Many people have written about saving the planet. I love that Katharine Hayhoe writes about saving us because isn’t that why we need to save the planet? She points out that the planet has been around much longer than us and it will continue after us if need be.
The other unique thing about the book is that Katharine is a Christian and an environmentalist. I know from personal experience that It is a bit of an odd combination. Her perspective allows her to communicate to the Christian world and inspire it.
The most powerful point she made is that this problem can be solved, but it must be solved by changing systems rather than individuals changing their lifestyles. This means we all should be more environmentally conscience but that the climate can only be saved when our governments and institutions work together to change our systems.
The second point that stuck with me was the ideas around cap and trade. The economies of our world have grown so quickly because we did not include the environmental cost in the equation. We either pushed that cost off to other entities and people’s or we pushed it out to future generations. Adding a carbon tax would allow us to incorporate the true cost of all our actions. Adding this gradually over time would allow our economies to adjust over time. The tax money could be used to help develop new carbon free systems and help displaced workers to transition.
Finally Hayhoe reviewed all the alternate possible causes for global warming. Did you know the sun is actually in a cooling cycle right now while the planet is warming? She uses clear science to show that humanity is the only possible source for global warming.
The other big standout was this books positivity. Although there is a lot to be sober about when we consider global warming, Hayhoe remains positive that we can yet save… Us.
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