For most single-use plastics first came into the spotlight through David Attenborough’s documentary Blue Planet ll. Often heralded as the moment the war on plastics really began. After seeing an albatross feed plastic to its chicks its hard not to be affected, and new research actually shows that a whopping 86% of people who saw the episode drastically changed their lifestyle as a result.

At the same time, the disturbing statistics that there will be more plastic in the sea by 2050 than fish was doing the rounds. If you’re new to sustainability and want to know where to start for information you can trust I’ve collated a selection of books which aim to educate and inspire plastic-free living and a sustainable lifestyle in all areas of our lives.

A Terrible Thing to Waste: Environmental Racism and Its Assault on the American Mind BY HARRIET A. WASHINGTON

People of colour and impoverished communities continue to face dangerous pollution. This book takes a powerful look at the devastating consequences of environmental racism and what we can do to remedy its toxic effects on marginalized communities. From injuries caused by lead poisoning to the devastating effects of atmospheric pollution, infectious disease, and industrial waste, Americans of colour are harmed by environmental hazards in staggeringly disproportionate numbers. This one is a must-read.

IS IT REALLY GREEN? Everyday eco dilemmas answered BY GEORGINA WILSON-POWELL

The perfect resource for simple eco-questions you’re still confused by. This is the perfect easy read to get yourself on your way to a sustainable lifestyle. Are paper bags always more environmentally friendly than plastic? How much better for the planet are electric cars? What saves more water - using the dishwasher or washing up by hand? With answers to over 140 questions, this one is great starting place for those wanting to know how to live more sustainably.

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants BY ROBIN WALL KIMMERE

In January, this book landed on the New York Times bestseller list, seven years after its original release – no small feat. Sweetgrass teaches the value of sustainable harvesting, reciprocal care and ceremony. As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers and only when we can hear the languages of other beings are we capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learning to give our own gifts in return.

No One Is Too Small to Make a DifferencE BY GRETA THUNBERG

In 2018 a 15-year-old Swedish girl, Greta Thunberg, decided not to go to school one day. Her actions ended up sparking a global movement for action against the climate crisis, inspiring millions of pupils to go on strike for our planet, forcing governments to listen, and earning her a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. This book is a collation of the young activist’s most notable speeches including those at the United Nations COP24 in Katowice, Poland, where she addressed the Secretary-General and the World Economic Forum in Davos.

EATING ANIMALS. SHOULD WE STOP? BY JONATHAN SAFRAN FOER

A great starting point for anyone considering vegetarianism or veganism from a ethical and sustainable standpoint. An kind of investigative memoir, it covers the authors own meandering journey on deciding whether or not we should eat animals. Eating Animals covers the origins of many different types of eating traditions and what I like about it is it doesn’t stick to one viewpoint. For example when investigating the factory farming industry Foer speaks to those inside it; a factory farm executive, a slaughterhouse worker, a theology professor and vegan activist working on plans for a model slaughterhouse and those working outside of it; a humane turkey farmer and a PETA activist.

This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate BY NAOMI KLEIN

Forget everything you think you know about global warming. It's not about carbon - it's about capitalism. Author of global bestsellers The Shock Doctrine and No Logo, Klein’s argues that while the majority of people think climate change is a threat, “we have not done the things that are necessary to lower emissions because those things fundamentally conflict with the rules of capitalism as they are currently constructed.”

the sixth extinction: an unatural history by elizabeth kolbert

Since the origin of life on earth 3.8 billion years ago, our planet has experienced five mass extinction events. The last of these events occurring 66 million years ago when a six-mile-wide asteroid collided with earth, wiping out the dinosaurs. Today, Kolbert explains that we are witnessing a similar mass extinction event happening. Elizabeth Kolbert combines brilliant field reporting, the history of ideas and the work of geologists, botanists and marine biologists to tell the gripping stories of a dozen species - including the Panamanian golden frog and the Sumatran rhino - some already gone, others at the point of vanishing.

