Living Like Ed - A Guide to the Eco-Friendly Life by Ed Begley,
Jr.
Today
on our green books series we present a new book of Ed Begley,
Jr., who was dubbed "the star of climate change"
by Newsweek magazine.
Our book for today is:
Living Like Ed: A Guide to the Eco-Friendly Life
Author: Ed
Begley, Jr.
Ed Begley, Jr., became a star for his convincing portrayal
of the obsequious, socially awkward Dr. Erlich on the acclaimed
television series "St. Elsewhere," a performance
which earned him an Emmy nomination. The son of distinguished
radio, television, and screen actor Ed Begley, the younger
Begley made his acting debut at age 17 in an episode of "My
Three Sons."
Later, he worked on the college and nightclub circuit as
a standup comedian and then was a TV cameraman for a short
while. During the '70s, Begley returned to acting and guest
starred on several series, including "Happy Days"
and "Starsky and Hutch." In film, he made his debut
in the Disney comedy "Now You See Him, Now You Don't,"
and went on to play small roles in a couple more Walt Disney
comedies.
Steadily employed in Hollywood as a supporting actor and
occasional lead in television and feature films, Begley has
displayed a broad range of talent that has allowed him to
play anything from hippies to deadly villains in a variety
of genres.
When not acting, Begley is a tireless promoter of environmental
causes. He has also served as the Environmental Affairs Commissioner
for the City of Los Angeles and on the boards of the Santa
Monica Mountains Conservancy, the Environmental Research Foundation,
The Coalition for Clean Air, and the American Oceans Campaign.
Begley's environmental efforts have earned him awards from
the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Coalition for
Clean Air.
As of 2007, Begley and his wife Rachelle Carson star in their
own reality television series, Living
With Ed, on the Home & Garden Television, focusing
on their pursuits of sustainable living.
Furthering Begley’s pursuit of sustainability is his
line of natural home cleaning products, Begley’s
Best, "a terrific all-purpose cleaner designed to
replace all other household cleaning products...made from
extracts of pine, palm extract, de-acified citrus, maize,
fermented sugar cane roots, and olive seeds. The ingredients
are all natural, non-toxic and totally biodegradable in just
3 to 7 days."
Publisher: Clarkson Potter
Published in: February 2008
What it is about: Begley Jr.,
an actor and a committed environmentalist, presents a do-it-yourself
guide to green living that explains how to incorporate eco-friendly
products and practices into one's everyday life. The book
is covering areas such as the home, transportation, recycling,
energy, food, gardening, clothing and furnishing. Begley shares
his experiences on what works, what doesn't, and what will
save you money!
From the book
description: "And if you think living green has to
mean compromising on aesthetics or comfort, fear not; Ed's
wife, Rachelle, insists on style - with a conscience. In Living
Like Ed, his environmentalism and her design savvy combine
to create a guide to going green that keeps the chic in eco-chic.
From recycling more materials than you ever thought possible
to composting without raising a stink to buying an electric
car, Living Like Ed is packed with ideas - from obvious to
ingenious–that will help you live green, live responsibly,
live well. Like Ed."
Why you should get it:
1. I always in favor of such guides that give you advice how
to go green from first-hand experience.
2. I like the book's approach that as far as I understand
is led by Rachelle, Ed's wife, which is that going green does
not mean you have to compromise on quality, comfort, style,
etc. Many people afraid that going green means trade-offs
and this book means to show them it ain't necessarily so.
3. Ed Begley became green many years before being green became
popular or even understandable. As described on therenewableplanet.com,
Begley has been recycling since before many other eco-celebs
were born and has owned a wind turbine since the ’80s.
Even in the '90s many saw him, as his wife explains, some
kind of green freak, which then may also even cost him a little
bit in his career.
I think it's kind of historical justice that Begley Jr. enjoys
now the fruits of being loyal all of these years to his green
beliefs. I also believe that this is the exact kind of person
you would like to receive advice from about how to green up
your life.
What others say on the book:
“Filled with sound advice and first-hand experience
from someone who has been walking the walk for more than 38
years, Living Like Ed provides a wide array of practical options
for anyone who wants to make his life a little-or a lot-greener.
Ed Begley is more than a beloved Hollywood figure; he¹s
an all-American hero, and Living Like Ed is a comprehensive
yet accessible guide to becoming more environmentally savvy
that light greens and bright greens alike will find themselves
dog-earing for years to come.” - Treehugger.com
This green
book review was originally posted on Eco-Libris blog.
More resources:
1. The book on Amazon.com
2. Browse inside the
book
3. Interview with Ed on Crunchy
Chicken
4. New York Times environment reporter Andrew
C. Revkin talks with Ed Begley Jr. about living green.
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