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The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide: Everything you need to know to make small changes that make a big difference
Easy, do-able, down to earth ideas and suggestions for everyone to help save the planet.
If you want to save the planet, but your to-do list is already pretty long and remembering your re-usable coffee cup feels like a Herculean task, then this is the book for you. Covering every aspect of our lives from the stuff we buy and the food we eat, to how we travel, work, and celebrate. This book provides stacks of practical, down to earth ideas to slot into your daily life, alongside a gentle kick up the butt to put your newfound knowledge into action.
Find out how to fit "sustainable living" into your life, in a way that works for you. Change your impact without radically changing your life and figure out the small steps you can make that will add up to make a big difference (halo not included).
If you want to save the planet, but your to-do list is already pretty long and remembering your re-usable coffee cup feels like a Herculean task, then this is the book for you. Covering every aspect of our lives from the stuff we buy and the food we eat, to how we travel, work, and celebrate. This book provides stacks of practical, down to earth ideas to slot into your daily life, alongside a gentle kick up the butt to put your newfound knowledge into action.
Find out how to fit "sustainable living" into your life, in a way that works for you. Change your impact without radically changing your life and figure out the small steps you can make that will add up to make a big difference (halo not included).
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 9, 2020
98 people are currently reading
1,170 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
February 2, 2020
I'm not sure I'm able to say that I have actually finished this book as I feel I will be dipping in and out of it for some time to come.
Jen Gale's 'The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide' definitely hits its demographic target in me: someone who knows to take their reusable coffee cup and water bottle everywhere but gets a tad overwhelmed at the thought of trying to change more than their plastic toothbrush for a bamboo one. It gently takes you by the hand and reassures you that ANYTHING you can do will make a little bit of difference to the current climate crisis and depletion of our planet's resources.
Jen doesn't ask you to start a small freeholding tomorrow morning in your back garden in the suburbs, or even for you to embrace veganism and join the local climate strike. All she is doing in her book is giving you lots of little hints and tips that will each make your footprint on the planet that teeny bit smaller, and asking which ones you think will work for your situation/family etc.
The non-judgmental style of writing makes you feel as comfortable as if you were chatting to a friend over coffee about how they feel a bit better for using their bike instead of the car a couple of times a week, or how beeswax food wraps really are prettier, easier and more environmentally friendly to use than cling film.
After reading this book I ended up with a rainbow of sticky bookmarks to show me the points I wanted to follow up on (i.e. tell my family we WOULD be doing from here on it), and a real confidence that though I may not be the person to lead the charge in environmentalism, I could make a difference to how my family lives in terms of our attitude to fast fashion, single-use plastic and general consumerism because we love the shinies.
Really, this is a book that everyone looking for where to start in changing their habits little by little should read and I can't recommend it highly enough.
Jen Gale's 'The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide' definitely hits its demographic target in me: someone who knows to take their reusable coffee cup and water bottle everywhere but gets a tad overwhelmed at the thought of trying to change more than their plastic toothbrush for a bamboo one. It gently takes you by the hand and reassures you that ANYTHING you can do will make a little bit of difference to the current climate crisis and depletion of our planet's resources.
Jen doesn't ask you to start a small freeholding tomorrow morning in your back garden in the suburbs, or even for you to embrace veganism and join the local climate strike. All she is doing in her book is giving you lots of little hints and tips that will each make your footprint on the planet that teeny bit smaller, and asking which ones you think will work for your situation/family etc.
The non-judgmental style of writing makes you feel as comfortable as if you were chatting to a friend over coffee about how they feel a bit better for using their bike instead of the car a couple of times a week, or how beeswax food wraps really are prettier, easier and more environmentally friendly to use than cling film.
After reading this book I ended up with a rainbow of sticky bookmarks to show me the points I wanted to follow up on (i.e. tell my family we WOULD be doing from here on it), and a real confidence that though I may not be the person to lead the charge in environmentalism, I could make a difference to how my family lives in terms of our attitude to fast fashion, single-use plastic and general consumerism because we love the shinies.
Really, this is a book that everyone looking for where to start in changing their habits little by little should read and I can't recommend it highly enough.
January 6, 2022
A brilliant guide to help you start making small changes that will have a big impact. I love how honest Jen was with her experiences and shared all the tips she is regularly using as well as the ones that she is working towards (and the ones that didn't quite stick). No guilt trips and very achievable advice.
