Environmental Literature Recs
The climate is changing. This is not a political opinion but rather a scientific fact. Our use of fossil fuels leads to an increase in carbon dioxide emissions that trap heat within the atmosphere. Scientists have repeated this information again and again, but what does that actually mean for us? What effects should we expect on our society and on our environment? What changes should we consider? Where do we even begin to understand?
Climate change and environmental degradation are looming issues that have haunted me for many years. They seem too big a concept to grasp in my hands sometimes, and if I try to understand, my fears and anxiety would create gaps between my fingers for the concepts to fall through. However, we cannot confront these issues if we do not face them, and to begin confronting them, we need to understand their causes and impacts.
As a staff member of Catharsis, I must acknowledge what nonfiction means to me, and in this case, nonfiction books are portals to a place of understanding. Books are such an important tool in this fight. They are lanterns of knowledge to light our path, whispers to guide us, and something physical to grasp. To best ready us for the change coming and the change needed, here are some of my recommendations for Environmental Literature.
1. Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
“It was a spring without voices. On the mornings that had once throbbed with the dawn chorus of robins, catbirds, doves, jays, wrens, and scores of other bird voices there was now no sound; only silence lay over the fields and wood and marsh.”
It is only right that I start with this book. Lauded as the ‘Classic that launched the Environmental Movement,’ Silent Spring exposed the connection between the use of DDT (a synthetic insecticide) and the decrease in bird populations. This book was vital for the environmental movement in the United States as it inspired the creation of environmental legislation and agencies. It is important because it shows just how powerful we are when it comes to protecting our environment. Though the political climate has changed, Silent Spring is a reminder that we have created change once and we can do so again.
2. The Great Displacement by Jake Bittle
“For a long time, climate change was something to be discussed in abstract terms, something that existed in the future tense. That is no longer the case. Each passing year brings disasters that disfigure new parts of the United States, and these disasters alter the course of human lives, pushing people from one place to another, destroying old communities and forcing new ones to emerge.”
I finished this book on December 27, 2024, and then almost two weeks later, the southern California fires begin. It was horrifying to see the very subject matter this book discussed play out right in front of me: houses built in fire-dependent landscapes are increasingly vulnerable to wildfires, and insurance companies are quick to drop these houses to protect their own profit margins. However, we must not shy away from the truth. This book details how and why climate change is forcing people from their homes as well as how society is currently addressing or perpetuating these displacements. Bittle confronts hard topics of choosing whether to leave or stay while acknowledging the fact that many people don’t have a choice. Each section focuses on a certain area and the challenges they faced. To best understand how climate change will impact our housing and cities, I highly recommend this book.
3. The Fracking Debate by Daniel Raimi
“I heard variations of the same few questions: Were fracking chemicals safe? Was fracking causing earthquakes? Was fracking contaminating water across the country?”
Sometimes debates surrounding energy policy can be fairly complex. While we know that carbon emissions traps heat within our atmosphere, there are differing opinions on how to move away from carbon-emitting fuels. Which energy source should we rely on? How fast should the transitional period be? What are the consequences of these new sources? These pressing questions can be overwhelming. However, Raimi strives to have an in-depth discussion about natural gas and the process of fracking. This book fairly analyzes the pros and cons of natural gas, making it a good read for people on both sides of the debate. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in this topic and wishes to form their own opinions on this energy source.
4. The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert
“Five of these ancient events were catastrophic enough that they’re put in their own category: the so-called Big Five. In what seems like a fantastic coincidence, but is probably no coincidence at all, the history of these events is recovered just as people come to realize that they are causing another one.”
Part of the ongoing challenges our planet currently faces is that humanity is causing so many changes to the Earth’s ecosystems that many animals are simply unable to keep up. Evolution is a multi-generational process – it is far too slow to handle us. Kolbert grapples with what this might mean for the planet and all it holds. She examines all the different causes of extinction while providing the history of humanity’s understanding of the concept. Each chapter tracks extinction by focusing on a specific species. The writing makes a complex topic understandable, and horror quickly replaces the confusion surrounding extinction. However, I recommend this book because it is important we do not shy away from humanity’s impact on the planet. If we do not seek to understand, we cannot stop what is coming.
5. Wilder by Millie Kerr
“What I realized is this: the diversity of approach and perspective that defines the practice of rewilding likewise applies to how we contribute to environmental protections – and how we rewild ourselves…Whether exerting bottom-up influence like freshwater mussels or engineering creative solutions in the spirit of ecosystem architects, each of us is capable of making the world a wilder, healthier place.”
I want to end this list with a little bit of hope. Climate change and environmental degradation is a depressing topic as the doom hits us faster than stories of hope can reach us. However, to stay resilient, it is important for us to remember that the fight is happening now and there have been success stories. Through eleven chapters, Kerr explores rewilding conservation efforts all over the globe, focusing on a specific location for each chapter. She explains the concept of rewilding and all its complexities in a comprehensible manner. Though she does focus on the actual, scientific conservation efforts, Kerr also explains the very human relationship conservation has with local communities, acknowledging the history of removing indigenous people from their lands in the name of conservation. However, so many of the locations she mentions works with local communities either through conservation or through eco-tourism, and that is the path forward. No matter the struggles, we must address our environmental challenges in an equitable way for both humans and animals.