The Blue Plate

“Tag along with one of the premier scientists studying our food system's carbon footprint, as he takes us on a fascinating journey to meet the farmers, ranchers, and composters who are dramatically slashing emissions and transforming agriculture from a climate problem to a climate solution.”— Liz Carlisle, author of Lentil Underground, Grain by Grain and Healing Grounds

“The Blue Plate is a lively look at the carbon footprint of our food — a journey that takes us across America and zooms in on our favorite eats. Similar in spirit to Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore by Elizabeth Rush, this book directs an honest gaze at what’s going on — and what we can do about it. Grounded in science, and yet told in story, this book teaches, inspires, and informs. From peaches to bread to beer to fish, The Blue Plate is indeed about our planet, our plates, and our future.”— Laura Pritchett, author of The Blue Hour, Stars Go Blue, and Red Lightning

“The Blue Plate is the food book of the decade, and it tastes like hope. With the story-telling chops of Michael Pollan, the ethics of Thoreau, and the climate expertise of James Hanson, Mark Easter lays it all out: We CAN feed the world and nourish the earth at the same time. Here is how it can be done. And here is how you can participate. Authoritative, entertaining, and useful — this is the book I have been waiting for.” — Kathleen Dean Moore, author of Encouragement for Earth’s Weary Lovers

“Every bite we take — whether from a peach, a lamb chop, or a chunk of braised tofu — has an impact on a landscape somewhere in the world. Many thanks to Mark Easter for his thoughtful and comprehensive appraisal of the methods by which our food is produced and for this roadmap to align our eating with our concerns for the planet’s health.” — Kristin Ohlson, author of The Soil Will Save Us and Sweet in Tooth and Claw

“Anyone asking ‘can we eat ourselves out of the climate crisis?’ should begin with this book. Mark Easter offers not only a beautiful hymn to the elements, but a wonderful introduction to the difficult demands that science makes of us when we ask the most difficult questions with deep honesty and commitment.” — Raj Patel, author of Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System

“In a well-structured mash up of research, analysis, and — above all — story, Mark Easter has created one of the most compelling books about climate change in recent memory. Or wait, is it about food? That's the beauty of the book — it is truly about both, and how our daily choices about what to put on our plates ties us into a global network of food production and delivery that has been the largest contributor to global warming, yet also holds the key to reversing the trend. In the end, they give the readers the power that only knowledge can instill: how to make the choices that support a food system that heals both body and planet... how to create blue plates.”— Kate Williams, CEO of 1% for the Planet

“An entertaining, enlightening, and uplifting guide to the food-climate connection.”— David R. Montgomery, co-author of What Your Food Ate and The Hidden Half of Nature

“A feast of vivid stories about the future of agriculture — and the future of us all. Let ecologist Mark Easter fill your plate with hope.” — Michelle Nijhuis, author of Beloved Beasts: Fighting for Life in an Age of Extinction

“Mark Easter gives us a different way of looking at food and a different way of looking at climate change He clearly loves food and has something important to say about it.” —Mark Kurlansky, New York Times bestselling and James A. Beard Award-winning author

Author will present the book at select bookstores and Patagonia retail stores.