NOAA Planet Stewards
Book Club Archives

1. The Impact of Setting: If you didn’t know when this story took place, what year would you guess, and what evidence do you have for thinking that? How was the setting of the story, the community where the story took place, different from your community in early 2001? How does the luck of where you were born give you advantages or disadvantages?

2. The Power of Education: How does the film portray the importance of education, especially in developing countries? What role does education play in empowering individuals and communities? What role does/should the government have in supporting education?

3. The Role of Family: How do William’s parents and siblings support him, and what obstacles do they face together? What role did their beliefs and traditions play in shaping his path?

4. The Power of Community: What role does the community play in supporting William's endeavors? How does their involvement contribute to the success of the windmill project?

5. Innovation and Adaptation: How did William adapt existing technologies to create a solution to his community's problems? What does this say about the importance of innovation and adaptability in addressing challenges?

6. The Importance of Mentorship: What role did William's teachers play in his development? What does this say about the importance of fostering imagination in young people? How important is mentorship in fostering young people's potential?

7. Climate Change and Sustainability: How does the film address the issue of climate change and the need for sustainable solutions? How does the film highlight the devastating effects of climate change on rural communities in Malawi? What are the consequences of drought and famine on the people? What message does it convey about the importance of environmental stewardship?

8. The Challenges of Technology: What obstacles does William face in implementing the windmill technology? How does he overcome these challenges and adapt to the limitations of his resources?

9. Social Justice and Equality: How does the film address issues of social justice and inequality? What can be done to create a more equitable world for all?

10. The Impact of the Windmill: How does the windmill change the lives of the people in William's community? What are the long-term benefits of the project?

11. Hope and Resilience: Despite facing numerous setbacks, William never gave up on his dream. How did he overcome these challenges, and what lessons can we learn from his resilience? How does the film inspire hope and perseverance in the face of adversity? How does the film offer a message of hope for the future, particularly in the face of global challenges like climate change and poverty?

12. Comparing the Book and the Film: How did the film emphasize or downplay certain themes present in the book? Were there any themes that were more prominent in the film or novel? How did these thematic differences affect your interpretation of the story?

1. What does Aja Barber see as the connection between skin color and the fashion industry?

2. What connection does she make with colonialism? In what ways do you agree or disagree with her?

3. Can you offer a definition for colonialism that the author would agree with? Do you see it differently than she does, and if so, how?

4. How did the book make you feel? Might there be a connection to how you feel and see yourself (skin color, majority, minority, economic status, gender, etc.)?

5. Who does the fashion industry benefit? How? Is this system of hyper-consumption benefitting our world in any way?

6. How has the system of hyper-consumption hurt our planet and humankind?

7. What is the connection between climate change and consumerism?

8. What suggestions are offered to make the fashion industry more fair, just, and sustainable?

9. Are you in any way associated/connected with the fashion industry? If so, do you feel that the industry is making progress in the areas discussed in Aja Barber’s book - if at all?

10. What is your connection to consumerism and how has it been a part of your life, your family’s, and/or your community’s life for good or ill?

11. Has this book changed your perspective to consumerism in the fashion industry and/or other industries re: stuff (food, housing, furniture, automobiles, etc.)?

12. Is it possible to have capitalism without consumerism?

13. Is consumerism so deeply rooted in American life and culture that we don’t even recognize the extent that it plays at every level in our life, status, and values?

Video Interview with Aja Barber

The Story of Stuff Videos

Quotes on Consumerism

We live in an era of consumerism and it’s all about desire-based consumerism. It has nothing to do with things we actually need. -Aloe Blacc

We always want more. Whether it is better clothes, a bigger house, faster cars, or the latest gadgets; satisfaction in these days of consumerism is a difficult find. -Tulsi Tanti

The corruption of the American soul is consumerism. -Ben Nicholson

We live in a society that, for the most part, is morally and spiritually bankrupt. Our culture is a culture of consumerism. How sustainable is that? -Benjamin Bratt

Socialism may have failed as an economic theory, but global warming alarmism, with its dire warnings about the consequences of industry and consumerism, is equally a rebuke to capitalism. -Bret Stephens

What consumerism really is, at its worst, is getting people to buy things that don't actually improve their lives. -Jeff Bezos

Consumerism diverts us from thinking about women’s rights, it stops us from thinking about Iraq, it stops us from thinking about what’s going on in Africa – it stops us from thinking in general. -Pink

Ecological thought rejects consumerism at its peril. -Timothy Morton

My first rule of consumerism is never to buy anything you can’t make your children carry. -Bill Bryson

Since the 1970s, we have witnessed the forces of market fundamentalism strip education of its public values, critical content, and civic responsibilities as part of its broader goal of creating new subjects wedded to consumerism, risk-free relationships, and the destruction of the social state. -Henry Giroux

Pop culture is not about depth. It’s about marketing, supply and demand, and consumerism. -Trevor Dunn

I’ve long been interested in looking at the culture of consumerism and also was interested in this connection between the American dream and the house, and the house being kind of the ultimate expression of self and success. -Lauren Greenfield

Feckless as it was for Bush to ask Americans to go shopping after 9/11, we all too enthusiastically followed his lead, whether we were wealthy, working-class or in between. We spent a decade feasting on easy money, don’t-pay-as-you-go consumerism and a metastasizing celebrity culture. -Frank Rich

Consumerism is at once the engine of America and simultaneously one of the most revealing indicators of our collective shallowness. -Henry Rollins

1. How are fens, bogs, and swamps similar? How are they different?

2. What’s your experience with wetlands? What are they like in your region?

3. The peat in wetlands is able to sequester (absorb and hold onto) large amounts of carbon, keeping it from the atmosphere. What other aspects of fens, bogs, and swamps does the author value?

