What inspires you to take action? The Environment Committee would like to share the following book and podcast titles that have at least made us think and in some cases moved us to action. (We’d love to hear what you’ve been reading and listening to so please let us know via email.)
Peter Wohlleben’s, “The Secret Wisdom of Nature,” would definitely be on my list. His books are succinct and approachable. The interconnectedness of all things is amazing. I sincerely believe that storytellers like Wohlleben inspire others to treasure the planet we are part of… simply by inspiring a sense of wonder and awe. Fascination is a great motivator for taking action. - Pam Hudson, Rotary Club of Ganonocque
Suggestions from Elsabe Falkson, Rotary Club of Kingston Frontenac:
- I could not have rewilded my yard without the wisdom of Lorraine Johnston: "A Garden for the Rusty Patch Bumble Bee" and her "Gardeners Manifesto" (I think it is now out of print.)
- The books by Canadian Author John Vaillant are typically thriller novels, based on environmental research and real-world happenings:“Fire Weather: The making of a beast”; “ The Golden Spruce”; “The Tiger”; “The Jaguar's Children”
- Great Book: “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- “In Defense of Plants” is a podcast hosted by Matt Candeiasby, an ecologist and botany enthusiast.
- “Yale Climate Connections”, Dr Anthony Leiserowitz's super-short investigative podcast is a daily highlight for me. He grabs fossil fuels, extreme weather, clean energy etc., and focuses on solutions and hope!
- When I travel I like to listen to longer podcasts like "In Defense of Plants" and "Rewilding the World" with Ben Goldsmith. I tend to put some of the podcasts on 1.25X or even 1.5X speed to get through it faster and listen to more!
A while back I read a Bill Gates book “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need”. Gates is of course an extremely clear thinker and this comes across in the book. He always keeps the numbers front and centre. He first outlines a very negative but probably realistic view of how real and how bad the climate change problem is. Then he outlines what he sees as the key approaches to trying to resolve the issue and the work needed to come up with some of the necessary technologies. He ends on a positive note, encouraging readers not to despair. As someone who managed to market his products to almost everyone on the planet, clearly he understands how to apply practical solutions at scale. As a friend of Rotary in the fight against polio, I think Rotarians might find this an interesting, provocative read. Rod Smith, Rotary Club of Arnprior
My own suggestions:
"The Light Pirate" by Lily Brooks-Dalton. The novel begins in the very near future and follows its central character as her community and ecosystem change rapidly in the face of storms and flooding. The book raises questions about individual and community preparedness and the possibilities of adaptation in changing conditions, and is a vivid and exciting read. I learned of a discussion around the book at a local library in NH the day before the talk/potluck. Fortunately it was a quick read – eye opening for me in part because I rarely consider fiction when I choose books, especially when I am learning about an issue.
Not exactly inspiring but thought provoking was a family’s escape from a forest fire in France from the podcast series Real Survival Stories “Too Late to Run: Family Trapped by Flames” (Spotify)