Book Recommendations:
The Carbon Wave: A Story of Democracy, Parenthood, and the Race to Protect Our Planet – By Leah C. Stokes, 2026 – “The Carbon Wave chronicles the turbulent path of the federal climate bill . . . from the hopeful beginnings of the Green New Deal in 2018, to the bill’s near-certain defeat by Senator Joe Manchin in the winter of 2021, to the surprise passage of the landmark legislation in August 2022. Interlacing personal narratives with stories from Congress, the White House, and outside activists, Stokes shows how dogged perseverance and collective action can still bend the course of history.” The Carbon Wave.
The Problem with Plastic by Judith Enck* – A powerful look at plastic’s impact on human health and the environment, and how we can fight back by putting people and the planet over plastics. In addition to uncovering environmental racism and debunking industry claims, “The Problem with Plastic” emphasizes the urgent need for action against plastic’s toxic legacy, and offers readers practical, actionable solutions, including a “household waste audit,” which empowers readers to track and reduce their own plastic consumption.
Year of No Garbage: Recycling Lies, Plastic Problems, and One Woman’s Trashy Journey to Zero Waste – by Eve Schaub * – In this book Eve O. Schaub, humorist and stunt memoirist extraordinaire, tackles her most difficult challenge to date: garbage. Convincing her husband and two daughters to go along with her, Schaub attempts the seemingly impossible: living in the modern world without creating any trash at all. For an entire year. And – as it turns out- during a pandemic.
The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times – by Jane Goodall ad Douglas Abrams * – In this urgent book, Jane Goodall, one of the world’s most famous naturalists, and Douglas Abrams, the internationally bestselling co-author of The Book of Joy, explore through intimate and thought-provoking dialogue one of the most sought after and least understood elements of human nature: hope. In The Book of Hope, Jane focuses on her “Four Reasons for Hope”: The Amazing Human Intellect, The Resilience of Nature, The Power of Young People, and The Indomitable Human Spirit.
Climate Optimism: Celebrating Systemic Change Around the World – By Zahra Biabani – Change the way you think about the future. The fate of humanity can be daunting, but we don’t need to live in that space. First, we need to change our attitude in order to implement nature based solutions that help mitigate climate change. Good news: there are numerous encouraging environmental trends that will change the way you think about how we can protect the planet. In this book you’ll find: a comprehensive review of the most promising climate solutions, practical advice to change the way you think and feel about climate change, two years worth of good news from the “Weekly Earth Wins” series, and interviews with activists in the Global South working on projects that further environmental sustainability.
Books for younger readers:
Bag in the Wind by Ted Kooser * – Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Ted Kooser follows a plastic bag on its capricious journey from a landfill into a series of townspeople’s lives.
The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich * – The Birchbark House follows Omakayas (o—MA—kay—as), a seven-year-old girl, and her Anishinaabe family, through a year marked by challenge, tragedy, and triumph, as they work together to survive on their island home on Lake Superior.
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss * – this classic story teaches kids to treat the planet with kindness and stand up and speak up for others. Experience the beauty of the Truffula Trees and the danger of taking our earth for granted in a story that is timely, playful, and hopeful. The book’s final pages teach us that just one small seed, or one small child, can make a difference.
* available through the Minuteman Library Network
