What's On Your Climate Change Summer Reading List?

It's summer, people. Time for a little skin. A bit of fun. Something light and insouciant. 

What's On Your Climate Change Summer Reading List?
Need to keep your edge in this summer of sweat and torpor? The Daily Climate's annual summer reading list can help

May 22, 2014 Douglas Fischer and The Daily Climate

Drop the Thomas Piketty. Let's all admit right now you weren't going to read that 696-page economics tome anyway.

And set aside Donna Tart's "Goldfinch," too. Yes, it's beautiful. Yes, it won the Pulitzer. Yes, it's 775 pages.

It's summer, people. Time for a little skin. A bit of fun. Something light and insouciant.

Time, in short, for The Daily Climate's annual summer reading list.

Real blockbusters
Before we get to books, let's detour through Hollywood.

The budding climate fiction genre – "cli fi" for short – isn't just for authors and publishers. Movie studios have hopped on this train, and nature bites back in several summer blockbusters set in a post-climate-changed world.

"Into the Storm" focuses on how small-town America copes with devastation caused by supertornadoes the likes of which have already flattened towns in Arkansas and Oklahoma.

"Noah" puts the topic back in time, a biblical epic not so much about the Bible as it is about how humanity copes with a wrathful environment. Shot in part on Long Island during Hurricane Sandy, Noah has grossed more than $340 million worldwide since opening in late March.

Can we throw "Godzilla" into this mix? Why not! Nuclear waste storage is central to the plot; director Gareth Edwards wanted the audience to feel aware "and almost guilty" that we're polluting the planet, actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson told Timemagazine. Godzilla, he said, shows that "nature has a way of fighting back."

"Memory of Water, by Emmi Itaranta
Blogger and environmentalists Dan Bloom has been tracking the cli fi genre for six years. He calls this futuristic novel, translated from the Finnish, "maybe the best cli fi book for the summer of 2014."

Set in Scandinavia, in a time when wars are fought over water and China rules Europe, the story focuses on a 17-year-old's quest to become a "tea master," like her father, and to learn the secret sources of water.

"Instructions for a Heatwave," By Maggie O'Farrell
Weather isn't the only thing that's oppressing the family in Maggie O'Farrell's taut, compelling sixth novel.

The book is about a husband and devoted father who gets up from the breakfast table during a record-breaking heat wave to buy a newspaper, only to never return.

It's really about grief and family and sibling relations, of course; the heat wave is just background. But still: There's a climate impact that hits close to home.

"Climate Changed," by Philippe Squarzoni
This is no novel. It has an index. It's 470 pages and includes sentences like this: "Water vapor is one of the forms that water takes in its global cycle, in which it is transformed by the sun and circulates through the different stages of that cycle."

But all can be forgiven, for this is a graphic novel, an innovative effort by French cartoonist and author Philippe Squarzoni to make climate science accessible.

Does he succeed? I tossed my copy to my 12-year-old daughter, who devours graphic novels, and she tried gamely for a half hour before handing it back to me with a shrug.

But maybe pre-teens are the wrong market. The book is unquestionably cool - all black and white and cross-hatched. If you've been meaning to get up to speed on the carbon cycle and all things climate science this summer, this is the book to be seen at the beach with.

"From Here," by Daniel Kramb
Feel the slow burn in this delicious novel from London writer Daniel Kramb.

"My nose is almost close enough to come up against his now," he writes of his heroine, trying to settle down after 10 years of city-hopping. "If I wanted to, my lips could find out whether he tastes the way he looks."

And that's just the first chapter, before the dinner dishes have been cleared.

Kramb's 2012 novel hits all the checkboxes for a summer potboiler: Love, quest for place in this world, and, yes, environmental activism.

"Facing Change," edited by Steven Pavlos Holmes
This nifty little book, an anthology of essays, poems and short stories written over the last 10 years, approaches climate change via literary angles. There's no science, only observations – about missing owls, unused ice skates, the last snow in Abilene.

