In 1988, in an attic office in Berkeley, California, a revolution was born. At a time when bad news about the environment was splashed across newspapers from coast to coast, freelance writer John Javna decided to write a book to empower the average citizen in the fight to save the environment. Against all odds, his little, self-published book made its way into the world, onto the NYT bestseller list, and helped launch a green revolution…ultimately selling millions of copies.
But the book eventually went out of date and John took it out of print. Years later, his teen-aged daughter—spurred on by her own environmental activism and concern for the planet—asked her father to resurrect his bestseller. Her concern, and her father’s desire to make the world a better place for his children, are the spark that created this new edition and Web site. In this brand new edition—completely revised and updated—Javna and his two children, Sophie, age 14 and Jesse, age 18, have collaborated with 50 top environmental advocacy groups to explore the most important environmental issues facing us today. Together they outline simple, step-by-step actions that empower readers to become citizen activists in the fight to save the earth. The Javnas believe that although individual actions are important, real and lasting change will come about only when we work together.
They created this new model with a goal of demonstrating how we can pitch in as members of larger communities and actively create change in our homes, communities, country…and ultimately the planet. From your church or synagogue to The Sierra Club and The League of Conservation Voters, working together makes us strong and powerful. Together we can turn things around!
Join the Javnas in their fight to save the Earth. The book is just the first step. This Web site, 50SimpleThings.com, is a portal to environmental activism—a continuously updated collection of advice, information, news, and resources, plus a blog and forum. It's designed for beginners as well as deeply committed activists.
John Javna has written many books on political and environmental activism which have sold millions of copies. The founder of EarthWorks Press, he lives in Southern Oregon with his family. This is the first book Sophie Javna and Jesse Javna have written. They hope it will be a gift to the future of their own generation. Supporting the authors at 50 Simple Things are a team of dedicated and passionate citizens of Planet Earth: The author's wife (and the kids' mom) Sharon, and their trusted dog, Manny.
All Content Copyright 2008 50 Simple Things