August 29, 2020
It's a good book for beginners in the sustainability world :) good info and facts. I have my doubts about the "take 4 min showers but eating meat is ok" but that's fine, I understand the author is going the moderate way to please a wider audience
March 5, 2024
I cannot express how much I adored this as an audiobook! The content is so applicable to everyday life. There are already so many small changes I’ve made to live a more sustainable(ish) life! I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to find more information about living a greener lifestyle!
February 6, 2021
The key here is 'ish'. Finally a sustainable/green living book that made me feel confident in being able to take the baby steps needed towards living a more sustainable life. I appreciated the casual tone used throughout the book -- basically like having a convo with the author! I liked all her little confessions she gave throughout the book on how things have and have not worked for her. A year of buying nothing new seemed like such a daunting thing at the start of the book, but with the encouragement and empowerment I gained through reading this, I am proud to say I am currently on month two of buying nothing new!
One key thing is that she is a UK author, so as a Canadian, I definitely have to do a bit of my own research on how some of her ideas and suggestions would work here in Canada! Definitely a book I will continue referencing back to!
One key thing is that she is a UK author, so as a Canadian, I definitely have to do a bit of my own research on how some of her ideas and suggestions would work here in Canada! Definitely a book I will continue referencing back to!
February 21, 2021
I loved everything about this book! I’ve read so many books on zero waste cultures / sustainability and while some of these tips and tricks I’ve heard and tried before, Jen puts her own spin on them and I really can’t recommend a better book on sustainability for someone who’s just starting to live a greener life. Her chapters on sustainable food, travel, and how to channel activism were my favorites, decreasing food waste in my kitchen & trying to lower my carbon footprint when it comes to traveling/driving are areas of my life I work consciously to modify and I try to be more mindful about. Environmental activism really sparks a fire inside me and is something we all should be passionate about in some way, she says it’s ok to “be more radical� and I love that she normalizes contacting companies to make suggestions on how they can improve products to lower waste, and how she emphasizes that every purchase we make, we’re voting with our money. I highly suggest this book for someone just starting out on their sustainability journey or for someone who’s been part of the sustainability / zero waste / environmental movement for a while. The health of our planet and our consumption habits are things we all should examine a little more thoroughly.
June 17, 2020
Really great guide� especially if you’re based in the UK. I am not really the target audience, as I’m already doing pretty much everything she suggests (and helping others to implement these changes are at the core of my business). I feel like we are singing from the same choir sheet� you don’t have to do sustainability perfectly to make an impact. It’s what I tell all my clients. Small changes make a huge difference and if you want a practical guide for being a bit greener, then I’d definitely recommend this book. I want to go out and have a glass of wine with the author, as I feel like we have so much in common. I might just email her...
September 1, 2021
An insightful and practical compilation of small actions to contribute to a more sustainable life on our planet. It’s not rocket science or full of in-depth research, but it delivers what it promises in the introductoon.
August 6, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. It's written by a British woman (and I do love reading British writing) who offers tons of suggestions on how we might each live a bit more sustainably. Lots of the resources are more applicable if you live in the UK but I was pleasantly surprised to find many things available in the US too. If you're just starting to wake up and smell the coffee on this type of issue and looking for small ways you can make different choices (like me), I think this is a really helpful place to start!
January 26, 2020
An excellent place to start if you are looking to find ways to live a more eco-friendly and sustainable life. Packed with simple, easy and attainable suggestions for all areas of life, with additional resources and ideas on how to take a step further this is an invaluable resource for anyone who cares about the future of our planet.
June 5, 2020
The Sustainable(ish) Living guide... an exceptionally researched book full of strategies to inch closer to plastic free, zero waste, greener lifestyles. The British author is humorous and clear in her communication, and her tips are applicable no matter where a person resides. Great overview for beginners, and wonderful refresher for those already experienced loving sustainably.
August 24, 2022
I’m really glad that APDO Book Club chose this book as this month’s read, because, I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t have read to the end any other way.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s worthy of its 3 stars, which in my rating means the author has achieved what they set out to do - there’s just nothing in it that I personally loved or found inspiring.