Writers are "our emotional and cultural first responders to climate change," Steven Pavlos Holmes writes in the introduction. They are "the ones who, with skill and insight, are showing up at this disaster, still in the making; who brave the fear and guilt and confusion to do what they can for people in need. And we are all in need."

Throwbacks

"To a God Unknown," by John Steinbeck
100 percent of California is in one of the three worst stages of drought the United States' weather agency recognizes. Ski areas never opened for the season. The nation's beef herd is the same size it was in 1951.
If ever there was a summer to revisit Steinbeck's slim, searing novel, written in 1933 and set in 1850s California, it is now.

The book, as we perhaps all learned in high school, traces the arc of Joseph Wayne, son of a farmer who leaves his Vermont homestead with his father's blessing to begin anew in unsettled, empty Monterey County. Wayne hears about the dry years. But that was in the past, he reasons: "I won't – I can't see how it can come again."

Sound familiar?

"The Sea and Summer," by George Turner
And since we're back in time, another suggestion from Dan Bloom, the cli fi blogger. This 1987 work by Australian author George Turner, shortlisted for the Nebula Award, takes us to a dark and dreary 2041.

Government corruption, myopic leadership and a rising sea threaten to leave Francis Conway's hometown a watery tomb, dependent on the state's inadequate help.

Our hero's task? To escape this approaching tide of disaster as the gap between the haves and the have-nots grows ever wider. Wait ... what year is this set in again?

Youth books

"Not a Drop to Drink," by Mindy McGinnis
Let's not forget the kids. They need to keep sharp over the summer, too.
Mindy McGinnis' opening line is sure to snag your distracted, bored teen: "Lynn was nine the first time she killed to defend the pond...."

The dystopian drama depicts one girl's effort to defend her water source against drought, coyotes and, most of all, thirsty strangers looking for a drink.

She's good at it, too – until those mysterious footprints show up in the mud.

"12 Kinds of Ice," by Ellen Bryan Obed, with illustrations by Barbara McClintock
We can't end a summer reading list on a down note, so I was glad when my daughter came home from the library with a slim little volume by Ellen Bryan Obed.

Barbara McClintock's quiet sketches make this a delightful book for those rainy afternoons when you want to sit with a child and escape to places chilly and distant. Obed's prose – poetry, really – carries you aloft in a swirl of pirouettes, sharp cracks and ribboning, frozen streams.

"Black ice is water shocked still by the cold before the snow," she writes. "Black ice, black shadows, black shores, black islands. Silver blades, silver speeds, silver sun."

"But black ice did not stay."


Douglas Fischer is editor of The Daily Climate, an independent news service covering energy, the environment and climate change.

This article originally appeared at The Daily Climate, the climate change news source published by Environmental Health Sciences, a nonprofit media company.

Graphic: What can I do?

Due to the devastating flooding which took place in the Balkans, students of Druga gimnazija - Nina Omerović, Tea Ilinčić and Naida Bukva - decided to make a poster on the topic of climate change as part of their school project. As written on the poster, there are several ways in which you can help mitigate climate change.

50 Realistic Ways to be More Eco-Friendly Now

50 Realistic Ways to be More Eco-Friendly Now
PERRIE SAMOTIN, April 14th, 2014 stylecaster.com

Let’s be real: When it comes to doing things the eco-friendly way, we’re all guilty of more than a few infractions. Maybe you keep the water running while brushing your teeth, or maybe you’re addicted to shopping at fast-fashion stores for things you don’t really want or need. Whatever the case, we all do it.

The good news is that—even if you’re not quite ready to commit to fully embracing a sustainable way of living, there are plenty of easy, practical habits you can adopt that’ll make a serious impact on the planet without drastically changing your lifestyle.

Here, we’ve compiled a guide packed with 50 so-easy ways to be more eco-friendly now—simple, clever, and just plain useful tips that any lazy activist can do!

1. Take a fast fashion break.
As difficult as it may be, try taking a hiatus from fast fashion for a few months and consider investing in organic and/or sustainable garments. Elizabeth L. Cline, the author of last year’s buzzy book “Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion” keeps a running list of stylish sustainable and ethical retailers on her website, which is a good place to start.

