5 Hopeful Books About Our Planet

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April 22nd is Earth Day, but like many of you, we’re celebrating all month long. The holiday began in 1970 when 20 million Americans—10 percent of the whole U.S. population!—participated in environmental protests, cleanups, and educational events to combat pollution. In the 54 years since, the celebration has expanded to the rest of the globe and the whole month of April. For wildlife ecologists like me, and conservationists everywhere, this is the time of year when we truly feel the most support from our wider, global communities; protecting the planet may be our job, but it takes everyone’s work. On Earth Day and during Earth Month, people all around the planet show a little extra love to our planet: cleaning up beaches, planting gardens, spending some time outdoors, and—of course—reading books that inspire action and hope.

While so many books about our planet can feel like homework (or worse, like horror) these books will pull you in and leave you feeling motivated and connected—both to the planet and to all the diverse people fighting to protect it. These books will prepare your mind and spirit for a grounded April—and keep you energized all year long.

All We Can Save, Edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson

For too long, environmentalist writing has been dominated by men and by pessimism; this book flips the script, bringing together some of the most brilliant female writers of our day to deliver a message of hope and resilience. Featuring work by Mary Oliver, Naomi Klein, Alice Walker, and Sharon Olds, this collection of art, essays, and poetry this collection focuses on how we can win the fight against extreme climate change, and why it can bring us to a beautiful future. If the climate movement needs anything, it’s moments of awe, art, and reflection amidst the science. All We Can Save brings just that—a communal, female perspective that is long overdue.

Black Nature, Edited by Camille T. Dungy

This collection of 180 poems from the 1600s to present day celebrates a genre of writing that is often overlooked—nature poems written by Black poets. Earth Month is nothing without the poetry of spring, plants, animals, sky, water, and dirt, and this collection brings them all in 93 unique and powerful voices. Dive into this magnificent collection and come back to these poems over and over again.

Silent Spring, by Rachel Carson

The classic that birthed a movement, Carson’s lyrical battle cry against the dangers of environmental pollution feels just as relevant and revolutionary today as ever before. Writing in the late ’50s, Carson observed that, throughout the country, “on the mornings that had once throbbed with the dawn chorus of robins, catbirds, doves, jays, wrens, and scores of other bird voices there was now no sound; only silence lay over the fields and woods and marsh.” The silence was deadly, killing not just generations of birds and insects but also herds of cattle, flocks of chickens, and the human farming communities that tended to them. The culprit was agricultural pesticides, and thanks to Carson’s writing—which inspired the foundation of the Environmental Protection Agency—many of them are now banned, but the fight for climate justice is far from over. Silent Spring is not only a phenomenally engaging read but also a timeless reminder of the power of books to quite literally change the world. How’s that for hopeful?

The Intersectional Environmentalist, by Leah Thomas

Leah Thomas, also known as Green Girl Leah, has earned a name, a huge social media following, and a spot on both the Forbes 30 under 30 and Time 100 Next lists for her work uniting racial and environmental justice movements. Her debut book is part activism how-to guide, part manifesto, taking readers through the history of the Black, feminist, and environmental justice movement you should have learned about in school (but probably didn’t) and providing tangible action steps for building a more just future. Thomas rose to Instagram fame, in part, for her incredibly engaging social justice posts, and this book makes use of the many of the same strategies to break down complex ideas into deliciously bite-size pieces. Reading it, you will feel like you are flipping through a viral infographic and leave feeling like you just got your PhD. Full of tough lessons and endless grace, this is an essential and enlightening read.

Nature Swagger, by Rue Mapp

Want some rich, glorious stories of Black joy in the outdoors? Look no further than this compilation of essays by popular African American outdoor enthusiasts, edited by Outdoor Afro founder and CEO Rue Mapp. From tapping into ancestral roots through subsistence hunting and fishing to accomplishing great athletic feats on the tallest mountains, roughest oceans, and longest trails, this book aims to normalize and celebrate all of the ways Black folks in America have deep and meaningful experience with and leadership in nature and its protection. Featuring beautiful photographs that marry Black faces to the outdoor spaces they represent, this book is a conversation starter, a cherished collector’s item, and a wonderful reminder to the world that Black joy and nature go hand in hand.

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