The best books for deep environmental learning

Fathoms is a remarkable narrative about the human relationship with whales, and how our understanding of that relationship lends insight to both the human condition, the state of the oceans, and of course, the survival of whales. While reading Fathoms you will learn a great deal about how you perceive nature, and how whales are a barometer for that insight. You will experience both the compassion and savagery of humanity, and you will ponder questions about the meaning of life. Fathoms is wide-ranging, and includes great insights about how technology changes our relationship to the natural world, and our understanding of human history. Most importantly, it helps you perceive the world differently, and develop empathy (as much as humanly possible) for what the whale experiences. It is also brilliantly written.

If you have ever experienced the delight of admiring seashells then you will be enamored with this fine book. The Sound of the Sea uses seashells as a way to explore the history of life on earth, the extraordinary biology of mollusks, the fascinating cultures of First Nations Amerindians, and the political economy of shells, from the naming of Shell oil to their use as natural resources. Who knew that seashells could take us on such an encompassing journey? After reading this book, you will enhance your sense of wonder and gain a deeper appreciation for the role of mollusks in the biosphere. And you will be more firmly committed to natural history exploration and the necessary conservation it requires. 

Amitav Ghosh is an outstanding novelist who has now written two great books about global environmental change. His previous work, The Great Derangement, looks at the relationship between colonialism, the humanities, and the climate crisis. Now, The Nutmeg’s Curse expands that exploration provides more detail and depth, and covers the historical era of European expansion, paying close attention to how that process irrevocably and dangerously changed how we perceive the natural world. In so doing, Ghosh covers some of the most pertinent issues of contemporary environmental learning—race, equity, diversity, inclusion, and migration.

If you want to gain deeper insight into our current environmental challenges from a cultural perspective, this book will reward that interest. Hopefully, too, it will give you insight into your own behaviors and cultural predispositions. 

Are you interested in a world tour that brings you to some of the most toxic, abandoned, and disturbed places in the world? On the face of it, not really! However, Cal Flyn remarkably transforms what seems like a death spiral into avenues of hope. She finds that many of these places, in part because of human absence, are also islands of restoration and revitalization. Despite the disturbance, nature once again takes hold. I’m amazed at the courage involved in visiting these places, and then the investigative thoroughness in exploring and explaining the possibilities.

The word resilience is gaining urgency and this book provides great insight into the deeper meaning of that word. I also appreciate how she highlights the human dimensions of her experience, both in terms of the people she meets who are agents of revitalization and the emotional responses that they and she have. Inevitably, there are such places close to where you live. After reading this book, you may view them differently. 

Sometimes we need much more than words. Maps, diagrams, and artistic illustrations often provide a comprehensive view. Over the last few years there’s been a conceptual transformation in the graphic arts, culminating in wonderful portfolios of visual illustrations depicting global environmental change. This new project, Atlas of the Invisible, is among the best. The title is crucial as so often the most important trends and patterns of our times are hard to ascertain, and even more difficult to synthesize and interpret. It is hard to perceive environmental change because of the scale at which it takes place. Atlas of the Invisible provides two hundred maps that portray the dimensions of these changes, helping to make them more clear and accessible, and in so doing, empowering the reader’s perceptual abilities.

Their previous work, Where the Animals Go is a brilliant series of maps depicting animal migration, and is also highly recommended. If you’d like to learn more about how to enhance your ability to perceive global environmental change, please check out my earlier book, Bringing the Biosphere Home.