Plants For People - Hardcover

"This makeover of Anna Lewington's Plants for People should re-establish it as a bible for herbiphiles." (Douglas Palmer New Scientist)

"A feast of a book, it's a one-stop shop of useful information about the deep impact that plants have on our lives, from the value of using wild plants in medicine to explaining how the Fairtrade system operates." (BBC Gardener's World)

"Sometimes disturbing, sometimes hopeful, Anna Lewington gives a comprehensive and fascinating insight into the part plants play in our lives ... This magnificent production bolsters the achievments of the Eden Project in Cornwall with its sensible facts about plants ... However you dip into this book some plant miscellany will capture your attention, and the lavish photos keep you page turning. Earth Matters (Friends of the Earth)"

In a world dominated by technological change, it is easy to forget the importance of plants: they feed us, clothe us, clean us, protect us, cure us, transport us and entertain us. Every day, plants play a fundamental role in our lives. PLANTS FOR PEOPLE gives us a fascinating insight into the countless, often surprising ways in which we use plants - from the woodpulp in our clothing and the soya in fast food, to new medicines from daffodil bulbs (for Alzheimer's), yew leaves and hazel nuts (for cancers), and sunflower and rape seeds providing cleaner fuel for our cars.

Plants are essential to our lives, yet the ways we manage them are seriously harming people and environments worldwide. PLANTS FOR PEOPLE is a crucial book, considering practical and ethical issues such as organic production, bio-piracy and the Fairtrade movement. Its mission: to help us save the diversity of plant life on earth, and to treat as equals the millions of people whose knowledge and services support us every day.