You Are Here: Exposing the Vital Link Between What We Do and What That Does to Our Planet

by Thomas M. Kostigen

Book Overview

"A passionate and heartfelt call to care."
--Bruce Feiler, New York Times bestselling author of Walking the Bible and America's Prophet In You Are Here, Thomas Kostigen, the New York Times bestselling co-author of The Green Book, takes us to the most extreme environmental areas on the planet to show how what we do from the comfort of our own home affects people, places, and things everywhere. A timely,...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061580368
• ISBN13: 9780061580369
• Release Date: September 2008
• Publisher: HarperOne
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Why do YOU want to save the planet?

Green this, recycle that. It's everywhere now--in ads, on tv and in our stores. While it's awesome for people to be jumping on the green bandwagon, I hope that they bring more than just good intentions and "green-washed" minds. WHY should we recycle? WHY should we change our lifestyle? This book provides some of the best answers to these WHYs with each chapter introducing readers to a place on our planet that suffers the consequences of people's choices. And these places are not limited to the U.S. or a particular country. These places range from Israel to the Great Lakes to the middle of the Pacific Ocean. There are plenty of great books on HOW to live a greener lifestyle, but I absolutely recommend this book to those who want to know WHY these lifestyle changes are necessary. I learned a lot of new things from this book. It was an easy and quick read. The author gives a good amount of information (not too heavy but still extremely detailed). I definitely recommend this book for young people (middle school & high school) because I think it's something they should be aware of. A great book for adults too. It's something worth discussing.

Should be required reading

Book should be required reading for middle school thru college. This is type of book that people like Oprah should lend their weight to in their personal clubs. If just 50% of the world's population read this book and followed some of the small suggestions for improvement, generations of people would benefit. I urge everyone to read this book - it is so interesting and presents facts easily understood - and change something in their life style to help save the habitable world.

Think globally. Act locally.

Thomas Kostigen's book made me see how remarkably inter-connected we are, at home and across the globe. I was particularly struck by how, as a nation, we largely and collectively presume that because we dutifully divide our garbage into color-coded receptacles, our consumption responsibilities are complete. Oh, how wrong we are! And while Kostigen gives us a lot to feel shameful for he ultimately speaks with optimism. And best of all he writes with humor and hope. A highly relatable, useful and thought provoking read.

Great Read

A great book that really makes you think about your actions. Many interesting adventures that tie together to make a good point.

This book is a real wake up call.

Tom Kostigen does all the leg work as he takes us to the earth's most polluted, environmentally corrupt places to remind us of one beautiful truth: we are all connected by the earth. We are all affected by what we do to it. He links my toothpaste to the gangster-run logging camps and palm oil industry of Borneo. He explores the world's dirtiest city, Linfen City, China and how it affects global climate change and investigates a garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean twice the size of Texas! Why is this the first time I'm hearing about this?! He travels to these ugly places, deals with shady guides, guards and gatekeepers to open our eyes. He urges us to live simply and be conscious of what we use.