Jen Gale presents us with lots of useful links, and to that extent it’s worthwhile getting hold of a copy. There are also a few nice soundbites that I’ll use on the Tidy Beginnings Instagram at some point in the future. I’m certainly not discouraging anyone from reading this book, which has the solid aim of demystifying green issues and I guess achieves that for the sort of person Jen Gale was herself before she spent eight years reading and blogging on these topics.
In the introduction, Gale herself accurately identifies the sort of person who, like me, isn’t going to enjoy Sustainable(ish):
“I’ll be honest here, it’s probably not for you if you’re already well on your way ... you’re going to be disappointed by this book. There’s nothing groundbreaking in it ... it’s just me, a very ordinary person, an ex-vet, knackered mum of two, sharing the things that I’ve learned in what I hope is an accessible and actionable way� (p. 11).
Actually, I wasn’t “disappointed� and I wasn’t reading expecting the book to be a scientific study - it was clearly going to be a consolidation of useful facts. It’s the self-diagnosis as “a very ordinary person� that points to what I personally found off-putting. The majority of people in Britain don’t live the middle class life that Jen Gale thinks is ordinary. I’m in her income-bracket now, but I grew up working class and, also young in the 80s, I loathed the sort of excess she describes herself as espousing as the norm.
In short, I really wish Gale’s editor had said, “It’s not a problem to write from a perspective of middle class privilege. Other people like you will love this book, and there’s enough of them that it will sell really well and do some good in the world. But you can write for a primary audience of people like you without actively excluding others.� And I wish they’d tidied up all the places in which her lack of awareness of her privilege leaks out in her tone. Environmental activists - either skip the chapter on activism or read it with a sense of humour and fun. There are also issues every time she recommends something as a choice that people with less privilege just do as the only option available: handwashing dishes and using public transport are the most obvious ones. (And I say that as someone who does have a dishwasher and has transport choices).
To be fair, this isn’t solely this author’s issue. Lots of books in this market adopt a similar tone. “We’re all starting from this point, and doing these things, and isn’t it great?�
My conclusion: it is great that Jen Gale is taking steps to improve her impact on the environment. It is great she is willing and able to share them. And perhaps there’s some comfort that the “smug marrieds� so accurately portrayed in the Bridget Jones novels are now trying to do something to be more environmental. After all, they’re not the majority by numbers in the UK, but they have certainly always let it be known they are the moral majority. Yay! Well done, smug married sustainable(ish) demographic! 🤷🏻♀�
Don’t get me wrong, it’s worthy of its 3 stars, which in my rating means the author has achieved what they set out to do - there’s just nothing in it that I personally loved or found inspiring.
Jen Gale presents us with lots of useful links, and to that extent it’s worthwhile getting hold of a copy. There are also a few nice soundbites that I’ll use on the Tidy Beginnings Instagram at some point in the future. I’m certainly not discouraging anyone from reading this book, which has the solid aim of demystifying green issues and I guess achieves that for the sort of person Jen Gale was herself before she spent eight years reading and blogging on these topics.
In the introduction, Gale herself accurately identifies the sort of person who, like me, isn’t going to enjoy Sustainable(ish):
“I’ll be honest here, it’s probably not for you if you’re already well on your way ... you’re going to be disappointed by this book. There’s nothing groundbreaking in it ... it’s just me, a very ordinary person, an ex-vet, knackered mum of two, sharing the things that I’ve learned in what I hope is an accessible and actionable way� (p. 11).
Actually, I wasn’t “disappointed� and I wasn’t reading expecting the book to be a scientific study - it was clearly going to be a consolidation of useful facts. It’s the self-diagnosis as “a very ordinary person� that points to what I personally found off-putting. The majority of people in Britain don’t live the middle class life that Jen Gale thinks is ordinary. I’m in her income-bracket now, but I grew up working class and, also young in the 80s, I loathed the sort of excess she describes herself as espousing as the norm.
In short, I really wish Gale’s editor had said, “It’s not a problem to write from a perspective of middle class privilege. Other people like you will love this book, and there’s enough of them that it will sell really well and do some good in the world. But you can write for a primary audience of people like you without actively excluding others.� And I wish they’d tidied up all the places in which her lack of awareness of her privilege leaks out in her tone. Environmental activists - either skip the chapter on activism or read it with a sense of humour and fun. There are also issues every time she recommends something as a choice that people with less privilege just do as the only option available: handwashing dishes and using public transport are the most obvious ones. (And I say that as someone who does have a dishwasher and has transport choices).
