Greetings to Oren and Alex Entin for their new baby!

Eco-Libris family has just grown! We are happy to announce that our dear team member Oren Entin and his wife Alex are the proud parents of Aymar, a sweet little baby that was born last Tuesday in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Greetings to Oren and Alex!! A new baby is always a blessing and we're very happy for them and wish them a lot of happiness and joy!

So, here are first photos of Aymar (alone and with the proud parents).

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

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

Starting Tomorrow: Pilcrow Lit Fest in Chicago

If you're in Chicago the next few days and looking for a real literary feast, head over to Pilcrow Lit Fest. Yep, seems like once again Chicago is the place to be, less than a week since the Chicago Green Festival.

When? Thursday, May 22 to Sunday, May 25
Where? Several locations around the city. Check the calendar.

So what's a Pilcrow? Well, unless you are a real typographical hardcore fanatic, I think this wikipedia article does a good job explaining. About the festival, I'll let Amy Guth, author of Three Fallen Women, and the festival's organizer take the stand:


Q: Can you explain what is the Pilcrow Lit Fest all about?

A: Pilcrow Lit Fest is a four-day literary festival with particular focus on small press and independent media, taking place in Chicago over Memorial Day weekend, May 22-25th. Throughout the festival, we have scheduled parties, networking events, panel discussions on a variety of topics, readings and performances. I've never heard of a lit festival having any sort of green focus, and that is a high-priority of mine, so I have made an effort to keep it as responsible as possible, even going so far as to include a local environmental activist in the planning phases to make sure I'd thought of every way possible to green the festival up.

Q: What's the story behind the creation of this festival?

A: When I was touring around the US and Canada to promote my first novel, Three Fallen Women, I had the opportunity to speak at the Decatur Book Festival in Atlanta, the (Downtown) Omaha Lit Fest and the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival and there was a certain something about the way the festivals were executed that I knew would translate well in Chicago. There is such a wonderful and large literary community in Chicago, yet few events to really bring all of us together, so I decided to create the festival and focus it primarily in the direction of small presses, independent media and DIY sort of efforts.

Q: What's the thing you like most about the festival?

A: I would have to say that the thing I like most about the festival is the community-building aspect of it all, as writing is a rather solitary profession, and because most communication is done over email, it's wonderful to meet people face to face, share ideas and discuss common issues, concerns and goals. I'm probably most pleased by the fact that as we've planned and arranged aspects and events of the festival, we've worked with an eye towards keeping the festival as eco-friendly as possible, and made a point to operate with repurposed items, borrowed items, and have used as few resources as possible in the festival's execution.

Q: Is it only for authors or also for aspiring authors who haven't published yet?

A: Pilcrow Lit Fest is for absolutely anyone. Our participating authors, writers and publishers are all in varying stages of their own careers, and all from very diverse backgrounds. I made a point to keep as may events free and low-cost as possible, so events wouldn't be cost-prohibitive to anyone. I also intentionally didn't have any "headliner" guests, so that every participant and attendee feels equally welcome at Pilcrow.

Q: Besides authors, is it also for your average Chicago book lover?

A: Absolutely. The panel discussion are, as I mentioned, free and open to the public. I tried to create a mix of panel topics that are useful not only to published authors and seasoned publishers but also to not-yet published authors, and enthusiastic readers.

Q: Can you name please some of the authors who will participate, or some of the main attractions?

A: I've put much focus on not having a headliner, so that no authors feel more or less valuable to the festival than another. All the participating authors, publishers and designers are listed on the Pilcrow Lit Fest website so everyone to read about, including available links to their websites or online projects.

During the course of the weekend, however, we have a lot of exciting events. Thursday night, Jami Attenberg and Katie Schwartz read at the Fixx Readings Series, which I host each month. Friday night, right before our official opening night reception, we have a special edition of The Dollar Store Show--- a performance event where pre-selected authors are given an item purchased at a dollar store in advance and must write a comedic piece about the object and read it before the crowd. Saturday, after a day of panel discussions, we are hosting a benefit party to raise much-needed funds for New Orleans Public Library branches damaged and destroyed during Hurricane Katrina. For that event, I've asked authors to disassemble a copy of their own book then reassemble it into a piece of art for auction. I'm very excited for that event. I've rebuilt my own first novel, Three Fallen Women for the occasion, and the artwork being created is really sounding incredible. Other authors have donated other items for auction, too. Nick Hornby donated a handwritten list yanked from his notebook, that he wrote as he brainstormed songs to use for his book Songbook. I'm very excited about that. I'm also very excited to be linked up with Eco-Libris for the event. As I've been explaining the system to authors and publishers, they're all terribly excited to know more, so I'm really thrilled to be able to introduce them all to the work done by Eco-Libris. A note from Eco-Libris:

Amy indeed introducing Eco-Libris to all festival goers, and encouraging participating authors to balance out the paper in their books. In addition to that, Eco-Libris stickers will be available in the New Orleans Public Library fundraiser event during the festival, and we will donate an extra tree for every sticker auctioned.

