THE EDIBLE CITY- Toronto’s Food from Farm to Fork

Edited by Christina Palassio and Alana Wilcox

2009 Coach House Books 

ISBN 978-1-55245-219-6
Reviewed by Jennifer Fischer

The Edible City is a collection of 42 stories from passionate Torontonian’s whom are presently active in food related issues and celebrations here in Toronto, Ontario. The book presents itself like a menu, each chapter is illustrated by a menu choice- a five-course meal: Antipasto, Primo, Secondo, Contorno, and Dolce. Each chapter unravels the web of food. Unpacking the social, political and economic discourse of food and the reader’s connection to it within the city landscape and beyond. The approach is multifaceted, it uses distinctive narratives to tell the story of food, in an attempt to allow the reader to recognize: the issues surrounding food politics both in low socio-economic neighbourhoods, but also in five star restaurants; our shared history of how and why Toronto established itself as Hogtown on the most fertile land- in close proximity to an endless supply of fish stock; where Toronto gets its food from, beyond the Toronto Food Terminal- reflective of both the migrant workers of Ontario, to imported food; questions of who and why sews the seed, harvests, sells, distributes, cooks and even serves our food and who is vulnerable and/or celebrated in that process; the impacts of both vegetarianism and eating local butchered meats, furthermore; it asks what are we without access to food? 

The Future of the Bathroom

<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/64685429?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0&amp;color=ff0179" width="410" height="230" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/64685429">Future of the Bathroom</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2113878">Lloyd Alter</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

Hell and High Water

Hell and High Water

Written By Joseph Romm

Publisher HarperCollins Publishers

Date of Publication 2007

ISBN 978-0-06-117212-0

Reviewed By Nicole Perry for Lloyd Alter

Outline

Hell and High Water looks at the effect that global warming is having on our world and gives solutions to avoid catastrophe. It explains the consequences of climate change such as rising sea levels, loss of coastal cities due to mega-hurricanes and increasingly warmer summers. Romm comments on the American government's inability to do anything about global warming and how this is influencing other countries, particularly China. He feels the Nation must adopt the California-style, energy efficient way of living.

In order to avoid climate catastrophe Romm believes that it is necessary to reduce emissions from electricity and heavy industry. On a more individual level, the book also explains the process of Hydrogen and how a better transportation choice would be plug in hybrids, and electric cars. Romm's goal was to make this book as informative and factual as possible with regards to our climate, the change it is currently undergoing and what we have to do to slow it down.

Relevance

I found that this book describes how, as a country, we must adopt sustainable choices in order to decreases our chances of future climate catastrophe, this includes “launching a massive performance-based efficiency program for homes, commercial buildings and new construction, launching a massive effort to boost the efficiency of heavy industry and expand the use of cogeneration, capture the CO2 from 800 new large coal plants and store it underground, build 1 million large wind turbines, build 700 new large nuclear power plants while shutting down no old ones.”

The book deals with sustainability on a political level in terms of what the government can do and suggests that we support a government that plans on cleaning up the country. It touches upon sustainable design on a massive scale rather than on a more individual level. The book tells us that this effort must be taken up by the majority of the country in order for us to be successful in saving our world and in order to do this the government must take responsibility and convince the country that we are facing major changes in our climates and natural disasters of epic proportions.

Relevance rating number, useless to relevant - 4

Opinion

I enjoyed reading the book but didn't feel like it gave me very much information on how I can live a sustainable life as an individual, although it did go into depth with what the government can do. I believe that it's important to support a government that has strong feelings towards making the country a greener place and is willing to put words into actions and follow through with their plans. It's important to have your opinions heard as an individual living in a society where global warming is ignored as a problem and brushed off of the political agenda.

The facts on global warming frightened me but they also opened my eyes to what's going on in our world today and how it will change our future. This book went to the extreme when talking about the consequences of the American Government's actions and had detailed information and facts to back up their argument, which is why I believe that this book is truly speaking of our fate. I plan on taking the information that I got from this book to heart and doing my part in society to help stop global warming. This book was worth reading and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in global warming and climate change.

