Book Clubs  |  Film Salons  |  Harnessing the Creativity of Children and Youth

​Think Book Clubs

There are Several Thoughtful Books by Bill McKibben, a great communicator on Climate Change.
  • Eaarth, Making a Life on a Tough New Planet - Our old familiar globe is suddenly melting, drying, acidifying, flooding, and burning in ways that no human has ever seen. McKibben argues our hope depends, on scaling back—on building the kind of societies and economies that can hunker down, concentrate on essentials, and create the type of community (in the neighborhood, but also on the Internet) that will allow us to weather trouble on an unprecedented scale, 2010.
"Read it, please. Straight through to the end. Whatever else you were planning to do next, nothing could be more important." 
—Barbara Kingsolver

​Island Press - Has developed a comprehensive and growing body of vital resources for seeking to understand and protect the environment and create solutions to its complex problems.
​This Changes Everything, Capitalism vs. The Climate - In her most provocative book yet, Naomi Klein tackles the most profound threat humanity has ever faced: the war our economic model is waging against life on earth, 2014.
Cows Save the Planet: And Other Improbable Ways of Restoring Soil to Heal the Earth - Journalist Judith Schwartz looks at soil as a crucible for our many overlapping environmental, economic, and social crises. Schwartz reveals that for many of these problems—climate change, desertification, biodiversity loss, droughts, floods, wildfires, rural poverty, malnutrition, and obesity—there are positive, alternative scenarios to the degradation and devastation we face. In each case, our ability to turn these crises into opportunities depends on how we treat the soil, 2013.

Harness the Sun, America’s Quest for a Solar Powered Future - Solar energy was once the domain of futurists and environmentally-minded suburbanites. Today it is the epicenter of a storm that is transforming the way we power the American economy. Author Philip Warburg's balanced reporting from the field presents persuasive evidence of the steps already taken, and the future measures needed, to achieve solar power’s full potential as a clean energy resource—one that will promote local energy autonomy along with American energy independence, 2015.
Swim Against the Current: Even a Dead Fish Can Go with the Flow - New York Times bestselling author and America's funniest activist Jim Hightower and Susan DeMarco give the lowdown on how to put up-not shut up-in the fight for our future, 2008.

Think Film Salons

These are thought provoking films to watch and discuss among friends and family:
Years of Living Dangerously - James Cameron’s 2014 Emmy Award winning series lends itself well to a weekly discussion group. Season 1 is available on YouTube, Netflix, Amazon, and Vimeo. Season 2 will be broadcast on the National Geographic Channel.
Chasing Ice - An award winning documentary about the efforts of nature photographer James Balog and his Extreme Ice Survey to publicize the effects of climate change, 2012.
Leave it to Beavers - After being hunted almost to extinction, Beavers are restoring wetlands, preventing flash flooding, and bringing streams back to health, 2014.
The Island President - Jon Shenk’s The Island President tells the story of former president Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives, a man confronting a problem greater than any other world leader has ever faced—the survival of his country and everyone in it. After bringing democracy to the Maldives after thirty years of despotic rule, Nasheed is now faced with an even greater challenge: As one of the most low-lying countries in the world, a rise of three feet in sea level would submerge the 1200 islands of the Maldives enough to make them uninhabitable, 2011.
The 11th Hour - Leonardo DiCaprio narrates this captivating documentary which explores the perilous state of our planet, and the means by which we can change our course. With contributions from over 50 politicians, scientists, and environmental activists, including former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, physicist Stephen Hawking, Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai, and journalist Armand Betscher, Paul Hawken, the film documents the grave problems facing the planet's life systems, 2007.
Dirt! The Movie - Jamie Lee Curtis brings to life the environmental, economic, social and political impact of soil in this film that shares the stories of experts from all over the world who study and are able to harness the beauty and power of a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship with soil, 2009.
"Global warming is not only the number 1 environmental challenge we face today, but one of the most important issues facing all of humanity ... We all have to do our part to raise awareness about global warming and the problems we as a people face in promoting a sustainable environmental future for our planet."
—Leonardo DiCaprio

Think Harnessing the Creativity of Children and Youth

Young Voices for the Planet - Encourages young people to produce and share short films using science and data to reduce the carbon footprint of their homes, schools, communities, and states. The films model success stories, inspiring action—the best antidote to fear.

Click here for more Youth and Family resources.
Explore the many organizations at More Organizations for further resources.

Submit your favorite site or activity to info@OurCommonEarth.org today!