Hacking Planet Earth: How Geoengineering Can Help Us Reimagine the Future

by Thomas Kostigen

An exploration of the cutting-edge technology that will enable us to confront the realities of climate change.

For decades scientists and environmentalists have sounded the alarm about the effects of global warming. We are now past the tipping point. As floods, storms, and extreme temperatures become our daily reality, "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" efforts aren't enough anymore. In Hacking Planet Earth, New York Times bestselling author Thomas Kostigen takes readers to the frontlines of geoengineering projects that scientists, entrepreneurs, engineers, and other visionaries around the world are developing to solve the problems associated with climate change.

From giant parasols hovering above the Earth to shield us from an unforgiving sun, to lasers shooting up into clouds to coax out much-needed water, Kostigen introduces readers to this inspiring work and the people who are spearheading it. These futurist, far- thinking, world-changing ideas will save us, and Hacking Planet Earth offers readers their new vision for the future.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Environment, Climate Change, Nature

352 pages, Hardcover

First published March 24, 2020

About the author

Thomas M. Kostigen is an award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author and journalist. He founded the Climate Survivalist column for USA Today and has written for numerous publications, including The Washington Post, National Geographic, Discover, Departures, The Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, and The Wall Street Journal, among others.

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an intense read. Because carbon emissions aren't slowing down, this author is calling for more radical measures, reengineering some of the planet’s key systems to counteract the global crisis. Some of it makes some real sense.

[Edward Wendt · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book on some of the potential solutions to the environmental problems that we collectively face. It is a little futurist in outlook but the idea is clear that we can get out of the mess that we caused with a little ingenuity. Each chapter kind of reads by itself and so this is an easy book to read a little at a time.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting ideas. I am especially intrigued by the bladeless wind generators, however with all the ideas that were presented I find it interesting that education and the modification of human behavior is not discussed.

[Gregory Fusco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easily to flip through as each chapter shows cases a new technology or viewpoint that can be used in the fight against our ever changing planet. I found a lot of the book a bit optimistic though as it relies on mass changes that would need to be taken at the industry level that I think the world isn’t fully focused on(yet). Overall, insightful into what our relationship with our planet and technology can be and sets a clear understanding how the work the people on the front lines of climate change are doing to help!

[Matthew Stienberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extremely interesting look at the various projects from around the world being examined or proposed which could be one way of mitigating the looming dangers of climate change. While it does have a bit of a far too optimistic look at billionaire, technocratic solutions and "innovators" it does lay out a lot of real and potential technologies that are intriguing and very worth researching. The only other critique might be calling these solutions "silver bullets" which is a bit misleading since many may prove to instead be poisoned chalices, and few are applicable on a truly global scale. With the dangers from climate change becoming more omnipresent by the year, everything is on the table. This is a great primer on what might be included in that category of "everything" in the very near future.

[Tawney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book complements of Tarcher Perigee through the Goodreads giveaway program.

Here we are folks, with accelerated warming threatening huge changes to life on earth. Current actions won't stop the storms, floods, sea level rise. Kostigen says it's time to look to geoengineering.

Does the term geoengineering creep you out unless its in reference to a future Mars? Kostigen points out that humans have been doing just that here on Earth for thousands of years with damns, canals, mining, agriculture. This book is a survey of some possible projects that their promoters see as ways to abate the increasing changes to our environment. Some of it comes across as very dystopian/utopian, some as practical, but all seem to have at least some negative consequences. It provides plenty to ponder. Choices will be necessary. Who will decide what to try and why.

I was torn about how to rate this book. For me, the author's style is somewhat jerky and not always rigorous. The information is good and it has extensive citations, so I'll give it a qualified four stars.

[Patrick Pilz · Rating 4 out of 5]

What are possible remedies to global warming if it is already too late? Can we engineer ourselves out of the problems we may be facing due to climate change. I am not sure if I agree on the notion of the book and think that some ideas are a little remote, but still, a good overview on some of the most progressive technologies to cool the plant down a bit.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting book that opens your eyes (and mind) up to the depths of some of the challenges we face and potential solutions and methods to help combat them. An insightful read for anyone looking to gain some new up-to-date knowledge.

[Ramojus · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. A guy traveled the word a bit and browsed internet, then wrote a book without a structure and integrity. Shouldn’t qualify as a book, it’s missing the whole foundation about the climate change as narrative.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great! Thought provoking. Insightful. An inspired read.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hacking Planet Earth is an excellent book about the various ideas and technologies currently being developed, tested, or proposed to help solve the Climate Crisis.
It starts with the basic principles of using different methods to get electricity, instead of using fossil fuels. Which is pretty standard in books about how to fight climate change. After all, fossil fuels are the number one source of greenhouse gases that are driving our global average temperature to rise and weather patterns to become more extreme.
The book also goes into detail about other types of crises we’re currently facing and will be exacerbated by rising temperatures and rising sea levels, such as food shortages and the stripping of nutrients from the ground, leaving farm land no longer viable to grow crops. So it looks into methods to bring back those nutrients, vertical farming (which uses less water), or in China’s case, trying to make a desert into farmable land.
Speaking of water, it also goes into how our fresh and clean water supplies are dwindling. Especially from the amount of toxins we dump into our rivers, lakes, and oceans every day. The book goes into details about how we could recycle our sewage water to be drinkable. The International Space Station and Orange County in California already does this.
And finally it talks about city design. How changing the design of cities could not only reduce traffic, which would reduce emissions, but would also be able to cool cities down and in some designs, be ready for sea level rise.
Plus many other technologies to help reduce global warming, bring back wildlife, and not cause the next mass extinction event.

[Amy Ingalls · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in Goodreads Giveaway.

This book was fascinating-- so many ideas, with the pros and cons of them described in easy to understand terms. Some of the ideas scared the bejesus out o0f me (of course, the thought of Global Warming does that on its own), but some seemed doable and made me wonder why we aren't doing them now. Definitely thought-provoking, although I do feel that the author downplayed our individual responsibility to change things. I know that we are running out of time to halt the worst effects, but people and industry must be held responsible and must work together to make systemic changes. If we send the message that it is too late for this, no one will do anything differently and that is just going to make the problem worse. We may need radical ideas, but we also need to do our part and live smarter and with more respect for what we have.

[Fabiola Del Aguila · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting insight into geoengineering and the foresight for Earth's future. Kostigen outlines a variety of projects, plans, and visions that are planning to mitigate the rapid changes from the perilous climate we continue to witness and experience. Geoengineering, a controversial concept, is a large-scale movement, placing technology and innovation at the forefront to curtail the climate's effects. But the question is, will this downplay our efforts and responsibilities as human beings to take our own actions and steps to be more responsible on how we live and consume? It's a fine balance. Kostigen ended on an interesting thought. He stated that if "natural remedies" are not healing our mother (nature), then why not consider give her cutting-edge vaccinations(geoengineering), instead?

[Babeth (Aria) Vink · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was fascinating to read about geoengineering projects around the world. Some are a bit fantastical and unrealistic, but there are several very plausible and realistic projects already happening or on the verge of happening. It won’t be the cure-all, but we are certainly going to need some geoengineering to counter the effects of climate change and reading about all the wonderful ideas around the world, gives me some hope.

[Leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that gives practical, potential hope about our future.

[Sailor · Rating 3 out of 5]

it’s pretty good. it takes a while to get though and isn’t a cover-to-cover book but it’s good to pick up once in a while.