Saving Us, A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World

She is a Canadian climate scientist living in Texas. She is a Christian and an activist, lecturing around the world. And the most important thing anyone can do to address the reality of climate change and ensuing problems is to talk about it, simple but so difficult a task. The main theme of her book is to help you and I become aware of climate change and share that awareness with others, friends, family, church groups, neighbors, strangers. The book begins with the worrisome facts of climate change, that we humans are responsible for it, and then ends with “Climate change stands between us and a breathtaking, exhilarating future. We cannot afford to be paralyzed by fear or shame. We must act, with power, love, and a sound mind. Together we can save ourselves.”

The book is divided into five sections: 1) The problem and the solution; 2) Why facts matter – and why they are not enough; 3)The threat multiplier; 4) We can fix it; 5) You can make a difference.

Hayhoe is a very effective communicator (New York Times) about climate change, what causes it, what can be done about it and how you and I can be engaged in addressing climate change and making a difference in mitigating its effects. There is plenty of facts about climate change and what its affects are and will be if we humans don’t do something about it. But the book is primarily a way into what can be done, how to empower ones self to address climate change, and how to have conversations about it with, which I found to be the most helpful part of the book. I have read lots of books, articles, internet information on the reality and causes of climate change. I have tried to mitigate climate change in small and personal ways in my own life. But how does one talk to a neighbor, skeptical family member, a legislator, or religious leader without getting emotional, or judgmental, or hopelessly frustrated? Hayhoe provides very helpful suggestions as to how conversations can be effective and positive.

In the preface Hayhoe sets the tone of the book: “The bottom line is this. To care about climate change, you only need to be one thing, and that’s a person living on planet Earth who wants a better future. Chances are you’re already that person – and so is everyone else.”

What do we have in common with those we want to talk to? What values do we share? What motivates us that we can see in common? What values do we share? Discovering those commonalities will go far in having positive, hopeful conversations about climate change. And, after all, we do like to have conversations, right?

John Hanson