Eco-Homes - (Just Sustainabilities) by Jenny Pickerill (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

As a civilization, we are now very aware of what steps we need to take in order to have any hope of mitigating climate change. Yet worldwide, humans still have made shockingly little substantial progress towards that goal, despite overwhelming evidence of its necessity. This includes the need for sustainable eco-housing--arguably the most essential change required for human survival--although the knowledge and technology needed for good eco-houses already exists.

With Eco-Homes, environmental geographer Jenny Pickerill comprehensively explores eco-housing from both a social and a political perspective. Featuring over thirty case studies on eco-housing from Britain, Spain, Thailand, Argentina, and the United States, Eco-Homes takes a novel approach to examining why radical changes to our homes--such as making them more temporary, using natural materials, or relying on manual heating and ventilation--necessitates significant social changes in how we live. It isn't technology or politics holding us back from fighting climate change, Pickerill argues, but deeply-rooted cultural and social understandings of how we live and what we expect from our houses. With an international perspective and a crucial message, Eco-Homes provides clear policy suggestions during an important era of environmental solutions.

Review Quotes

"Pickerill illuminates the contested nature of eco-homes and housing, bringing a refreshingly broad and much needed feminist perspective to a subject that has been traditionally dominated by a "technology first" approach." --Fionn Stevenson, University of Sheffield

"Without sustainable homes, there will not be a sustainable future. What we need is a detailed and cutting edge book that teases out the complexities of the people, politics and places that will deliver the eco-homes of the future. Jenny Pickerill's inspirational book does just this." --Paul Chatterton, University of Leeds

"A timely reminder of different ways of living and housing people. A must-read for anyone involved in housing and energy policy, research and house building or (eco-)design." --Sofie Pelsmakers, author of The Environmental Design Pocketbook

"This fascinating book explores the many facets of eco-homes that are environmentally benign, emotionally rewarding, endearing, enduring, protecting and comforting and that 'belong' to their own places, climates and communities, and pasts, and ultimately to all our common futures too." --Susan Roaf, Heriot-Watt University

"Written for both an academic and practitioner audience, this book is relevant to all interested or practicing in the field of eco-housing, be it through construction, planning and policy-making, or academic study." --Environment and Urbanization

About the Author

Jenny Pickerill is a professor of environmental geography at the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on how we understand, value and (ab)use the environment. She has written widely on activism, the environment and indigenous politics, with her previous books including Cyberprotest (2003), Low Impact Development (2009), and Occupy! A Global Movement (co-editor, 2015). She has a particular interest in innovative eco-housing, having worked with eco-villages and self-build eco-communities in Wales, England, Spain, Argentina, Australia, Thailand and the US.
Jenny Pickerill is a professor of environmental geography at the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on how we understand, value and (ab)use the environment. She has written widely on activism, the environment and indigenous politics, with her previous books including Cyberprotest (2003), Low Impact Development (2009), and Occupy! A Global Movement (co-editor, 2015). She has a particular interest in innovative eco-housing, having worked with eco-villages and self-build eco-communities in Wales, England, Spain, Argentina, Australia, Thailand and the US.