Summer Rayne Oakes, an urban houseplant expert and environmental scientist, is the icon of wellness-minded millennials who want to bring nature indoors, according to a New York Times profile. Summer has managed to grow 1,000 houseplants in her Brooklyn apartment (and they're thriving!) Her secret? She approaches her relationships with plants as intentionally as if they were people. Everyone deserves to feel the inner peace that comes from taking care of greenery. Beyond the obvious benefits--beauty and cleaner air--there's a strong psychological benefit to nurturing plants as a path to mindfulness. They can reduce our stress level, lower our blood pressure, and improve our overall outlook. And they offer a rare opportunity to find joy by caring for another living being. When Summer Rayne Oakes moved to Brooklyn from the Pennsylvania countryside, she knew that bringing nature indoors was her only chance to stay sane. She found them by the side of the road, in long-forgotten window boxes, at farmers' markets, and in local garden shops. She found ways to shelve, hang, tuck, anchor, secure, and suspend them. She even installed a 150-foot expandable hose that connects to pipes under her kitchen sink, so she only has to spend about a half-hour a day tending to her plants--an activity that she describes as a "moving meditation." This is Summer's guidebook for cultivating an entirely new relationship with your plant children. Inside, you'll learn to: • Pause for the flowers and greenery all around you, even the ones sprouting bravely between cracked pavement • Trust that your apartment jungle offers you far more than pretty décor • See the world from a plant's perspective, trading modern consumerism for sustainability • Serve your chlorophyllic friends by learning to identify the right species for your home and to recreate their natural habitat (Bonus: your indoor garden won't die!) When we become plant parents, we also become better caretakers of ourselves, the people around us, and our planet. So, let's step inside the world of plants and discover how we can begin cultivating our own personal green space--in our homes, in our minds, and in our hearts.

How to Make a Plant Love You: Cultivate Green Space in Your Home and Heart

Self-Help

Oakes, Summer Rayne

Personal Transformation

Optimism Press

Style meets substance in this lavishly illustrated, highly informative, and beautifully designed book on sustainable fashion and beauty. Summer Rayne Oakes, fashion model, eco advocate, and resident expert on Treehugger.com and Discovery Network's Planet Green, shows how to make informed choices when shopping. In addition to explaining the basics (from fair trade to organically grown), Summer Rayne showcases hundreds of her favorite designers such as Stella McCartney and Safia Minney and eco-friendly brands such as Levi's, Loomstate, and Aveda that have made earth-friendly materials and sustainable practices a priority. With over 500 photos, pages of resources, and eco-style stories from the hottest trendsetters, it's the ultimate fashion and beauty bible for women who want to feel good about looking good.

Style, Naturally: The Savvy Shopping Guide to Sustainable Fashion and Beauty

Religion & Spirituality

Chronicle Books+

Break the sugar habit with this inspiring, easy-to-follow cookbook! Overcome your sugar cravings, lose weight, and get your health back on track! With more than 100 mouthwatering recipes, menus, and gorgeous color photographs, SugarDetox.Me is on a mission to help readers shake their addiction to the sweet stuff. It not only arms you with scientific knowledge about the harmful effects of sugar, it offers an achievable strategy for detoxing safely and effectively—including 10 Meal Maps. These maps explain how to create multiple meals, maximize each ingredient, minimize waste, and save money. There’s no economizing when it comes to flavor, though— each recipe delivers healthy, delicious food. Enjoy a breakfast of an egg, sunny side up, over cauliflower and bacon with potato hash; a light lunch of mixed salad greens with chili and sage-roasted acorn squash; and a memorable dinner of savory seared scallops over marinated mushrooms, corn mash, and red sorrel. And, to satisfy your sweet tooth without sugar, there’s even a chilled bowl of banana-almond butter “ice cream.”

SugarDetoxMe: 100+ Recipes to Curb Cravings and Take Back Your Health

Cookbooks, Food & Wine

Special Diet

Union Square & Co.

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Books by Oakes, Summer Rayne