The learning never stops when it comes to sustainability, climate change and learning how to live an eco-friendly lifestyle. Apart from all the terms related to being environmentally friendly, there are environmental issues you need to understand before you can change your lifestyle. So we have put together a list of resources that can help you on your journey! Below is a list of some of the best resources that we have found to learn more about these topics. You will be pushed out of your comfort zone but you will gain a deeper understanding of the environmental issues we face.
Sustainability Books:
One of the best ways to learn is through books! Many great titles can educate you on climate change and sustainability. Our list of recommended books is below. You may find your local library has a stock of books that you can borrow or you can download free books from websites such as the National Centre for Science Education.
Booklists for kids:
If you’re looking for books to share with your kids, there there is a vast range of climate change and sustainability-themed children’s books. The Global Citizen website has a fantastic free children’s book called “Is This My Home?”. The book is aimed at younger children and is narrated and subtitled making it accessible to a wider audience.
Other books such as “You Can Save The Planet: 101 Ways You Can Make a Difference” gives tips to help the world’s sustainability.
Booklists for adults:
If you prefer to read about climate change, you can choose from some of the great titles listed below:
“The Economics of Climate Change” by Nicholas Stern
“How to Save the World in Your Spare Time” by Lloyd Alter.
“Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed To Reverse Global Warming” edited by Paul Hawken
“The Sixth Extinction” by Elizabeth Kolbert,
Amazon. On Fire: The Case for a New Green Deal by Naomi Klein
“Cradle to Cradle” by William McDonough and Michael Braungart.
“The Uninhabitable Earth” by David Wallace Wells will give you a good overview of the terrifying realities of climate change.
A Guide to Eco-Anxiety: How to Protect the Planet and Your Mental Health
Websites:
Numerous websites cover climate change and sustainability topics. Some examples include:
– The National Geographic website has an extensive section on climate change with articles, videos and photos covering everything from the science of global warming to how it’s impacting people and nature all over the world.
– The Union of Concerned Scientists website has information on climate change science, solutions and ways that individuals can help.
– The EPA website has information on climate change and how to reduce your impact.
NASA also has an interactive website for kids. There are games, activities, and videos on topics such as water, energy. weather and climate to keep kids interested.
-UK National Association for Environmental Education is a great site for educators who want resources for environmental education.
Many websites offer excellent resources when it comes to learning about climate change and sustainability. One of our favourites is the Climate Reality Project website. This website provides information on a wide range of topics related to climate change, including what’s causing it, how it’s impacting the world today and what we can do to solve it.
If you want to take a more active approach to campaign for governmental change, then websites such as 350.org is a good place to start.
Videos:
Another great way to learn more is through videos! Many fantastic YouTube channels cover sustainability topics such as the Sustainability Guys channel which also have a website with lots of great resources for learning about climate change and sustainability.
Did you know Youtube has an entire channel for kids of all ages? The videos include anything from science experiments to important environmental messages. Check out the following videos which cover topics such as climate change and the environment:
Coral reefs
Knowing how to start talking to kids about the climate crisis is difficult. So introducing topics through film is a great idea. There are a number of popular animated movies specifically for kids that touch on environmental issues
There are also some great TED talks on YouTube that cover learning about how to live more sustainably, reduce your carbon footprint and tackle the problem of climate change (such as this one with Paul Hawken). You can find many other videos by searching for “climate change” or “sustainability”.
Several popular, well-known documentaries cover climate change and sustainability topics such as the documentary by Al Gore “An Inconvenient Truth”, “Before the Flood” with Leonardo DiCaprio and the Down to Earth series with Zac Efron.
Don’t forget there are also talks from David Attenborough and the Blue planet series by the BBC.
Climate Crisis Topic-based documentaries
If you want to watch sustainability documentaries about specific topics, you could watch ” Drowning in Plastic” which is a real eye-opener about plastic pollution. The documentary also explains how plastic is a risk to human health. There is also the award-winning film “A Plastic Ocean”
“The Story of Stuff” is a fantastic short film, it is a must-watch as it explains what’s wrong with the global systems and why we need to change to a more sustainable lifestyle that is focused on zero waste.
Or you can watch Cowspiracy which dives deep into the impact of animal agriculture on land use, water consumption and environmental degradation.
If you are looking for a film about eating a plant-based diet then watch Gamechangers. The film explores the difference in diets and explains that you can achieve better health with a plant-based diet.
If you are interested in the impact of the fashion industry and fast fashion, you can watch “The True Cost”.
All these films and documentaries improve public awareness about the true cost of the damage that’s happening to planet Earth.
Climate Crisis solutions
If you’re more interested in learning more about possible solutions there are documentaries such as The Need To Grow which unlocks three stories of individuals fighting to make beneficial and sustainable changes to institutions and systems.
There is also the award-winning documentary film 2040 which outlines several solutions that could combat climate change and reduce our impact on the Earth. This is a beautiful well-researched film that looks at social justice topics such as women’s education as well as ways others have created a sustainable lifestyle.
Natural World
My Octopus Teacher is a true story of the connection between the documentary creator and the octopus who befriends him. It is a story about nature and the connection we have to the planet and other living creatures.
Last but not least there is Greta Thunberg’s documentary “I am Greta” which details the story of her fight for climate justice.
Global Warming
Of course, there are also fictional films such as Happy Feet that touch upon the issues of global warming and the environment. The Lorax is another great film that raises awareness of the human impact on the environment.
Podcasts
If you want to listen while you are busy with other activities, there are a vast array of environmental podcasts to choose from
Sustainababble podcast; their tagline is “a comedy podcast about the environment”
The Sustainable Jungle Podcast
Wild voices podcast – features people who care about the natural world
Courses:
If learning through books, websites, podcasts or videos isn’t your thing, there are also online courses that you can take to learn more about climate change and sustainability.
There are many online learning platforms such as Coursera and iTunes U that offer free learning opportunities for those interested in learning about climate change and sustainability.
Futurelearn (which is co-owned by The Open University) has a range of online courses. We recommend these courses because they are short courses (between 3- 6 weeks) for a couple of hours each week. At the end of the course, you can pay to obtain a microcredential. Other universities offer courses focussed on the circular economy which is essential for future sustainability.
Across the globe, there are plenty of other courses out there that can help you learn more about climate change and sustainability. We’d also recommend checking out some of the courses offered by edX, such as “Circular Fashion: Design, Science and Value in a Sustainable Clothing Industry” and “Plant-Based Diets: Food for a Sustainable Future”.
We have highlighted some free courses that you can enrol in which will teach you about climate change, sustainability or a topic that you have a particular passion for such as biodiversity. Many of these courses are run by universities and accredited institutions.
Some universities use a platform like Coursera to offer free courses. Even the World Bank has a course called “From Climate Science to Action” which has a module that focuses on” action strategies that are being undertaken in different regions and countries to meet the climate challenge”
We have highlighted online courses available because you don’t need to live near an accredited institution to access a great course.
Conclusion:
There are so many books, sustainability documentaries, films and reports about biodiversity loss, climate change and the impact we are having on the planet, that it’s difficult to believe climate deniers exist!
No matter what learning method you choose, we hope that this list provides some valuable resources for you to inspire positive change to start (or continue) your journey to living an eco-friendly sustainable life.
Please share and if we have left out a film, podcast or book that you think should be included, then get in touch.