moving towards a future powered more by renewable energy and the wise use of resources.

A Big Strategy looks to many sciences and ancient philosophies to discover what insights can be gleaned to help today replenish the planet. This book explores how an integrated approach can enhance our lives, community, local economy, environment all at the same time.

Through collective action we can generate enhanced leisure facilities and more opportunities in neighborhoods, achievable through instigating this highly advanced sustainable development formula. The benefits are multi-faceted and can be replicated, multiplying results that can start to create more optimism and hope for a brighter future.

For more details as well as for ordering a copy (it is available now in a paperback and ebook formats) visit Authors OnLine's website.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

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

Help Dream Traveler: Africa to meet its Kickstarter campaign's goal!

Last month we told you about a Kickstarter campaign of a great new book, Dream Traveler: Africa, the first book in the series of children's books entitled the Dream Traveler series, which is about connecting people with cultural awareness, travel, geography, imagination and creativity, as well as and also conscious living and a loving family. We also mentioned that if the required funding will be raised, it will also be used to plant a tree with Eco-Libris to green up the printed books!

The author Stacey Gates is looking to raise $7,000 on Kickstarter and she's almost there! With 8 days to go, 104 backers pledged to provide $6,290 to make this book happen. This means that the campaign is still $710 short and needs to get them in 8 days to get the money - just to remind you, according to Kickstarter rules, it's all or nothing: if you don't meet your goal you get nothing.

So let's try to help Stacey meet her goal either through contribution or just spreading the word about it. This is really a great book and we truly hope it will make it and receive the funding! You can learn more about the book and pledge at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/936219362/dream-traveler-africa



Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

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

Top 100 book apps: Builda the Re-Bicycler by Midlandia Press

We believe in the digital future of books as a way to reduce eventually the footprint of books, which means we also believe in apps. Book apps are integral part of the digital age of books and we want to share with you some great book apps we find and thus we are assembling a list of the top 100 book apps.

In order to get into our list apps need to both book/ebook related and affordable - we choose only apps that are either free or cost less than $2.

So every week we update you with a new app on out list of top book apps. Today we're happy to introduce you an app that can actually be on our list of 100 green apps as well - it's an eco-conscious fable that will engage, educate, and inspire your young reader.

Our app today is Builda the Re-Bicycler by Midlandia Press. This app is for iPad and costs $1.99.

Here are more details about the Builda the Re-Bicycler app:

Builda the Re-Bicycler is an eco-conscious fable that will engage, educate, and inspire your young reader. The island of Midlandia is bicycle-crazy - but a problem seems to be piling up. When the town dump overflows with discarded bikes, Builda the factory owner springs into action. Can her plan to reduce, reuse, and recycle save the day?

With custom music, audio, and special effects, this digital book from Midlandia Press (creators of The Pirate Koostoe for the iPad) gives young readers an entertaining and educational experience they will want to relive again and again. To help develop early reading skills, each word of the story is highlighted as it is read. Combining vibrant illustrations, thoughtful storytelling, and various forms of interactivity, Builda the Re-Bicycler is a clever character-builder that will appeal to readers of all ages while encouraging social consciousness.

This digital book can be enjoyed in three modes:

• Read-to-me – listen to the narrated story with words highlighted as they are read
• Read-to-myself – read the story in its traditional form
• Auto-play – story is narrated, with automatic page turns. Perfect for younger children!

Additional features include:

• Detailed, colorful artwork
• All-original musical compositions
• Pages pan and zoom to guide the eye and accentuate the story
• Animation and interactive touch elements
• Hidden “Easter egg” elements
• Story narration by the author
• End-of-story discussion questions to encourage reader reflection

Builda the Re-Bicycler is part of the "Tales of Midlandia" series, a wonderful collection of humorous, enriching, and thought-provoking stories brought to you online and in print by Midlandia Press. Each story deals with universal concepts and social situations that are relatable to any young child or parent. From bullying to bad dreams, from table manners to temper tantrums—the Midlandians experience it all. The series debuted on the iPad with The Pirate Koostoe in December of 2011. With a cast of nearly thirty characters, more “Tales” are soon to follow…

Last book app - Chimps should be Chimps

You can check top 100 book apps at http://www.ecolibris.net/bookapps.asp. As you'll see, this list is in work, but we promise to update it every week until we'll have all 100 book apps.

You're also welcome to check our list of 100 green apps.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

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

My article on Triple Pundit about the 7 companies that have just moved away from SFI

Here's an update on a new article I published yesterday on Triple Pundit with the latest news on the SFI forestry certification. This time it's about 7 companies, including Pitney Bowes, Ruby Tuesday, Phillips Van Heusen, and US Airways are taking action to avoid the use of the SFI label. It also includes a short interview with Aaron Sanger, Director of U.S. campaigns at ForestEthics.

The article is entitled '7 More Companies Reject SFI'. Here's the first part of the article:

When you see a headline about a new batch of companies moving away from something, you usually can bet it’s either APP, the paper company operating in Indonesia, or SFI, the forestry certification. This time it’s SFI, and the list is of seven companies, including Pitney Bowes, Ruby Tuesday, Phillips Van Heusen, and US Airways that are taking action to avoid the use of the SFI label. Ruby Tuesday, for example, has made a commitment to avoid any use or promotion of the SFI logo and name in conjunction with its brand, products or services, and US Airways has committed to avoid any use or promotion of the SFI logo or SFI certified products.

To read the full article go to http://www.triplepundit.com/2012/05/7-companies-moving-away-sfi-tipping-point-getting-closer/

Links to other articles I wrote for Triple Pundit can be found at http://www.triplepundit.com/author/raz-godelnik/

To read more on the fight between FSC and SFI, visit our website at http://www.ecolibris.net/SFI_or_FSC.asp

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Plant trees for your books!

Poets and Writers Magazine is moving to use recycled paper

As you know magazines, just like books, have their own environmental issues and there's now a greater exploration of ways to reduce their carbon footprint, from using sustainable paper alternatives to eliminating the paper at all by moving to e-publishing. One of the examples for the former is Poets & Writers Magazine, an award-winning bimonthly published by the nonprofit organization Poets & Writers, Inc., which decided to use recycled paper.

In the 3-minute video below Suzanne Pettypiece, Managing Editor of Poets & Writers Magazine, shares how her magazine transitioned to a body stock that contains a minimum of 90% recycled content with 30% postconsumer content and a 10% postconsumer recycled cover stock that is FSC certified, choices that set it apart from other periodicals, over 97% of which still use virgin paper.



Before switching to environmentally friendly paper in 2008, Pettypiece was concerned, like many publishers, about quality. However, she notes that, since switching, "We haven't had any complaints from advertisers, photographers, or readers. It's a beautiful product."

For Poets & Writers Magazine, the move to recycled paper set in motion a larger commitment to sustainable business practices. Now staff members pitch in to do small things that have a larger impact, from creating a better recycling system to re-using office supplies and cutting down on waste.

Let's hope more magazines will follow suit!

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

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

Recommended book on Kickstarter: SideWalk Ritual by Scott James

Kickstarter is a great place to fund interesting new products and projects, including books. Great books. So we decided we want to help spread the word on book projects we like on Kickstarter and every weekend we'll share one with you.

Today's Kickstarter book is Sidewalk Ritual by Scott James. Sidewalk Ritual the story of Richard, a twenty-six year old on a journey of self-discovery through the streets of San Francisco. He encounters girls, family, old friends, cupcake violence, sidewalk silence, and sex, drugs & rock and roll along the way to himself.

One tree will be planted with Eco-Libris for every copy printed!

Goal: $7,000

Pledged so far: $3,306 (41 backers)

Still missing: $3,694

Days left: 31 days (until May 29)



Here's a description of the book project:

What's the book about again?

It's the story of Richard, a twenty-six year old on a journey of self-discovery through the streets of San Francisco. He encounters girls, family, old friends, cupcake violence, sidewalk silence, and sex, drugs & rock and roll along the way to himself. For a story summary, check out the chapter by chapter outline.

Why did I write this book?

Because I had to. Writing is like breathing. This book was born last fall while I was in Shanghai where my wife was working. One afternoon it just hit me that I needed to stop thinking about it and start writing. I walked down the block, got a whiskey, and put the first outline on a napkin and the first sentences in my iPhone. A few days later on the flight back to San Francisco on my 34th birthday, I promised myself that by the time I turned 35 I would be a published author. So many novels have changed my life, and I want to add my two cents to that eternal conversation.

Why Social Publishing?

Because whenever I finish a good book, a book I like, I always say to myself, "I want more like that." Social publishing is one way to do that. You get more art and music about the characters and themes you just finished with. And I'm building inspiration into the process, trying to stoke that fire. I'm self-publishing to keep control over the timeline of this project and make sure everyone involved keeps the rights to their work. And I just get energized working with other talented people.

Where am I in the process?

• I've written the first draft and done the first round of edits. Now, I need your help to hire a professional editor and pay for publishing costs.
• Twelve artists and musicians have signed on to create art inspired by the book. Before I can move forward, I need the proceeds of this campaign to commission them.

How does your contribution help?

• Editing and publishing costs
• Materials and production costs for artists and musicians
• Social Publishing process costs

Last Kickstarter recommendation - Yeti Leaves Home

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

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

More trees? No thanks, Captain Planet!

If you haven't seen yet Don Cheadle as Captain Planet, this is your chance! I saw it (and Cheadle) first on the Sustainable Operations Summit in New York last week and thought it's funny as hell :)




Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Plant a tree for every book you read!