The Ten Minute Activist: Easy Ways to Take Back the Planet

by Mission Collective

• ISBN13: 9781560259701
• ISBN10: 1560259701
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-12-28
• Publisher: Perseus Books Group

Summary

The planet is in trouble. Global warming, record-breaking natural disasters, 9/11, two hotly contested presidential elections, and a war abroad has left many Americans feeling uneasy with the state of our own lives and the security of the planet. We know that life cannot be sustained at the current rate of consumption, yet it is easy to succumb to helplessness and apathy. But if making a difference only required ten minutes of our time a day, how many more people would try to make a difference? Written in an edgy, engaging style, The Ten Minute Activist, shows how even the busiest person can make a difference. From buying organic milk and bison to switching from free-trade to fair trade; from choosing a Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) retirement plan to car-pooling with colleagues, The Mission Collective has compiled the most up-to-date information on energy conservation, global warming, wildlife preservation, community building, spiritual awareness and political action. The Ten Minute Activist informs and inspires with easy acts that can truly have an impact if engaged en masse.

Author Biography

The Mission Collective is a group of five independent writers and activists who work and live in the Bay Area.

Illustrator Lloyd Dangle has been writing and drawing the widely sundicated "Troubletown" for alternative weeklies since 1998. His illustration for the Airborne package is highly recognized and put the product on the map.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. xiii
Introduction	p. xv
Coal-Free Reading	p. 3
Your Own Private Gaia	p. 5
Clean Dry Cleaning	p. 7
The Ocean on the Ropes	p. 9
High-Cost Free Checking	p. 10
The Plastic Jesus Revolution	p. 12
Eating on Time	p. 15
Good to the Last Drop of Blood	p. 17
Manufacturing Peace	p. 19
Yes Means No	p. 20
Reading between the Headlines	p. 22
Tofu or Not Tofu? That Is the Question	p. 24
Just Ride, She Said	p. 27
Seeing the Light	p. 29
Repent, O Shopper!	p. 30
Hand Tool Wisdom	p. 32
Sharing the Load	p. 34
TV Shutdown Week	p. 37
The Other Red meat	p. 39
Choosing Sides	p. 41
Slow the Flow	p. 42
Interest Payments in Your Own Interest	p. 44
Waste Not, Want Not	p. 47
Down with Free Trade Bullies	p. 49
The Less Gassy Driver	p. 51
Home of the Brave	p. 52
Old McDonald Had a House of Horrors	p. 54
Please Don't Feed the Animals	p. 57
Going Native in the Garden	p. 59
Give Me Shower or Give Me Death	p. 61
Calling All Lawbreakers	p. 63
Old School	p. 64
Wonder Cures	p. 66
The Answer Is Blowing in the Wind	p. 68
Scaring an the Down Low	p. 71
The Shock and Awe of Paint	p. 73
Living Green in the Paper-Full Age	p. 75
They're Off and Running...to Work	p. 77
Hush Patrol	p. 79
Saving a Bunny, One Perfume at a Time	p. 80
Thinking outside the Cubicle	p. 83
Upcycling	p. 85
Plant a Tree, Cut Down Costs	p. 87
Spidey to the Rescue!	p. 91
The Wicked P of the Elements	p. 93
People's History 101	p. 95
The Aggressive Tree-Hugger	p. 97
Backpackers for Bonobos	p. 99
Won't You Be My Neighbor?	p. 101
Giving a Helping Hula	p. 102
Revisionist Mind Control	p. 105
An Order of Soup and Salad, and Hold the Malathion	p. 107
The Good, the Bad, and the Kindu Ugly	p. 108
Unionize Your Tips	p. 111
Unbranding Your Ass	p. 113
Weekend Warriors	p. 114
Don't Be a Pusher for Your Bovine Buddies	p. 116
Warm-up Act	p. 118
The Energy Star on Your Block	p. 121
Voting for Lemon Meringue	p. 123
Ditch the Dash-and-Trash	p. 124
The Dark Side of Bleach	p. 127
Peace Paper	p. 129
Cleaning for Goodness' Sake	p. 131
Comfy Conservation	p. 132
Guerrilla Gardening	p. 134
Big Brother v. the Little Guy	p. 135
Slaves for Chocolate	p. 139
Know Your Dealer	p. 141
Air Supply	p. 142
Yo, Ho, Ho and a Cheap Radio	p. 144
Put Your Money Where Your Mind Is	p. 147
Land of the Lost	p. 149
Takeout for the World	p. 151
Erotic Recycling	p. 152
Kill Your Junk Mail	p. 154
Bulk Bin Binging	p. 157
Boss Your City's Money	p. 159
Know Your Rights	p. 160
Will Trade Puppies for Pearls	p. 162
Take a Trip an the Wild Side	p. 163
The Lot of Hot Air	p. 167
Good-bye Kitty	p. 169
Got Heart?	p. 170
Blinding the Watchers	p. 172
Bookworms of the World, Unite!	p. 175
Green Printing	p. 177
Green and Clean	p. 178
Free Word	p. 180
Compost Happens	p. 183
Vroom Vroom Goes Buzz Buzz	p. 185
Go Wild	p. 166
Pooling Resources	p. 188
Share and Share Alike	p. 191
The Great White in the Kitchen	p. 193
Caution: CrimethInc. in Progress	p. 194
Paper or Plastic?	p. 196
Power Plants	p. 199
Tranquil-o-Motion	p. 201
Runaway Bag Escapes Poop Scoop	p. 202
Smartmobbing the Man	p. 204
Frankenfish Fillet	p. 207
Eat, Drink, and Be Very...Slow	p. 209
The Phantom Bloodsucker	p. 211
The Tissue Issue	p. 212
Workin' It at the Carwash	p. 214
The Sudsy Truth	p. 217
Actionless Action	p. 219
Chillin' with My Farm Boy	p. 220
The Endangered Species Menu	p. 223
Lights, Camera...Take Action!	p. 225
Green Laundry	p. 226
Your Money and Your Life	p. 228
Clone Attack	p. 231
Culture Jammer	p. 233
Wearing Fairness on Your Sleeve	p. 235
Forest Wipe Out	p. 237
Gearhead Greening	p. 238
None of the Above	p. 241
EZ Theoretical Action	p. 243
Fair-Weather Vegan	p. 245
Bottled Water Blues	p. 246
Dust in the Wind	p. 246
Law-Impact Gardening	p. 251
Rock Your Town	p. 253
Puppeteering Change	p. 255
Whistle-blowing While You Work	p. 257
Be the Farmer	p. 258
Keep on Truckin'	p. 260
Rag Time	p. 263
Green Slaughter	p. 265
Boy Buys Hammer, Saves Town	p. 266
Guessing Game	p. 268
One Big, Wet Journey	p. 271
Paradigm Shift, Revisited	p. 273
The Mission Collective	p. 277
The Illustrator	p. 281
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.