8 Must-Read Books For Any Budding Environmentalist 

The Drowned World // J.G. Ballard

A piece of fiction to get started. British writer J.G. Ballard is regarded as one of the most influential sci-fi writers of the 20th century, and it's this novel that first brought him real plaudits. Included in Time Magazine's 'Top 10 Best Post-Apocalyptic Books' list, the story is regarded as the founding text in the genre known as climate fiction.

After savage solar storms wreak havoc on the world, the polar ice caps melt, causing sea levels to rise. With the majority of the world flooded, a team of scientists research the ongoing environmental developments within an abandoned and drowned London. Released in 1962, the book then seemed like a far-fetched look at the breakdown of society. Today it acts as a remarkably prescient parable on the dangers of climate change.

The Hidden Life of Trees // Peter Wohlleben

A highly recommended book for those who want to learn more about the world's lungs. Over a digestible 288 pages, Wohlleben shares his deep love of woods and forests, explaining the fascinating scientific processes behind the wonders we rarely think about. Humanity often painfully takes trees for granted, but this book will reveal a beautiful hidden world where trees build communities, support one another, and share bonds that connect us all. It's reduced readers to tears and has made thousands start to truly under the majesty of these incredible beings.

Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don't Know You Have // Tatiana Schlossberg

A refreshingly straightforward and accessible book, environmental journalist Schlossberg details the true impact of electronic technology, food, fashion, and fuel. The modern world's favorite things. In what can often seem like a hopeless conversation, Schlossberg delivers the facts with wry humor and little glimmers of hope. While many first-world readers will admit that they come from a place of privilege and simply stop there, this book aims to spur you into making changes - no matter how large or small. For those wishing to make some positive switches in their life but aren't sure how - this is your guide.

How To Give Up Plastic // Will McCallum

What was once seen as a marvelous new material has now become a bane of modern life - disposable plastic. As Head of Oceans at Greenpeace UK, Will McCallum has been at the heart of the anti-plastics movement for years, channeling his knowledge and passion into this accessible guide. He teaches the reader how to replace certain plastic items with sustainable alternatives, new ways to reduce their plastic waste, and how to advocate for businesses and leaders to make necessary switches to greener methods. The sea is filling with plastic, and it's up to us all to make changes in our daily lives.

The Monkey Wrench Gang // Edward Abbey

The Monkey Wrench Gang was written by American author Edward Abbey in 1975. If you're not familiar with Abbey, he defined himself as an anarchist and was known for his environmental issues advocacy and criticism of public land policies in the USA. His most famous work, The Monkey Wrench Gang, was so influential and widely read that the term 'Monkey Wrench' became synonymous with any sabotage, activism, law-breaking or making to preserve ecosystems and wild spaces.

The book's plot focuses on a gang of 4 misfits who believe that they should do whatever it takes to destroy the system that they see is damaging the environment. Abbey may be controversial, but his influence is cemented in history, with public figures such as  David Foreman, founder of Earth First!, using the monkey wrench as their radical environmentalist group's symbol.

No One Is Too Small To Make A Difference // Greta Thunberg

If you have turned on the television, opened a news article online, or talked to anyone about environmentalism in the past few years, then you are bound to have heard of Greta Thunberg. Born in Sweden on January 3, 2003, Greta Thunberg is one of the youngest people in history to advocate for climate change policies on a global scale. By the age of 15, she was working with the Swedish parliament, and later in her career, gave numerous speeches to world leaders and The United Nations.

No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference is a collection of eleven speeches Thunberg had written and presented about global warming and the climate crisis until its publishing date; May 30, 2019. The young activist continues to fight for awareness to this date, and her book is certainly worth a read for any budding environmentalist.

All We Can Save // Various Authors

Our next title may have a few authors on the cover but is actually a collaborative project by over 50 female environmental activists. In 2020, editors Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine Wilkinson collected an array of poems, essays, and thought pieces and compiled them into one book, calling it All We Can Save. The aim was to highlight the wide range of women's voices, all of whom are fighting for the climate change movement to succeed.

All We Can Save is a great read if you are searching for multiple perspectives from people of all backgrounds. Global warming is such an important issue that we should all be looking for various takes, thoughts, and opinions; All We Can Save does that perfectly.

The Lorax // Dr. Seuss

We thought we'd end this list with a book that can appeal to the youngest environmental advocate out there. The Lorax, written in 1971 by the famous Dr. Seuss, is a children's book that dances the thin line between information and entertainment. Written in Seuss's signature style, The Lorax is commonly considered a fable concerning the danger of human destruction and its effect on the environment.

The story follows the plight of the Lorax, who is said to 'speak for the trees’, and the Once-ler, who is the character causing destruction. Through the years, the book has been hailed as one of the greatest picture books of all time, and it has also seen its fair share of criticism, sometimes being labeled a parody. Whatever you take from this Seuss classic, kids will be sure to learn something.