by Carina Wohlleben
2 stars
An okay read.
Originally published in German, I feel like the translated title is a bit misleading. The book focuses on arguments for veganism and connecting more with nature. There isn’t a whole lot in the Buy Less and Slow Down departments.
It also comes from a very privileged perspective and one that focuses on the individual rather than ways we can push for largescale change by pressuring our governments.
The book covers information about the environmental impact of things like diet, transportation, and forestry. Wohlleben presents multiple reasons to switch to a plant based diet (land use, greenhouse gases, water use, ethics, antibiotics, manure). Those reasons are valid, but are presented in a way that tries to guilt people into veganism. She completely ignores food insecurity and that not everyone has the privilege to just completely change their diet to whole foods, which are usually more expensive than highly processed foods.
As a vegetarian, I really don’t like the argument that humans should not consume any animal products. I think it’s far better to have the majority of people reduce their meat and animal product consumption and change the conditions of factory farming. The issue isn’t eating some meat; the issue is the horrible effects of factory farming.
There were other sections that didn’t really seem to fit with the rest of the book like the chapter on childbirth to show how we’ve lost our connection to nature.
I didn’t feel the book had all that much practical information on how to implement changes or large-scale solutions to the problems. It felt more like a memoir with some stats. It focuses more on Wohlleben’s opinions and perspectives than practical ways people can live a more sustainable life.
The book ends with a list of seven “simple” tips for living more environmentally aware. The tips include a vegan diet (definitely not simple or achievable for many people) and buying local seasonal produce (access being very dependent on where you live). The majority of the tips involve buying things that are usually more expensive than non-environmentally-friendly products from natural skincare and fabrics to recycled products, and does not cover greenwashing tactics.
I didn’t find this book very helpful. I think most people who eat a plant-based diet will already know most of the arguments for it and that people who consume animal products will disengage with Wohlleben’s attempts to guilt them into changing their diets.