Safe Trip to Eden: 10 Steps to Save Planet Earth from the Global Warming Meltdown

Put good food on your table, put good products in your home, plant a tree, drive a cool car, stop being toxic—these are five of the 10 simplistic but generally sensible bromides espoused by health magazine publisher Steinman. He's earnest, sometimes even bombastic, about how an army of "green patriots" can individually and incrementally confront global warming by embracing a "carbon-neutral" lifestyle. The "good food" chapter harrowingly recounts a visit to California's Central Valley—the most productive agricultural land in the United States but also the site of pesticides and poisoned water that have sickened generations of farm workers. However, his solution—to buy locally, eat organically and patronize food producers who emphasize organic products—is still out of reach for most Americans. A chapter on the importance of trees in combating global warming starts with the big picture of Costa Rica's remarkable commitment to reforestation before narrowing its focus to a list of manufacturers providing recycled papers. The ethic of every-little-thing-helps infuses the book—the author even counsels such micro-acts as unplugging unused appliances that draw "standby" power. A lengthy resource guide provides tips on everything from organic food deliveries and eco-friendly furniture to recycled toothbrushes. (Jan.)