To be fair, this isn’t solely this author’s issue. Lots of books in this market adopt a similar tone. “We’re all starting from this point, and doing these things, and isn’t it great?�
My conclusion: it is great that Jen Gale is taking steps to improve her impact on the environment. It is great she is willing and able to share them. And perhaps there’s some comfort that the “smug marrieds� so accurately portrayed in the Bridget Jones novels are now trying to do something to be more environmental. After all, they’re not the majority by numbers in the UK, but they have certainly always let it be known they are the moral majority. Yay! Well done, smug married sustainable(ish) demographic! 🤷🏻♀�
November 7, 2021
I’m really glad that APDO Book Club chose this book as this month’s read, because, I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t have read to the end any other way.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s worthy of its 3 stars, which in my rating means the author has achieved what they set out to do - there’s just nothing in it that I personally loved or found inspiring.
Jen Gale presents us with lots of useful links, and to that extent it’s worthwhile getting hold of a copy. There are also a few nice soundbites that I’ll use on the Tidy Beginnings Instagram at some point in the future. I’m certainly not discouraging anyone from reading this book, which has the solid aim of demystifying green issues and I guess achieves that for the sort of person Jen Gale was herself before she spent eight years reading and blogging on these topics.
In the introduction, Gale herself accurately identifies the sort of person who, like me, isn’t going to enjoy Sustainable(ish):
“I’ll be honest here, it’s probably not for you if you’re already well on your way ... you’re going to be disappointed by this book. There’s nothing groundbreaking in it ... it’s just me, a very ordinary person, an ex-vet, knackered mum of two, sharing the things that I’ve learned in what I hope is an accessible and actionable way� (p. 11).
Actually, I wasn’t “disappointed� and I wasn’t reading expecting the book to be a scientific study - it was clearly going to be a consolidation of useful facts. It’s the self-diagnosis as “a very ordinary person� that points to what I personally found off-putting. The majority of people in Britain don’t live the middle class life that Jen Gale thinks is ordinary. I’m in her income-bracket now, but I grew up working class and, also young in the 80s, I loathed the sort of excess she describes herself as espousing as the norm.
In short, I really wish Gale’s editor had said, “It’s not a problem to write from a perspective of middle class privilege. Other people like you will love this book, and there’s enough of them that it will sell really well and do some good in the world. But you can write for a primary audience of people like you without actively excluding others.� And I wish they’d tidied up all the places in which her lack of awareness of her privilege leaks out in her tone. Environmental activists - either skip the chapter on activism or read it with a sense of humour and fun. There are also issues every time she recommends something as a choice that people with less privilege just do as the only option available: handwashing dishes and using public transport are the most obvious ones. (And I say that as someone who does have a dishwasher and has transport choices).
To be fair, this isn’t solely this author’s issue. Lots of books in this market adopt a similar tone. “We’re all starting from this point, and doing these things, and isn’t it great?�
My conclusion: it is great that Jen Gale is taking steps to improve her impact on the environment. It is great she is willing and able to share them. And perhaps there’s some comfort that the “smug marrieds� so accurately portrayed in the Bridget Jones novels are now trying to do something to be more environmental. After all, they’re not the majority by numbers in the UK, but they have certainly always let it be known they are the moral majority. Yay! Well done, smug married sustainable(ish) demographic! 🤷🏻♀�
Don’t get me wrong, it’s worthy of its 3 stars, which in my rating means the author has achieved what they set out to do - there’s just nothing in it that I personally loved or found inspiring.
Jen Gale presents us with lots of useful links, and to that extent it’s worthwhile getting hold of a copy. There are also a few nice soundbites that I’ll use on the Tidy Beginnings Instagram at some point in the future. I’m certainly not discouraging anyone from reading this book, which has the solid aim of demystifying green issues and I guess achieves that for the sort of person Jen Gale was herself before she spent eight years reading and blogging on these topics.
In the introduction, Gale herself accurately identifies the sort of person who, like me, isn’t going to enjoy Sustainable(ish):
“I’ll be honest here, it’s probably not for you if you’re already well on your way ... you’re going to be disappointed by this book. There’s nothing groundbreaking in it ... it’s just me, a very ordinary person, an ex-vet, knackered mum of two, sharing the things that I’ve learned in what I hope is an accessible and actionable way� (p. 11).
