Corn Car’s reading list, pt. 1

We read a lot here at Corn Car, and there are a number of books out there that deal with the issues we blog about, from the specificities of ethanol and alternative fuels to more general issues like environmentalism and conservation. Many of them are textbooks, yes, and they’re by definition on the dry side, but these issues have wormed their way into novels as well. Hell, there’s been plenty of dystopian sci-fi set in the wake of unsustainable consumption at the expense of finite natural resources. Here, then, is a reading list for anyone interested in the greener side of edutainment. And in case you’ve still got holiday gift cards to burn, we’ve included links to buy the books online.

Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, for example, is widely credited with bolstering the environmentalist movement. While there are occasional drawbacks to the book’s legacy, it got other authors thinking about ecological change and its consequences. Silent Spring focused on the use of pesticides and their role in pollution, and JFK directed his Science Advisory Committee to investigate her claims, which were found to be legitimate. Take THAT, American Cyanamid!

One of the books taking Carson’s work to heart was Dune, by Frank Herbert, often referred to as “the first planetary ecology novel.” Characters must compromise with the ecosystems they live in, and Herbert’s depiction of a planet as a complex mega-organism synced up with the first images of earth from space being published at that time. Because of this, Dune strongly influenced environmental movements and reportedly had a hand in establishing the international Earth Day. Modern conservation efforts owe a lot to Dune. More recently, the Dune franchise has broadened into a series of books, movies, TV shows, board games, and other stuff that will brand you as a nerd forever, but the original novel’s legacy is not to be shrugged aside.

More on the informative side (and more relevant to this blog), permaculturist David Blume’s Alcohol Can Be a Gas!: Fueling an Ethanol Revolution for the 21st Century is one of the most readable textbooks on the subject. It is also one of the only textbooks on the subject. It lays out the process of building and maintaining an ethanol plant, and summarizes the history of ethanol from the Whiskey Rebellion to about three years ago, outlining the century-old struggle between ethanol advocates and their petroleum-soaked opposition in an entertaining and provocative fashion. We’re pretty sure he’s not related to Judy Blume, but if it turns out that he is, expect Are You There, God? It’s Me, Ethanol to hit bookshelves soon.

There, that should get you started. We’ll add more to our reading list on Friday. Stay tuned!