Silent Spring BY RACHEL CARSON

Silent Spring sparked a revolutionary movement when it informed the public about the dangers of pesticides. The book was named one of the 25 greatest scientific books of all time by Discover Magazine, and helped to effect change to laws that protected our natural resources. A classic, and definitely worth a read.

SITOPIA: HOW FOOD CAN SAVE THE WORLD BY CAROLYN STEEL

I had the pleasure of meeting Carolyn when I was speaking at The Sunday Times Life Lessons back in 2020 and I was so struck by her ideas about reconfiguring our relationship with food to find better ways of living that will arrest the damage we are doing to ourselves and the Earth. She explains how low supermarket prices are hiding the costs of pollution, ecological destruction, poverty and obesity. She calls for a revelation of the true cost of food that will make industrial agriculture unaffordable and create a “virtuous cycle” in which “the market would favour foods that nurtured nature, animals and people”.

THE UNINHABITABLE EARTH: A STORY OF THE FUTURE BY DAVID WALLACE-WELLS

Feeling complacent? Then this is the book for you. The New York Times bestseller is not for the faint hearted. You know it’s bad, but Wallace-Wells wants to make sure you know how bad. Littered with terrifying facts (every return flight from London to New York costs the Arctic three square metres of ice; for every half degree of warming, societies see between a 10 and 20% increase in the likelihood of armed conflict; by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the planet’s oceans) this book expands on the original NY Times article which went viral back in 2017.

MINIMAL: HOW TO SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE AND LIVE SUSTAINABLY BY MADELEINE OLIVIA

For those struggling to know where to start (especially after reading some of the other books in this list!) my book Minimal makes simple and a sustainable lifestyle attainable for everyone, using practical tips for all areas of everyday life to reduce your impact on the earth. You’ll find helpful guides on how to declutter your life, reduce your waste and consumption, recipes for eating seasonally and making your own natural beauty and cleaning products.

CRADLE TO CRADLE: RE-MAKING THE WAY WE MAKE THINGS by michael braunghart and william mcdonough

Chemist Michael Braungart and architect William McDonough put forward a manifesto for a radically different environmental philosophy. The authors propose that instead of minimising waste, we should be striving to create value. Focusing on improving the ‘positive footprint’ in contrast to the more conventional eco-efficient approaches; reducing the ‘negative footprint’.

FASHIONOPOLIS BY DANA THOMAS

Fashion has blighted our planet. Today, one out of six people on earth work in fashion, churning out 100 billion garments a year. Yet 98% of them do not earn a living wage, and 2.1 billion tonnes of clothing is thrown away annually. The clothing industry's exploitation of impoverished communities and the environment is why I’ve moved towards slow fashion. Bestselling author and veteran journalist Dana Thomas has travelled the globe to find the answers. In Fashionopolis, she details the damage wrought by fashion's behemoths, and celebrates the visionaries - including activists, artisans, designers, and tech entrepreneurs - fighting for change.

PLANET WALKER. 22 YEARS OF WALKING. 17 YEARS OF SILENCE by john francis

When the struggle to save oil-soaked birds and restore blackened beaches left him feeling frustrated and helpless, John Francis stopped using all forms of motorized transportation. Soon after embarking on this quest that would span two decades he took a vow of silence that lasted for 17 years. It began as a silent environmental protest, but as a young African-American man but expanded beyond concern about pollution and loss of habitat to include how we humans treat each other and how we can better communicate and work together to benefit the earth.

the nature fix by florence williams

Williams travels across the world to fragrant cypress forests in Korea to meet the rangers who administer "forest healing programs," to the green hills of Scotland and its "ecotherapeutic" approach to caring for the mentally ill and to a river trip in Idaho with Iraqi vets suffering from PTSD. Williams shows how time in nature is not a luxury but is in fact essential to our humanity especially in an age focused on screens found indoors.

I hope you enjoyed what I think are 15 of the best books to read on sustainability. Remember to check out your local library first to see if they have any of the above sustainable books available to borrow. You can even request to borrow a book that the library doesn’t currently own using their online request form. If it is in print, they will consider consider buying a copy for their stock.

Think I’ve missed any? I’d love to hear your recommendations in the comments.

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