"Betsy Mix Cowles--a bold reformer whose circle of acquaintances included Frederick Douglass, Abby Kelley, and William Lloyd Garrison--is a brilliant example of what an educated and independent woman can accomplish. A staunch defender of abolitionism, Cowles also took up the cause of women's rights and dedicated her life to the advocacy of women's access to education, equal rights, and independence in the pre-Civil War era. The life of this devoted social reformer illuminates the struggles and historical developments relating to abolitionism and the fledgling women's movement during one of the most contentious periods in American history. About the Lives of American Women series: Selected and edited by renowned women's historian Carol Berkin, these brief biographies are designed for use in undergraduate courses. Rather than a comprehensive approach, each biography focuses instead on a particular aspect of a women's life that is emblematic of her time, or which made her a pivotal figure in the era. The emphasis is on a "good read," featuring accessible writing and compelling narratives, without sacrificing sound scholarship and academic integrity. Primary sources at the end of each biography reveal the subject's perspective in her own words. Study questions and an annotated bibliography support the student reader"--

"A practical guide to generating less waste, featuring meaningful and achievable strategies from the blogger behind The Green Garbage Project, a yearlong experiment in living garbage-free. You don't have to be a tree hugger to benefit from zero-waste living. The average American tosses out nearly five pounds of trash every day, yet studies show the more we buy, the less happy we are. In The Zero-Waste Lifestyle, Amy Korst shows us how to have a happier, healthier, more sustainable life by sharing the lessons she learned while going waste-free for an entire year. Each chapter presents easy steps that anyone can take to create less trash: from composting and retaking reusable containers to the grocery store to burning clean organic materials; upcycling, downcycling, and recycling goods; and more"--