Book Review

by Paul Ganderton

Wastebusters Ltd. 1997. The Green Office Manual. Earthscan. pp xix + 316.ISBN 1 85383 447 5. £39.95.

This is a text which aims to reduce waste and pollution and to improve the environment. It is a highly practical book where the emphasis is on current solutions rather than future theory. After an initial introduction on the value of the "green office" and a guide outlining how best to start chapters are devoted to single topics: office waste (ranging from paper to vending cups), purchasing products (how to get the green alternative), purchasing services (how to reduce waste and costs), building and energy management, transport, environmental awareness and environmental management (auditing). Each chapter is subdivided into specific categories each with it's own set of issues, guidelines and action plans. There are numerous case studies to show how it works in practice but these are often dotted through the text (and not found in the contents pages which makes it confusing in places).

This book might seem outside the usual school and college text but it shouldn't be because it works on a number of levels. As a purely practical text for staff it helps to reduce costs (worth the money for that alone). As a student guide it provides hard information on feasible ideas. It could also be used to spark whole-school environmental awareness - even junior school children can respond to the ideas put forward. Any school or college serious about environmental education should have a copy of this book.