Opinion rating number, awful to fabulous- 3

“Little House on a Small Planet”

by Shay Salomon (2006)

ISBN 10: 1-59228-868-5

By Tamara Rodriguez

What makes us happier?

or

In this book, Salomon invites us to explore the world of small house living through the use of North American examples. He reminds us of how we are constantly looking to “keep up with the Jones” to which he provides alternatives, either find new Joneses or forget about them altogether. He visits small house owners and compiles floor plans, photographs and interviews with owners and provides us with alternatives to the “McMansions”. He reminds us that we really do not have a need for much of the space we have and that when we have more space we buy more things that we do not need.

He provides us with maintenance costs of these small homes and gives us advice on small house living. He reminds us that by making the transition into a smaller house we free up time for our loved ones as we no longer have to worry about large mortgages and maintenance costs associated with the “McMansions”.

RELEVANCE

In his book, Salomon provides us with many examples of environmentally friendly living. He also gives advice on how we can apply these environmentally friendly ideas, used by small house owners, into our homes even if we are not willing to part with the larger home. An important idea that Solomon gives us in his book is the fact that sustainable design does not have to be aesthetically unpleasant. He gives us numerous examples on how people have made environmentally friendly, sustainable homes that are also beautiful. He reminds us that by giving up the large house, we have more money to spend on nicer, more sustainable finishes and therefore we can have a nicer looking house than the one we can afford in the large homes we have become accustomed to.

Sustainability Rating: 4

Although Salomon covers many aspects of small house living, it neglects to take into account people living in cold climates where outside activities are fairly limited during the winter months.

OPINION

This book is simply written and worth reading mostly for its power to make us rethink our needs. While reading the book, I found myself rethinking my dream of a larger house and realizing that I do not need more space and even less the financial strain attached to it. We do not realize how we get sucked into the idea of the large home and this book helps us rethink our needs. Questions are presented to the reader which, when answered we really get an understanding of how much excess we actually live with.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking to get rid of their mortgage as it provides great advice and tools to downsize our living. It will also help those who are looking to keep their home but want to be more environmentally friendly with their decisions. Overall, this book is well worth the time invested into reading it and the $20.00 cost.

General Rating: 5

It is an easy and insightful read which can lead to a better quality of life for all.

GreenTOpia: Towards a Sustainable Toronto, uTOpia volume three

GreenTOpia: Towards a Sustainable Toronto, uTOpia volume three
Edited by Alana Wilcox, Christina Palassio, Jonny Dovercourt
Coach House Books, 2007
ISBN 1-55245-194-1
Reviewed By: Amy Law

OUTLINE

GreenTOpia: Towards a Sustainable Toronto is the third volume in the uTOpia series. It is printed on 100 percent post-consumer recycled, chlorine-free paper and is edited by Alana Wilcox, Christina Palassio, and Jonny Dovercourt. It comprise of a collection of essays by Torontonians for Torontonians, answering the question, what would make our city a greener place? The proposals from environmental groups, progressive university faculties, city councilors, eco-friendly developers, science-fiction authors, grassroots activist, civic leaders and guerrilla gardeners resulted in twenty-three full-length essays and nineteen one-to-two page ideas.

The goal of the first two books in the series, uTOpia: Towards a New Toronto and The State of the Arts: Living with the Culture of Toronto, is to ask Torontoians to imagine a better city for ourselves. This fits perfectly with the ever-more pressing need to make it more sustainable. The green movement is talked about everywhere but the key to repair is local. The focus of this volume is on the solutions that are unique to our city reminding us that doing something about it involves better decisions made in our day-to-day lives.

RELEVANCE
Useless to relevant, 1 to 5: 4

GreenTOpia focuses on solutions that prove that it is possible to live in a city and still make choices that put the environment first. In addition to the essays, it also features photos, maps and a 56-page green directory of useful resources, organizations, incentives and programs promoting sustainability in the GTA. Although it tackles big ideas such as watersheds and activism, it stresses that it is the small, individual choices that ultimately have the greatest effect.

