What the World Needs Now is a Good Housekeeper
an ecological artist's field guide for how to approach a site
by artist Aviva Rahmani

What the World Needs Now is a Good Housekeeper, is a simple, step by step illustrated guide to restoring environmentally degraded sites as an ecological art practice. In ten clear steps, internationally renowned artist Aviva Rahmani describes her approach and techniques for working with scientists and engineers to address environmental degradation and global warming. What the World Needs Now is a Good Housekeeper, is a soft cover, spiral bound 8" x 8.5" book, 25 pages cover to cover, making it easy for students, educators, artists and scholars to tuck into a pocket and tramp off, as, to a local dump site that needs the attention of a good "housekeeper."

Book Cover image: "Bed of Nets," fishing drift nets on an iron bed. Lost fishing drift nets, called ghost nets, were the inspiration for Aviva Rahmani's Ghost Nets project, which transformed a coastal town dump site into flourishing wetlands habitat. Ghost nets can extend over many ocean miles. They are invisible, indestructible and continue to fish and destroy marine life for many years, just as the habits and routines we take for granted can destroy our own lives. Installation by Aviva Rahmani 1994.

Some early reviews:

"I wanted to use one of your images from the book (the bed) to explain the idea of metaphor to the students. It's quite beautiful," Beverly Naidus, artist and educator, University of Washington, Tacoma

"It is a big deal...! I love it. Very direct and readable by anyone in or outside the field,"
Christy Rupp, Artist

"The clear, compact, direct and simple format is terrific," Jackie Brookner, Artist and educator

"It's really beautiful," Dr. Amanda Boetzkes, Art Historian, University of Alberta

"With each turn of the page, Rahmani enlarges the scope of 'site'. The book progresses toward an inspiring, all-encompassing culmination." - Linda Weintraub, author of the first college level eco-art text book series entitled Avant-Guardians and the founder of Artnow Publications

"I opened the file, and the images are just GORGEOUS. I think this is so lovely.... It will be useful in Ecofeminism. Certainly I can use it in my course on Women and Art," Gloria Orenstein, Art Historian and educator, University of Southern California