Top Four Reads on Environment

If you are a sensible human being who cares about global warming and likes to read as well, we have a list of four best reads on climate change that will empower and inform the environmentalist in you.

1. Down to Earth: Edited by Indian environmentalist and political activist Sunita Narayan, Down to Earth is a fortnightly magazine on Environment and Science. It was first published in May 1992 under the editorship of Mr. Anil Agarwal and with the help of the Society for Environmental Communications. Initially, the magazine came out in English; today it comes in Hindi as well. You can download the PDF version of the print copy. For more than 25 years now, Down to Earth has been India’s most credible publication on the environment.

2. Aaj Bhi Khare Hain Talaab: Aaj Bhi Khare Hain Talaab (Ponds Are Still Relevant) is written by late Shri Anupam Mishr. Numerous NGO’s, environmental agencies, and government organisations have credited this masterpiece as a handbook on water conservation. Written after about a decade of field research and experience this book catalogues the indigenous ways and techniques of water harvesting and management systems of India. It is one of the only books after ‘My Experiments with Truth’ to be available in Braille.

3. Silent Spring: Written by American marine biologist, author, and conservationist Rachel Louise Carson, Silent Spring is often considered the most influential and important work after the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin. First published on 27th September 1962, this environmental science book highlighted the harm caused by extensive use of pesticides. The arguments and proofs presented in the book resulted in a nationwide ban in U.S.A. on DDT for agricultural uses.

4. The Great Derangement, Climate Change and the Unthinkable: Witten by one of India’s greatest writers, Amitav Ghosh this nonfiction book scrutinizes “our inability at the level of literature, history, and politics to grasp the scale and violence of climate change”. The 284-page long book is divided into three parts: fiction, history, and politics. However, unlike the other books on climate change, The Great Derangement lacks scientific research, even then Ghosh’s impeccable insights and writing make this a great read.