A couple of months ago I almost pushed “share” on – yet another – cataclysmic warning about the future of our planet due to global warming.

But instead, I decided to (attempt to) help with the solution rather than spreading more fear (even though the fear is valid).

So I researched books about global warming and found this one: Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming, which is both critically and scientifically acclaimed.

This is a very long and intensely detailed book. Although it reads mostly in layman terms it is just not something the normal person would read, and honestly I have been “reading” it for several months. (I am soooo sick of seeing it on my goodreads “reading now” list.) I now owe $40+ to the library for a “lost book fine” which they will waive when I return it after I finally write this post.

So here on my blog I wanted to talk about this (super long and detailed) book and recommend some more read-able books to help with what surprised me as the most highly rated way to “drawdown” carbon. HINT: It involves food!!

Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming lists and details the top 100 ways to “draw down” carbon. The team of 200 scientists who contributed to this book modeled creative ideas which have been ranked by how much they could reduce CO2, the cost of these ideas, and net monetary savings. Yes, these ideas can also reduce costs. Environmental stewardship is not anti-economy or business overall but yes, it is often makes for different economics or business.

From this book, what I found to be the most applicable way the “normal person” (meaning we are not policy makers) can help is to:

Reduce Food Waste and Eat a Plant-Rich Diet

The #3 (reduce food waste) #4 (plant rich diet) solutions are things we all can do. Food composting is #60.

The food we waste contributes roughly 8 percent of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Ranked with countries, food would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases globally, just behind the United States and China.

National goals and policies can encourage change here. Standardizing date labeling can help. The unstandardized labels of “sell by” “best before” etc. are largely unregulated and are confusing to consumers about expiration. Also, France passed a law forbidding supermarkets from trashing unsold food and requiring they pass it on to charities or animal feed or composting companies instead.

At home we can plan better and compost what we do waste. We can also attempt to move towards a more plant-based diet.

“The production of meat and dairy contributes many more emissions than growing their sprouted counterparts–vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes…Overconsumption of animal protein also comes at a steep cost to human health.”

This is a win-win. Eat less meat and dairy and help the environment and yourself.

Though the case for a plant-rich diet is robust, change is not simple because eating is cultural and ingrained. I know this personally because my husband wants meat at every meal. Initiatives such as Meatless Mondays and VB6 (Vegan before 6) are gaining popularity and may help reframe meat as more of a delicacy. Here are a couple of books promoting those initiatives:

The Meat Free Monday Cookbook: A Full Menu for Every Monday of the Year

The Meat Free Monday Campaign aims to encourage everyone to do their bit to help protect the planet by demonstrating that by giving up meat for one day each week you can save money, reduce your environmental impact, and live a healthier life.

For people who may be a little farther along in moving towards less meat, this book has great reviews:

VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health . . . for Good. One of my favorite restarants is vegan and if I could eat that food all the time I could (almost) be vegan.

If you’re one of the millions who have thought of trying a vegan diet but fear it’s too monotonous or unfamiliar, VB6 will introduce a flexible way of eating that you can really live with for life.

And how can you eat more vegetables – you can start growing even just a little bit of your own food, argues Michael Pollen in an essay in the middle of this book titled “Why Bother?” He counters the usual arguments of “what little I do won’t even matter.” It was excerpted from this essay:  http://michaelpollan.com/articles-archive/why-bother/

This essay is far more powerful that anything I could personally write in this post. And I will also mention his books:

The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto 

Support wind & solar power

The book ranks wind power as #2 (on shore) and #22 (offshore) as ways to drawdown carbon.

“In the United States, the wind and energy potential of just three states – Kansas, North Dakota, and Texas – would be sufficient to meet electricity demand from coast to coast. Wind farms have small footprints, typically using more than 1 percent of the land they sit on , so grazing, farming, recreation, or conservation can happen simultaneously with power generation…Wind power uses 98 to 99 percent less water than fossil fuel generated electricity. Coal, gas, and nuclear power require massive amounts of water for cooling, withdrawing more water than agriculture.”

Newer designs address concerns with noise and harm to birds. And ongoing cost reduction will soon make wind energy the least expensive source of installed electricity capacity.

“The ways and means for the United States to be fossil fuel and energy independent are here. What is often missing is the political will and leadership…Any scenario for reversing global warming includes a massive ramp-up of solar power by mid-century. It simply makes sense, the sun shines every day, providing a virtually unlimited, clean, and free fuel at a price that never changes.”

Solar farms are ranked #8 and rooftop solar #10 as ways to drawdown carbon. And concentrated solar is #25, solar water as #41 and microgrids are #78.

“Any scenario for reversing global warming includes a massive ramp-up of solar power by mid-century. It simply makes sense, the sun shines every day, providing a virtually unlimited, clean, and free fuel at a price that never changes.”

Obviously solar is the future!!!

I realize not everyone can directly support wind or solar energy, but you can encourage those who can to do so and vote for people who do. Though I am trying to find a good book that gives an intro to micro-level solar energy. Please post in comments if you know one.

If you are wondering, the #1 way listed to “drawdown” carbon is refrigerator management. This includes every supermarket case and air conditioner and the chemicals they require that are a danger to the ozone. “A great irony of global warming is that the means of keeping cool makes warming worse.” This section talks about the Kigali deal to phase out production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). This is way more than I can get into on here but I wanted to mention it since it is the biggest issue and area for improvement.

In summary, I wish I could send this book to every lawmaker and decision maker. It is truly a comprehensive, substantive, and meticulous book.

Thank you for reading!

RELATED POST: The Secret Life of Trees

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