by Van Jones
First published 2008
Van Jones argues that America faces two connected crises: a failing economy and environmental destruction. The country runs almost entirely on oil, natural gas, and coal. These resources are running out. As they disappear, energy costs rise and everything becomes more expensive. Unemployment climbs and the economy stalls. Meanwhile, burning these fuels creates greenhouse gases that overheat the atmosphere and threaten climate stability. Jones rejects the idea that we can drill our way out of these problems. Instead, he presents a plan to build a green economy through invention and investment. This new economy would be powered by renewable energy and supported by a coalition rooted in ordinary people's lives. The approach would cut energy costs while creating enough jobs to revive the struggling economy. Jones positions his work as a necessary response to our current moment, comparable to how Rachel Carson's Silent Spring addressed the environmental challenges of the 1960s.
Genres: politics, environment, non-fiction, 21st-century, climate-change, activism
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: call-to-action
256 pages · Hardcover · HarperOne