cover image The Newman's Own Organics Guide to a Good Life: Simple Measures That Benefit You and the Place You Live

The Newman's Own Organics Guide to a Good Life: Simple Measures That Benefit You and the Place You Live

Nell Newman, Nell Joseph. Villard Books, $16.95 (256pp) ISBN 978-0-8129-6733-3

Well known for both her family (she's the daughter of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward) and her food (the Newman's Own brand of sauces, snack foods and other delights), Newman here joins forces with Discover contributing editor D'Agnese to offer this well-reasoned and practical handbook to environmentally and socially conscious living. Her suggestions cover such areas as food, transportation, energy and investing, and range from the commonsensical--eat local produce in its season--to the surprising--stock your living room with the 10 plants that ""clean air best."" Newman assumes her readers aren't zealots, but simply people who want to do right by the earth, and it's this lack of self-righteousness that makes her advice so refreshing. Whether readers want to learn how make nontoxic household cleaners, buy ""green power"" from the power company, shop more responsibly, practice""social investing"" or to encourage their pets to eat organic people food, Newman offers the secrets. Interspersed with her counsel are oddball and often inspirational tales of green living, like the man diagnosed with terminal cancer who took cranberry skins and duck fecal matter to become king of a small soil empire (profits go to inner city charities like the one he started). Full of hints and encouragements--and printed on 100% postconsumer recycled paper--this excellent beginner's resource makes conscientious living look very simple indeed.