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Breakpoint: Reckoning with America's Environmental Crises
An insightful look at the American environmental crisis and emerging solutions from the heartland to the coasts in the era of global climate change
“Thought-provoking, informative, and, ultimately, hopeful.”—Elizabeth Kolbert, author of The Sixth An Unnatural History
“ Breakpoint is both a stark reminder of the urgent environmental challenges facing the planet and a hopeful call to action to those in power. This is boots-on-the-ground science at its finest.”—Leonardo DiCaprio
Eminent ecologist Jeremy B. C. Jackson and award-winning journalist Steve Chapple traveled the length of the Mississippi River interviewing farmers, fishermen, scientists, and policymakers to better understand the mounting environmental problems ravaging the United States. Along their journey, which quickly expands to California, Florida, and New York, the pair uncovered surprising and profound connections between ecological systems and environmental crises across the country. Artfully weaving together independent research and engaging storytelling, Jackson and Chapple examine the looming threats from recent hurricanes and fires, industrial agriculture, river mismanagement, extreme weather events, drought, and rising sea levels that are pushing the country toward the breaking point of ecological and economic collapse.
Yet, despite these challenges, the authors provide optimistic and practical solutions for addressing these multidimensional issues to achieve greater environmental stability, human well‑being, and future economic prosperity. With a passionate call to action, they look hopefully toward emerging and achievable solutions to preserve the country’s future.
“Thought-provoking, informative, and, ultimately, hopeful.”—Elizabeth Kolbert, author of The Sixth An Unnatural History
“ Breakpoint is both a stark reminder of the urgent environmental challenges facing the planet and a hopeful call to action to those in power. This is boots-on-the-ground science at its finest.”—Leonardo DiCaprio
Eminent ecologist Jeremy B. C. Jackson and award-winning journalist Steve Chapple traveled the length of the Mississippi River interviewing farmers, fishermen, scientists, and policymakers to better understand the mounting environmental problems ravaging the United States. Along their journey, which quickly expands to California, Florida, and New York, the pair uncovered surprising and profound connections between ecological systems and environmental crises across the country. Artfully weaving together independent research and engaging storytelling, Jackson and Chapple examine the looming threats from recent hurricanes and fires, industrial agriculture, river mismanagement, extreme weather events, drought, and rising sea levels that are pushing the country toward the breaking point of ecological and economic collapse.
Yet, despite these challenges, the authors provide optimistic and practical solutions for addressing these multidimensional issues to achieve greater environmental stability, human well‑being, and future economic prosperity. With a passionate call to action, they look hopefully toward emerging and achievable solutions to preserve the country’s future.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published April 17, 2018
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158 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 6, 2018
When I was about fifteen, I read “An Appeal to the Young,” by Peter Kropotkin, the great Russian ecologist and revolutionary. His appeal was simple but powerful: whatever career path you choose, work for the people. Inclined toward science at a young age, I was moved by the view that the real power of scientific discovery involved sharing these learnings with non-scientists. I took to heart Kropotkin’s missive, “We have to order things so that all, so that the mass of mankind, may be capable of understanding and applying them; we have to make science no longer a luxury but the foundation of every man's life. This is what justice demands.”
Jeremy Jackson is one of the all too rare scientists who feels a responsibility to share what he has learned with the wider public. He is not afraid to apply his findings to public policy. Similarly, Steve Chapple has made a career of writing about science and emerging technologies for mass audiences. Together, they make the perfect team to tackle two of the most pressing issues of our time: climate change and agriculture.
In a time of fake news and ill-informed opinions, this is a book of facts. Whether you come here to learn from leading experts and story tellers or to get ammunition to support your views, you will not be disappointed. Did you know that Iowa ranks 42 out of 50 states in food production? Anyone longingly re-watching the West Wing today will know the massive acreage we are currently dedicating to corn for ethanol is driven by greed and politics rather than logic.
