We live in a time of information overload. So I put this list together to cut through the clutter and share the publications that, based on my experience, stand out either because of their groundbreaking new ideas or their practical approach to sustainable development. There are of course, many other books and if you know of one that should be here, please don’t hesitate to put it forward!  if you are interested in ordering any of these books, either new or second hand please click on the relevant title.  Happy reading!

There are a number of books by John Elkington, the veteran corporate sustainability trail blazer which offer a great stepping stone.  The latest of those is by John Elkington andby  Pamela Hartigan: “The Power of Unreasonable People: How Social Entrepreneurs Create Markets That Change the World”

Worldchanging: A user’s guide to the 21st Century. This 600-page book is full of information about how we can create an environmentally and economically sustainable future and the barriers to their implementation. The information is divided into sections on Stuff, Shelter, Cities, Community, Business, Politics and Planet. Very comprehensive, very accessible. However, almost half of it’s content is fresh, new material so the original guide is still relevant and interesting.

The revised edition: Five years after the initial publication of Worldchanging, the landscape of environmentalism and sustainability has changed dramatically. The average reader is now well-versed–even inundated–with green lifestyle advice. In 2011, green is the starting point, not the destination. This second edition of the bestselling book is extensively revised to include the latest trends, technologies, and solutions in sustainable living. More than 160 new entries include up-to-the-minute information on the locavore movement, carbon-neutral homes, novel transportation solutions, the growing trend of ecotourism, the concept of food justice, and much more. Additional new sections focus on the role of cities as the catalyst for change in our society. With 50 percent new content, this overhauled edition incorporates the most recent studies and projects being implemented worldwide. The result is a guided tour through the most exciting new tools, models, and ideas for building a better future. The revised edition is due out in March/April 2011 and can be pre-odered with a discount.” (Amazon website, we couldn’t have put it any better!”

We also love Rachel Botsman’s and Roo Rogers “What’s mine is yours. The rise of Collaborative Consumption” which has considerably contributed to the debate about responsible consumption in 2010! “[Full of impressive examples of entrepreneurs establishing new markets. Ultimately, the authors’ optimism is infectious.” (—The Australian )

Another book dealing with the issue of consumption is Tim Jackson’s “Prosperity without Growth – Economics for a Finite Planet” which doesn’t come a moment too soon.

One can’t go past a classic business management book about the prinicples of managing for good by John Collins :” Build to Last“.

Another topic close to our heart here at Momentum International Partnership is how to create momentum for sustainable development (pun intended!) and we were struck by the timeliness of “The Big Mo – why momentum now rules our world”. Like it or not, the notion is worth exploring the ideas and their consequences for sustainability of the planet!

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