Actually, I wasn’t “disappointed� and I wasn’t reading expecting the book to be a scientific study - it was clearly going to be a consolidation of useful facts. It’s the self-diagnosis as “a very ordinary person� that points to what I personally found off-putting. The majority of people in Britain don’t live the middle class life that Jen Gale thinks is ordinary. I’m in her income-bracket now, but I grew up working class and, also young in the 80s, I loathed the sort of excess she describes herself as espousing as the norm.
In short, I really wish Gale’s editor had said, “It’s not a problem to write from a perspective of middle class privilege. Other people like you will love this book, and there’s enough of them that it will sell really well and do some good in the world. But you can write for a primary audience of people like you without actively excluding others.� And I wish they’d tidied up all the places in which her lack of awareness of her privilege leaks out in her tone. Environmental activists - either skip the chapter on activism or read it with a sense of humour and fun. There are also issues every time she recommends something as a choice that people with less privilege just do as the only option available: handwashing dishes and using public transport are the most obvious ones. (And I say that as someone who does have a dishwasher and has transport choices).
To be fair, this isn’t solely this author’s issue. Lots of books in this market adopt a similar tone. “We’re all starting from this point, and doing these things, and isn’t it great?�
My conclusion: it is great that Jen Gale is taking steps to improve her impact on the environment. It is great she is willing and able to share them. And perhaps there’s some comfort that the “smug marrieds� so accurately portrayed in the Bridget Jones novels are now trying to do something to be more environmental. After all, they’re not the majority by numbers in the UK, but they have certainly always let it be known they are the moral majority. Yay! Well done, smug married sustainable(ish) demographic! 🤷🏻♀�
May 19, 2020
The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide by @sustainableish is the kind of book that when you ‘finish� it, you go back because you’re not quite finished. We know most people have good intentions and want to do their bit to save the planet, but just don’t know how or where to start. It can be really hard, tiring and expensive to always make that environmentally friendly, conscious decision. As you know, we are working hard this year to have less plastic in our home. That in itself is a HUGE task. This book reminded me that I don’t need to change EVERYTHING right NOW. I can make small changes in my life that will have BIG impact for the future.
This book is the perfect resource/guide to helping you do your bit at your own pace and ensuring that what you do, works for you and your family. It’s non-judgemental, supportive and full of tips and advice. It helps you take the babysteps needed before you are up and running � but please remain calm, its not a book that is trying to force you this way or that way, it’s just a guide to help you, help the planet � small steps first!
Remember that even the smallest step, the smallest change, can make a huge impact. This photo is for the gram but I promise your copy will look like mine when your done (full of post-it notes � will post a real photo soon). Thank you to the team at @bloomsburypublishing for sending me a copy of The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide. A great book for helping readers make a change for the better. This book is AVAILABLE now and I hope you get a copy so that together our small steps are huge leaps.
@mrlovesbookshelf
This book is the perfect resource/guide to helping you do your bit at your own pace and ensuring that what you do, works for you and your family. It’s non-judgemental, supportive and full of tips and advice. It helps you take the babysteps needed before you are up and running � but please remain calm, its not a book that is trying to force you this way or that way, it’s just a guide to help you, help the planet � small steps first!
Remember that even the smallest step, the smallest change, can make a huge impact. This photo is for the gram but I promise your copy will look like mine when your done (full of post-it notes � will post a real photo soon). Thank you to the team at @bloomsburypublishing for sending me a copy of The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide. A great book for helping readers make a change for the better. This book is AVAILABLE now and I hope you get a copy so that together our small steps are huge leaps.
@mrlovesbookshelf
July 5, 2022
I enjoyed reading this book! Well, after 1/3 of the way in, I really started skimming. But I finished it!
Things I appreciated about this book:
- The author's tone and writing style made it very approachable and easy to read, and helped make the scary statistics more digestible
- This book will not shame you into making "greener" choices; it promotes starting small and starting where you are!
- There are plenty of good, practical ideas in this book; it's easy to find a couple that you want to get started with!
Book Takeaways:
After each chapter ("how to be more sustainable at Home, how to be more sustainable at Work", etc), I feel like a lot of the tips could be boiled down into a couple big themes, and the book could have been a lot shorter. For example:
- Before making a purchase, consider: not buying anything, trading with a friend, buying a used item, buying a more sustainable option (recycled paper vs regular paper, product in cardboard packaging vs plastic packaging), or using what you already have.
