Book Review: Global Warming Survival Handbook

At the time of Live Earth a book appeared in my mail box the "Global Warming Survival Handbook" by David De Rothschild. This book aims to highlight the way that people can contribute to keeping our earth as a Live Earth.

The Handbook is broken down into four primary sections Food and Shelter, Survival Strategy, Energy and Transportation, and Work and Commerce. I like these categories particularly the 'Survival Strategy' section which is more about attitudes and behaviour than the rather superficial actions that these books tend to focus on. Having said that, there are a whole range of ways to reduce personal emissions as part of the book, from buying compact fluorescent to counting your food miles or using your bike to get to work. Although 'survival strategy' adds something to the book it fails to give sufficient credit to people who are likely to buy a book on climate change, De Rothschild misses a trick in talking about behaviour change, consumer preference, and not small p politics and activism.

Overall the Handbook is a good guide to greening your life. If you are interested in reducing your emissions and have been making attempts here and there, then this is a good place to look for a more comprehensive guide to personal action on climate change. If you feel that there has to be more than changing your lifestyle and your consumption habits in order to effect change then congratulations you are a true believer in democracy (and therefore dangerous). This is not the book for you but keep looking and good luck in taking power back and giving political passivise a smack in the face!



The Global Warming Survival Handbook is available on Amazon ($10.17) here.

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