Essential reading for those who have grasped the science.
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With the 4th IPCC report the science is now established. We need to move from a culture of concern, assumed powerlessness, apathy and fear, to one of action. This book is a great first step - and it is even an enjoyable read!
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Very accessible book on climate change
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With short chapters and magazine-style personality assessments, this is the first time I have come across a book on climate change which is so easy to read. The book cuts through the hype around the issue and spells out the things that really make a difference when it comes to tackling climate change.
But what really sets Carbon Detox apart is its positivity - taking a subject which can so easily be depressing or worrying, and turning it into an exciting challenge. There's so many practical ideas in here to help you cut down your "carbos", that its impossible to sit still and do nothing after reading it!
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Lighthearted, practical and refreshing
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With the emerging awareness and acceptance of the science behind climate change, there are an increasing number of explanatory books and "how to be green" texts appearing in the bookshops. "Carbon Detox" stands out as a handy, easily accessible guide aimed not just at those who are already convinced that climate change is happening and that there is something they can do about it. Importantly, it aims to address the sceptics and those who need further convincing that reducing their carbon emissions will not take them down a slippery slope to self-deprivation and poverty.
George Marshall's approach is to steer us through the scientific background, helping us understand where we've got to with our exploitation of the planet's resources and introduces us to some refreshingly different perspectives on the problem at hand and our personal responsibilities for solving it. He then goes on to explain, in detailed practical terms, what we can each do to "Drop A Tonne" in our carbon emissions in the major areas of our lives (Food, stuff, work, travel, energy).
What I enjoyed most about this book is the combination of philosophy, psychology and practical, personal solutions. It is serious about the science and light-hearted but practical about our response to this anxiety provoking situation.
"Carbon Detox" will help you increase your awareness of where you stand with climate change, the effects it's likely to have on us collectively and as individuals and the real, practical changes we can each make to reduce our carbon emissions.
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Your Evil Carbon Twin, and other stories
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OK, so we know the science, but how do we get action? We need to tackle full-on the psychology of denial out there, and to talk to different types of people on their own terms. We need new ways of talking about climate change, new stories and new metaphors. In this readable, informal, down-to-earth and straight-talking new book, George Marshall makes great strides into this territory. There's no other book on climate change quite like it. Read it to find out why you should say no to sackcloth, how to side-step the bystander effect, and how to relate to your Evil Carbon Twin. Then pass it on.
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A rollercoaster ride
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In his 2006 book Heat, George Monbiot set out a bold and inspiring vision of how Britain could reduce its carbon emissions by 90% by 2030, thereby keeping runaway temperature rises at bay and mitigating the worst effects of climate change. The only problem with Monbiot's tightly argued and highly convincing call to action is that it demands a prompt and sweeping response at government level and beyond, which can seem awfully remote and disempowering to the ordinary individual wondering what he or she can do personally to make a difference.
Cue veteran green campaigner George Marshall to enter the climate change fray with Carbon Detox, an irreverent, humorous and immensely readable guide to getting to grips with this thorny issue on a personal level. Replacing piles of dull statistics with vivid metaphors for understanding climate change - a rollercoaster ride we are about to embark on and cannot climb off - Marshall skilfully conveys the nature and urgency of the problem. He also excels at revealing Humankind's seemingly limitless capacity for denial, drawing an analogy with the tobacco industry-sponsored campaign of the 1950s to expose the phoney contemporary industry of climate change scepticism. And through an incisive analysis of personality types borrowed from the field of marketing, Marshall offers some clever ideas for those seeking to convince sceptical friends, family and colleagues.
But Carbon Detox's ultimate purpose is to serve as a step by step guide to taking positive action on climate change. Having explored the 'plastic bag fetish' - whereby we often unwittingly glorify trivial actions to make it look as if we are doing something positive while missing the bigger picture - Marshall introduces the beautifully simple analogy of weight-watching to show how we can count our 'carbos' - the kilos of CO2 gas we burn each year - and set about cutting our personal carbon emissions to a level that doesn't compromise the lives of others. And where Carbon Detox really hits home is in successfully illustrating that, rather than being a penance, by treading more lightly on the earth we can feel happier, smarter and more in control of our lives - surely a worthwhile goal for all.
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