Back in 2022, I reviewed What on Earth’s How to Teach Grown-Ups About Pluto. Now we’re back with the more important but just as interesting How to Teach Grown-Ups About Climate Change.
What Is How to Teach Grown-Ups About Climate Change?
This book is aimed to be a one-stop primer to the “Cutting-edge Science of our Changing Planet.”
It opens with the book’s mission—to lead to a population better versed in the problems and solutions facing us regarding climate change—before moving on to an explanation of exactly what climate change is. It explains the differences between weather and climate, the perils of rising temperatures, discusses how the planet got to where it is, and why the rate of temperature change is unprecedented.
After that, it details why climate change is happening and how we can see and measure its effects. Throughout the book, it gently debunks the myths about climate change and strongly suggests why things have to improve. It is not all gloom and doom, however. How to Teach Grown-Ups About Climate Change remains positive about the future. It discusses how we can reduce our carbon footprint and describes existing and future technologies that can and will help us redress the balance.
It does all this in a great informal tone, with some excellent jokes and engaging illustrations. All the information in the book is backed up with references and suggestions for places to read more about climate change. The further reading section is broken down into two parts, those aimed at adults and those at younger readers, which I think is a very nice touch. There is also a comprehensive glossary to help define important terms.
Why Read How to Teach Grown-Ups About Climate Change?
I love the framing of these books. The “your parents probably don’t know as much as you do” approach is a great way to engage young readers. Children, in my experience like nothing more than to reveal they know more about something than the significant adults in their lives.
How to Teach Grown-Ups About Climate Change does exactly what it sets out to do. It offers a clear and accessible trail from the definition of climate and how it is changing to the effects of those changes. From there, it outlines what is causing the changes and the best ways to slow and reverse them.
The book is never preachy; it doesn’t exhort readers to do anything they don’t want to do. Instead, it explains (for example) why cutting out meat one day a week is a good idea or how best to reduce your electricity consumption. It doesn’t demand that you do so but offers up compelling evidence as to why you should want to. When talking to grown-ups, the book stresses the importance of having thoughtful conversations, explaining that green shaming and pointing the finger will not win anybody over.
It feels like it’s the older generations who are resistant to tackling climate change, and it’s hard to know how many grown-ups will be educated and change their ways as a result of this book. Of course, despite its title, that’s not really its aim. How to Teach Grown-Ups About Climate Change sets out to educate the next generation of adults about the importance of mitigating their effect on the environment, while offering them hope that things can be turned around. It aims to give our children the vital information they need to protect the planet. It is engaging and interesting enough to succeed in that aim.
All in all, this is an excellent primer for school or home. It presents the vital case for climate change action in a fashion that everybody can access. Bold, bright, and informative, there’s nothing not to like.
If you would like to pick up a copy of How to Teach Grown-Ups About Climate Change, you can do so here in the US and here in the UK. (Affiliate Links)
If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews.
Don’t take my word for it. It’s British Science Week in the UK and this review has been part of a blog tour to commemorate the publishing of this book. Check out other reviews in these locations!
I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.
