Books & DVDs

Beluga Days by Nancy Lord

Beluga Days is a wonderful evocation of the wilderness of coastal Alaska and the Native communities that still eat whale meat and depend on local foods. It is also a foray into the fascinating labyrinth of Alaskan culture, history, and politics, as the complex relationships in this unique state coalesce in a mad theater around a crisis--the decline of the beluga whales in Cook Inlet, an isolated and genetically distinct population.

Beyond its compelling characters and particulars, Lord's story offers readers a deeper understanding of the often uncomfortable, often rewarding, juxtaposition of humans and the natural world.

$16.95 $15 + $5 S&H

Not One Drop by Riki Ott

In the early 1970s, Alaska Senator Ted Stevens promised Cordova fishermen "not one drop" of oil would be spilled in Prince William Sound from proposed tanker traffic and the trans-Alaska pipeline project. Fishermen knew better. Spanning nearly 40 years, Not One Drop is an extraordinary tale of ordinary people who take on the world’s richest oil companies and most powerful politicians to protect Prince William Sound from oil accidents.Author Riki Ott, a rare combination of commercial salmon "fisherma'am" and PhD marine biologist, describes the firsthand impact of this broken promise when the Exxon Valdez oil spill decimated Cordova, Alaska, a small commercial fishing community set in 38,000 square miles of rugged Alaska wilderness.Ott illustrates in stirring fashion the oil industry'’s 20-year trail of pollution and deception that led to the tragic 1989 spill and delves deep into the disruption to the fishing community for the next 10 years. In vivid detail, she describes the human trauma coupled inextricably with that of the Sound's wildlife and its struggle to recover.Contrasting hard-won spill prevention and response measures in the Sound to dangerous conditions on the trans-Alaska pipeline, Ott critically examines shifts in scientific understanding of oil spill effects on communities and ecosystems, exposing fundamental flaws in governance and the legal system. Her varied background, professional training, and activist heart lead readers confidently and clearly through the maze of laws, back-story, and government red tape as large as that of the five billion dollar lawsuit itself, instilling a new-found sense of understanding of this environmental tragedy.

$21.95 $15 + $5 S&H

Big Coal by Jeff Goodell

Long dismissed as a relic of a bygone era, coal is back--with a vengeance. Coal is one of the nation's biggest and most influential industries--Big Coal provides more than half the electricity consumed by Americans today--and its dominance is growing, driven by rising oil prices and calls for energy independence. Is coal the solution to America's energy problems?

On close examination, the glowing promise of coal quickly turns to ash. Coal mining remains a deadly and environmentally destructive industry. Nearly forty percent of the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere each year comes from coal-fired power plants. In the last two decades, air pollution from coal plants has killed more than half a million Americans. In this eye-opening call to action, Goodell explains the costs and consequences of America's addiction to coal and discusses how we can kick the habit.

$15 + $5 S&H

The Spill by Sharon Bushnell & Stan Jones

A Warning for Future Generations: Twenty years after the Exxon Valdez ran aground on Bligh Reef, sixty-two men and women share personal stories of what they saw, how they reacted, and how they coped with North America s worst tanker oil spill. Their anger and anguish had receded from view like oil seeping into rocky crevices on the beaches of Prince William Sound, but the terrible memories were never far from the surface. The stories tell of a shockingly slow response, the struggle to save the stricken tanker, the often heroic but largely futile efforts to limit the spread of oil and clean the beaches, a heart-breaking loss of fish and wildlife, a crippling blow to the commercial fishing industry, lingering social problems, and a loss of innocence among Alaskans who believed this spill would never happen. Reliving their experiences are fishermen, Native villagers, biologists, environmentalists, sociologists, Exxon executives, the governor, mayors, journalists, workers who washed oily rocks even the skipper of the ill-fated ship. For many of them, as one sociologist put it, the only way the Exxon Valdez disaster will end is when they die. For the rest of us, the spill is a cautionary tale about the high cost of complacency and neglect, and fair warning of the perils of putting off disaster planning for another day. One day, tomorrow will be too late.

$17.95 $15 + $5 Shipping

Kilowatt Ours (DVD) by Jeff Barrie

Award-winning film Kilowatt Ours: A Plan to Re-Energize America, is a timely, solutions-oriented look at one of America s most pressing environmental challenges: energy. Filmmaker Jeff Barrie offers hope as he turns the camera on himself and asks, How can I make a difference? In his journey Barrie explores the source of our electricity and the problems caused by energy production including mountain top removal, childhood asthma and global warming. Along the way he encounters individuals, businesses, organizations, and communities who are leading the way, using energy conservation, efficiency and renewable, green power all while saving money and the environment. This often amusing and always inspiring story shows you can easily make a difference and here's how!

$25 $15 + $5 S&H

Fishes & Dishes Cookbook by Tomi Marsh, Kiyo Marsh, and Laura Cooper

The women featured in this book successfully challenged one of the last frontiers of male domination: the commercial fishing grounds of Alaska. A generation ago, they might have been celebrated as pioneers. In today's world they were simply living their dreams. They worked every job, from captain to cook and in nearly every northern fishery, even the Bering Sea king crab grounds made infamous by TV's Deadliest Catch. They share eighty mouth-watering seafood recipes and many funny and harrowing stories of their adventures. Tempting dishes such as Seafood and Sausage Gumbo and Smoked Salmon and Egg Salad Sandwiches are practical and unpretentious. Pacific Rim flavors infuse recipes such as Seafood Enchiladas or Salmon Dumplings with Coconut Curry Sauce. And filling feasts could include Thai Clam Chowder and Linguine with Mussels and Cider, Bacon, and Shallot Cream Sauce. These dishes are fresh, original, and surprising easy to make. Your taste buds will never be the same! Also inside: Tips for cleaning, preserving, and preparing fish; how to pair wine with seafood; a glossary of commercial fishing terms; an explanation of fishing methods; on-board fashion tips; and information about sustainability.

$20 + $5 Shipping