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Climate Change Reading and Action Guide: Introduction

Introduction

Photo by Jeremy Bezanger on Unsplash

Climate change is now altering the way we live and work everyday. Droughts, wildfires, extreme temperatures, and flooding rains are now more commonplace, affecting the infrastructures that we rely on for food, transportation, housing, and more.

But people of color and low-income communities are most acutely affected. Systemic racism and colonialism has resulted in disproportionate power structures where those who are bearing the heaviest burden of climate change are also denied the means to adapt to it.  

While much of the damage to our ecosystems and animal species is now permanent and irreversible, there is still time to preserve a rich array of natural resources to ensure clean drinking water, soil for growing food, and trees to provide shade. 

As you will see from the books in this guide, there is no single fix to climate change. It will take the conservation efforts of individuals, advocacy organizations, corporations, and especially governments to right the ship. But it can be done. Read on about how climate change became a problem and what you can do to be part of the solution. 

About

Guide editor:

  Amy Harrell, Head, Collections Strategy and Discovery. Please contact me with any suggestions for this guide!

 

 

 

Books

The following books are all available as either print or ebooks at Trinity College, Wesleyan University, or Connecticut College. 

Overviews

Environmental Justice

Solutions

Our relationship to the Envionment

Fiction

Other resources

Video and Documentaries

Global Environmental Justice Collection A collection of environmental documentaries focused on telling the stories of marginalized communities from Asia and North America.

 
Documentarian John Chester and his wife Molly work to develop a sustainable farm on 200 acres outside of Los Angeles.


Mammoth corporations have taken over all aspects of the food chain in the United States, from the farms where our food is grown to the chain restaurants and supermarkets where it's sold. 


As climate change erases the Louisiana coast, the last two teenagers on Isle de Jean Charles fight to stay on an island that's been their family home for generations.

Awake art

A record of the massive peaceful resistance led by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to the Dakota Access Pipeline through their land and underneath the Missouri River.

Take action

Find & contact your lawmakers

Holding lawmakers accountable for their actions is critical in the fight against climate change. As a voter you have power, and you can use it much more often than just on election day.

  • If you don't already know, find out who represents you at both the State and Federal levels of goverment at Openstates.org.
  • Visit the CT General Assembly website at https://cga.ct.gov/ to review what your state lawmakers have been working on in Connecticut. 
  • Contact your lawmakers with an email or phone call, or visit them in person to let them know you care about the environment and clean resources for all. Read this short post for tips on how to communicate and why you have power

Join an Advocacy Group

Advocacy groups harness grassroots people power to create change. Find one that is right for you and sign up to volunteer!

Sunrise logo
CTLCV logo
Sierra Club logo
CT Coalition for EJ logo
  • Clean Water Action
    Clean Water Action works at federal and state level to lobby advocate for the environment, health, economic well-being and community quality of life. 
Citizens Campagin for the Env logo
  • Citizens Campaign for the Environment
    Advocates at the State level in Connecticut and New York, while helping citizens increase their influence and participation in important environmental campaigns.