2. Cut down on all water use.
Turn off the faucet while you’re brushing your teeth; only wash full loads of laundry (in cold water—it saves energy); start to drink tap water instead of bottled; try washing dishes by hand a few days a week; scrape rather than rinse dishes before loading into the dishwasher; keep a pitcher of water in the fridge as opposed to letting the faucet run until it’s cold.

3. Ditch the coffee stirrer.
According to 50 Ways to Help, Americans toss 138 billion straws and stirrers yearly. A clever alternative: Put your sugar and milk in first, and then pour in the coffee— this should make it well mixed. Determined to stir your brewed-at-home coffee? Break off a piece of pasta from the cupboard. After you use it, you can dissolve it in water, or throw it away with less guilt.



4. Repair your shoes and clothes.
Instead of tossing worn-in shoes, take them to a shoemaker to get them cleaned up, resoled, re-dyed, or re-heeled. Same goes for clothes—a good tailor can repair almost anything.

5. Check out Greenpeace’s Detox Fashion Manifesto.
Here’s something you might want to sign as a show of support for the organization’s Detox initiative, which urges consumers to challenge brands and demand that they create fashion free of toxins. (The good news: a number of companies, including H&M and British retailer Marks & Spencer are already at work pioneering green chemistry, and phasing out some majorly harmful substances).

6. Start biking or walking.
Even if it’s just to do a few errands on the weekends instead of driving, taking a taxi, or taking the subway. Most big cities have bicycle sharing programs for people who aren’t owners.

7. Shut off and unplug.
Simply shut off all the lights before you leave in the morning, and unplug electrical equipment that you aren’t using during the day and while you sleep—especially your work and home computers.

8. Need to give a gift?
Create unique wrapping by using glossy magazines you already have, newspaper, or brown paper grocery bags. Not only is this method environmentally friendly, but it looks way cooler than store-bought generic paper.

9. Not ready to go vegetarian?
Try committing to a meat-free diet one or two days a week to decrease the resources you use up. According to worldwildlife.org, it takes about 750 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of wheat, and it takes 100,000 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of beef. That’s a huge difference.

10. Start keeping your calendar digitally.
It uses less paper. And instead of Post-it notes, try using your Smartphone’s many reminders or list-making apps.

11. Replace your lightbulbs!
If every household in the United State replaced one regular lightbulb with one of those new compact fluorescent bulbs, the pollution reduction would be equivalent to removing one million cars from the road, according to 50 Ways to Help.

12. Try buying food from local farmers or farmers’ markets at least once a month.
This reduces the amount of greenhouse gas created when products are flown or trucked in.

13. Adjust the thermostat.
Go a few degrees higher in the summer and a few degrees lower in the winter.

14. Pour a dash of vodka into vase water.
This extends the life of your flowers—and it really works!



15. Go secondhand for big stuff.
Consider buying gently-used big-ticket items like bikes, stereos, computers, TVs, or other large purchases. Craigslist is a good place to start.

16. No more wire hangers (sort of.)
Since wire hangers aren’t viable for all recycling programs, ask your dry cleaner to take them back when you’re done, so he or she can re-use them.

17. Pay all your bills online.
Guys, it’s so easy to sign up for paperless billing!

18. Look into the Slow Fashion movement.
This was originally intended to reject all mass-produced fashion, but has since evolved and can be practiced by buying trend-free quality garments that will last longer and can be repairable. Of course, it also might not hurt to start implementing the movement’s biggest precept: buy fewer clothes, and less often.

19. Invest in reusable cups and bags.
Use a reusable cup for your morning coffee, and one for the water you sip throughout the day. Same goes for bringing your own reusable grocery bag or tote to the supermarket.

20. Consider replacing your shower head with a low-flow version.
It saves water, and today’s versions offer just as much pressure.

21. Decorate differently.
Adorn your apartment with plants to improve air quality, or use old blankets, silk scarves or old garments to reupholster couch pillows.