Overall I really enjoyed this book, but I'm glad I skimmed it. I still feel like I got the majority of its impact that way. Reading the beginning is useful so you get a background on sustainable living, but after that the tips can get a bit redundant, so skipping to the parts that really apply to you is the way to go!
Things I appreciated about this book:
- The author's tone and writing style made it very approachable and easy to read, and helped make the scary statistics more digestible
- This book will not shame you into making "greener" choices; it promotes starting small and starting where you are!
- There are plenty of good, practical ideas in this book; it's easy to find a couple that you want to get started with!
Book Takeaways:
After each chapter ("how to be more sustainable at Home, how to be more sustainable at Work", etc), I feel like a lot of the tips could be boiled down into a couple big themes, and the book could have been a lot shorter. For example:
- Before making a purchase, consider: not buying anything, trading with a friend, buying a used item, buying a more sustainable option (recycled paper vs regular paper, product in cardboard packaging vs plastic packaging), or using what you already have.
Overall I really enjoyed this book, but I'm glad I skimmed it. I still feel like I got the majority of its impact that way. Reading the beginning is useful so you get a background on sustainable living, but after that the tips can get a bit redundant, so skipping to the parts that really apply to you is the way to go!
February 24, 2023
If you live in the UK, this book definitely deserves 5 stars. The amount of UK related information in this book is amazing, which it doesn't do much for us, non-UK residents, but I guess it leaves the space for doing some homework and searching for some resources ourselves. It's still worth the reading even if you live in the US, Canada, Colombia, Japan, or anywhere in the world, really. It gives great insights on why we need to act and, most importantly, what it could be done for achieving a more sustainable(ish) lifestyle.
“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.� Anne Marie Bonneau, Zero Waste Chef
The author also does a great job of educating the reader while still being gentle and not using guilt-centered activism, which personally I find annoying and rather inefficient. We need somehow to get the message to your "boomer parents", your "Karen" neighbour, your compulsive-shopping friend, your "instagram good vibes" colleague... we need on this boat as many people as we can, because guess what? We're all on it anyway. We all need to be, at least, susteinable-ish. So don't be afraid to educate yourself and others about it. You're doing yourself, the ones you love, and the planet a huge favour.
“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.� Anne Marie Bonneau, Zero Waste Chef
The author also does a great job of educating the reader while still being gentle and not using guilt-centered activism, which personally I find annoying and rather inefficient. We need somehow to get the message to your "boomer parents", your "Karen" neighbour, your compulsive-shopping friend, your "instagram good vibes" colleague... we need on this boat as many people as we can, because guess what? We're all on it anyway. We all need to be, at least, susteinable-ish. So don't be afraid to educate yourself and others about it. You're doing yourself, the ones you love, and the planet a huge favour.
January 14, 2024
As Jen Gale freely admits at the outset of this lively guide, if you are already an expert on Sustainability then this book is probably not for you. While there is little in “The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide� that a hardcore environmentalist would find groundbreaking or revolutionary, this is an accessible introduction to Sustainability for the typical, time-poor consumer who wants to do better (and buy better) but doesn’t know where to start.
“The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide� is written in a breezy, chummy style and Jen Gale � with her target mainstream audience clearly in mind � studiously tries not to come across as too po-faced or sanctimonious. Although Gale is careful to avoid finger-wagging or brow-beating, the book is suffused with the principle that, as citizens and consumers, “our choices matter� and that “every time you spend money, you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want�. If you pick up half-a-dozen tips or ideas from the “The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide� on how to live a more eco-friendly life (which you surely well given the spheres it covers), then this will be a worthwhile book for you to dip into.
“The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide� is written in a breezy, chummy style and Jen Gale � with her target mainstream audience clearly in mind � studiously tries not to come across as too po-faced or sanctimonious. Although Gale is careful to avoid finger-wagging or brow-beating, the book is suffused with the principle that, as citizens and consumers, “our choices matter� and that “every time you spend money, you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want�. If you pick up half-a-dozen tips or ideas from the “The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide� on how to live a more eco-friendly life (which you surely well given the spheres it covers), then this will be a worthwhile book for you to dip into.
