Our Journey to Sustainability: How Everyday Heroes Make a Difference: Jon R. Biemer: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Our Journey to Sustainability

How Everyday Heroes Make a Difference

Our Journey to Sustainability

How Everyday Heroes Make a Difference

Description

Explores the motivations, successes, and visions of individuals working tirelessly to heal our planet through 150 personal stories.
Everyday, countless individuals are hard at work, seeking solutions to environmental problems and creating new ways to live sustainably. It takes the combined effort of many to secure a healthy future, from electric vehicle owners to animal lovers, journalists to artists, scientists to indigenous communities and cities. But what is it that motivates people to act on behalf of the planet?
That is the question at the heart of Our Journey to Sustainability: How Everyday Heroes Make a Difference. Compiling 150 stories from personal interviews, research, and his own experiences, Jon R. Biemer explores the varied motivations that inspire environmental action and presents over twenty-five sustainable wisdom tips that readers can implement in their own lives, suggesting real-world ways to make a difference. Readers will visit cities and towns across the country, indigenous reservations, and wildlife preserves. They will be introduced to the heroes in the trenches who are creating a healthier environment, on scales both small and large, while learning how actions can add up to great results.
Biemer profiles a mix of modest and impressive efforts by youth advocates, professionals in the prime of their career, and post-retirees. Some folks are just doing a day’s work, while some are fighting for environmental justice. Our Journey to Sustainability shows what it really takes to recycle, repair cell phones, recover a brownfield, and halt a freeway, and highlights the real-life dreams of entrepreneurs who are revolutionizing geothermal energy, the clothing industry, the way boats are built, and much more. Eco-heroes are everywhere, and their initiatives are the substance of realistic hope for our planet.

Sustainable Wisdom Vignettes
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Finding Your Fire
Chapter 1: Pilgrimage
Chapter 2: Portland, Oregon. A City that Cares
Chapter 3: Homeowners
Chapter 4: Electric Vehicle Drivers
Chapter 5: Meadville, Pennsylvania. Old Meets New
Chapter 6: Partner with Young People
Chapter 7: Calling All Artists!
Chapter 8: Henrietta, New York. All In!
Chapter 9: Environmental Journalists
Chapter 10: Entrepreneurs
Chapter 11: Corvallis, Oregon. Being Practical
Chapter 12: Stewards of the Land
Chapter 13: Indigenous Country. The People Rising
Chapter 14: Bison
Chapter 15: Bees and Eagles
Chapter 16: Save the Tiger
Chapter 17: Gainesville, Florida. Southern Style Sustainability
Chapter 18: Explorers
Chapter 19: Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. Under an Enchanted Moon
Chapter 20: Faith Based Environmentalists
Chapter 21: Valuing Spirit
Chapter 22: The Power of Walking
Chapter 23: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Sustainability at Scale
Chapter 24: Go Beyond
Bibliography
Notes
Index
About the Author

Product details

Published	Aug 20 2024
Format	Hardback
Edition	1st
Extent	284
ISBN	9781538178737
Imprint	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Illustrations	26 Textboxes
Dimensions	9 x 6 inches
Publisher	Bloomsbury Publishing

This is a great book. The range of people and projects included ensures that there is something that will grab you. I found inspirational favorites where I least expected and learned a lot, even though I am quite familiar with the subject matter. The goal of this book—to move people to action—is a critical one. I hope that you are moved; it’s time for everyone to get busy.

Laurie Huber, founder, Energy Shift Corporation; and zero-net energy home builder
Our Journey to Sustainability helps us understand that the environmental movement is composed of individuals living diverse, rewarding lives. I felt a deep connection to each person Biemer interviewed. Thank you, Jon, for shining a light on the people behind the movement and what motivates them to prioritize the health and welfare of Mother Earth.

Linda Neale, author, “The Power of Ceremony”; and cofounder, Earth and Spirit Council
Our Journey to Sustainability is the burst of hope that everyone needs in their lives. The book presents stories of everyday people across all sectors demonstrating that a more sustainable world is possible. If you find yourself feeling vulnerable and stressed over climate change, consider Biemer's antidote: do something! Climate action is key.

Angelou Ezeilo, founder, Greening Youth Foundation; and author, “Engage, Connect, Protect
Jon R. Biemer’s interviews illuminate a universal truth: Ordinary people who take extraordinary action are the ones who change the world.

Carlos Araque, founder and CEO, Quaise Energy, Inc
Documenting stories of everyday leaders as they engage in education, advocacy, and action, Biemer highlights a road towards sustainability.

Cassandra Carmichael, executive director, National Religious Partnership for the Environment
It is as if I suddenly have a new bunch of green-minded friends joining my own volunteer committee sharing their backgrounds, experiences, and ideas for making a difference in my own community! This book is a great resource for environmentalists everywhere, and a testament to past heroes in the ongoing fight to care for planet Earth.

Pat Wartinger, chair, Town of Henrietta (New York) Sustainability Committee