22. Don’t grab as many napkins.
When you’re at a coffee shop or take-out restaurant, make it a point to grab paper napkins as needed, instead of a huge chunk all at once.

23. Read online.
Your favorite newspapers, magazines, and books are all available online or on your tablet, people. And it’s cheaper that way, too.

24. Get off junk mail lists.
Head to dmachoice.org to be removed from pesky junk lists.

25. Sell or swap clothes online.
Using cool sites and apps like Bib & Tuck and Poshmark. Here’s a guide to the 9 best places to sell your clothes online.

26. Cut cotton pads, makeup sponges, Q-tips, and face wipes in half.
Not only will you cut down on waste, but you’ll double your stash!



27. Treat yo’self.
If you know you’re a bag, coat, or boot person, why not invest one on really good piece that’ll last you years to come instead of a bunch of cheap ones you’ll only wear a few times and toss?

28. Use your laptop instead of a desktop while at home.
It runs on batteries, so it’ll save energy since it’s not always plugged in.

29. Google “how to make your own cleaning supplies.”
Seriously, do it now.

30. Wash on cold rather than hot or warm water.
This makes a big difference, and most modern washers do an equally fine job of getting clothes spic and span in cold. Likewise, try to hang dry items when you can—skipping the tumble dryer can nix around 60% of energy used on laundry.

31. Make DIY heating pads.
Looking for uses for all the single socks you’ve amassed while doing laundry? When you’ve got aches or pains, fill a sock with dry beans or rice and pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Voila, an (and free) heating pad.


32. Rent (or buy) a hybrid car
If you need to rent a car while on vacation, or you’re looking to buy one for good make it a hybrid. Here’s why.

34. Create a book and magazine swap in your building.
If you live in an apartment building with a laundry room, start an area for already-read books and magazines.

35. Dispose of batteries better.
Did you know there’s a right way to recycle batteries? Find out how here.

39. Buy digital tickets.
To anything from movies and shows to airline tickets.

40. Use sites like Freecycle.
The Freecycle Network is a grassroots (and entirely nonprofit!) movement of people who are giving and getting stuff for free in their own towns, os they don’t end up in landfills.

41. Turn old fashion into new fashion.
Before you toss that pair of dated jeans, consider turning them into cool, perfectly distressed cutoff shorts. Likewise, have a tailor shorten a tee into a cool crop-top, or a long skirt into a mini.



42. Use non-toxic nail polish.
Brands like Zoya, Butter London, and Aquarella make polish free of things like formaldehyde, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, nitrocellulose, acetone, and heavy metals.

43. Whiten with banana peels!
It might sound odd, but used banana peels can whiten your teeth! Rub the inside of a peel along your top and bottom teeth for about a minute each, and let sit for around 10 minutes. From there, grab a dry toothbrush and start brushing. Doing this a few times a week can significantly lighten teeth as well as any whitening kit.


44. Double up on oil uses.
Did you know that cold-pressed coconut oil and avocado oil are both amazing skin and hair moisturizers? You probably have a bottle already, so why not give them a try instead of buying another plastic container of face cream or hair masks? Oh, and don’t forget about coconut oil’s amazing health properties when you practice oil pulling.


45. Re-use dryer sheets.
Not only will these effortlessly remove static from your hair or your clothes, but a damp used dryer sheet can remove soap build-up and mineral deposits in your shower or tub, too.


46. Buy a fan for the winter.
Circulating hot hair can help save on heating bills.

47. Always recycle and/or donate clothes.
Donating unwanted clothes in good condition can keep them out of landfills.



48. Raise eco-friendly pets.
For your cat, use biodegradable litter made from pine, corn, or newspaper. For dogs, replace nylon and plastic leashes with those made rom canvas or hemp.

49. Buy a plant for your home.
Plants can remove toxins from the air, increase humidity, improve and health, and more. Here are 7 that are a breeze to take care of.

50. Buy one less new thing a month.
The more stuff we accumulate, the more stuff ends up in landfills, in rivers, and cluttering our homes.