Second Nature - by Lori Downs (Paperback)

About the Book

Understand the brain science behind habit formation and use it to promote environmental change in everyday areas like energy use, waste generation, and water consumption.

Book Synopsis

Second Nature: How to Build Ecohabits That Stick is your guide to overcoming the biggest barrier to sustainable living: your brain.

You want to live more sustainably. You've tried. It didn't stick.

Not because you don't care. Because most sustainability advice ignores how habits actually form.

Second Nature shows you how to make sustainable behavior automatic.

Drawing on real-world climate and sustainability experience, Lori Downs breaks down the psychology of habits and gives you a clear system to build ecohabits that last. Instead of relying on motivation, you'll learn how to make small changes that fit into your daily routine and stay there.

Most sustainability advice focuses on information. This book focuses on behavior.

It gives you a practical way forward if you've ever:

• Started to go green, then slipped back into old habits
• Felt overwhelmed by where to start
• Wondered if your actions actually make a difference

Inside you'll find:

• A simple system to build ecohabits
• How habit formation works and how to leverage its power
• How to overcome setbacks and break unfriendly habits
• Real examples you can apply at home, work, and in your daily routines
• Worksheets to plan, track, and reinforce your progress

You don't need to overhaul your life. You need a method that works.

Make sustainability part of what you do every day, without overwhelm and without overhauling your life.

Review Quotes

Second Nature made me rethink my own everyday habits. The author shows how small, thoughtful changes can actually stick and shares very useful examples as guidance. This book proves sustainability isn't about perfection, but about making small changes in our daily routines to collectively make a real difference for the planet. - Felix G.

An easy read for those who have interest in practical sustainability but not sure where to start or looking to enhance what they are already doing. This book would make an excellent teaching module for schools or homeschools. - Mike Z.

This is quick read, but it will keep you thinking for days. She gives practical examples from her own home to demonstrate that she practices what she preaches. - Arnold M.

What sets this book apart are its actionable strategies for individuals, making it a highly useful guide for anyone wanting to develop eco-friendly habits and inspire sustainable transformations within their own communities. - JR

As a busy mom, I especially appreciated the easy habit formation guidance that the book offers. I learned so many ways (big and small) to contribute positively to our environment and impact things I never really thought about before - like food waste. - Reader