In her new book “Adventures in ECO Land: My Humorous Take on Going Green,” Santa Barbara author Barbara Greenleaf applies a light touch to a heavy topic — the environment.
Informing as she entertains, Greenleaf sets the table with amusing personal anecdotes, then serves up portions of food for thought.
With such titles as “Meat Me Halfway,” “Dishing the Dirt on Dishwashers,” “Confessions of a Chocaholic,” and “Recycling my Brains Out,” Greenleaf’s short essays contain subjects everyone understands — and sustainable actions everyone can take.
According to the author, who founded the grassroots organization ECO Team to encourage people to make just one change in their life to live more sustainably, “People don’t react well when you make them feel guilty. When you get them to laugh, on the other hand, they relax and they’re more receptive to your message.
“It’s been my observation that beating people over the head with bad news about our stressed-out planet leads to more opting out than buying in, and we environmentalists wind up talking only to each other.”
Greenleaf will sign books and do brief readings at Chaucer’s Books in Santa Barbara, 6-7 p.m. Monday, March 27.
“Adventures in ECO Land,” her 10th book, is also available at Tecolote Bookstore and on Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions.