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Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic (Bk Currents)
Based on two highly acclaimed PBS documentaries watched by 10 million viewers, Affluenza uses the whimsical metaphor of a disease to tackle a very serious subject: the damage done — to our health, our families, our communities, and our environment — by the obsessive quest for material gain. In cleverly titled chapters like "Swollen Expectations" and "A Rash of Bankruptcies," the authors examine the origins, evolution, and symptoms of the affluenza epidemic. Yet they also explore cures and suggest strategies for rebuilding families and communities and for restoring and respecting the earth. Demonstrating that now, more than ever, Americans need ways of fighting the affliction, this edition includes a new introduction and updated figures, adds information on the impacts of stress and overwork, and provides an in-depth look at various campaigns and movements offering solutions for today's problems. Engaging, fast-paced, and accessible, it reexamines a serious, far-reaching issue for a wide audience..
Price: $9.57
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The Overspent American: Why We Want What We Don't Need
The Overspent American explores why so many of us feel materially dissatisfied, why we work staggeringly long hours and yet walk around with ever-present mental "wish lists" of things to buy or get, and why Americans save less than virtually anyone in the world. Unlike many experts, Harvard economist Juliet B. Schor does not blame consumers' lack of self-discipline. Nor does she blame advertisers. Instead she analyzes the crisis of the American consumer in a culture where spending has become the ultimate social art..
Price: $6.57
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Profit Over People: Neoliberalism & Global Order
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Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire
Should Christians be for or against the free market? For or against globalization? How are we to live in a world of scarcity? William Cavanaugh uses Christian resources to incisively address basic economic matters -- the free market, consumer culture, globalization, and scarcity -- arguing that we should not just accept these as givens but should instead change the terms of the debate. Among other things, Cavanaugh discusses how God, in the Eucharist, forms us to consume and be consumed rightly. Examining pathologies of desire in contemporary "free market" economies, Being Consumed puts forth a positive and inspiring vision of how the body of Christ can engage in economic alternatives. At every turn, Cavanaugh illustrates his theological analysis with concrete examples of Christian economic practices..
Price: $7.49
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The Complete Guide to Reducing Energy Costs (Consumer Reports: You Need to Know)
Consumer Reports created this book to offer relief from the rising energy costs that steadily drain your wallet. It’s jammed with easy-to-follow advice straight from Consumer Reports experts in the areas of home improvement, appliances and autos. You’ll discover that there’s nothing difficult or mysterious about saving energy dollars—it’s really just a bunch of little things you can do that add up to big savings. In fact, many of the tips are surprisingly cheap—or even free. As much as 30 percent of the money you spend on heating and cooling may be wasted through small leaks throughout your house. This book offers step-by step photos that make it easy to find those leaks and plug them up. If your doors and windows are old and drafty you don’t necessarily have to replace them. This book offers fix-ups that can drastically improve the efficiency of those old windows and doors and save you the huge expense of replacing them. If it is time to replace, you’ll learn how to buy the ones that are beast for your house, climate, and budget. Should you fix that old washer, fridge or other major appliance, or is it time to replace it with a new, more energy efficient model? Consumer Reports testing and reliability experts help you make the right decision. The engineers at Consumer Reports Auto Test Center help you choose the fuel-stingiest autos and provide driving and maintenance tips that squeeze extra mileage out of every tankful. You'll even find clearly illustrated directions for simple energy-saving jobs such as caulking windows and checking tire pressure, so you can save even more money by doing them yourself. And, Twenty Free Ways to Start Saving Today -- 20 simple habit changes that will save you significant energy dollars without investing a penny. .
