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I've struggled with how to write this review for quite some time. The book was okay, but it wasn't what I was expecting. While it looks at climate change impacts in various locations, the "travel" side was seemingly missed which made the title a bit of a misrepresentation. Based on the initial description, I was expecting more about ecotourism and the climate impacts of travel in general-- both topics that my students regularly want to explore and discuss. Overall, well-researched and factual. I could see bits of this book being used in a non-majors science course to present new information in a understandable way.
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Really loved this book, combining travel stories with the climate problems. I always say that people will start caring more if they see how the world is affected by the climate crisis with their own eyes. It's good that it's focused on the US only, but that's a very large country ofcourse. Flying around to see all the devastating things is ofcourse not contributing, so reading books like these is a good alternative. I found the writing engaging, and I learned some new things from this book, which is very nice since I have read so much on climate change already.
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CLIMATE TRAVELS by Michael M. Gunter, Jr. is all about "How Ecotourism Changes Mindsets and Motivates Action." Gunter is a professor at Rollins College in Florida and recently outlines "Five Steps You Can Take to Jump Start Action on Climate Change" on the Columbia University Press blog. These ideas – talk about it; travel where you don't need a car; advocate for a smaller carbon footprint; use your wallet; and live with less – are developed more fully in his book. There, he travels around the US (interviewing 125 people) to observe and describe effects of climate change and possible local solutions, particularly renewable energy. He clearly believes that small community action will have an impact and seeks to motivate his readers by encouraging them to "think local, act local." This highlights the tensions associated with environmental issues – by definition, they are truly a part of everyone's lives and, yet, it is incredibly difficult to persuade a majority that taking timely, coordinated steps is of critical long-term importance. I did find some sections of CLIMATE TRAVELS to be a bit confusing; for example, Gunter extols the virtues of Texas wind power leadership, but does not really address that opposition (partly a function of the February 2021 freeze) is quite entrenched, as noted in a recent Wall Street Journal editorial. Obviously, increased awareness of the specifics of climate change is key and CLIMATE TRAVELS is yet another thought-provoking overview filled with American examples.
Blog Link: https://cupblog.org/2023/04/13/five-steps-you-can-take-to-jump-start-action-on-climate-change-michael-gunter-jr/
WSJ Link: https://www.wsj.com/articles/texas-gas-power-subsidies-energy-wind-power-senate-dan-patrick-republicans-ae6d2367
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Not specifically focused on travel, but an overall good book on the climate issues of the today. This book focuses on the US, as the author travels the country whilst relaying the reader with stories of how we, as Americans, can do better for Mother Earth. The first half of the book discusses how climate change is affecting several communities across the country, while the second half of the book provides ways for you, the reader, to live a more sustainable life in the United States. I can't stress enough that this book is solely applicable to the United States as the title is misleading because these 'Climate Travels' are narrowed, with the author traveling the United States, not the world as a whole, so be prepared to have no stories about how eco-tourism is a double edged sword for the communities it is supposed to support or how the Australian government is attempting to protect the Great Barrier Reef from further bleaching by mandating a strict set of guidelines for tourists to follow.
This book would be a useful text for those just getting introduced to climate issues or as a textbook for young people because the research solid and factual.
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Hearfelt thanks to the publisher for allowing me to read this book in advance through NetGalley platform in exchange for a honest review.
This book is the assembly of the author's stories and observations he made during his travels around the US. The target audience are the US readers who may identify more with the stories, because they were all set on the American soil, however, they may be relevant also for ecologically conscious readers all over the world.
The first part is dedicated to the author's travelogues and stories by experts he met describing what unfortunately we already know - that the climate change is present here, now, and everywhere. The whole world feels extreme weather conditions, such as flooding, droughts, and wildfires. There is an extreme loss of animal species everywhere on the land and in the water, due to their loss of the habitat and to the climate change to which they didn't have evolutionary time to adapt, the most striking example being coral reefs.
The second part is focused on the solutions implemented in local US communities, that might help to alleviate the effects of the climate change if applied everywhere. These chapters are excellent on larger scale, showing how voting and advocating for green solutions and renewable energy can lead to big improvements in the communities.
Personally I needed just one more chapter that would offer a bit more guidance for the change on the level of a single household, barring solar panels, smart use of public transport and carbon-free vehicles. Those are big steps for average households, and quite impossible to achieve faced with strong local energy lobbies and huge financial and other hurdles. More detailed advice about minuscule steps we can take in managing our own households would have been useful, because every thing we do now counts if we want to avoid the climate catastrophe (if it is not already too late).
I would recommend reading this book to raise awareness of climate change, benefits of renewable energy and green solutions we can apply in our local communities and our own homes, if only we do vote for the right people and advocate for them with our whole hearts.
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A look into problems plaguing the environment and how we can help. There was a lot less about ecotourism than expected based on the description.
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I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is an interesting book. While not specifically focused on travel, this is a pretty thorough book on climate change.
The book covers how climate change is impacting communities across the US in different ways. From floods to hurricanes and increasingly unpredictable weather the book talks about how the changing climate is impacting the planet and people who live on it. There's also tips on reducing carbon output and policies that help.
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First, in my opinion, the book title is misleading. It should be something like "How climate change is affecting the US and what we can do prevent further CO2 rising". It hasn't much to do with climat travels (maybe the author did them to research his book).
In each chapter there are lots of examples of how climat change is affecting several communities all over the country. In the second part of the book, there are many examples of how one can be more sustainable.
All in all, a very interesting read.
What was really annoying and hart to read, was the for
mating. About
half of the book looked like this and to read page af
ter page like
this is taxing. Then it changes to normal format, but --1 with numbers ---0in the text.
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As an avid environmentalist, I really wanted to like this book. But, in my humble opinion, this book fell flat. Though it conveys important information for those who might not know about the situations it describes, I found nothing fresh or new in this book. It's scary and disconcerting, and scare tactics don't seem to be working in getting the general population on board with environmental stewardship.
This might make a good textbook for young people. The research is solid and factual. But it just didn't grab me as I hope it would.