Climate Solutions: What Works, What Doesn't and Why is a citizen’s guide through the maze of jargon being tossed around by officials and media, a wonderful attempt by author Peter Barnes to provide individuals with the knowledge to understand what is being said and what they may be asked to vote on in the future. The foreword by Bill McKibben is a must-read section of the book.

I have personally been involved in environmental movements through many avenues, including membership in organizations like the Recycling Council of BC and co-authoring the internationally published column and book Trash Talk, among other activities. As such, I have read many materials, reports and articles, but there has never been anything that has had such clear descriptions and comparisons of initiatives being considered by our governments today.

As we all know, our planet is facing dramatic changes, and we are being forced to adapt our ways at an alarming rate – which is difficult because as a species, humans have resisted change whenever they could. This guide helps us understand how we can look at reducing our contributions to the planet’s environmental changes as a society and how each initiative affects the individual, governments, and industry.

Peter Barnes has had a long career as an entrepreneur, co-founder of a solar energy company, author of five published environmental and policy books, and freelance writer. His other published books include Who Owns the Sky, Capitalism 3.0 – A Guide to Reclaiming the Commons, The People’s Land, and Pawns: The Plight of the Citizen-Soldier.

Climate Solutions is published by Chelsea Green Publishing, who have a longstanding history of publishing environmental and conscious-living books. As a business, they make every effort to reduce the impact they have on the environment. Their books and catalogs are published on chlorine-free recycled paper, using soy-based inks whenever possible. Kudos to Chelsea Green Publishing!

Climate Solutions will benefit anyone who wants to play an active role in environmental policy making. While the book’s content is serious, the author lays it out in an easy-to-read format within only 96 pages. Despite the limitations the size may have imposed on the author, Barnes is still able to include a helpful table of contents, list of resources and a glossary as well.