If you've not already seen it, I highly recommend National Geographic's film Six Degrees. If you've got the time, read the book. They compile research on global climate change and present the effects in degree by degree scenarios. Very interesting and very important.
Another good book is Cradle to Cradle by Bill McDonough. I'll let one of his quotes speak for the book... "Why not shift the focus of green design from managing the environmental impact of a destructive system to creating buildings and materials that generate wholly positive effects for people and nature."
