The Better World Handbook : From Good Intentions to Everyday Actions - Softcover

Ellis Jones; Ross Haenfler; Brett Johnson; Klocke, Brian

4.1

187 ratings by Goodreads

9780865714427: The Better World Handbook : From Good Intentions to Everyday Actions

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0865714428 ISBN 13: 9780865714427

Publisher: New Society Publishers, 2001

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It would be a perfect world if everyone could quit their jobs and devote themselves fully to the causes they believed in. Instead, The Better World Handbook shows caring, but busy people how to live out their progressive values and have a life! The principle behind this engaging guide is to incorporate everyday activism into even the most mundane areas of our lives-like grocery shopping, banking, eating, reading the newspaper, and working.

The book begins with a concise summary of our society's most pressing problems that lead directly to seven foundations necessary for building a better world: economic fairness, comprehensive peace, ecological sustainability, deep democracy, social justice, a culture of simplicity, and revitalized community. Subsequent chapters are organized around intuitive topics such as Food, Money, Transportation, Work, and Media, focusing on activities that support the seven foundations for a better world. A purchase can allow a locally owned business to thrive; money invested in the right bank can create opportunities for poor communities; a vacation can contribute to preserving wilderness areas; tuning-in to public and alternative media can put readers back in control of their thoughts, feelings and values that mainstream media marginalize.

Practical and extremely well researched by four university instructors who have synthesized knowledge from a wide variety of sources, The Better World Handbook provides readers with the essential information they need to take effective actions that will make a difference across the entire spectrum of the world's problems.

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All four authors live in Boulder, Colorado where they are instructors at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Each author is deeply committed to activism.

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From the Author:

We have written The Better World Handbook as the definitive guide for the average person wanting to make a real difference in the world. Our book is specifically written for well-intentioned people who may be too busy to be actively involved in social change organizations. Our intention is to reach people who normally would not consider themselves activists, people who care about creating a more just and socially responsible world for everyone but don't know where to begin.

Our book answers 3 basic questions: 1. What stops people from getting involved in making a difference in the world?, 2. What are the major challenges facing our world?, and finally 3. What can the average person do in their everyday life to make the world better? This final question is what makes up the core of the book.

6 Things That Set This Book Apart From Others:

1. Action Oriented

The real strength of The Better World Handbook lies in its simple, concrete actions. Too many books discuss the world's problems without offering actions that the average person can take to make a difference. Our book is completely action oriented. We give you all the necessary information, making each action as simple as possible. We also encourage you to interact with the book by writing notes and checking off the actions you complete.

2. Intuitive Organization

We have organized The Better World Handbook in the most intuitive way possible. Chapters in most books about social change relate to general topics rather than concrete areas of life. People are not accustomed to thinking about their lives in this way. We organize The Better World Handbook intuitively, according to areas of people's everyday lives. People are more likely to take actions related to concrete areas of their own lives such as Shopping, Food, and Travel rather than general problems like 'Saving the Environment,' 'Bringing Peace to the World,' or 'Working for Social Justice.' You will find actions in every part of your life that can make a positive difference in the world.

3. Written For The Average Person We have written The Better World Handbook for the average person. Too often, books on social change are oriented towards academics or activists already in social change networks. While our book may appeal to those audiences, we wish to reach average well-intentioned people who care about the world but have little time, interest, or resources to engage in 'traditional' activism. To this end, we keep the overall tone of the book positive and solution focused so as not to weigh down the reader with the world's problems.

4. Everyday Activism The Better World Handbook offers actions that most people can take NOW. Many books propose grand solutions to social problems but fail to offer immediate, everyday actions for the reader to take. For example, most people will not picket a corporation's headquarters, but they may boycott a corporation's products if they use sweatshop labor. Whenever possible, we suggest actions connected to everyday life.

5. Comprehensive Approach The Better World Handbook covers a range of values and social problems, integrating corresponding actions into every area of the reader's life. Many books are 'single issue' oriented; they focus exclusively on the environment, political activism, or social justice. Our book is much more comprehensive, guiding you towards the possibility of living out your values in every aspect of your life. We also thoroughly research a variety of global problems, offering a creative, comprehensive vision for a better world.

6. Engaging Format We have written and designed The Better World Handbook in the most engaging way possible. Believing that we must engage you, the reader, before you will ever consider our actions, we include icons, text boxes, cartoons, graphs, checklists, tables, resources and imagery. We keep the tone positive, inspiring the reader by demonstrating the difference she or he can make in the world through simple lifestyle changes.

About the Author:

Ellis Jones has been teaching people to make a difference in the world for over a decade with works like The Better World Handbook. A scholar of social responsibility, change and activism, he founded and directs the Better World Network.

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