Summary
Under A White Sky: The Nature Of The Future by Elizabeth Kolbert is an important book for anyone. It is a book which should be required reading in all U.S. high schools. The book gives specific examples of how climate change is affecting the planet and what actions can be taken to mitigate the emission of CO2 into the atmosphere contributing to the warming.
A couple of further themes of the book are the dependence of many aspects of Mother Nature on the activities of homo sapiens. Rather than Mother Nature dominating homo sapiens, in the last few centuries, this relationship has been flipped with Mother Nature becoming more dependent on homo sapiens. Further, the attempts to intervene in natural processes by homo sapiens often have unintended negative consequences such that the solution has become a problem requiring another solution which could beget further problems. Recognizing these patterns encourages homo sapiens to think more systemically and ecologically instead of reductively, linearly, and specifically.
The strength of this book is Kolbert’s ability to tell stories about specific situations and technologies embedded in more universal themes named in the paragraph above.
The book lends itself to small group discussions and classroom pedagogic activities. Best wishes for worthwhile reading, reflection, and discussion.
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