December 25, 2020
A Bible for those of use wanting to be more sustainable
At first I wasn't sure about this book. Suggesting people buy extremely expensive clothes seemed very middle class, and being out of the reach of most people, like it wasn't going to help things very much.
I changed my mind though. The author makes a huge point of saying 'buy less, but if you do hsve to buy, buy better'. Sure, £200 jeans aren't options for a lot of people, but charity shops are.
Basically I think she makes manageable for people a lot of really big issues that can people off as they don't know where to start and it feels like a drop in the ocean.
Its a great read, very useful and accessible and I highly recommend it. Very good in the e-format as well as its easy to click the links to products and websites.
At first I wasn't sure about this book. Suggesting people buy extremely expensive clothes seemed very middle class, and being out of the reach of most people, like it wasn't going to help things very much.
I changed my mind though. The author makes a huge point of saying 'buy less, but if you do hsve to buy, buy better'. Sure, £200 jeans aren't options for a lot of people, but charity shops are.
Basically I think she makes manageable for people a lot of really big issues that can people off as they don't know where to start and it feels like a drop in the ocean.
Its a great read, very useful and accessible and I highly recommend it. Very good in the e-format as well as its easy to click the links to products and websites.
February 22, 2022
This is a super approachable entry point & overview for people who want to make helpful changes in their households that involve one-to-one swaps (do this instead of that). Personally, it's not for me, and neglects some of the nuance that people who have already done the basics might appreciate. (E.g. switching to organic cotton isn't the solution it sounds like when you stop to consider water use.) I'd do better with a more specific how-to on mending or food prep - the kinds of resources this book calls out to / lists, rather than the information the book itself contains.
Another down side is that if you're just looking for a recommendation for least-harmful brands and such, the author is based in the UK & so her suggestions are all tilted towards things that might be hard to get in the U.S.
Not for me, good for others!
Another down side is that if you're just looking for a recommendation for least-harmful brands and such, the author is based in the UK & so her suggestions are all tilted towards things that might be hard to get in the U.S.
Not for me, good for others!
October 4, 2020
I was sceptical about purchasing another greening guide, having already read one & seeing repetitive lists of tips on line. How ever the title of this got my attention, as the element of "ish" / imperfection from the first guide/ book was perhaps my favourite thing about it.
Some areas of this I skipped over (the fewer encounters I have with kids parties the happier I am) but it does not matter if you do so.
It was a bit like revision of what's still on my baby steps list but I did also pick up new tips (fridge fans going to get it next week). Mostly I liked the authenticity of confessions.
For someone reading something like this for the first time it's just a reassuring As it is jam packed with ideas for you . Worth a read for either party
Some areas of this I skipped over (the fewer encounters I have with kids parties the happier I am) but it does not matter if you do so.
It was a bit like revision of what's still on my baby steps list but I did also pick up new tips (fridge fans going to get it next week). Mostly I liked the authenticity of confessions.
For someone reading something like this for the first time it's just a reassuring As it is jam packed with ideas for you . Worth a read for either party
September 26, 2022
Biggest concern still is the comparisons to dieting throughout and how diet culture just seems to have gotten into our brains everywhere. Overall not a bad book, some useful tips, a lot that I've already heard before. Still some misinformation (as there commonly is) about organic food and "chemicals", but less so than other sources. Liked the ideas about getting kids and family involved, working towards green energy, and exploring greener travel options. Also appreciated the recognition of things her family tried that just didn't work for them and that's okay!
Most of the resources are very UK centric so they may not be helpful if you're in the UK, but I'm sure there are similar ones in other areas that may be available.
Most of the resources are very UK centric so they may not be helpful if you're in the UK, but I'm sure there are similar ones in other areas that may be available.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2020
3.5 stars, in large part because I’m tired of books that read like a blogger trying too hard to be casual and conversational. I also was frustrated by the several times she wrote “I haven’t actually looked into x, but you might be able to. . .� Don’t write a book if you don’t want to do the research first! Otherwise�
The book has a lot of great ideas, including some I hadn’t considered before. A plastic audit is in our future, for starters. Her underlying worldview is different than mine, though, which means her reasons for sustainability and her priorities are different than mine—that’s not a bad thing, but it does mean I’m glad I got this from the library.