OPINION
Awful to fabulous, 1 to 5: 4

I would recommend this book. The global issue of sustaining our environment for a greener future can often overwhelm us to the point of becoming discouraged to take action. GreenTOpia reminds us that the key is to repair it on a local level and starts us off with the ideas and solutions. It assures us that it is possible to make a difference starting from our city. ‘Think globally, act locally’ is definitely the catch phrase for this book.

ECOHOLIC.

ECOHOLIC.

Adria Vasil.

Random House Canada, 2007.

ISBN 978-0-679-31484-4.
Reviewed By: Meredith Innes

SYNOPSIS

It's a book for those who are “addicted to the planet”. David Suzuki says it nice and simple:

“This book is for people who want to do something to lighten their impact on the planet. The small steps cost us little in the way of effort, money or time, but the cumulative effects can be enormous”

- David Suzuki

RELEVANCE

Ecoholic by Adria Vasil is the “bible” for eco-conscious people wanting to make a smaller ecological footprint on our earth. It is a resource for information on products and suggests a way of living that is healthier for both the users as well as the environment. Vasil includes information on health and hygiene, clothing, home and renovation, travel and toys and games. Each chapter is full of useful Canadian companies that are selling and supporting sustainable and green, environmentally friendly products for you, your family and your home. Not only are these products protecting the environment but they also are healthy choices for us and for our bodies. Adria Vasil writes for NOW Magazine in their new Ecoholic column. She is promoting green living in Canada, speaking on shows like Much Music, MTV and CBC. Her energy and passion for green products comes through in this very interesting book.

Rating (1-5=useless to relevant): 5

OPINION

I thought the book was very relevant to sustainability. Adria Vasil gives practical, realistic decisions to “live green” and opens readers to a world that they might not have known existed. I highly recommend the book. I suggest that it is a good book to have on hand as all Canadians switch to green products and are becoming more aware of their effect on the environment. My favorite chapter was “Beauty Spots”, where Vasil explains friendly, healthy products for hygiene. It opened my eyes to all the products that I am currently using that hurt me and the environment and I now think twice when walking into Shoppers Drug Mart to purchase the latest cosmetic product. I even loved that the book was printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper. Adria Vasil does an amazing job but the book can be dry at times, and isn't something that someone who “pick up” to read cover-to-cover. It engages the reader to a certain level, but acts more as a resource or guide than a book to continually read.

Rating (1-5=awful to fabulous): 4

WWW.BUILDINGGREEN.COM

IDE309 SUSTAINABLE DESIGN – WEBSITE REVIEW – WWW.BUILDINGGREEN.COM
Reviewed By: Yuming Chen

OVERVIEW

Headquartered in Brattleboro, Vermont, GreenBuilding Inc. has been providing the industry with green building and design information since 1985. Its membership-based website, www.buildinggreen.com, was launched on July 30^th, 2007. The primary goal of the website is to provide a database for architects, designers and engineers to find, use and share information such as product reviews and news in environmentally friendly building construction.

RELEVANCE

The website can be browsed without having a membership. However only the title of the articles can be read and a login or membership registration is required to view any entire articles. The website is divided in six major sections: Learn, CSI Divisions, LEED Credits, Green Products, Projects and News. Each section is then sorted into extensive sub-section with relevant articles which can be read online and bibliography items such as books and periodicals. For example, in the Green Products section, the Mechanical Systems/HVAC sub-section is organized in a list of product category which then leads to specific products and articles. Brief description, manufacturer links, full contact information and most importantly the reason why it’s green are provided for each product. Other related articles and categories such as CSI Divisions and LEED credits for the product are also provided. Since most articles on the website are inter-linked, a comprehensive search function is incorporated to help the user find information quickly. Within the articles, a discussion space is provided for members to share their opinions on the information.

