The Ten Minute Activist

The Ten Minute Activist provides a dense, insightful education into what one individual can do, or not do, to live in a more environmentally conscious manner. It is not written in a preachy or condescending manner; instead, its authors, five individuals jointly known as The Mission Collective, have written a witty and approachable text. What, you ask, are some of the issues that are discussed in The Ten Minute Activist? Here is a short sampling the smorgasbord of topics in the text: how your daily routines and product use impact the earth; suggestions for sharing resources with friends and neighbors; and ways to slow down and appreciate your food and your surroundings.

The text is interspersed with illustrations by Lloyd Dangle, which are frightening because of the frankness of their message. Another compelling aspect of the book is its references to websites, books and phone numbers so that readers can take action or further research any of the topics in the text. The Ten Minute Activist is written in a laid-back, approachable style, while still packing oodles of essential information into its pages. This book is necessary reading for individuals who want to start to tread more lightly upon the earth, and for individuals who have been living in an environmentally conscientious manner for years. After owning this text for only a couple of weeks, nearly half of its pages are earmarked so I can return to the information to reread chapters or to follow the writers’ recommendations on where to do additional research on a particular subject. The Ten Minute Activist is a book that is not only praiseworthy and ambitious in its own right, but also leads its readers in other directions, thus helping its readers to gain a broad, well educated perspective on the issues facing our environment.

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