The Carbon Almanac edited and forwarded by Seth Godin is an easy-to-read mapping of the climate crisis, the resulting prognosis and actions that can be taken to sidestep some if not all of the disasters that uncontained climate change will wreak on people across the globe – the first of whom are likely to be poor people living in coastal communities, across the globe, and eventually of all of society as we know it, given the continuous nature of the changes in weather conditions that will be occasioned – rising sea levels, rising precipitation, drought etc – and the socio-economic changes that will result.
The carbon Almanac is not all doom and gloom – indeed uncontained climate change is – the almanac maps the consequences of our unchecked actions as humanity that have negative effects or triggers unintended but negative changes to the global climate system and then highlights the changes we need to make as a collective and those we need to make at an individual level.
Broken into 9 parts of many chapters focused on multiple themes across the climate discussion, it presents scientific findings, expert opinions, possible scenarios depending on how we choose to proceed, and calls for individuals like yourself and I to understand the issues, identify our roles and places in the broader scheme of things and to take responsible action.
The almanac has an accompanying website which provides additional information to those already contained in the book, and which I suspect will be updated frequently and possibly also expaned to cover more grounds than the limitation of a printed book will allow.
Written in what I like to call ‘lay’ English, it is devoid of unexplained jargons that often becomes a barrier between the general populace and extremely specialised writings and publications.
The concept presented and the actions advocated are easy to understand, internalise and teach to others including those terrific 5 year olds with all their questions ;-). In fact there is also a kids version of the book, a free PDF version of which can be downloaded here.
I recommend this book to business analysts, product managers, and executives who daily contribute to and shape business strategies, tactics and interventions. And I hope you find it insightful and useful.
Full disclosure:
This piece is written by a concerned and affected citizen of the world. I will make no financial gains from your purchase of the book or the actions that the book may seed.
However, I am keen on leaving behind a global environment that will not be hostile to my children, your children and their friends and all others who may be separated from our children by distance or with whom they do not share a physical or emotional space, but are indeed still connected in the sense that the earth will one day be their heritage.
