These 4 Books Can Help Us Rethink Our Relationship With Stuff And Become More Sustainable

Most of us can agree that we simply have too much stuff in our lives. From our obsession with the trendiest in-season apparel to the countless number of electronics in our homes. The reality is that all this overproduction and overconsumption is killing the planet—but how can we change this? 

Here, we turn to these four insightful authors. Their books share their thoughts on how we should rethink our relationship with stuff, from food to fashion. 

1. Alice Waters: We Are What We Eat

Alice Waters, the renowned chef and food activist behind the farm-to-table movement, has recently published We Are What We Eat. It’s been fifty years since she pioneered her revolutionary slow food philosophy, and here she takes a look back on what she’s learned. Waters also makes her passionate case for how we must transform how we cook, dine, and eat—and how these very choices make an impact on our environment and communities.

You can read more about We Are What We Eat here.  

2. J.B. MacKinnon: The Day the World Stops Shopping

Canadian journalist J.B. MacKinnon wants us to imagine a world without any shopping. It’s a vastly different universe to the one we’re living in right now, but perhaps it’s exactly what the planet needs. In his new book, The Day the World Stops Shopping, MacKinnon makes a strong argument that all of us simply need to buy less stuff. It’s a thought-provoking read that the author told Green Queen all about in this interview. 

3. Sonya and Nina Montenegro: Mending Life

In Mending Life, sisters Sonya and Nina Montenegro share their knowledge about how we can repair nearly everything in our lives. It’s really a practical toolkit of tips from the designers behind The Far Woods, who offer their expertise on mending clothes, socks, sweaters, and even outerwear. Suitable for everyone from beginners to advanced, the Montenegro sisters might be teaching us a thing or two about mending our hearts, souls, and the planet too. 

4. Emilia A. Leese and Eva J. Charalambides: Think Like A Vegan

Nowadays, veganism is everywhere. What used to be a niche is going mainstream, but authors and vegans Emilia A. Leese and Eva J. Charalambides want you to push aside any prior ideas you might have. In Think Like A Vegan, they explore a range of topics on how a vegan lifestyle can make us reflect on how we do everything in our modern lives. And that goes beyond food—they dive into new territories, from dinner party conversations to travel and feminism. Interested? You can read an exclusive Chapter 2 extract from the book on our page here. 

Lead image courtesy of Unsplash.