The Environmentalist's Dilemma: Promise and Peril in an Age of Climate Crisis

by Arno Kopecky

Honorable Award Mention, The Rachel Carson Environment Book Award “Timely and relevant, this offers plenty to think about.” ― Publishers Weekly From the winner of the 2014 Edna Staebler Award comes a lively, intelligent and nuanced discussion of climate change ― a hopeful take on how to live knowing disaster is imminent A compelling inquiry into our relationship with humanity’s latest and greatest calamity In The Environmentalist’s Dilemma , award-winning journalist Arno Kopecky zeroes in on the core predicament of our the planet may be dying, but humanity’s doing better than ever. To acknowledge both sides of this paradox is to enter a realm of difficult Should we take down the government, or try to change it from the inside? Is it okay to compare climate change to Hitler? Is hope naive or indispensable? How do you tackle collective delusion? Should we still have kids? And can we take them to Disneyland? Inquisitive and relatable, Kopecky strikes a rare note of optimistic realism as he guides us through the moral minefields of our polarized world. From start to finish, The Environmentalist’s Dilemma returns to the central How should we engage with the story of our times?

Genres: Nonfiction, Environment, Science

264 pages, Paperback

Published October 19, 2021

Reviews

[GONZA · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very interesting and for once did not try to lead the reader to one side or the other. The title, however, is misleading because I was convinced that it was an essay all about climate change, but instead it should be read from the perspective of an author who has not yet decided/understood how to read the present in front of him, based on the past that preceded it. Definitely a lot of food for thought.

Questo libro é stato molto interessante e per una volta non cercava di portare il lettore verso una o l'altra parte, come dire. Il titolo comunque é fuorviante perché ero convinta che fosse un saggio tutto centrato sul cambiamento climatico, ma invece va piú letto nell'ottica di un autore che ancora non ha deciso/capito come leggere il presente che gli sta davanti, basandosi sul passato che lo ha preceduto. Decisamente molti spunti di riflessione.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

[Enid Wray]

I have now listened to the first 2:30 of this - up to the end of Chapter 4. I still have another 7 hours to go - and I am choosing to bail on this.

I get the role of consumerism, capitalism, incremental loss, failing to heed traditional knowledge. shifting baselines, incremental change, and a general dissonance… and I get the role of language and the importance of discourse - especially deniers, fake news and alternative facts - and that nothing happens in isolation. I understand the over-arching approach that the author is taking…

But the author spends far too much time lost in the weeds - so far away from any direct connection to climate change or environmental anything - that your ‘everyday’ reader is not going to stick with it. This book is preaching to the choir… it is too long and convoluted to appeal to any other audience… and these days, in these times, I’m looking for titles that I can recommend that will change people’s minds.

I expect that I might feel more ‘friendly’ towards this title had I not just finished reading Still Hopeful, by Maude Barlow - also recently published by ECW Press - right before diving into this title. Kopecky is taking us into similar waters as Barlow takes us - indeed, he even makes mention of HOPE!! (and as I look at the synopsis for the book here as I go to post - I note that the publisher refers to this as ‘a hopeful take’…). His approach is quite different however… and personally, I much preferred Barlow's approach to this one.

Having said that, given that this is a series of discrete essays, I will keep a copy handy and, when my TBR pile is not otherwise nagging at me… I’ll try to finish them, slowly, one at a time. Perhaps part of my difficulty is in trying to consume this in its entirety? Maybe it just needs to be consumed more slowly… matching the ‘velocity’ of change in the natural world?

[Chantal Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 stars)
'The Environmentalist's Dilemma' is a sensitively and passionately written collection of essays, reminiscent of writers I'm more familiar with such as Naomi Klein and Jonathan Safran Froer. Kopecky has a flair for words, and the great knack of really hitting the bullseye without his arguments ever becoming trite or anodyne (except perhaps for the section on population - he talks about women in developed countries voluntarily deciding to have fewer or no children, without any acknowledgement of the very real economic drivers playing a role in this). Now, I usually prefer audiobooks narrated by the author, but I think the narrator in this case did a great job - it felt truly authentic.

Like Klein, Kopecky is British Columbia-based, and many of his reference points and settings are found in Canada. From Vancouver's branch of Extinction Rebellion, to oil politics in Alberta. Nonetheless, as a British listener, I learned and gained much.

The personal element of the book enriched it too. The first essay begins with the author describing the experience of taking his young daughter to Disneyland, and the environmentalist's dilemma involved in this. Later on, he explores his immigrant parents' histories, the impact of Nazi Germany on his life, and what can be learned from this in the fight for humanity as climate breakdown looms.

In summary, the best audiobook I've listened to in a long time.

(With thanks to ECW Press Audio and NetGalley for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review)

[Mortimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a deceptively long time to finish this book. In reality, I finished it in three or four sittings, but I put it down for a very long time before the last sitting—it's not the type of book you can read at any time or in any physical/mental state. It is very engaging, but extremely heavy (though not without humour).

I appreciated the very broad spectrum approach, and the provision of information and history that many people already 'in the field' might consider common knowledge and not worth explaining. The author is also very honest, including acknowledging his own hypocrisies and struggles etc., which is much more relatable than hearing a sermon from an eco-saint.

It's a book that captures the passion, confusion, hopes, outrage, tiredness, tirelessness, anxiety, optimism, and listless apathy that seem to be simultaneously inherent in a mind trying to live in this age of the world.

Unlike many sources of information, which leave one feeling utterly helpless, or angry, or depressed, or delusionally hopeful, I come away from the book feeling like I had a good, deep, important conversation with someone. It doesn't solve the dilemma, but it certainly allows one to begin to face it.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

when I first started this book and was reading the part about environmental Justice, I was convinced this was going to be a 5/5 book. and then the next chapter happened, which had a lot about protesting in a way I did not vibe with, and it went slowly downhill from there.

the author and I definitely don’t see eye-to-eye on some political matters, which would be perfectly fine in terms of my rating if it was still a book that I felt taught me a lot, but… a lot of this book was his own musings, which I honestly don’t think brought anything to the table. I found the straight up reporting aspects fascinating, such as the movements of the extinction rebellion, or when I learned about Canadian politics that I knew nothing about, but the focus of the book felt like it was on his own thoughts on the matter, and I honestly didn’t feel like they did anything.

I don’t think it’s a bad book by any means, and like I said the straight up reporting part was interesting, but I honestly don’t think I got anything out of this one.

[Gemini · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is packed w/ all kinds of issues aside from the climate crisis, the title should be changed to note that. The way the author writes in an intersectional way about the various systemic problems that we face as a human race & demise of our only livable planet. This book just hits so many great points that will most likely surprise you yet are also super important. Since the author is Canadian there is a difference on how things play out there vs. the US or other countries. The fact that he explains all the various issues we face globally & how they're intertwined is really impressive. So much to this book aside from climate which is critical in making the world better.

[Alysha Voigt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was intrigued because the title and back cover led me to believe this book would be philosophical arguments about the impacts of the choices we make every day. It turned out to be anything but. The author has a strong distaste for Trump (I don’t disagree with anything the author said, but he lays it on very thick and frequently). The longest chapter in the book follows the activist group XR (Extinction Rebellion) and various people who are associated with it. He chronicles a few politicians, talks about WWII Germany, and throws some personal stories into the mix. I ended up skimming several sections as a result.

[Arwinder Kaur · Rating 5 out of 5]

great read informative and timely.

Thank you for taking on relevant issues of our current time. The author did so with honesty humility and balance. The paradox of trying your best to do the right thing in an ocean of wrong is truly challenging. Especially to us, the ones willing to
care. Highly recommend this book.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging, humorous and knowledgeable discussion of the history and difficulties we continue to face in addressing climate change and other interconnected big issues affecting the world as a whole. Informative, enlightening and brought to life with a personal touch from a Canadian perspective.

[Tatjana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Important topic. I loved the depth of research and historic context.

[Carol-ann Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The environmentalists dilemma was an interesting, at times humourous and educational book.

I am someone who thinks alot about the environment and tries to do the best I can with caring for it. As I was reading this book I felt my thoughts were aligned with the author.
This book takes us through the dilemmas many of us face: should we have children? If so is more than one too much?; Should we limit how much we travel? But is limiting it making any difference? ; Should we protest climate change? Or are some of these protests causing more damage than good?

As the author is Canadian there were a lot of topics that were specific to his country which I didn't understand or know about. However, as a reader this is more educational than anything else. I think if you are Canadian/ familiar with Canadian politics you'll enjoy it even more.

The narrator did a brilliant job with this audiobook that I hadn't even realised it wasn't the author.

[John Newton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I disagree with the author’s politics, I greatly enjoyed reading his series of wide-ranging, candid, often personal and occasionally humorous reflections on the climate crisis. Ranging from a family trip to Disneyland to participation in Extinction Rebellion and with interviews with politicians and environmental experts, the author underscores both the complexity and the urgency of the critical situation in which we currently find ourselves on planet earth.