Reviewed: Dave Reay's Climate Change book

I can only admire Dave Reay. His delivery is as blunt as Ozzy Osbourne's: start making green changes to your day-to-day life or we're stuffed and will all end up living underwater and ruining our grandchildrens' lives. Such is the  message of his new book, Climate Change at Home. Rammed with lifestyle tips and facts, it'd be dizzying if it wasn't for Reay's layman style, knack for gags and knowledge of real life (catching the bus isn't fun, we like having the heating on in winter). Also great is the sense of urgency in his facts, brought home to a local level - if climate change continues, more homes will flood, roads will crack and old relatives will drop like the proverbial flies in summer heatwaves. There are loads of figures, tables and refs gently woven in to back it all up. The book is Google-worthy in its scope: standby modes, how we get to work, unnecessary gadgets, light-saving bulbs, why insulation can be better than solar panels in the UK, food miles, why we should all be veggie (it consumes less water), the concept of 'emboided energy', composting and wormeries to avoid landfill giving off methane, travel (ski resorts getting ever higher, jet travel becoming heinously wrong), switching cars to dual-fuel or buying a diesel, funerals, turning off your PC at end of day in the office. Which would all be a touch preachy if Reay wasn't such a practical realist. He admits he drives a car - it's a Smart, hybrids cost too much dosh - and doesn't pretend we 'should consume only locally produced or home-grown food and spend our winters smeared in goose fat and sewn into our long-johns, eeking out the last few shrivelled apples from the autumn.' Ultimately, he says, do what you can. It's up to us as individuals to make changes - waiting for Blair & Co to get on the case won't help anyone. The best bit about reading Reay's book is that you come away knowing you can make a difference. Now, where to start...

Related stories:
Reviews: Green Building Bible; A Good Life; Save Cash and Save the Planet; Organic Life magazine

Related links:
Dave Reay at the British Library in London, 22nd November