Price: $3.39
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The Conquest of Cool: Business Culture, Counterculture, and the Rise of Hip Consumerism
While the youth counterculture remains the most evocative and best-remembered symbol of the cultural ferment of the 1960s, the revolution that shook American business during those boom years has gone largely unremarked. In this fascinating and revealing study, Thomas Frank shows how the youthful revolutionaries were joined—and even anticipated —by such unlikely allies as the advertising industry and the men's clothing business. "[Thomas Frank is] perhaps the most provocative young cultural critic of the moment."—Gerald Marzorati, New York Times Book Review"An indispensable survival guide for any modern consumer."— Publishers Weekly, starred review "Frank makes an ironclad case not only that the advertising industry cunningly turned the countercultural rhetoric of revolution into a rallying cry to buy more stuff, but that the process itself actually predated any actual counterculture to exploit."—Geoff Pevere, Toronto Globe and Mail" The Conquest of Cool helps us understand why, throughout the last third of the twentieth century, Americans have increasingly confused gentility with conformity, irony with protest, and an extended middle finger with a populist manifesto. . . . His voice is an exciting addition to the soporific public discourse of the late twentieth century."—T. J. Jackson Lears, In These Times"An invaluable argument for anyone who has ever scoffed at hand-me-down counterculture from the '60s. A spirited and exhaustive analysis of the era's advertising."—Brad Wieners, Wired Magazine"Tom Frank is . . . not only old-fashioned, he's anti-fashion, with a place in his heart for that ultimate social faux pas, leftist politics."—Roger Trilling, Details.
Price: $7.89
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Consumed: How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults, and Swallow Citizens Whole
"Powerful and disturbing No one who cares about the future of our public life can afford to ignore this book."—Jackson LearsA powerful sequel to Benjamin R. Barber's best-selling Jihad vs. McWorld, Consumed offers a vivid portrait of an overproducing global economy that targets children as consumers in a market where there are never enough shoppers and where the primary goal is no longer to manufacture goods but needs. To explain how and why this has come about, Barber brings together extensive empirical research with an original theoretical framework for understanding our contemporary predicament. He asserts that in place of the Protestant ethic once associated with capitalism—encouraging self-restraint, preparing for the future, protecting and self-sacrificing for children and community, and other characteristics of adulthood—we are constantly being seduced into an "infantilist" ethic of consumption..
Price: $9.45
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Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, 9th Edition: Save Money, Save the Earth (Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings)
How efficient are front-load washing machines? When is it time to replace your old refrigerator? These questions and many more are answered in The Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, a one-stop resource for consumers who want to improve their home's energy performance and reduce costs. Zeroing in on the most useful response can be a challenge; this ninth edition cuts through the confusion. Well-organized and highly readable, The Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings begins with an overview of the interrelationships between energy use, economics, and the environment. Chapters focus on specific areas in the home, such as electronics, lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation, kitchen, and laundry, and provide helpful explanations for each, including: - Describing energy use characteristics
- Drawing comparisons between available technologies
- Outlining the most cost-effective repair and replacement options
- Providing step-by-step guidance for finding the right equipment
- Describing how the equipment operates
- Summarizing how much energy is used or lost
Included are tips on improving existing equipment and guidance for when and why consumers should purchase new energy-efficient equipment, as well as a reminder to check local government and utility incentives for purchase or retrofit grants. This guide will be an invaluable resource to all consumers concerned about reducing both their energy bills and their environmental impact. Jennifer Thorne Amann is a senior associate in the ACEEE (American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy) Buildings and Equipment Program. Alex Wilson is president of BuildingGreen, Inc., author of Your Green Home, and executive editor of Environmental Building News. .
Price: $9.42
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The Homeowner's Handbook to Energy Efficiency: A Guide to Big and Small Improvements
In The Homeowner's Guide to Energy Efficiency, John Krigger and Chris Dorsi help homeowners set realistic personal goals for reducing their energy consumption Their methods for making homes more energy efficient will also improve comfort, safety, durability, and resale value. They guide readers through the process of assessing current energy usage and predicting the benefits and estimating the costs of remodeling options. With projects ranging from simple fixes to large-scale renovations, this book offers solutions for the energy-conscious homeowner, regardless of budget, technical ability, or time..
Price: $13.00
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