About the book
Peter Kalmus, an atmospheric scientist at Caltech and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, set out to change his own life after seeing drastic shifts in Earth's climate systems. Through simple changes such as cycling, meditating and growing food, he reduced his climate footprint below a tenth of the US average and found himself happier. Combining science, spirituality and practical action, the book links daily choices to a shared predicament. Part one covers overpopulation, industrial agriculture, economics addicted to growth, a political system that has sold out and a sense of separation from nature, with an overview of climate science. Part two proposes opting out of that system and aligning daily life with the biosphere.
Former NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies director James Hansen endorsed it as full of insights about nature and ourselves, and Transition Movement founder Rob Hopkins praised its account of finding that low-carbon living is not that hard and makes life better.
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This book has 4 recommendations
James Hansen (Former Director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies)
A plethora of insights about nature and ourselves, revealed by one man's journey as he comes to terms with human exploitation of our planet.
Rob Hopkins (Founder/The Transition Movement)
A low-carbon world will not look like Star Trek, it will look mostly like it looks today, it's just that we will inhabit it differently. Peter Kalmus's brilliant book is about his deciding to start living that way today. He finds that (a) it's not that hard, and that (b) life improves. He becomes more skilled, connected, fulfilled, nourished. As will we all. Allow him to ease you over the threshold.
James Waterhouse (Co-Founder/Citizen's Climate Lobby)
Peter's work makes me smile. The mission of Citizens Climate Lobby is to create the political will for a livable planet by encouraging others to make breakthroughs in their personal and political power. Peter demonstrates practical steps, for individuals and organizations all the way up to the global scale, to advance these goals. His manner of living exemplifies the connection between power, reason, creativity and joy.
Ethan Hughes (Co-Founder/Possibility Alliance)
We all must take huge risks in order to create a truly just and life-sustaining society. Being the Change maps the first important leaps on this journey, describing real-life examples of the good life that awaits us beyond capitalism, species-extinction, economic injustice, and fossil-fuel addiction. It is a roadmap out of our destructive and oppressive culture that touches upon the essential need for wealth redistribution and racial justice in the climate revolution. Please follow Peter's inspiring example: we must act!
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