"A book for all who care about our environment and ecology. I recommend it not only as a good read but a good lesson in what a committed individual can achieve."—Arun Gandhi, author, Legacy of Love: My Education in the Path of Nonviolence
"For those of us wanting to transform American society, Growing America is a wonderful guidebook. David Kidd articulates how to get involved and be effective. He takes activism to its highest level."—Marianne Williamson, author, A Return to Love
"When I served as director of public relations for Rotary International in the early 1990's we used David Kidd's Stark Free Tree Program as a model for local Rotary Clubs around the world to follow. It is not surprising that Mr. Kidd writes with the same excitement, verve, commitment and skill that he applies to his tireless environmental activities."—Martin Kantor, The Juniper Group, Chicago, IL
"Growing America is an inspiring story of what one man can do to better himself and his community. David Kidd's spirit stands as tall and as strong as the trees he plants. Do yourself and your world a favor�read Growing America."—Michael A. Klaper, M.D.
"David Kidd disassembles the roadblocks that face us all when inertia or fear of failure loom larger than the urgency of active engagement and leadership."—Jenepher Lingelbach, author, Hands-On Nature
"David Kidd's journey from a poor child to one of America's foremost activists makes us realize that we are the future. He makes Johnny Appleseed pale by comparison when it comes to planting trees, and that is only part of the story. David Kidd is an American hero and his book is fascinating."—Howard F. Lyman, author Mad Cowboy
"David Kidd is an inspirational activist. Growing America reflects David's refreshing style and demonstrates how one person can make a real difference.—Ken Margolis, Director, River Network
"Growing America is here just when we need it most. David Kidd's amazing life and page-turner stories inspire the kind of commitment the world so desperately needs. We could use a lot more David Kidds right now—or we could read this book and learn to do what he does."—Victoria Moran, author, Creating a Charmed Life
Vietnam veteran and teacher-practitioner of Transcendental Meditation, David Kidd first learned about the issue of global warming in 1988 and decided to do something about it. He discovered that tree seedlings were relatively cheap, and began to coordinate the planting of trees—not merely in the tens, nor the hundreds, nor even the thousands, but in the millions.
In eleven years, Kidd, along with over fifteen hundred schools and citizen groups throughout his native Ohio, managed to plant an astonishing 12 million trees. He ran as an independent candidate for the Ohio House of Representatives in 2002 and is a leading environmental activist, with projects in Pennsylvania, Iowa, Virginia, North Carolina, Texas, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska, with new projects underway each year. These projects are made available to community groups all over the world, as Kidd advocates local communities owning their own work.
Growing America is the story of an extraordinary man. It's about a man who made a commitment to be nonviolent when serving in Vietnam; a man who looked for solutions rather than be overwhelmed by global problems; a man who went against the advice of forestry services and bureaucracy and inspired ordinary citizens and local government to make a difference in their neighborhoods, communities, and throughout the state. More than that,
Growing America is about civic involvement, of making communities vibrant and healthy, and inspiring all of us to help America flourish.
Consciousness in Action
The Green Belt Movement
The Green Bible
The Lifelong Activist
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