Month: April 2018

This book is a compilation of short essays focussed around the subject of our moral responsibility to protect the earth. It aims to educate the reader on the ‘ethical values, moral guidance and principled reasons’ as to why we should care for the environment.

The essays are drawn from a diverse selection of authors, including scientists, religious leaders, environmentalists, political leaders, writers, businesspeople and activists. Some of the more well-known authors include Barack Obama, The Dalai Lama, E. O. Wilson and Bill McKibben. The book is divided into sections, each containing a group of essays which offer similar arguments in response to the following question:

Do we have a moral obligation to take action to protect the future of a planet in peril?

As you’d guess, the answer to this question is a resounding ‘Yes’. The reasons presented include:

• Yes: our own survival and self-interest.
• Yes: out of an obligation to future generations.
• Yes: as we have a duty to protect the earth itself.

Some essays resonated with me, some did not. As I read through, I noticed certain themes and ideas recur throughout the book. Notably, many essays were critical of the anthropocentric mindset that tends to dominate our thinking (viewing humanity as separate from the natural world, rather than part of an interconnected whole), and critical of consumer culture and our current notion of what ‘progress’ means (in which happiness is supposedly attained through the acquisition of more material stuff). My favourite essay, ‘A Copernican Revolution in Ethics’ by Kate Rawles, addresses these themes in a particularly lucid manner.

Another notable recurrence was Aldo Leopold’s Land Ethic, which is frequently referenced, as his thoughts on conservation were profoundly influential on environmental ethics and the environmental movement as it exists today. To learn more, see my review of Leopold’s environmental classic, A Sand County Almanac.

With 87 essays, this is a lengthy book. But because each essay is only a few pages long, it is easy to chip away at the book by picking it up and reading an essay or two when you have a little time to spare. Though you are unlikely to like or agree with every essay, reading this book will help you to solidify your own understanding of the ethical reasons for environmental protection, and may in turn help you to argue for why humanity has a moral obligation to care for the earth.

For further information or to purchase this book, click here > Moral Ground

Video review:

 

When I first noticed this book, I dismissed it for its odd title, unsure how it could be relevant to the issues I was interested in.  However, after seeing it pop up repeatedly on lists of important books on environmental issues, I thought I’d give it a try.

It turned out to be a true gem. I now understand why A Sand County Almanac is considered a classic of environmental literature. Despite its 1949 publication date, it remains one of the most influential books on environment and conservation today.

The book was written by Aldo Leopold, an American ecologist, forester and conservationist. Much of the text comprises his descriptions of the land, first around his farm in Wisconsin and then in other parts of America, Canada and Mexico. As he takes the reader through the seasons and across the landscapes, Leopold conveys in an honest and very visceral way the sense of beauty and wonder he feels at his experiences in nature. His writing is delightfully crafted, painting an immersive sensory picture without ever seeming overly sentimental.

Throughout the book, Leopold shares his musings on the relationship between humanity and nature and reflects on the degradation of the land at our hands. He contends that this degradation is brought about by our current set of land-use ethics, in which we view the land as a commodity to be owned and exploited purely for the satisfaction of economic self-interest. We fail to appreciate nature as one great interconnected community which we are a part of and upon which we depend and consequently we have little sense of obligation to protect, nurture or give back to it.

Leopold sets out his ideas on environmental conservation, culminating in his advocacy of a ‘Land Ethic’. In this he proposes a cultural paradigm shift; an enlargement of our current set of ethics, such that we regard ourselves as part of a community that comprises not only other human beings, but also all of nature: ‘the soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: the land.’ He hopes for humanity to develop sense of responsibility and stewardship over the land. The essence of the Land Ethic is captured in the most well-known quote of the book:

‘A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.’

Although it was written more than 60 years ago, A Sand County Almanac is ever more relevant today. At a time when we see accelerating loss of biodiversity and environmental degradation, it seems clear that if we wish to halt the destruction, the environmental consciousness we are beginning to develop must continue to evolve and become a fundamental part of our ethics and understanding of our place in the world.

For further information or to purchase this book, click here > A Sand County Almanac

My video review:

Climate change is a complex issue. You and many others may feel motivated to do something about it, but it can be difficult to know where to begin, and which of the myriad problems and solutions we should focus on. Should we throw all our efforts behind solar photovoltaic power generation? Or how about about electric cars? Or preventing deforestation? When faced with the series of interconnected issues behind climate change, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed.

Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming, edited by Paul Hawken, aims to solve this problem by presenting and ranking the 100 most impactful solutions to climate change.

Each solution is ranked in based on its potential to reduce or remove carbon dioxide (or CO₂-equivalent) emissions from the atmosphere. A summary is provided with each solution, along with other important data, such as cost of implementation.

The book is full of surprising insights, such as the finding that wind turbines (ranked number 2 in potential impact) outrank solar photovoltaic (ranked number 8), or that growing bamboo is an excellent means of carbon sequestration.

I personally thought that one of the most important insights related to the impact of women’s education and access to family planning (solutions ranked 6 & 7 respectively). Not only should these rights be considered a moral imperative, but if viewed as a single combined solution, they are also by far the most impactful solution to climate change, due primarily to their effect on reducing population growth.

The book is presented in a manner which is straightforward and easy to understand, which belies the weight of technical data backing its simple figures and summaries. Drawdown represents the analytical work of a coalition of 70 scientists and researchers, and an even larger expert review team. Each solution was researched, analysed, modelled and reviewed to provide the data presented in the book.

Because of the breadth of information Drawdown covers, with 100 solutions ranging from bike infrastructure to nuclear fusion, detailed technical data is not included in the book itself but can be accessed on the Project Drawdown website: http://www.drawdown.org/

I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in learning about, and taking action to prevent climate change, whether in your personal life, through your career, or your business. To echo the words Paul Hawken: use this book to identify how you can make a difference.

For further information or to purchase, click here > Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming

My video review: