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Sustainable Living Essentials: The Best Books and Blogs to Follow Now

  • 7 hours ago
  • 4 min read
Want to dive deeper into sustainable living? These essential books and blogs are packed with practical tips, fresh ideas, and low-waste inspiration.

Why Sustainable Living Matters


If you read my post about Attainable Sustsainable Pantry, I mentioned a book & documentary that changed my mindset.


  • Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy - (documentary) find it on Netflix

  • Waste Wars: The Wild Afterlife of Your Trash - (book) on Amazon or check your local library!


If you read and watch the above, I believe you will also want to live more sustainably. Learning where my trash ends up was saddening to me. If everyone made small changes, we could make a real impact, but for now, I am happy to do what I can to make sustainable choices.


Read this post to learn about the books & blogs I recommend.


Top Sustainable Living Books to Read


I have chosen 4 books that will be a great starting point for living more sustainably. If you read these, let me know in the comments below!


  • Attainable Sustainable

    • Quick Summary: Mostly easy ways to start living more sustainably. Sourdough, fermenting & gardening, and more.

    • Where To Purchase: Amazon & eBay, or check your local library or favorite bookstore


  • Handbook Of Forgotten Skills

    • Quick Summary: It is not directly a sustainable book, but you can learn how to make your own lemonade, mend a small tear, and use brown paper to wrap gifts. Family friendly.

    • Where To Purchase: Amazon & eBay, or check your local library or favorite bookstore


  • The Lost Skills & Crafts Handbook

    • Quick Summary: This is similar to a handbook of forgotten skills, but more comprehensive. It covers candlemaking, natural dyes, preserving, gardening, foraging, and much more!

    • Where To Purchase: Amazon &,eBay, or check your local library or favorite bookstore


  • Attainable Sustainable Pantry

    • Quick Summary: Similar to the attainable sustainable book, but focuses on how to stock your kitchen. Fermenting, canning, bread making & so much more! You can check out my full review of the book on my blog.

    • Where To Purchase: Amazon or your favorite bookstore


Must-Follow Blogs for Everyday Eco-Inspiration


  • Homespun Seasonal Living - Blog

    • Quick Summary: Great place for garden fresh recipes & how to use what is grown in the garden. Think: lilac sugar and spinning guord spoons. If you are new to living sustainably, she has the Seasonal Whisper, which is mailed monthly. It includes a BINGO card which encourages low-waste things to do. Her blog is full of seasonal activities as well.


  • Your Favorite Sustainable Store!

    • Quick Summary: Do you shop at a refillery or low-waste store? Give them a follow on your favorite social media site and see if they have a blog on their website. Share it with your friends. Keep up with what new offerings they have that supports your sustainable living goals.


  • Attainable Sustainable - Blog

    • Quick Summary: Looking for gardening, preserving or how to create your own pantry items? This blog is for you! Some of these recipes are included in either of her books. If you are looking fo learn how to DIY your own versions of store bought items, give her site a click. For example, a search of Mayo or Ranch or Ketchup all returned a recipe!


  • Going Zero Waste - Blog

    • Quick Summary: Many posts are similar to "10 things" lists. For example, "10 Impactful Plastic Free Swaps". I love a blog that is more list-y than word-y. The search leaves a lot to be desired, it's best to use the headings at the top - Lifestyle, Fashion & Beauty, Self, Home, Food, Spring, or All. Also, has a beginner's guide to zero waste - need I write more?


Where to Find These Resources


As noted above for the books, Amazon is a great starting point. I generally see if the book is available on Amazon or not. Then I check eBay, do a general internet search and finally the library. Once I know what price the book is, I decide if I want to buy it or rent it first.


I realize this is a post about living sustainably, and renting the book would be best LOL. But I really like having 100% access to the book whenever I want it. Even recipe books I sit down and read - how else would I know what recipes I want to try? Flagging my reference books, like the ones mentioned, makes it easy to just pull off the shelf whenever needed.


How to Start Living More Sustainably Today


Other than the above books & blogs, you can read my sustainability series. I also host a virtual book club every year from November - February. Generally speaking, any of the above books would be a great idea for a virtual book club!


These are free to join, you just need to create an account on my blog. It's a great, easy way to work through a book - like any of the below. We have certain chapters we work through each month with the goal of trying 1 thing a month. We share what we created and how it went.


What sustainable or recipe book would you participate in if it was a virtual book club? Let me know in the comments below.

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