Climate Optimism: Celebrating Systemic Change Around the World

by Zahra Biabani Narrated by Jeed Saddy

Overview

Change the way you think about the future. The fate of humanity can be daunting, but we don't need to live in that space. First, we need to change our attitude in order to implement nature-based solutions to deal with climate change. Good news: there are environmental trends and examples to change the way you think about how we can protect the planet.



Get to know Zahra Biabani, a climate activist, influencer, CEO, and writer. After unexpectedly establishing a career as an online sustainability educator and influencer, Zahra decided to jump headfirst into the waters of entrepreneurship and authorship. Climate Optimism is her way to spread hope.



Inside, you'll find:



¿ Real stories on environmental sustainability in other countries that are working



¿ A mix of unique solutions and practical advice on how to face climate change



¿ Good news on how to change the way you think and feel about the climate crisis



If you're looking for a sustainable living book or books for activists centered on environmentalism like A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety, The Intersectional Environmentalist, or Sustainable Badass, you'll love Climate Optimism.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Climate Optimism is an essential read with a beautiful reminder that hope is a much more sustainable motivator than doom and gloom ever could be. Zahra effectively explores the nuances and psychology of optimism, while grounding readers in an understanding of real, impactful, on-the-ground climate action that they can be a part of.”
—Leah Thomas, founder of Intersectional Environmentalist

“I don't know if we're going to be able to overcome the climate crisis—but I know that if we succumb to nihilism we have no chance. There's a good kick in the pants in these pages!”
—Bill McKibben, author The Flag, the Cross and the Station Wagon

“There are no rose-colored glasses here. Zahra does not ignore that climate change will cause great suffering. But rather than flounder in fear, she shares a guiding light. There can be abundance, circularity, and sustainability. The world can work better than it ever has with humans present. This book is filled with a fantastic balance of history, culture, hope, and tactical advice for what to do. If you want to be part of the solution, this book is for you.”
—Kip Pastor, founder and CEO of Pique Action

“What’s the point of pessimism? In this intensely researched and fascinating book, Zahra proves that optimism is the attitude that changes the world. The stories in Climate Optimism lifted my heart, and the insights I will use for years to come. For decades I’ve been a proud climate optimist myself—it’s the foundation of my work and genuinely saved my own life. Read this book for the (renewable) fuel for our work ahead.”
—Solitaire Townsend, cofounder of global change agency Futerra and author of The Solutionists: How Business Can Fix The Future

“Behavioral science shows that climate optimism is much more effective than pessimism in advancing climate action. The climate crisis is also a communications crisis that requires urgent and collective mobilization. Zahra’s book does not shy away from the science behind climate optimism, and in science we trust!”
—Dr. Sweta Chakraborty, CEO North America at We Don’t Have Time

Product Details

BN ID:	2940176961423
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	04/11/2023
Edition description:	Unabridged

Read an Excerpt

Because of the magnitude of the threat climate change poses to humanity, my message of climate optimism is occasionally met with disdain and criticism. Some watch my videos and leave comments about the irreversible effects of climate change and how my “pointless videos” do nothing to reverse the damage that is being done. They claim my celebration of the positive does nothing to stop corporations from wreaking havoc on the planet and its people. I get it. It is hard to be optimistic when it feels like the world is falling apart, being ripped open at the seams by the very people who have promised to protect it. 

Let me be clear: climate optimism is not the expectation of a salvaged planet. Instead, it is the proclamation of hope for a healthier and more just planet and the pursuit of actions that are in alignment with what needs to be done to get there. 

Those comments pale in comparison to the ones I encounter expressing relief and comfort at the sight of positive climate news. The majority express that they look forward to Fridays all week long, knowing they can find a feel-good video on my page where I present the “earth wins” of the last week. 

I am certainly not clicking-my-heels, feel-good all the time. Prior to diving into climate optimism, I found myself sinking into nihilism, overwhelmed by what I heard on the news and what I learned in school, much of which was discouraging. I knew I wanted environmentalism to be my life’s work and to ensure it could be, I needed to find a way to sustainably engage with the news around me.

Climate optimism allowed me to re-acquaint myself with the work I do and the “why” behind it. This is not to say I do not experience days where I am writhing in eco-anxiety.

Whenever I feel dejected, crumbling under the weight of projections for rising temperatures and species loss, I issue myself the simple reminder that by several accounts, the world is better than it has ever been. Although we are still facing several overlapping and intersectional global crises, all of which are amplified by the climate crisis, humanity is more advanced, connected, and well-off than it has been at any previous time in history. At times when it feels like the world is ending, this reminder helps to both ground us and move us forward. This hope is what I aim to provide others with as well.

Some call this mindset toxic positivity, but for me, it’s far from toxic; it is empowering, enabling me to make the change I want to see in the world (thanks for the quote, Gandhi). At worst, toxic positivity is a cursory dismissal of important issues blanketed in a lack of empathy. At best, it’s an earnest, albeit callous, attempt to soothe over real pain with the notion that “at least something worse isn’t happening.”

There are several reasons the framework of climate optimism is difficult for people to accept. This section will attempt to unpack why this is such a hurdle, uncovering the ways we have been primed to fixate on the negative; and in doing so, isolate ourselves from pursuing the positive.

Videos