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Climate Change (WIRED guides): How We Can Get to Carbon Zero
Man-made global warming is advancing inexorably. Are there ways to halt it?
In this invaluable, one-stop guide Bianca Nogrady analyses the science of climate change and offers a concise overview of the ways in which our carbon emissions might be reduced. She examines the challenges posed by food and energy production and the cutting-edge technologies that could mitigate their polluting effects. She looks at initiatives to create green industry and transport. She explains the economics of emissions trading schemes and the practicalities of geoengineering plans to trap greenhouse gases. And she addresses the fundamental question: is it possible to safeguard our future before it's too late?
In this invaluable, one-stop guide Bianca Nogrady analyses the science of climate change and offers a concise overview of the ways in which our carbon emissions might be reduced. She examines the challenges posed by food and energy production and the cutting-edge technologies that could mitigate their polluting effects. She looks at initiatives to create green industry and transport. She explains the economics of emissions trading schemes and the practicalities of geoengineering plans to trap greenhouse gases. And she addresses the fundamental question: is it possible to safeguard our future before it's too late?
- GenresNonfiction
112 pages, Paperback
Published March 25, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 20, 2022
Quite informative. Recommended.
January 27, 2022
A piece of pretty detailed information about the current situation of the world and the future it awaits if we as people on this earth continue doing what we do knowing that doing what we do is obviously hurting the world. The book is separated into several parts: talks about what is the problem: Energy use, Transport, Food, Waste; what can be done to solve these problems: Breakthrough technologies, legislations, habits, mindsets; and what awaits us in the future: ocean, earth, deforestation, earth temperature, etc.
As for my personal opinion while reading this book, because I am an engineer and wrote a thesis paper regarding the future of electric vehicles and because I am vegan (90% of the time) I am quite well versed with the idea and the facts of climate change and how transportation, plant-based diets, less waste can make a huge difference in our future. Thankfully, it was very nice to once again read about the new technologies and the changes being brought by so many countries, corporations, organizations. This book is supposed to scare the shit out of me but in contrast, it gave me some hope and told me what to focus on in the future.
Very nice!
But to finish, a quote from the first paragraph and the last paragraph:
As for my personal opinion while reading this book, because I am an engineer and wrote a thesis paper regarding the future of electric vehicles and because I am vegan (90% of the time) I am quite well versed with the idea and the facts of climate change and how transportation, plant-based diets, less waste can make a huge difference in our future. Thankfully, it was very nice to once again read about the new technologies and the changes being brought by so many countries, corporations, organizations. This book is supposed to scare the shit out of me but in contrast, it gave me some hope and told me what to focus on in the future.
Very nice!
But to finish, a quote from the first paragraph and the last paragraph:
A small, four-limbed, bipedal creature has existed for a mere blip in the lifespan of this ball of rock we call Earth has, in little more than a century, managed to nudge the planetary thermostat up by just over 1 degree Celcius.Can humanity make the necessary changes to avoid more than 1.5 degrees Celcius of global heatng?
Yes.
But will we? Probably not.
March 27, 2021
Books about climate change can often be difficult reading when the scale of the task ahead of us comes into view, but not so with this book. Serving as a playbook on how to address each emmissions area, the book delivers solution after solution on how each industry can be augmented, upgraded, or reimagined in order to reduce emmissions.
A fantastic jumping off point for positive action, that reassuringly demonstrates that no one entity or no one technology is the key, but doing as much as possible by as many as possible is the path to success against the greatest challenge our species has faced.
A fantastic jumping off point for positive action, that reassuringly demonstrates that no one entity or no one technology is the key, but doing as much as possible by as many as possible is the path to success against the greatest challenge our species has faced.
October 25, 2022
A very good overview if you're not really well versed in Earth Science, or any of the sciences, for that matter. hehe. A person with a lot of education in this arena wouldn't probably get much out of it. This was written for people not educated in science, to get a foot on the bottom rung of what just the bloody hell is going on, I mean by that, my interest was sparked by all the floods we're currently experiencing here in Australia.
Of course, I knew the basics before reading this. I think we all do. But I wanted to understand more about the true benefits of recycling rubbish, for example, and how much this contributes to the overall Co2 picture,and was quite surprised how low this sits on the list of priorities. Contributing just 3% to the overall gas emitting mosaic.