Eylon @ Eco-Libris
Plant a Tree for Every Book you Read!

Green Options - Eco Kids’ Books: William is Going Green

As part of Eco-Libris' ongoing content partnership with Green Options Media, we feature a post that was originally published by Jennifer Lance on May 13 on Eco Child's Play. Today's post is about a new book written by a father and his son about a garbage truck and what happens to it when it finds it needs to go green to keep itself employed.

William is Going Green, written by James Martin II and James Martin III, is the story of a garbage truck that loses his job, because he is too polluting. In search of a new job, William travels from town to town until he finds a green, clean city. He is told he could be hired as a recycling truck, if only he had a hybrid engine. Unfortunately, out-of-work William does not have the money for a new, cleaner engine, until he rescues a cat from a sewer. The cat Gage belongs to a mechanic, and William is given a hybrid engine and coat of green paint in reward for the rescue. The author explains, "My son James III and I created the William the Garbage Truck & Crew series to share what we learned about global warming and the benefits of conservation.”

My son, like many boys, adores trucks. He enjoyed William is Going Green when his sister read it to her, but there is one thing about the story I find a bit awkward. I do think that city garbage trucks should have hybrid motors, but as mentioned in the book, the cost to convert a truck is expensive and not readily available. William's reward for rescuing a cat is not the solution for most city garbage trucks, and I think it is a little misleading to children who really want to see change. Perhaps there is another way William could have gotten a new hybrid motor from recycling proceeds, donations, gas taxes, etc. Maybe I am too much of a realist, but I like my green children's fiction to address the realities of environmental change. This part of the story didn't bother my children at all, and they really did like it.

Monday's green books series - Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life

Today on our Monday's green books series, we're having 8-steps program to go green. If you're into programs that take you step after step to your goal and you wanna go green, you should check it out.

Our book for today is:

Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life

Author: Sophie Uliano

Sophie Uliano is a passionate environmentalist who has developed an earth-friendly lifestyle that appeals to women who don't want to compromise their glamour or style. She lives in Hollywood, California, with her husband and daughter.

Publisher: Collins

Published on: April 8, 2008

What it is about (from the publisher's website):
Are you confused by all the advice you hear and see daily on how to "go green"? Do you want to incorporate earth-friendly practices into your life, but you don't know where to start? Don't stress! Green guru Sophie Uliano has sorted through all the eco-info out there and put everything you need to know about living a green lifestyle right at your fingertips.

In 'Gorgeously Green', Sophie offers a simple eight-step program that is an easy and fun way to begin living an earth-friendly life. Each chapter covers topics from beauty to fitness, shopping to your kitchen—even your transportation. Whether it's finding the right lipstick, making dinner, buying gifts, or picking out a hot new outfit, finally, there is a book that tackles your daily eco-challenges with a take-charge plan.

Why you should get it:
1. I like the idea of a steps-program. Many people find themselves confused with all the green alternatives that they hear about and don't know where to start or how much to change and in what pace. Sometimes all you need is a good program to follow and I also agree with the attitude of making changes in steps. The author said in an interview to Amazon.com: "I agree that it is hard to break old habits. My suggestion is to break one habit at a time." I couldn't agree more.

2. It might be obvious to some, but to many it's still not clear that going green can be relatively easy, can save you money and does not mean you have to be less fashionable or less cool. This book intends to guide you how to do it right.

3. The 8 steps touch important aspects of life: mind (awareness), body (cosmetics and food), home, daily activities (shopping, transportation) and even having fun. It might not give you all the answers you're looking for, but for sure it can be a good road map to start the green journey with.

Wants to learn more? check Sophie Uliano's blog, which is full of green tips and information.

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!

May Challenge: 'Be a Bookwarm'

It's mid-May now, but you still have time for a green books challenge, which was initiated by the blog GREEN BEAN DREAMS: BE A BOOKWORM. I learned about it only yesterday while reading this excellent blog and hence the late notice.

Here are the details from GREEN BEAN DREAMS: My appreciation of books leads me to launch my (likely one and only) challenge: BE A BOOKWORM. I challenge you to read a single, ecologically relevant book during the month of May. Post a comment if you'd like to participate so that I can add you to my sidebar. Once you have selected your book, post another comment. I'll keep a running tab of books being read. At the end of the month, I will post a Reading Roundup soliciting your comments on the book you read, whether you'd recommend it and what you learned.

You can find more details and the growing list of great green books on GREEN BEAN DREAMS. If you want more ideas, you're welcome to check the list of green books we covered so far on our blog.

It's a great challenge and I hope you all take part in it. I will certainly will. I chose to read a book that is waiting for me on my shelf for some time: 'This Place on Earth: Home and the Practice of Permanence' by Alan Durning. I hope to bring you a review of it in a couple of weeks.

The green bean said on the blog that "books affect us like nothing else" and it's definitely true and especially when it comes to books with environmentally and socially topics. I hope you will find the books that will affect you!

Enjoy the challenge!
Raz @ Eco-Libris

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

Don't miss the Green Festival in Chicago this weekend

What are you doing this weekend? if you're in the Chicago area, I've got one recommendation: go to the Green Festival!

Yes, the green festival is taking place in Chicago on Saturday (5/17) and Sunday (5/18). The festival's website explains what you can expect there:

The green festival showcases more than 350 diverse local and national green businesses displaying and selling eco-friendly, fair trade and sustainable products. More than 150 visionary speakers appear for standing-room-only panel discussions, presentations and main stage speaking events.You’ll also enjoy great how-to workshops, green films, a fair trade pavilion, yoga and movement classes, kids’ zone, delicious organic beer, wine and cuisine, and live music.

The green festival is always a great event. This is the second time the festival is taking place in Chicago (it also takes place in Washington D.C., Seattle and San Francisco) and it's packed with many interesting events and discussions. You can find the full schedule of the festival right here - http://www.greenfestivals.org/content/blogcategory/110/207/.

Here are some more details:

Show Hours
Saturday 10AM- 8PM, Sunday 11AM- 6PM

Venue and Address
Navy Pier - 600 E Grand Avenue, Chicago

Public Transit
Via bus: 2, 66, 121 express, 124 & 129

Price
$15 Festival Pass (per person). Entry to all activities for one day or the entire weekend. Better World Books and Green Festival are partnering to offer $5 off Green Festival admission to attendees who bring in 3 or more books. Your donated books will be sold on BetterWorld.com to help fund girls’ scholarships in developing countries in Asia through Room to Read.

And if you're getting there, don't forget to say hello to some of our partners that will exhibit in the festival including Kedzie Press, Chapter One Organics/The Green Eaters and Barefoot Books.

Enjoy!
Raz @ Eco-Libris

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

New research from Australia: agroforestry and reforestation are an important carbon sink

There is an ongoing debate on the effectiveness of trees planting operations as a tool mitigate global warming. A new research from Australia adds more input into it, showing that agroforestry and reforestation are an important carbon sink.

The research, as reported on The Age, was conducted by researchers from Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), Queensland Climate Change Centre of Excellence, and Queensland Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries. It was presented to an agriculture, greenhouse gases and emissions trading conference on the Gold Coast.

Dr. Beverley Henry from MLA, who presented the research, showed that different forms of land management had a variety of effects on soil carbon. She said, according to the article, that researchers, analysing data from 74 publications on land-use changes, had made several conclusions:

A change from native forest to crops decreased soil carbon by 42%; pasture to crop (59% decrease); native forest or pasture to broad-leaved plantation (no big change); native forest or pasture to pine plantation (12-15% decrease); native forest to pasture (8% increase); crop to pasture (18% increase); crop to secondary forest (53% increase); and crop to pasture (19% increase).

Some of the conclusions of the research presented by Dr Henry were:

• Introducing cropping into uncleared land or pasture in good condition decreased soil carbon.
  
• There was thus potential to sequester carbon in soils if cropping lands were converted to pasture or forest.


• Conservation tillage practices might retain up to 25% more carbon in soils than conventional tillage.


• Removing grazing pressure would in theory be expected to improve below-ground carbon stocks. However, under low disturbance regimes, grasses may become moribund, producing less root biomass.

This is only one research out of many researches that focus on this important issue, but it definitely gives some interesting input to think about when coming to plan how to fight global warming most effectively.

In any case, we have to remember that the value of tree planting operations, such as the the UNEP planting campaign, which as we reported set a goal of having 7 billion trees planted by the end of 2009, is not just because of carbon sequestering. Trees are one of the most important natural resources we have and have many other significant benefits, such as decreasing the chances for natural disasters such as floods, protection of important water resources, reduction of soil erosion, etc.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

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

Picture Courtesy of Sustainable Harvest international