Grassroots Stewardship: Sustainability Within Our Reach

Description

In a society more concerned with how to cope with existential dread than how to make actionable changes to save the planet, a surprisingly large number of Americans identify as environmentalists. What can individual people do to lessen human impacts on the planet? This is not an easy question. Most research is focused on large-scale changes that go beyond anything an individual can accomplish, and people are left feeling defeated rather than inspired to make changes in their everyday lives. Change starts at home, and F Stuart Chapin, III has assembled a book for people who want to learn more about global changes and, more importantly, what they can do about them, starting today. Grassroots Stewardship approaches our current situation with an educated sense of hope and positivity. This book emphasizes actions by individuals, rather than governmental or corporate institutions, to trigger transformational change. Readers will learn what they can do to most significantly transform their communities and the planet with more sustainable pathways. cover Half title Grassroots Stewardship Copyright Contents Prologue: My Journey to This Book Section I 1. Shaping the Future Wisely People’s Links with Nature Reconnecting People and Nature A Pause for Context What Can We Do? 2. Sustaining Natural Change Taming Hubris The Goldilocks Principle Managing Sustainable Change Implementing Stewardship What Can We Do? 3. Linking People with Nature Nature’s Benefits to Society Balancing Nature’s Benefits Protection of Society by Ecosystems Sustaining Cultural Links to Nature What Can We Do? 4. Tackling Climate Change Causes of Changes Impacts of Changes Actions to Reduce Climate Warming What Can We Do? 5. Choosing to Live Well What Do People Need? Reducing Poverty Sustaining Foundations of Well-​Being What Can We Do? Section II 6. Individual Actions: What Can I Do? Connecting with Sense of Place Impacts of Consumption on Nature Honorable Consumption Disconnects Between Consumption and Happiness Less Consumptive Pathways to Well-​Being Trade-​offs Unconscious Choices to Consume What Can We Do? 7. Dialogues for Solutions Developing Trust to Solve Problems Sharing Information Searching for Solutions Rather than Blame Defusing Contentious Conversations What Can We Do? 8. Collaborating for Shared Goals Groups as Levers for Change Caring to Collaborate Collective Action Bridging Among Groups Collaborations with Government Interactions with Business Exploring the Options What Can We Do? 9. Strengthening Democracy Working from Within Deepening Democracy Reframing Debates Challenging Vested Interests Triggering Transformation What Can We Do? 10. Earth Stewardship Choosing Anthropocene Outcomes Fostering Pursuit of Happiness Harnessing the Economy for Stewardship Engaging in Political Change Globalizing an Ethic of Care Within Our Reach? Unshrouding the Clouded Crystal Ball Acknowledgments Appendix Notes and References Glossary: Informal Definitions of Key Terms Used in This Book Sources for Table and Figures Index