This is just one of several ways that the current approach to agriculture in the US is not serving our needs. We can feed more people - with healthier food. We can use less fertilizer - and stop fueling the dead zones that are taking over the Gulf of Mexico, Chesapeake Bay, and elsewhere. We can still turn crops into fuel, but more efficiently – and in ways that improve soil and enhance biodiversity rather than relying on destructive monocultures of corn or soy.
Most surprising to me was the section on the impact of factory farming on our drinking water. Especially in the Midwestern bread basket states, our reliance on high nutrient fertilizers and pesticides like Monsanto’s Roundup are causing unsafe levels of glyphosate and cyanobacteria in lakes and reservoirs across the heartland. The authors explain how this rapidly emerging but rarely discussed crisis can be solved through techniques that are proven, well-researched, and economical.
Jackson and Chapple showcase the human face of the American environmental crisis, traveling to Iowa, Florida and Louisiana to meet the people who represent the vanguard in providing the solutions that we urgently need to replicate and take to scale. You will remember the farmers, scientists and renewable energy pioneers long after you have forgotten the number of tons of pesticide sprayed on our crops. Above all, you will be left with a sense of optimism from the understanding that while the problems we face are serious indeed, the solutions are there for the taking.
Jeremy Jackson is one of the all too rare scientists who feels a responsibility to share what he has learned with the wider public. He is not afraid to apply his findings to public policy. Similarly, Steve Chapple has made a career of writing about science and emerging technologies for mass audiences. Together, they make the perfect team to tackle two of the most pressing issues of our time: climate change and agriculture.
In a time of fake news and ill-informed opinions, this is a book of facts. Whether you come here to learn from leading experts and story tellers or to get ammunition to support your views, you will not be disappointed. Did you know that Iowa ranks 42 out of 50 states in food production? Anyone longingly re-watching the West Wing today will know the massive acreage we are currently dedicating to corn for ethanol is driven by greed and politics rather than logic.
This is just one of several ways that the current approach to agriculture in the US is not serving our needs. We can feed more people - with healthier food. We can use less fertilizer - and stop fueling the dead zones that are taking over the Gulf of Mexico, Chesapeake Bay, and elsewhere. We can still turn crops into fuel, but more efficiently – and in ways that improve soil and enhance biodiversity rather than relying on destructive monocultures of corn or soy.
Most surprising to me was the section on the impact of factory farming on our drinking water. Especially in the Midwestern bread basket states, our reliance on high nutrient fertilizers and pesticides like Monsanto’s Roundup are causing unsafe levels of glyphosate and cyanobacteria in lakes and reservoirs across the heartland. The authors explain how this rapidly emerging but rarely discussed crisis can be solved through techniques that are proven, well-researched, and economical.
Jackson and Chapple showcase the human face of the American environmental crisis, traveling to Iowa, Florida and Louisiana to meet the people who represent the vanguard in providing the solutions that we urgently need to replicate and take to scale. You will remember the farmers, scientists and renewable energy pioneers long after you have forgotten the number of tons of pesticide sprayed on our crops. Above all, you will be left with a sense of optimism from the understanding that while the problems we face are serious indeed, the solutions are there for the taking.
July 22, 2019
Overall, this book is very informative and provides tons of factual evidence. It covers significant environmental issues we are currently facing in the United States. Topics covered in this book include oil spills, overuse of fertilizers, GMO's, organic crops, biodiversity, climate change, sea level rise, water conversation, food waste, health issues, and much more. It does a great job of tying in all these topics to paint the big picture of a slow but steady decline in the health of our environment. However, one topic not discussed is the problem with plastic waste.
In terms of bias, most points are discussed from both views points. For example, the book identifies GMO's not only as of the root of all evil but as being an advantage in agriculture practices. Such as when DNA technology is used to produce a crop that increases in production without the increased use of pesticides, fertilizer, and water usage.
I found that in part II titled "Coast," there was a lot more storytelling than actual data and facts. It focused more on describing Louisiana culture and the people that were interviewed. However, the authors do address that there is no clear cut solution to the restoration and prevention of coastal loss. Some of the problems discussed in this section include coastal erosion, the dead zone, sinking coastline, and sea level rise. The authors suggest that there is a lack of scientific objectives in Louisiana's Coastal Master Plan. They referred to the plan as a Band-Aid and stated that "Bad engineer-think and politics trumped ecology and common sense" on page 109.
