The Climate Diet

May 3, 2021
America needs “to go on a climate diet,” advises science writer Greenberg (Goodbye Phone, Hello World) in this accessible and practical guide to no longer being “carbon obese.” For starters, Greenberg suggest eating less meat and cheese, as raising cattle is a carbon dioxide-intense endeavor. Vegetables, meanwhile, when purchased from local farms, keep small businesses running and “save land from real estate development, which can in and of itself be good for emissions reduction.” He also offers smaller-scale tips on the food front, such as “make oysters your appetizer instead of shrimp” (farmed shrimp are an emissions nightmare). Branching out from food, Greenberg proposes cutting ties with big banks that invest substantially in fossil fuels, and putting money into clean energy companies and “institutions moving toward renewables.” Readers can also invest in community solar projects and replace old appliances with more efficient ones. Though not especially earth-shattering, Greenberg’s recommendations are straightforward, and his conviction will inspire: never, he exhorts, “should we lie down before this rising sea of troubles” and “accept the futility of opposing them.” Those who are eager to do their part to fight climate change but are unsure where to start would do well to pick this up. Agent: David McCormick, McCormick Literary.