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Leaf Through These Books on Earth Day

Giving Compass Apr 18, 2018
This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators.
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Leaf Through These Books on Earth Day Giving Compass
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The Giving Compass family put together this book list as a starting point for readers looking to learn more about environmental problems and solutions. From informative nonfiction to inspiring fiction, this list has something for everyone. Get a hard copy or an ebook from your local library to enjoy these books without consuming natural resources.

Nonfiction:

The Botany of Desire: A Plant’s-Eye View of the World by Michael Pollan
Pollan explores the relationship between humans and nature through four crops that have suffered and benefited from cultivation by humans.

Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water by Marc Reisner
Originally published in 1986, this book examines the history of western water management – a topic fraught with controversy that persists to this day.

The Elephant Whisperer: My Life with the Herd in the African Wild by Lawrence Anthony with Graham Spence
The true story of Anthony’s work to save a herd of elephants from poachers in South Africa. An animal conservation must-read.

Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv
Louv explains the connection between children raised indoors on screens and the rise of concerning health trends.

The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative by Florence Williams
Williams investigates current research on the health benefits of spending time in nature.

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
Carson’s 1962 book on the harmful effects of DDT brought environmental concerns to the fore of American political discussion. No history of environmentalism is complete without mention of this pivotal book.

The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert
Kolbert introduces species that have already been driven extinct by human activity, and many more that are currently endangered.

World Without Us by Alan Weisman
What would the world look like if all humans disappeared? Weisman paints a compelling picture of what would crumble to dust and what would be preserved for long time periods.

Fiction:

Annihilation: A Novel (The Southern Reach Trilogy) by Jeff VanderMeer
An exploration of Area X – a twisted, natural landscape inhospitable to humans – by researchers attempting to uncover the truths buried there.

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
A classic children’s book with an environmental message about extractive capitalism that is relevant to all age groups.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki
This graphic novel follows the story of a princess in a post-apocalyptic world attempting to protect her people both from an invading kingdom and the creep of the toxic forest that is taking over the earth.

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
In a future where society is in partial collapse due to climate change, Lauren Oya Olamina is forced from her relatively comfortable gated community to journey on foot to look for a safe and habitable refuge.

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Original contribution by Clarissa Coburn with input from the Giving Compass family. 

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If you are looking for more articles and resources for Environment, take a look at these Giving Compass selections related to impact giving and Environment.

  • This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators.
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    Obvious: Investing in Solutions for People and the Planet

    Giving Compass' Take: • B the Change profiles Obvious Ventures, which finances what it calls "world positive" companies, ones that show promise in providing sustainable solutions for our planet. • For impact investors looking at environmentally-friendly startups, it's worth looking at how Obvious approaches their portfolio. There's an emphasis on innovation and mission alignment, rather than an over-reliance on metrics. • Let's not forget about gender equity: Here's how we can create more angel funding for women entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs, often lauded as “disruptors” in their fields, are now matched by a radical disruption happening in the way they get funded. Located in Silicon Valley and making early-stage venture capital investments, Obvious Ventures is betting on a way of investing that disrupts the process at its core. The firm makes investments in what it calls “world positive” companies: “Startups that create new solutions to big world problems in a profitable and scalable way.” And Obvious takes a long-term view when choosing companies to support. “The world is continually going through major reinvention, and entire industries are being re-imagined,” says Andrew Beebe, managing director for Obvious. “Now more than ever, if we do that in a way that has a long-term view into the market that it’s re-imagining, we think the outcomes are going to be economically better. We think we can outperform as a venture fund because of our focus on world positive companies.” On the heels of its certification, B the Change spoke with Beebe about how Obvious defines world positive, where the rest of Silicon Valley is headed, and companies that are doing remarkable things.


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