Living green - Jennifer Fosket

"This interesting book analyzes green communities thriving in North America and the people who build them. The authors provide case studies of a commune in Virginia, an ecovillage in L.A., and green active adult communities among other examples. The book ends with a list of 10 lessons about social sustainability." - Sierra Club, The Green Life

Social issues are, and need to be, a central part of environmental and economic sustainability efforts. Using stories of extraordinary communities across North America, Living Green showcases the social side of living green.

The book features communities that explicitly integrate social and human factors into their design and planning, and examines the impact living in these communities has on personal health, well-being, and the capacity for pursuing sustainability. It includes interviews with developers, architects, and residents, highlighting personal ideals and efforts to pursue a sustainable lifestyle.

The book's three parts explore:

• How community is central to sustainable living in everything from cohousing to communes
• Communities that specifically integrate green building design components with social justice politics such as racism, poverty, and urban alienation
• Housing options geared toward mainstream living that offer individual choices to those who wish to live green

Written for those desiring to hear a good news story, Living Green will appeal to individuals and communities living a sustainable lifestyle, green building activists, and academics in sociology, planning and design, architecture, and environmental fields.
Jennifer Fosket and Laura Mamo are professors of sociology at McGill University and the University of Maryland, respectively. They have each made a career out of documenting people's experiences and ideas as they concern health and everyday living. They are co-founders of Social Green, a nonprofit organization engaged in research, consulting, and education. Jennifer Fosket lives in Berkeley, California, and Montreal, Canada, and Laura Mamo lives in San Francisco, California, and Washington, DC.