What really shocked me was the data on beef. The production of just 1 kg of beef contributes the equivalent of 60 kg's of gas emissions into the earth's atmosphere. I was scratching my head wondering why not more has been done to curb this one.
As I said I'm not real keen on the science's or fact in general, but lately I've been reading more fact than fiction, and I have to say that it's all become a little dry and I'm returning wholeheartedly to fiction.
This was a great read for the lay person like myself and if you want to know a little more about climate change, this book is small & quick & easy to read and I recommend it.
Of course, I knew the basics before reading this. I think we all do. But I wanted to understand more about the true benefits of recycling rubbish, for example, and how much this contributes to the overall Co2 picture,and was quite surprised how low this sits on the list of priorities. Contributing just 3% to the overall gas emitting mosaic.
What really shocked me was the data on beef. The production of just 1 kg of beef contributes the equivalent of 60 kg's of gas emissions into the earth's atmosphere. I was scratching my head wondering why not more has been done to curb this one.
As I said I'm not real keen on the science's or fact in general, but lately I've been reading more fact than fiction, and I have to say that it's all become a little dry and I'm returning wholeheartedly to fiction.
This was a great read for the lay person like myself and if you want to know a little more about climate change, this book is small & quick & easy to read and I recommend it.
November 19, 2022
Clear, straightforward and well written. Not a single information I haven't digested nor understood. The kind of scientific books you wanna read more of as everything couldn't be more comprehensible.
The author was very optimistic throughout her writing that I thought getting net carbon zero is a possibility, and although it is, we as individuals - the 8 billion of us- need to fight through it. But from what can I see, unfortunately no one is willing to give up their luxurious life to save any of it. No one is gonna give up travelling, buying new clothes, eating red meat and many other pleasures for the sake of the environment and that's not me being pessimistic or selfish, it's a societal case that needs lots of awareness, education and action. It's really hurtful to say this but that's the truth.
We need more books like this. It's really very informative and easy to digest.
The author was very optimistic throughout her writing that I thought getting net carbon zero is a possibility, and although it is, we as individuals - the 8 billion of us- need to fight through it. But from what can I see, unfortunately no one is willing to give up their luxurious life to save any of it. No one is gonna give up travelling, buying new clothes, eating red meat and many other pleasures for the sake of the environment and that's not me being pessimistic or selfish, it's a societal case that needs lots of awareness, education and action. It's really hurtful to say this but that's the truth.
We need more books like this. It's really very informative and easy to digest.
October 14, 2022
Good summary of real, proactive and practical solutions to solving climate change.
I have written about 3x A4 pages of notes, either for the book, or ideas inspired from reading the book.
If you like this, I also recommend the book Drawdown. I have added a weekly check for copies of this as well as Drawdown to give as gifts. I also will re read with a highlighter and notebook to extract more ideas for implementation.
This audio book is 3 hours and I listened to it via Libby with Overdrive to deliver free library access to digital books.
Listened via Libby at 2x to 3x (3 hour audio).
I have written about 3x A4 pages of notes, either for the book, or ideas inspired from reading the book.
If you like this, I also recommend the book Drawdown. I have added a weekly check for copies of this as well as Drawdown to give as gifts. I also will re read with a highlighter and notebook to extract more ideas for implementation.
This audio book is 3 hours and I listened to it via Libby with Overdrive to deliver free library access to digital books.
Listened via Libby at 2x to 3x (3 hour audio).
December 28, 2021
A short and straight talking guide on how we get to carbon zero and a look at the technologies and actions that may get us there.
It's informative and I liked how it didn't pick a side, simply highlighted what's being done to reduce carbon output and what more needs doing. It covers all the main areas we'd expect it to including energy, transport and manufacturing. It's great as an entry level guide on what we need to do next.
While it does make it clear we need to do more, it feels optimistic in showing the reader all the great innovations that have appeared / scaling up and that we just need to keep investing in them.
It's informative and I liked how it didn't pick a side, simply highlighted what's being done to reduce carbon output and what more needs doing. It covers all the main areas we'd expect it to including energy, transport and manufacturing. It's great as an entry level guide on what we need to do next.
While it does make it clear we need to do more, it feels optimistic in showing the reader all the great innovations that have appeared / scaling up and that we just need to keep investing in them.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews