Do Earth: Healing strategies for humankind.

by Tamsin Omond

We know there’s a climate emergency but what does that mean we should do? What does a ‘better future’ look like and how do we get there? Having spent over a decade on the frontlines of climate activism ― organising, campaigning, and holding the powerful to account ― Tamsin Omond discovered first-hand that this crisis is too big for one group of activists to solve. It needs everyone. Do Earth is about collective action and community engagement. It’s about healing our relationships with nature, each other
and ourselves; and feeling inspired about what the next phase of human evolution might be. With practical guidance and gentle encouragement, Do Earth provides a blueprint for reimagining the world and reviving our beautiful planet.

Genres: Nonfiction, Environment, Nature, Climate Change

136 pages, Paperback

Published October 12, 2021

Reviews

[Ramu Vairavan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am happy to read and review this (entirely unplanned) on Earth Day, 22 Apr '22. This is a doer's handbook designed with style that advocates making better personal choices, engaging in community efforts, and reconnecting with nature.

I discovered this is part of a series of more than 30 pocket guides by The Do Book Co that is affiliated with an annual event called Do Lectures. Those lectures are delivered by experts from a diverse range of fields. Select lecturers are invited to expand their 20min talk into a 20k-word book to inspire action in a wider audience.

This book is written by one such authority and changemaker, Tamsin Omond, who is one of the founders of Extinction Rebellion. I found their writing to be gentle yet indelible.

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feels good when you’re feeling down about the big issues and questions in life. I love being vegan even more now.

[Jemima Peacock · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprise in the post from my monthly subscription to Adventurous’s Ink. This is a fairly positive look at the way humans live with nature and the small things we can do to reduce our negative impact on the future of our planet. It is also a book about mindfulness, the importance of our community and the deep routed connection between all things nature including humans. It’s a small, hands on practical guide and I can see it being of great significance to lots of people. I will be passing it to my children to read too. However, I found it a little basic, perhaps because I am a deep thinker, I practice mindfulness and a community leader, but I wanted more. That said if everyone followed the guidelines in this book the world would be a better place to live.... I live in hope.

[Wilma Blanking · Rating 3 out of 5]

Motivating, hope-bringing

[Joshua Stehr · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Inspire people with harmony rather than martyrdom. Committing to taking action should never feel like giving ourselves a hard time."

In these lines, you can see the compassion Tasmin has learned to give themselves, and the solace, resilience and healing they've found in community organizing.

This book was validating in terms of the personal lifestyle changes I've recently made - so the first section didn't teach anything groundbreaking, but it doesn't have to be. The real value was from Tasmin's wisdom in fostering community. They lay out some clear and accessible steps for engaging your neighbourhood into action - a good reminder that activism isn't all protests and getting arrested (which they've done their fair share of), but mostly it's just speaking and listening to people. While you may come for climate action, you stay and persist because of the connections you gain by engaging others - something perhaps even more transformational, considering the loneliness pandemic, especially in big cities.

You can hear Tasmin's warmth come through in their writing - reading this was like speaking with a friend, and one of the first climate action / environmentalism books I couldn't put down. Took 2 days to read it.

5 stars would have been given if I could learn more from how Tasmin connects with strangers, especially when you're new to a place. Having moved to Berlin from the UK, I still struggle to connect with local people partly down the language barrier, partly because I lack the grounding and context of the place. There are many people who I think would benefit from advice on this topic. There's a growing trend of people in "climate activism" who tend to find it easier to just start their own communes, external to society, avoiding the need to lift up the communities that already live there. I think this is a shame, and a wasted opportunity to build a better society inclusively rather than separately. Tasmin talks a bit about finding existing communities instead of reinventing the wheel, I'd like to see her expand a bit more on this.

[Sim C · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunningly simple and practical guide in how to do what you can in the climate crisis to help create a better future for all. It's eloquently read and written by the author in easy-to-understand, encouraging language, with practical suggestions in each section, for example, ways how to connect with the people in your community to take realistic action or and make the world a better place or how to look after your own mental health while looking after the planet. It's not preachy, it's inspiring, which is a fine line to walk when talking about this subject, but Tamsin hits the spot every time, with compassion, enthusiasm, and skill. Thank you! This is the book we really ought to be reading and sharing with all our friends.

[James Tidd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tamsin Omond guides the reader on healing strategies for humankind in Do Earth, which is one of a series of books with Do at the beginning of the title.

Lent to me by a friend, I thought it would just be another boring book on a subject that the author thinks they know about, but in reality, they haven't got a clue. But Tamsin is one who knows what they (Tamsin is referred to in the book as they) are talking about. In three parts, Omond talks about Self, Community, and Earth.

[Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

A digestible piece on the climate crisis, equally provoking and hopeful, exactly what we must be to overcome the challenges we are and will face due to global warming. It is more specific to the authors experiences and therefore may be a little alienating to some readers but it felt personal and made causes and actions easier to connect with.

[J.J. Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. Grounded and inspiring, it centres thoughtful, realistic action rooted in community and collaboration. It captures the scale and severity of the climate crisis without eliciting despair, instead, laying out hope and joy in the opportunities we have to take action. A balm for climate anxiety.

[Luca Momigliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, it's a great general guide towards a sustainable and pleasurable type of activism (which is probably the most effective over the long-term).

What I didn't like so much were some of the tips for changing individual behaviour, I simply would have chosen different ones. But as Tamsin mentions, the tips are not the point of the book.

[Juan Carlos Szhz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cita favorita: "lo que hacemos es más importante que lo que decimos".

Reseña: me costó muchísimo trabajo terminar este libro, no por su cantidad sino por su mala calidad. Si hay algo que odio de los libros es cuando su mensaje trata de educar al lector desde una perspectiva unilateral, sin datos o evidencias y anteponiendo las opiniones con un sesgo totalitario.

[Olivia Violet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was magnificent.

In the beginning it was shocking and frightening but then turned to hope and lots more insight than I could have imagine.

I urge that everyone should atleast read this once in they're lifetime.

Especially the people who don't believe climate change is real.🙄

[Michelle Fraser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, such lovely words and so important for everyone to read right now. Explains how to help the planet without overwhelming and makes it seem possible for anyone to make a difference.

[Danielle Renaud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book that I will definitely be coming back to in the future.

[Roisin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some useful information about community initiative and helpful that it is a small book if people are short on time. A bit city centric - writer based in London.

[Mrs L Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy book to read without ramming down your throat. Doable ideas which is an important thing.

[Stephen Saint · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent primer for those unsure of how to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises. It inspires hope and, more importantly, action.

[Damián Moreno · Rating 3 out of 5]

No conocía lo de los micelios de debajo de la tierra y me he quedado un poco loco.

[kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book is a guide for climate activism/theory beginners bc the theories explored are pretty basic and i found it very repetitive especially on the community part
however i did learn some stuff from the community creating part so that was nice