Green Means

Imagine a sweater whose colors actually got darker when you washed it, instead of fading. The trick? No dyes; the cotton itself contains the color. "Colored Cotton" is one of 32 short films about the environment on this compilation of Green Means segments hosted by NPR's Susan Stamberg. Averaging 5 minutes each, the profiles focus on individuals who are making an environmental difference for the better (often in very innovative ways). Topics covered include: barnyard biodiversity, surfers cleaning up the (polluted) waves, endangered species, cabs that run on natural gas, organic milk, and solar ovens in Africa. The accompanying 256-pg. paperback includes 20 of the profiles. Each of the films unfortunately carries the same series opening and closing credits (which is annoying), but overall, viewers will come away with both some good ideas to try on a local level and some refreshingly positive news about the environment. Inspiring and helpful, Green Means is recommended. (R. Pitman)