Earth Day and Climate Travels

Happy Earth Day! Dating myself for sure, but I remember celebrating the first one and how we had time off from school to go out and pick up trash as we tried to do our bit for the Earth. Pretty amazing to think about both progress and deterioration since the 70’s in terms of environmental issues. There definitely is increased awareness and I will post today about three new books looking at various aspects of human impact on climate and our environment. 

CLIMATE TRAVELS by Michael M. Gunter, Jr. is all about “How Ecotourism Changes Mindsets and Motivates Action.” Gunter is a professor at Rollins College in Florida and recently outlines “Five Steps You Can Take to Jump Start Action on Climate Change” on the Columbia University Press blog. These ideas – talk about it; travel where you don’t need a car; advocate for a smaller carbon footprint; use your wallet; and live with less – are developed more fully in his book. There, he travels around the US (interviewing 125 people) to observe and describe effects of climate change and possible local solutions, particularly renewable energy. He clearly believes that small community action will have an impact and seeks to motivate his readers by encouraging them to “think local, act local.” This highlights the tensions associated with environmental issues – by definition, they are truly a part of everyone’s lives and, yet, it is incredibly difficult to persuade a majority that taking timely, coordinated steps is of critical long-term importance. I did find some sections a bit confusing; for example, Gunter extols the virtues of Texas wind power leadership, but does not really address that opposition (partly a function of the February 2021 freeze) is quite entrenched, as noted in a recent Wall Street Journal editorial. Obviously, increased awareness of the specifics of climate change is key and CLIMATE TRAVELS is yet another thought-provoking overview filled with American examples.