Thrive: An environmentally conscious lifestyle guide to better health and true wealth
I know Kamea through the Ethical Writers Coalition and I was so excited for her when she let us know she was working on publishing a book! Kamea sent me a copy of her new book, Thrive, a couple days before the official launch a few weeks ago, and I was glad I had the opportunity to spend last Monday afternoon digging into it.
Thrive is intended to be a comprehensive, holistic approach to sustainability and wellness. It’s divided into easy-to-digest sections on Positive Thinking, Exercise, Nourishment, Skincare, and Ethical Fashion, so you have the option of taking it step by step or flipping through to your favorite section first. I was really impressed with this method of organizing the book – it allowed me to skim through chapter topics I already knew a lot about and take more time on chapters that contained information that was new to me.
Kamea speaks authoritatively and directly – the book reads like one of those enjoyable, introductory college courses you sign up for just for fun – and her charts, diagrams, object lessons, and parables make information that could easily feel daunting easy to follow. I particularly like the Nourish Your Food chapter on the complicated nature of deciphering the pros and cons of organic versus genetically modified (or GMO) agriculture, as it’s something that continues to be hotly debated among both consumers and scientists.
Kamea says:
As consumers, we want to support business practices that improve our health (and the health of our planet) and help us work toward sustainability. So, should be be pro- or anti-GMOs? The answer is neither – for now anyway.
She goes on to skillfully discuss what’s at stake, allowing for nuance rather than making a premature decision about the best path forward:
As a start, we can push for mandatory labeling of GMO products so we can at least make informed shopping decisions. At the same time, perhaps we should refrain from being strictly pro- or anti-GMOs. Instead, we should focus first on supporting food production methods that work in harmony with nature, such as small-scale organic farming that encourages crop diversity while minimizing the use of toxic chemicals.
The Sustain Fashion chapter is top notch, as well.
The Verdict?
I would recommend this book to people who are ready to take issues around sustainability and health seriously, and want a primer that is both academic and approachable. Thrive is serious without being stuffy, well-researched without being elitist. The fact that it manages to cover a lot of ground in just under 225 pages is impressive.
Congratulations, Kamea, and well done!
You can buy Thrive on Amazon here.
Leah Wise is the founder of StyleWise Blog. She has been writing, speaking, and consulting on sustainable fashion, the fair trade and secondhand supply chain, and digital marketing for over ten years. An Episcopal priest, Leah holds a B.A. in Religion from Florida State University and an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School. When not working, you can find her looking for treasures at the thrift store.