Recipe for Survival: What You Can Do to Live a Healthier and More Environmentally Friendly Life

Hunnes, a professor at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health, makes a convincing case for a greener diet in her comprehensive debut. She bemoans diets heavy in meat and dairy, for example, as they “contribute significantly to environmental degradation and climate change,” and can cause diabetes, elevated blood pressure, and high cholesterol. She criticizes aquaculture, too, urging readers to ditch fish and lamenting society’s reliance on plastic (when consumed by sea life, it can wind up harming human health). To best counter climate change, she advocates for a diet that consists of more vegetables, organic produce, and less waste. A list of 21 “recipes,” or lifestyle principals, rounds things out—readers are encouraged to buy grains in bulk, compost, ride a bike or use public transit instead of driving, and shop locally. The advice is sound enough, though those familiar with Earth-friendly living aren’t likely to find anything they haven’t seen before (one of her tips is to plant trees). Still, it’s a thorough introduction, and there’s plenty for newbies to sink their teeth into. (Jan.)