Rating: 5/5 – Extremely Relevant

OPINION

The website is an extensive resource for both general ideas of green building and specific research of products and guidelines. The bibliography section, which is somewhat hidden and can be located through a link at the top of the website, contains long lists of books, websites and printed articles on issues such as policy and context, land use and community, and energy. This is not only a demonstration of the validity of the information on the website but also the organization’s commitment to providing as much relevant and useful information as possible to professionals . The discussion space in each of the articles has yet to prove to be effective as few, if any of them have had user comments posted. The other major drawback is that parts of the website could have been made public accessible to help promote green building. Nevertheless, this website is both a great starting point to learn about sustainable design and a great resource for in depth research during the development of any projects.

Rating: 4/5 – Extensive content but can be made more public

Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource

Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource

Author: Marq de Villiers

Publisher: McClelland & Stewart

ISBN: 978-0-7710-2641-6 (0-7710-2641-2)

OUTLINE

Water isn't running out. The amount of water on earth is the same now as in the past. We dig deep, damn up, reroute and disperse based on dollar demand and what's changing is the amount of water that remains potable for human use.

In this book Marq de Villiers presents a history of the world through water and how it has come to be that we face such dire situations with it globally. The text goes into great detail with supporting scientific, economic and statistical data. This factoid approach is met with the integration of highly readable mini-stories, mostly based on his personal travels to the far reaches of the earth. Comparisons are drawn between seemingly polar opposite areas of the world hitting on the rapidly growing populations, desertification, falling water tables, and pollution that come as a result.

The need for urgent action on this issue and the development of a system that allows for integrated management of all aspects of water supply and demand is embedded the overarching message.

RELEVANCE

The bottom line is that water enables the existence of all things and therefore, based on the history of its handling, it is completely undervalued in the present world. A sustainable lifestyle would redefine its necessary use by using little, then increasing the number of ways it can be used in one cycle and distributing it in a way that provides solution for today and tomorrow in equal consideration. The way this is achieved will vary greatly depending on the region of the planet. There is no immediate and obvious solution to the massive web of problems surrounding water but there is a clear indication that individual action is crucial.

Suggestions made for proactive change are directed toward large bodies of people and governments so the individual has only their conscience to rely on when changing their small scale habits and influencing the larger picture. The information acquired from this read greatly informs those choices by turning the micro quickly into the macro with the simple turning of a tap.

Rating (1-5 useless to relevant): 4

OPINION

This is a thorough read. More “to the point” publications exist on this topic but do not often provide the same breadth of supporting information. The beauty of the piece is that it works as both a text book and a human portrait of water. Be warned that the beginning of the book is heavily weighted with the mechanics of water usage and I was not truly captivated until I was nearly quarter of the way through the pages when examples of water crisis around the world arrive.

This book leans toward a “science and technology will save us all” attitude near the end that is bound to raise the eyebrows of some but most of the book is presented in a more neutral delivery of facts for the reader to conclude upon themselves. There seems to be reluctance by de Villiers to attack in depth the ever important political side of water that is so crucial to its current conditions. This could be due to its constant change and clouded nature. Overall the book has something to inform both the clueless and the scientist into the severity of their own timely action. In the end the reader is still left satisfied they've explored the major global issues surrounding the topic and is compelled into a new consciousness of every last drop.

Rating (1-5 useless to relevant): 3.5

Review by Alison Macklin

MASSIVE CHANGE

MASSIVE CHANGE

By: Bruce Mau and the Institute without Borders

Publisher & Date of Publication: Phaidon Press Limited 2004

ISBN 0 7148 4401 2.

SYNOPSIS

Massive Change is a section by section compilation of information supporting the conclusion that our world’s key economies are simply design problems, requiring design solutions. Chapter topics range from energy economies, image economies, military economies to living economies, with a total of 11 chapters engaging for an artist to a politician.

