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A myth-busting, science-based guide to reducing your environmental impact.
With so much conflicting sustainability advice, how can we tell which choices actually help the planet—and which ones simply make us feel like they do? In The Truth About Going Green, sustainability scientist Shelie Miller debunks some of the most persistent environmental myths and reveals which personal actions make the greatest difference. Moving beyond the idea that greener living begins and ends with trash, plastic, and recycling, she focuses on the environmental outcomes we care about most: a stable climate, clean air, safe water, and healthier communities.
Grounded in the latest science, this practical and refreshingly realistic guide offers a flexible “Good, Better, Best” framework for reducing your environmental footprint in ways that fit your life and priorities. Along the way, Miller answers common questions about meat, electric vehicles, single-use products, recycling, and more—replacing guilt, confusion, and greenwashing with clear, actionable advice. The Truth About Going Green empowers readers to stop sweating the small stuff, focus on what works, and discover a more effective—and more hopeful—way to help the planet.
Shelie Miller is the Jonathan W. Bulkley Collegiate Professor of Sustainable Systems at the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan.
Contents
Section 1. The Basics
Chapter 1. Feel a Tonne Better
Chapter 2. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
Chapter 3. Everything Has an Impact
Chapter 4. Less Is More
Chapter 5. Follow the Energy
Section 2. Big Fish
Chapter 6. One Meal at a Time: Food
Chapter 7. Roads Less Traveled: Transportation
Chapter 8. No place Like Home: Housing
Chapter 9. Buy Now Pay Later: Stuff
Section 3. Small(er) Fish
Chapter 10. Murky Shades of Green: Unintended Consequences
Chapter 11. Life in Plastic
Chapter 12. Think Inside the Box: Packaging
Chapter 13. What a Waste: Landfills and Recycling
Conclusion
Chapter 14. A Little Help from Our Friends: Amplifying Impact
Acknowledgments
Notes on Data
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Glossary
Notes
References
Index