From a biology/environmental science teacher perspective, it is an excellent resource for lesson planning or can be a reading assignment. There are tons of scientific terms and resources listed in this book. I will be using this book to when teaching the food web, food chain, biodiversity, global warming, and human impact on our environment. "Nature does not strike humans. Humans first strike nature." pg. 106
In terms of bias, most points are discussed from both views points. For example, the book identifies GMO's not only as of the root of all evil but as being an advantage in agriculture practices. Such as when DNA technology is used to produce a crop that increases in production without the increased use of pesticides, fertilizer, and water usage.
I found that in part II titled "Coast," there was a lot more storytelling than actual data and facts. It focused more on describing Louisiana culture and the people that were interviewed. However, the authors do address that there is no clear cut solution to the restoration and prevention of coastal loss. Some of the problems discussed in this section include coastal erosion, the dead zone, sinking coastline, and sea level rise. The authors suggest that there is a lack of scientific objectives in Louisiana's Coastal Master Plan. They referred to the plan as a Band-Aid and stated that "Bad engineer-think and politics trumped ecology and common sense" on page 109.
From a biology/environmental science teacher perspective, it is an excellent resource for lesson planning or can be a reading assignment. There are tons of scientific terms and resources listed in this book. I will be using this book to when teaching the food web, food chain, biodiversity, global warming, and human impact on our environment. "Nature does not strike humans. Humans first strike nature." pg. 106
April 20, 2018
“Moving, poignant, and timely, Breakpoint is both a stark reminder of the urgent environmental challenges facing the planet and a hopeful call to action to those in power. This is boots-on-the-ground science at its finest."—Leonardo DiCaprio
"Jeremy Jackson and Steve Chapple travel from Iowa to Louisiana to investigate the connections among some of America's greatest environmental problems—climate change, ocean "dead zones," wetland destruction, and groundwater contamination. The result is at once thought-provoking, informative, and, ultimately, hopeful."—Elizabeth Kolbert, author of The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History
“Breakpoint is a stunning book of ecological anthropology from consummate storytellers. The human narratives they bring to light allow us to understand and appreciate how America farmed, drilled, degraded, and overheated the land of the free and the home of the brave. It is fair, compelling, and heartbreaking, as good as anything written by Margaret Mead or Claude Levi Strauss."—Paul Hawken, author of Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming
“Breakpoint contains important data for today’s policy-makers. Those who have heard Jeremy Jackson discuss his research at the Naval War College will understand the need to adapt quickly to the multitude of conditions changing all around us. Those who use the science to adapt will be the winners.”—Vice Admiral, USN (ret) James P. Wisecup, former director, CNO Strategic Studies Group
“In a firsthand tour de force, the Jackson and Chapple tag team reveals how America’s environmental challenges and solutions are deeply enmeshed with our daily lives. Breakpoint transforms required reading into a page turner.”—Thomas E. Lovejoy, George Mason University
"Jeremy Jackson and Steve Chapple travel from Iowa to Louisiana to investigate the connections among some of America's greatest environmental problems—climate change, ocean "dead zones," wetland destruction, and groundwater contamination. The result is at once thought-provoking, informative, and, ultimately, hopeful."—Elizabeth Kolbert, author of The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History
“Breakpoint is a stunning book of ecological anthropology from consummate storytellers. The human narratives they bring to light allow us to understand and appreciate how America farmed, drilled, degraded, and overheated the land of the free and the home of the brave. It is fair, compelling, and heartbreaking, as good as anything written by Margaret Mead or Claude Levi Strauss."—Paul Hawken, author of Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming
“Breakpoint contains important data for today’s policy-makers. Those who have heard Jeremy Jackson discuss his research at the Naval War College will understand the need to adapt quickly to the multitude of conditions changing all around us. Those who use the science to adapt will be the winners.”—Vice Admiral, USN (ret) James P. Wisecup, former director, CNO Strategic Studies Group
“In a firsthand tour de force, the Jackson and Chapple tag team reveals how America’s environmental challenges and solutions are deeply enmeshed with our daily lives. Breakpoint transforms required reading into a page turner.”—Thomas E. Lovejoy, George Mason University
January 25, 2025
This book is full of great ideas of ways that we could use to improve the ecological health of our world. This book is written by scientists who understand the crises facing the public today.
