A review by sophiadh
Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming by Paul Hawken

5.0

I thought this book would be about things that individuals could do to reverse global warming, but it is far more than that. It examines 100 solutions, 80 that are already in use and can be expanded and 20 that are still in development. The solutions range from on and offshore wind turbines, to various kinds of farming that eliminate the use of pesticides and other chemicals, to the education and empowerment of women. Some of them are things that individuals can take action on, but many of them are solutions that need to be implemented on a larger scale. I found it thought provoking about the world I live in and the built in assumptions. The solution with the largest potential impact is refrigerant management – the chemicals in refrigerators and air conditioners. It’s not so much the use of these things that cause damage to the environment, but leaks and disposal. Air conditioning has become very common in parts of the world. It was a big thing on my list of desires when I was looking for an apartment. Now I think about Drawdown every time I turn it on. Same with using my car or going to the grocery store. Awareness is a big part of driving change and this book does that very well.