Hello and welcome back to LRFS Sustainability Saturdays! This week Aerielle takes us through our 5 of our favourite sustainable reads....
Creating sustainable progress starts with one person....YOU. And what better way to improve your impact than by educating yourself first?
We all love a good read, and despite the fiction vs nonfiction debates, it’s agreed that reading does wonders for the mind and soul. Especially now at home, we need something to focus our minds on in a positive way. For this Sustainability Saturday, we want to celebrate our commitment to improving the planet with 5 book recommendations to take you from an eco-friendly beginner to an advanced sustainability advocate!
1. Climate Justice- Mary Robinson
In light of our previous article What IS Sustainability?, Robinson makes a similar argument: action requires all of us. Inspired by her new grandchildren’s arrival, she thought of what debt we were leaving the next generations. The humanitarian crises, increasing climate concerns, and pressure of decreasing resources all moved her to find the stories that were hidden in the then beginning stages of climate action. Her work was reviewed to have ‘shone a light on human suffering’, was described as a ‘call to arms’, and ‘putting a human face to those on the front lines’. Full of raw personal stories, this is a definite pick for those who need to see a more human side to ecological action.
2. How to Break up with Fast Fashion- Lauren Bravo
Fashion lovers, this one’s for you! With the recent rises against fast fashion, why not take a moment to read a reliable source that can enrich your understanding of the debates? Bravo, a journalist, was inspired by the documentary The True Cost (which we previously recommended) and stunned to see how her consumer choices had such a scaled impact. She turned her emotions into a practical guide to changing our ‘toxic relationship’ with fashion. Bravo suggests alternatives to the way we shop and approach your personal wardrobe, blessing us with sustainable fashion goodness! Reviewed as fun and easy to follow, why not pick up some tips?
3. Who Cares Wins: Reasons for Optimism in Our Changing World- Lily Cole
Ever feel so down after reading statistic after statistic of how our world is heading towards the worst? Become an insider to how people across the globe are making leaps towards a brighter future with this pick! Cole over four years collected initiatives from professionals, activists, scientists, and community leaders on how they designed sustainability projects. For example, she covers individuals approaching the issues of conscious consumerism, economics, mental health, and nature based solutions. The best part about her work is her main point in readers to ‘choose optimism’ in these times where it feels the only choice is to perpetuate the negative. She also has a Who Wins Cares podcast continuing the good news, and an impressive CV to match. What’s more uplifting than that?
4. Sustainability: A History- Jeremy L Caradonna
Ever wonder what the real root of the term ‘sustainability’ is? So do we! Caradonna breaks through the rising popularity of the word, from using it to describe groceries to new government policies, and takes us on a journey as far back as the 1660’s. He uses historical evidence from various periods and geographies to build a more comprehensive understanding of sustainability’s ‘dynamic philosophy’. Caradonna calls upon early forestry techniques in the 17th and 18th centuries, and follows the concept to the late 20th century. History nerds and curious folks, this one’s for you.
5. No One Is Too Small To Make A Difference- Greta Thunberg
The best for last, our hero Greta Thunberg shattered the silence with her book crying out for change. And she does this not just inspiring those with power, large influence, or even a lot of life under their belt. She reached out her hand to lift the younger generation, collecting her speeches from different action-related events in our recent history. From her experiences in protests and United Nations spotlights. her words invoke powerful emotion and intend to move us ‘no matter how powerless we feel’ because ‘our future depends on it’. And she has a point. If you feel you need a spark to get you moving in the right direction, go with Greta.
With extra time on your hands at home, why not pick up one of these fantastic reads and engage in one of the best practices of self-care? Even better- you could invite others to share in the fun with you and create a mini book club!
Leave your favourite sustainable reads in the comments below- we cant wait to read your suggestions!
So what are you waiting for? Go save the world. Take care of yourself. And read a book.
LRFS x