GLL Book Club: There is no planet B by Mike Berners-Lee

There is no planet B by Mike Berners-Lee ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I’ll be honest, it has taken me a little while to get to the end of this book and get round to writing this review, but not for lack of interest or a negative reading experience. I got my (signed!) copy of this book at a live event with the author in the autumn of 2023. The talk was really interesting, and having read How bad are bananas?, I wanted to read more. But I procrastinated starting the book, because as someone who spends a lot of time in climate and sustainability matters, sometimes you just don’t have the mental energy to spend your free time reading about it too. It takes a lot of resilience to be involved in climate action, in the face of constant setbacks, political narratives and terrifying science. But having read it now I can say if you feel this way – this is exactly the book you need.

While How bad are bananas? focussed more on carbon foot printing and everyday items, There is no planet B focusses more on the big systems stuff; think food, energy, money and values. Not only does it break down the problem, but uses the data and science available to put forward the best possible solutions and how they would work. If you’ve ever (or still do) felt like the more you read about climate, the more confused you become and the less clear finding a solution seems to be, go read this book. If you’ve ever wondered what is meant by systems change, and what system we could actually change to, read this book. And if you or someone you know is in any kind of position of power, they should be familiar with the contents of this book in order to understand where we are now and where we should be headed.

Reading this, though full of stark reminders and an urgent need to implement these actions, was somehow somewhat calming for my eco-anxiety – just knowing that there are completely possible solutions already out there to transition our energy and our food etc to sustainable production means we have something we can support, promote and use as answers when people ask ‘well what will we do then?’ (especially to politicians and leaders!). Additionally, this book was full of more radical systematic changes, which are easy to get behind, such as a citizens wage and prison reform. There is also a fantastic section on the skills and values all humans need for this era of humanity, something we can all develop. If you like to find answers and are a solutions-focussed person, this book is a great resource for taking stock and understanding what we, in every part of our lives, can do to improve.

Don’t make the mistake I did. Don’t leave these kinds of books on the shelf just because the subject is heavy and its easier to go watch something fun (although that should be included as part of the balance). Developing your knowledge and feeling equipped with answers is more helpful than avoidance. And if its something that concerns you, this book is written in a very informal and enjoyable style, so no complex science explanations here! A definite recommendation from me, and at this point, better read sooner rather than later.

Review: No brainer read for everyone, to help visualise the kind of positive future we can choose to create and how we get there ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Find out more: https://theresnoplanetb.net/

Buy: https://www.waterstones.com/book/there-is-no-planet-b/mike-berners-lee/9781108821575 (Or buy second hand, borrow from the library or pass onto family or friends – share the wisdom!)