This book provides hands-on instruction for engineers who are concerned with two socioeconomic topics: environmental concerns and open source. Douglas and Papadopoulos use their experience in the information technology (IT) industry--particularly at Sun Microsystems--to present a practical guide for engineers who want to incorporate these topics into either a product or service development project.

The book consists of four parts. Part 1 deals with the emergence of the citizen engineer, as opposed to the engineer who focuses only on the technical and engineering aspects of his or her work. Part 2 deals with environmental aspects, and Part 3 deals with open source and intellectual property. Part 4 proposes improvements to engineering education curricula, and includes some real-world examples in chapter 17, “Citizen Engineers in Action.”

Unlike other books on environmentally responsible actions, instead of pointing fingers, this one provides practical guidance for engineers, at different stages in the development process. This is done using a simplified common life cycle model with three phases: make, use, and renew. The appendix includes checklists for every phase, which will certainly help engineers implement their first green projects.

Overall, this book is a good starting point for novices. For readers who are already somewhat familiar with these topics, there is hardly any new information. Furthermore, due to its textbook-like style, there are no intellectual challenges for seasoned engineers. Nevertheless, it works as a pocket guide that readers can consult for concise instructions.