Why My Latest Green Read "This Borrowed Earth - Lessons from the 15 Worst Environmental Disasters Around the World" by Robert Emmet Hernan Should be on Your To Do List!

I have always been a voracious reader and lately I have happily been devouring green books.  My latest green read, This Borrowed Earth - Lessons Learned from the 15 Worst Environmental Disasters Around the World by Robert Emmet Hernan, has turned out to be one of the most delicious!  So the title could be a little shorter but, for me, the book proved to be a great eye opener and thought provoker.  Aside from the introduction and last chapter (which bombarded me with doom and gloom about how we are killing ourselves through carbon emissions), I really felt like I was getting a missing education on important lessons from the past; this book can only help us to  avert future disasters.  I urge you to put reading this book on your To Do List!


You can pick up a paper back edition for only $17 or the e-book for just $9.99 HERE!

As Hernan says, "If we forget how and why these disasters happened and what horrible consequences emerged from them, we will not avert future disasters."  I could not agree more.  The potential of this book, Global Warming doom and gloom aside, is to help us never forget, to learn about and learn from these lessons to prevent future environmental disasters.  Although there were parts I found unsettling, this is one book that I think every teen and adult should take a couple of hours out of their busy lives to read.    

There were so many stories I was not even aware of and did not learn about in school.  I think the power of this book is in the younger generations.  They must hear these stories.  Parents,  pick up a copy and then pass it on to your teens and young adult children.  If they will not read it, take time to start conversations about the events in this book.  Although they may be disturbing, they are necessary for all of us to understand.

The story of Love Canal was especially interesting to me as I remember hearing about it as I was growing up but never really understood what really happened.  Hernan does a great job of describing the events, who allowed the families to suffer and the courageous folks who helped to "save" the community.  He had an insider's view as he was the trial lawyer for NY State in the Love Canal Case.  His insider knowledge proves valuable to his readers.  His passion for our environment comes through on every page.

This Borrowed Earth will fill in the missing pieces you may have and help to educate our younger generations about not only the Love Canal but Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and other environmental disasters around the earth.  I cannot stress enough how very important I think it is for everyone to read this book.

Just watch out for the last chapter titled Global Climate Change.  I am not a scientist, and neither is Hernan.  Although he gives a very informed argument that humans are the cause, and therefore can stop Global Climate Change is, in my opinion, debatable.

P.S.- I am really glad that you stopped by our Environmental Booty Blog and I hope you have learned or shared a thing or two.  I hope that , now that you've found us,  you won't lose us!  You can join our green living online community, subscribe to our posts download our community toolbar, Tweet with me on Twitter or Come Shop with Me to stay in touch!  - Shane :)

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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead