The Climate Review: Quotes and Inspiration

Welcome to the first Cool Davis Climate Review, quotes and inspiration from a new-ish genre of books and videos … and more! Visit our Cool Solutions page for a list of climate documentaries in the Resources section at the bottom. A particular new favorite is the documentary “Kiss the Ground” which covers the potential for regenerative agriculture practices to sequester the carbon we’re producing.

Have a quote, summary, or link you would like to share with Cool Davis? Email newseditor@cooldavis.org.

“Kiss the Ground” (documentary film)

Released in September of 2020 on Netflix, “Kiss the Ground” the movie narrated by Woody Harrelson is a full-length documentary shedding light on a “new, old approach” to farming called regenerative agriculture, a practice with the extraordinary ability to balance our climate and feed the world.

“Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World,” by Katherine Hayhoe

Quote shared by Leslie Crenna: “It’s nearly impossible to make someone care about climate change for the same reasons I do. But I don’t think I have to, and you don’t, either. Through thousands of conversations, I’ve become truly convinced that nearly everyone already has the values they need to care about the future of our world, even if they’re not the same as mine or yours. And if they don’t think they care, it’s because they just haven’t connected the dots. When they do, they’ll see for themselves that caring about climate change is entirely consistent with who they are. Climate action, in fact, can be an even more genuine expression of their identity and their values than inaction or denial would be.”

“We Are The Weather, Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast,” by John Safran

Quote shared by Scott Steward: “It is not enough to say that we want more life; we must refuse to stop saying it. Suicide notes are written once, life notes must always be written – by having honest conversations, bridging the familiar with the unfamiliar, planting messages for the future, digging up messages from the past, digging up messages from the future, disputing with our souls and refusing to stop. And we must do this together; everyone’s hand wrapped around the same pen, every breath of everyone’s exhaling the shared prayer. “Thus we shall make a home together,“ the soul concludes at the end of the suicide note perhaps beginning it’s opposite each of us arguing with ourselves, we shall make it home together.”

“Reimagining Sustainable Cities” by Stephen M. Wheeler and Christina D. Rosan

Summary shared by Michael Corbett: Stephen M. Wheeler and Christina D. Rosan in their book Reimagining Sustainable Cities provide a comprehensive view of the human dilemma ranging from the spoiling of the biosphere to the inequities in our social fabric. While their vision of a more sustainable and equitable future is centered on our cities and their structural designs, their vision, as they say, depends on changes in economics, and politics. They explain what the world “should be” with examples of places where positive change has occurred. Most of the changes they say we need will require government action at all levels. They acknowledge that require a sea change in politicians’ values and the willingness of politicians to take action. The authors acknowledge the probability of this is an unknown which requires a footnote.

“The Design Pathway for Regenerating Earth” by Joe Brewer

Summary shared by Michael Corbett: Joe Brewer’s book The Design Pathway for Regenerating Earth presents a picture of deep ecology connecting both human and biological interactions. Brewer presents his ideas intertwined with his own story of actions including in the finale, the beginning of an Ecological Regeneration Movement. Brewer while mentioning the need for governmental intervention, places more emphasis on personal and group actions and the need for a spiritual revival of indigenous lifeways combined with the best scientific knowledge about human behavior, cultural evolution, and the dynamic Earth. The movement can be found at earthregenerators.org.