Awards

• Commended for Independent Publisher Book Awards (Current Events) 2012
• Commended for IndieFab awards (Environment) 2011

Overview

Activists striving for any type of social change often find themselves operating on the fringes of legal and social norms. Many experience difficulties when their innovative ideas run afoul of antiquated laws and regulations that favor a big business energy- and material-intensive approach. Tales From the Sustainable Underground is packed with the stories of just some of these pioneers—who care more for the planet than the rules—whether they're engaged in natural building, permaculture, community development, or ecologically based art. Ride along and meet courageous and inspiring individuals such as: Solar guru Ed Eaton Radical urban permaculturists Scott Kellogg and Stacy Pettigrew Artist, eco-architect, and intuitive builder Matt Bua Equally entertaining and informative, the profiles in this highly original book provide a unique lens through which to view deeper questions about the societal structures that are preventing us from attaining a more sustainable world. By examining such issues as the nature of property rights and the function of art in society, the author raises profound questions about how our social attitudes and mores have contributed to our current destructive paradigm. Tales From the Sustainable Underground is a must-read for sustainability activists in any field, or for anyone who wants to learn about more radical forms of sustainability activities in an entertaining way. Stephen Hren is a restoration carpenter, builder, and teacher who specializes in sustainable design and passive and active solar heating technologies. He is co-author of The Carbon-Free Home and A Solar Buyer's Guide for the Home and Office.

Full Product Details

9780865716872

Table of Contents

Reviews

Reading an account this zany and informative naturally opens up fresh avenues of thinking about the conumdrum that enfolds us all - Chris Waters, Acres USA, October 2014 Off-grid, offbeat, but right on target, Stephen Hren's glimpse into the lives of those making viable choices at the fringes of society is a real revelation. Hren's accounts of neo-primitivists, green anarchists, urban squatters and other pioneers working towards a sustainable future is consistently inspiring and informative. ---Richard Freudenberger, Publisher, BackHome Magazine In Tales from the Sustainable Underground, Stephen Hren proves that plenty of Americans are ready to take back their country -- one plot of land at a time, if necessary. Through personal insight and engaging interviews with sustainable citizens, Hren masterfully spins a cross-country tale about the doers who are helping to bring sustainability out of the shadows and usher in a return of this country's can-do attitude. --- Roger Sipe, Editor, Urban Farm magazine

"""Reading an account this zany and informative naturally opens up fresh avenues of thinking about the conumdrum that enfolds us all"" - Chris Waters, Acres USA, October 2014 ""Off-grid, offbeat, but right on target, Stephen Hren's glimpse into the lives of those making viable choices at the fringes of society is a real revelation. Hren's accounts of neo-primitivists, green anarchists, urban squatters and other pioneers working towards a sustainable future is consistently inspiring and informative."" ---Richard Freudenberger, Publisher, BackHome Magazine In Tales from the Sustainable Underground, Stephen Hren proves that plenty of Americans are ready to take back their country -- one plot of land at a time, if necessary. Through personal insight and engaging interviews with sustainable citizens, Hren masterfully spins a cross-country tale about the ""doers"" who are helping to bring sustainability out of the shadows and usher in a return of this country's ""can-do"" attitude. --- Roger Sipe, Editor, Urban Farm magazine"

Author Information

"Stephen Hren: is a restoration carpenter, builder and teacher who specializes in sustainable design and passive and active solar heating technologies. He was inspired to write about those who ""seek forgiveness rather than asking permission"" after his off-grid cob home came to the attention of the local tax assessor, triggering a lengthy and painstaking after-the-fact inspection process. Along the way Stephen has helped to start a local food co-op and an edible landscaping collective, and retrofitted an existing home to not use any fossil fuels. He is the co-author of The Carbon-Free Home and A Solar Buyer's Guide for the Home and Office."

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