Monday, April 20, 2009

Book "Gardening Eden" giveaway and review


I read "Gardening Eden" by Michael Abbate, where he shows us the Biblical roots of caring for our earth, and easy tips on how to improve our own behaviors to benefit the planet. The book blog tour is going on now, April 20-24, and I have a free copy to send to one of the folks who leave a comment here.
In the book's introduction Randy Alcorn writes that sometimes evangelical Christians are not in the lead in caring for God's creation of the earth, and how the Bible directs us to work in the Garden of Eden and to "take care of it". Genesis 2:15.
Abbate includes 50 ideas for what we can do to care for our planet, and some of them are money saving tips, which are very welcome.
Some ideas he explains: grow vegetables, even just one tomato in a pot!
Get a programmable thermostat that turns the heater off or down at night and when folks are not at home. Set the temperature no higher than 68 degrees; this is comfortable.
Dry clothes on a line outside, weather permitting, and on a wooden clothes rack in the house in harsh weather.
The beauty of these tips is that of the fifty, you may already do 10, 10 are not achievable for you, and this leaves 30 to consider. If each of us can do 10 more (or even one more) of these things, it will have a big and positive effect on our home, the earth.
When I was eleven, I joined the conservation group "Defenders of Wildlife", and continue my membership every year since then so my love of God's creatures and our earth go back a long way and this topic is especially dear to me.

Leave a comment here to be considered for the free copy of this book, and share your favorite green tips too.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0307444996

8 comments:

Brenda Nixon, Author and Speaker said...

Fascinating! I'd love to read the Biblical roots of caring for our earth. Please enter me in your giveaway contest - and thanks for sharing this book review!

parentpwr @ juno (dot) com

LaDonna said...

Some things that I have been doing over the years include:
1)hanging clothes up to dry indoors & out
2)take my own travel mug to coffee shops
3)composting
4)reusable shopping bags
5)recycling
6)giving away good items we no longer need
7)since we live in a rural area I make sure I have a long list of errands before I go to town
8)I burn candles that are clean burning ~ "green"
One new thing I am considering doing this year is getting worms that eat our compost during the winter months (we live in the North)
I look forward to hearing other tips.

Tina Williams said...

Great post! Having been through a pesticide poisoning of my family "green living" is very important to me and adding the spiritual aspect of it in makes it just that much better! Hope to see you as I build my green site as a way of life!

@newoldmom

Kylee Baumle said...

I've always said that I feel like I work hand in hand with God when I'm in my garden. I certainly feel closer to Him there.

"Who plants a seed beneath the sod,
And waits to see, believes in God."

Connie Arnold said...

Thank you for sharing this! We certainly do need to take good care of God's magificent creation and our earthly home!

Cathy Messecar said...

Terra,

I've been watching the segments on morning TV shows about all the helps for caring for this planet. I've been flatening cereal and cracker boxes for years and recycling many other things, too, but I still have a ways to go. I'd love to read this book. Thanks for the book review and the opportunity to win.

Terra said...

Hi All,
I used random.org to select the book winner, and it is Kylee.
I wish you all could win, that's for sure.
Terra

Kylee Baumle said...

Oh my goodness, this is so exciting! I've answered your e-mail, Terra and THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I look forward to receiving it and reading it! :-)