These types of books are generally difficult for me. Usually, reading about the environment and the climate crisis leaves me feeling worried and simultaneously helpless in enacting the change needed to fix our world. This book, however, is different.

Figueres and Rivett-Carnac start by painting two pictures of 2050. One where we are unable to get ahead of the climate crisis and the other where we get our asses in gear. The former is bleak and stress inducing, but the latter is encouraging and they do a wonderful job of filling you with hope.

The reason everyone needs to read this book, though, is how empowered I felt after finishing it. So many ideas spurred in my head of things I can actually do to make an impact. Planting trees seems to be where my head is settling, and there is a patch city-owned of land, maybe half an acre, across from my house that I want to petition the city to grant me permission to plant trees and start a community garden in. This is not the typical path I would take but this book really helped me feel empowered.

This book is going on the shelf I reserve for books I need to read at least once a year.