The book has a lot of great ideas, including some I hadn’t considered before. A plastic audit is in our future, for starters. Her underlying worldview is different than mine, though, which means her reasons for sustainability and her priorities are different than mine—that’s not a bad thing, but it does mean I’m glad I got this from the library.
April 13, 2021
I really loved this book's approach to understanding sustainable living and the fact that it recognizes that there are no easy solutions and that some solutions may not actually work for some people. There is a comedic tone in the book that is inviting and conversational which I loved. Some of the references she makes are very UK specific so keep in mind you may need to do some research to see if your country has an equivalent for things like renewable energy providers, etc. I also appreciated as a person without children how she tackles sustainability and kiddos and how often it's very challenging to meet halfway (which I expected, but it's interesting to still read about).
April 26, 2021
I put off reading this book for quite. while, thinking it would just make me feel bad about myeslf - I couldn't have been more wrong!
Jen Gale sets out some easy, and not so easy, but always practical steps to begin to reduce your family's impact on the planet and the best thing is that there is no guilt!
It's really important to emphasise that not all families are the same and what works for one may not work for another, but no matter how far along your eco journey you are, even a small change can make an impact in the long run.
Really excellent book - I'vee ordered the second book too!
Jen Gale sets out some easy, and not so easy, but always practical steps to begin to reduce your family's impact on the planet and the best thing is that there is no guilt!
It's really important to emphasise that not all families are the same and what works for one may not work for another, but no matter how far along your eco journey you are, even a small change can make an impact in the long run.
Really excellent book - I'vee ordered the second book too!
April 29, 2021
This was a great and interesting read about how to combat climate change and live more sustainably. It gave easy and achievable tips on how an individual or family can make a difference. However, I feel like a lot of poor/less well off people (like myself) either already do a lot of these things or can’t viably afford to make these changes, and that really the tips need to be implemented by the rich/relatively well off in order to actually make a difference. Also, I wish that there was a US version of this book that has links to US sites; but that’s totally not a downside for this as I’m sure a lot of the websites could still help out and be useful for people outside of the UK.
July 2, 2021
I really enjoyed this. These issues become quickly overwhelming and it seems like there’s so much that needs to be changed and done that I get paralysed into inaction. Reading this gave me so many tangible places to start in my own daily choices, left room for grace along the way and for different circumstances, and helped me see things to tackle that I can stick with. The author is transparent about her own failures and adjustments. I hope to continue to push myself, but this is the kind of book that has endless entry points for people whether they’re new to all of it or continuing the journey of protecting the planet. There’s a sustainable(ish) action for everybody here.
May 8, 2021
I borrowed this book from the library, but it may be one you need to own to get the value from. I just tried to note a few changes I could make. I like the fact that Jen Gake acknowledges that going full eco-wartior is too hard for most people, but she encourages you to do what you can manage to live more sustainably. A lot of books on this topic are kind of terrifying and overwhelming and lead me to just put my head in the sand, but I've made small changes based on this book. It's written in a light friendly easily readable style. Very good.
January 26, 2022
I really struggled with finishing this book If I’m being completely honest.
I guess for someone like myself who has already read quite a few books on sustainable living there are going to be topics/products/companies/suggestions/alternatives that you are already aware of, so to reread them in this book felt repetitive to be honest which then made it hard to get my teeth sunk into.
Saying that though I am also now aware of several websites & companies that I didn’t know about before so I’ll happily give those a try out.
I guess for someone like myself who has already read quite a few books on sustainable living there are going to be topics/products/companies/suggestions/alternatives that you are already aware of, so to reread them in this book felt repetitive to be honest which then made it hard to get my teeth sunk into.
Saying that though I am also now aware of several websites & companies that I didn’t know about before so I’ll happily give those a try out.
April 27, 2022
This book was absolutely excellent. All of her suggestions were exactly that—suggestions. Nothing was preachy and she had such a wide range of ideas for living more sustainably(ish) for every person. Plus, Jen was incredibly conversational in her writing and the way the book was structured made it super easy to digest.
If you frequently feel overwhelmed by the ideas of making sustainable swaps or are looking for sustainable(ish) ideas to implement / ways to change how you're living/consuming/viewing sustainability, I highly recommend picking up this book!
If you frequently feel overwhelmed by the ideas of making sustainable swaps or are looking for sustainable(ish) ideas to implement / ways to change how you're living/consuming/viewing sustainability, I highly recommend picking up this book!
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