August 22, 2022
One of the smartest climate books I’ve ever read: concrete in its descriptions, solutions-oriented, technical without being too boring or dense (with a few exceptions). I’m surprised at how under the radar this book has flown.
Written by a tag team of a PhD professor and one of former his students with a background in journalism, Breakpoint represents that excellent blend of systems analysis and story-telling that makes a book perfect for truly grasping and internalizing complex issues. Breakpoint’s focuses on the environmental crises facing America, but rather than simply adding to the pile of literature on carbon emissions, it hones in on much more specific fronts of the broader conflict, such as drought and water usage in the West, or over-fertilization of farmlands in the Midwest and the resulting poisoning of drinking water in cities all the way down the Mississippi or of the marshlands in the Louisiana Delta. Everywhere the authors look, they find new detail to contribute to the broader picture, and they shed light on overlooked problems and under-utilized solutions.
I had no idea, for example, that the soil underneath Iowa was connected by half a million miles of pipes designed to drain the fields of water for corn and soy growth, but additionally draining excess nitrate and phosphorus right into the Mississippi watershed. This issue of nutrient overload has created a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico where fish and clams have suffocated after oxygen was crowded out of the water. All this enabled by a loophole in the Clean Water Act that regulates runoff from point source polluters like factories but not from nonpoint source polluters like farms; further enabled still by our government’s cowardice in failing to regulate/ban the carcinogenic pesticide Roundup altogether, and failing to enforce the precautionary principle, bc high would require manufacturers to prove chemicals are safe before selling them.
A sad reality the book lays bare is that we are too late to prevent a great deal of loss. Due to sea level rise, Miami and New Orleans and much of the Gulf Coast will be underwater by century’s end — sooner still, God forbid, if there is a direct hit by a major hurricane. There is almost nothing we can do to stop that. But it’s not too late for New York City and other major localities, and it’s also not too late to start sensible and ethical relocation plans for those places we’ll have to abandon.
Too much water in some places, too little in others — the whole book is an expose on the terrible inequalities of climate change. The American southwest is experiencing severe drought, and by 2050, the droughts will be even more extreme than historical droughts that have caused the collapses of early American civilizations. Yet we build new resorts and golf courses in the desert because….?
None of this makes any sense given the number of already-existing solutions at hand and identified by the authors. Organic farming and vertical farming can drastically reduce agricultural usage of water and pesticides. They can also localize farming, cutting out fuel-guzzling shipping distances and immense amounts of food waste (2 out of every 3 fruits and vegetables in the US are never eaten!!). Storm surge barriers can better keep water out where we don’t want it, and water capture systems can better keep water in where we need it. Federal funds can be freed up for coastal preservation and restoration, as well as the many many initiatives needed to decarbonize our energy infrastructure. The simple reality is this: climate change will radically reshape the complexion of this country by century’s end, and the sooner we invest in the future, the better off we’ll be.
This book was only 200 pages, but it was absolutely jam-packed with visual descriptions to help the reader understand the problems and concrete solutions to help us address them. Excellent, excellent, excellent. Five stars.
Written by a tag team of a PhD professor and one of former his students with a background in journalism, Breakpoint represents that excellent blend of systems analysis and story-telling that makes a book perfect for truly grasping and internalizing complex issues. Breakpoint’s focuses on the environmental crises facing America, but rather than simply adding to the pile of literature on carbon emissions, it hones in on much more specific fronts of the broader conflict, such as drought and water usage in the West, or over-fertilization of farmlands in the Midwest and the resulting poisoning of drinking water in cities all the way down the Mississippi or of the marshlands in the Louisiana Delta. Everywhere the authors look, they find new detail to contribute to the broader picture, and they shed light on overlooked problems and under-utilized solutions.
I had no idea, for example, that the soil underneath Iowa was connected by half a million miles of pipes designed to drain the fields of water for corn and soy growth, but additionally draining excess nitrate and phosphorus right into the Mississippi watershed. This issue of nutrient overload has created a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico where fish and clams have suffocated after oxygen was crowded out of the water. All this enabled by a loophole in the Clean Water Act that regulates runoff from point source polluters like factories but not from nonpoint source polluters like farms; further enabled still by our government’s cowardice in failing to regulate/ban the carcinogenic pesticide Roundup altogether, and failing to enforce the precautionary principle, bc high would require manufacturers to prove chemicals are safe before selling them.
A sad reality the book lays bare is that we are too late to prevent a great deal of loss. Due to sea level rise, Miami and New Orleans and much of the Gulf Coast will be underwater by century’s end — sooner still, God forbid, if there is a direct hit by a major hurricane. There is almost nothing we can do to stop that. But it’s not too late for New York City and other major localities, and it’s also not too late to start sensible and ethical relocation plans for those places we’ll have to abandon.
Too much water in some places, too little in others — the whole book is an expose on the terrible inequalities of climate change. The American southwest is experiencing severe drought, and by 2050, the droughts will be even more extreme than historical droughts that have caused the collapses of early American civilizations. Yet we build new resorts and golf courses in the desert because….?
None of this makes any sense given the number of already-existing solutions at hand and identified by the authors. Organic farming and vertical farming can drastically reduce agricultural usage of water and pesticides. They can also localize farming, cutting out fuel-guzzling shipping distances and immense amounts of food waste (2 out of every 3 fruits and vegetables in the US are never eaten!!). Storm surge barriers can better keep water out where we don’t want it, and water capture systems can better keep water in where we need it. Federal funds can be freed up for coastal preservation and restoration, as well as the many many initiatives needed to decarbonize our energy infrastructure. The simple reality is this: climate change will radically reshape the complexion of this country by century’s end, and the sooner we invest in the future, the better off we’ll be.
This book was only 200 pages, but it was absolutely jam-packed with visual descriptions to help the reader understand the problems and concrete solutions to help us address them. Excellent, excellent, excellent. Five stars.
March 5, 2019
An excellent overview of how America's environmental crises are interconnected, the likely results of "business-as-usual" and what it would take to address the problems.
The authors write, "It would help enormously if people stopped to look at the record and the predictive power of the science of global warming versus the lies and obfuscations of the climate deniers. Over the past several years, the scientists are batting close to one thousand." [p.199]
They place the blame for such obfuscations right where it belongs: "The only thing holding us back is the concerted right-wing war on science, facts, knowledge and common sense. The far Right has distorted free-market capitalism because what they've created with their subsidies and special privileges isn't free-market at all. It's outlaw activity in a rigged system." [p.203]
The authors write, "It would help enormously if people stopped to look at the record and the predictive power of the science of global warming versus the lies and obfuscations of the climate deniers. Over the past several years, the scientists are batting close to one thousand." [p.199]
They place the blame for such obfuscations right where it belongs: "The only thing holding us back is the concerted right-wing war on science, facts, knowledge and common sense. The far Right has distorted free-market capitalism because what they've created with their subsidies and special privileges isn't free-market at all. It's outlaw activity in a rigged system." [p.203]
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February 26, 2021fascinating tour investigating people and connections with ecological systems - also copious notes - a take-away on "natural variability" - "The natural variability thing is what the Dark Side of the Force will say about anything until you prove otherwise."
June 28, 2018
Those on the Pulitzer Prize selection committee for non fiction can take the rest of the year off. You have your winner.
March 21, 2021
Excellent book with great insight and data that will, and should, make a believer out of anyone who thinks we should not be worried about climate change and the environment.
Having had the pleasure of meeting and spending time with Jeremy, his insight and conclusions are welcome and are something we should all take seriously.
Having had the pleasure of meeting and spending time with Jeremy, his insight and conclusions are welcome and are something we should all take seriously.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews