Sustainable reads to inspire you: Bonnier Books UK celebrates its first month of going beyond carbon neutral
February marks the one-month anniversary since the whole Bonnier Books group went beyond carbon neutral on 1st January 2021.
After a sustained focus on reducing its environmental impact over the years, Bonnier Books committed to the aim of being beyond carbon neutral by 2021 – meaning that the organisation will take 20% more carbon from the atmosphere than it creates through its operations.
To celebrate this milestone, our team shares some of their favourite books on sustainability.
The Future We Choose by Christiana Figures and Tom Rivett- Carnac
The definitive manifesto for optimism and action from former UN Executive Secretary for Climate Change, Christiana Figueres, and Tom Rivett-Carnac, senior political strategist for the Paris Agreement. Practical, optimistic and empowering, The Future We Choose shows us steps we can all take to renew our planet and create a better world beyond the climate crisis: today, tomorrow, this year and in the coming decade.
Soil, Not Oil by Vandana Shiva
Soil, Not Oil is classic of the environmental movement. In it, Vandana Shiva envisions a world beyond our current dependence on fossil fuels and globalization, and makes the compelling case that food crises, oil dependency and climate change are all inherently interlinked. Any attempt to solve one without addressing the others is therefore doomed to failure.
What Does Rain Smell Like? by Clare Nasir and Simon King OBE
In What Does Rain Smell Like? Simon and Clare uncover the thrilling science behind a subject that affects us all. They unearth and analyse all aspects of the weather and how it changes our lives through answering our most curious questions about the world around us.
There’s Something in the Water by Ingrid R. G. Waldron
In There’s Something In The Water, Ingrid R. G. Waldron examines the legacy of environmental racism and its health impacts in Indigenous and Black communities in Canada, using Nova Scotia as a case study, and the grassroots resistance activities by Indigenous and Black communities against the pollution and poisoning of their communities.
Alba the Hundred Year Old Fish by Lara Hawthorne
Alba the fish has spent her entire life collecting precious objects that drift down to the ocean floor. From delicate shells to brightly coloured coral, each year on her birthday she gathers one more precious item. But over the years, Alba notices her collection is losing its sparkle and that the world is changing. What are these bits of plastic and metal? As the coral reef fades, Alba decides to leave her home behind. Can an old fish teach the world how to bring colour back to the ocean? Alba the Hundred Year Old Fish gently highlights the issue of pollution. A beautifully illustrated picture book from Lara Hawthorne.
Be Green! Mindful Kids Global Citizen by Mandy Archer and Katie Abey
A Mindful Kids Global Citizen activity book for young people to colour, doodle and DIY their way to living in a more responsible sustainable life. Be Green! encourages kids to use creativity to explore the environmental issues facing planet Earth, discover how they can make a difference, and learn top tips on how to protect the environment for future generations.
This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein
Naomi Klein, author of the #1 international bestsellers, The Shock Doctrine and No Logo, returns with This Changes Everything, a must-read on how the climate crisis needs to spur transformational political change.
Little Book for Big Changes by Kirsten Liepmann and Karen Ng
Packed with over 100 puzzles, games, craft activities, experiments, and tips for children aged 7+, the Little Book for Big Changes offers fun, educational and creative ways to bring people together to help change the world.
Why Women Will Save the Planet by Friends of the Earth and C40 Cities
A unique collaboration between C40 and Friends of the Earth, Why Women Will Save the Planet showcases pioneering city mayors, key voices in the environmental and feminist movements, and academics. The essays collectively demonstrate both the need for women’s empowerment for climate action and the powerful change it can bring. A rallying call – for the planet, for women, for everyone.
Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe
Dark Emu argues for a reconsideration of the ‘hunter-gatherer’ tag for pre-colonial Aboriginal Australians and attempts to rebut the colonial myths that have worked to justify dispossession. Pascoe provides compelling evidence from the diaries of early explorers that suggests that systems of food production and land management have been blatantly understated in modern retellings of early Aboriginal history, and that a new look at Australia’s past is required. Pascoe’s work argues knowledge of these past practices are crucial to the agricultural future of Australia, and will help us farm in a more sustainable future.