RELEVANCE

Massive Change is a compilation of specific case study inverview’s with field professionals, scholars, researchers, scientists, authors and more, proposing solutions for broader categories of particular economy types. For example: in Market Economies, Catherine Gray the president of The Natural Step, an International research and advisory group, discusses creating a sustainable society through teaching businesses sustainable practices referencing the changes within McDonalds, Nike, The Home Depot and IKEA. Each chapter presents supportive arguments and examples for the stated thesis, that the world is controlled through overlapping disciplines of design, which is the most powerful tool for humanity to solve the climate crisis, and all other human issues. Design within the book is expanded to include industries or practices conventionally disassociated with it, such as the design of information, energy or living, establishing a connection between everything on earth. The presentation and acceptance of all things as being connected, or capable of significantly affecting eachother, strengthens the theory of that “one person can make a difference”, which therefore demands that all humanity collaborate to propose multiple solutions to create positive change. Massive Change illustrates through numerous and diverse examples that power is contained within our ability to produce creative solutions, and the current environmental crisis is simply another design problem waiting to be solved.

Rating (1-5 = useless to relevant): 5

OPINION

The structure of Massive Change allows any audience to find an area of interest, some topics include, biology, architecture, urban societies, transportation, government, consumer consumption, war, female empowerment, photographic technologies, and free culture.

Personally, I found the book motivational and empowering as a designer, to imagine the application of seemingly unrelated ideas into solutions that can positively impact the lives of people across the world. Massive Change is not a solution book with the promise of complete human-environmental balance, but rather a presentation of the link between our major economies, to propel the discussion and debate of current and future opportunities for positive change. Massive Change as a concept is the key to future human sustainability and I eagerly recommend it to both the impassioned and skeptical individual.

Rating (1-5 = awful to fabulous): 4

The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating

IDE309 BOOK REVIEW by Archi Balakumaran

Title: The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating

Author: Alisa Smith & James MacKinnon

Date of Publication: 2007

ISBN: 978-0-679-31482-0

SNOPSIS

The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating is the joint-memoir about Alisa Smith and James MacKinnon’s experiment to exclusively eat locally for one year. The couple began in March of 2005 and only ate food that originated from within a 100-mile radius from their home in Vancouver, British Columbia. The experiment was jointly inspired by a meal made out of necessity by foraging through the woods and a statistic stating that, “within a typical North American meal, each ingredient has traveled at least 1500 miles”; both caused the couple to reevaluate their current eating and consumption patterns and to take action in a bold way. The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating depicts the joys and trials that the couple encountered throughout the year and is supplemented with historical facts about local eating and recipes from the couple’s cookbook.

RELEVANCE

Food, like design, is something that is always present but often is not a conscious thought. After reading about the intentional thoughts, efforts and sacrifices made by the couple to eat locally, I developed a new appreciation for what it means to design with local and sustainable materials. When thinking about One Planet Living’s 10 Guiding Principles of Sustainability, the choice to use local and sustainable materials would also aid in increasing culture and heritage, equity and fair trade, and health and happiness. I also understand that it is often rare that a material is local and 100% sustainable, and sometimes one has to choose to make decisions that result in either a local design focus or a sustainable design focus. The couple had to make a similarly difficult decision to forego their vegetarianism in order to sustain their local eating experiment. However, though it require a more conscious effort to find something that is local and sustainable, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

Rating: 3.5

OPINION

I enjoyed reading The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating, it had a good balance between historical facts about local eating and the personal narratives of Smith and MacKinnon. The historical facts about local eating made me reevaluate my current consumption patterns and Smith and MacKinnon’s narratives gave me a realistic understanding of the joys and trials they faced during their experiment. My views about local eating were challenged as well as my vision of what it truly means to live a sustainable life. Upon reaching the book’s conclusion I felt inspired to attempt a similar challenge, not only in my eating patterns but also to use more local materials within my designs. I would definitely recommend this book to someone looking for something that is entertaining, educational, and experimental, but be forewarned that reading this book may cause you to make some major lifestyle changes, so read with caution!

Rating: 5