4. This book often focuses on public perception of wetlands, and how that has changed over time. From your perspective, what has the public appreciated about wetlands? What have been seen as drawbacks of wetlands?

5. The book discusses how wetlands have been destroyed – for example, drained to create farmland or the peat harvested for fuel. Are there environmental concerns about wetlands near where you live?

6. Share an interesting fact about fens, bogs, and swamps that you learned from this book.

7. This book combines science, history, literature, and geography. What do you think about this? Do you make multidisciplinary connections in your teaching or in your life?

8. Has your perspective on fens, bogs, and swamps changed after reading this book? If so, how?

1. El Quetzal Azul describe un mundo en el que las aves de la Tierra juegan un papel importante en el “equilibrio natural” de nuestro planeta. ¿Cómo se compara este mundo imaginario con la realidad que compartimos?De los miles de aves que se sabe que existen en la Tierra, ¿por qué se eligió al resplandeciente quetzal como protagonista principal de la historia?

2. El Alfa hizo ajustes al clima en Guatemala sin preocuparse por sus efectos en las personas que vivían allí. ¿Hay humanos que se comportan de la misma manera? ¿Se te ocurre algún ejemplo?

3. ¿Para lectores que normalmente no se involucran en la gestión ambiental, podría El Quetzal Azul inspirarlos a tomar medidas? ¿Qué acciones podrían inspirarse a tomar los lectores?

4. Al final, Alma y Dioni deciden vivir vidas separadas. ¿Te sorprendió esto? ¿Por qué o por qué no?

5. ¿Podrías utilizar este libro sobre aves con los estudiantes para enseñarles sobre el cambio climático? ¿Por qué o por qué no? ¿Si es así, cómo?

6. Aunque el libro está destinado a lectores de todas las edades, hay temas más fuertes para los lectores mayores y escenas memorables para los más jóvenes. ¿Cómo discutiría la distinción entre realidad y ficción con lectores de diferentes grupos de edad?

7. El libro permite a los lectores viajar a varios lugares del mundo, incluidos Guatemala, Canadá, Estados Unidos, México, India, Australia, Francia, Inglaterra, Siria y la Antártida. ¿Por qué crees que se eligieron estos lugares? ¿Elegirías otros? Si es así, ¿por qué?

Part 1: Leaving Liberty

1. Ms Pollack experienced overt discrimination throughout her elementary (in the 1960s) and high school years (early 1970s) from teachers and administrators, not allowing her to skip grades because she was a girl. Her parents did not push for her to skip grades  either. Has anyone else experienced this for themselves, their family, or as a teacher? Beyond gender stereotyping, how have/do school leaders limit access for students?

2. Ms Pollack’s female classmates sent a clear message that excelling in school, especially in math and science, put Eileen Pollack firmly in the nerd category, and essentially forbade her dating any of the “cool” boys. Societal pressure notwithstanding, she did continue her science and mathematics studies. What forces allowed her to persist? In today’s hypersexualized environment, how can we encourage a broader view of what it means to be a girl to include girls who are interested in and good at math and science?

3. Visits to the World’s Fair and science centers ignited Ms. Pollack’s interest in science. How can we bring that type of excitement to today’s students? What barriers stand in the way?

Part 2: Surviving Yale

1. Although Ms Pollack had taken the most challenging math and science courses offered at her high school, she was unprepared for the college classes at Yale. Later in the book, she discusses bridge classes and summer courses that colleges now offer to better prepare students. How do classes like these help? What are barriers for students?

2. Eileen Pollack did not receive encouragement or supportive assessments of her (excellent) skills. Men might not receive these directly either, but do get this encouragement subliminally from society and career norms. Men tend to have more confidence: a boy receiving a B may say, “I did great!” While a girl receiving a B may think,”I’m a failure; I’m bad at this.” How can (or even should) teachers and administrators support and encourage students to pursue their goals?

3. Ms Pollack did not have much of a peer support group of other women physicists and felt her status threatened by other women in her classes. How can we as teachers promote connections between our students while recognizing that they are competing for status with each other?

Part 3: Return to New Haven

1. Ms Pollack returns to her school and discovers a mix of hope and despair as she sees more young women interested in taking math and science courses, but fewer options for advanced courses at public schools. When schools are working to support struggling learners, how can they also support the needs of advanced students?

2. Reminiscent of the “Impossible to be a woman” speech in the recent Barbie movie, Ms. Pollack says “That was the double bind that strangled me. If I did poorly, I would prove women never did finish their degrees in science or math; if I succeeded, I would be even more unpopular than before. Bad enough to be a girl who had gotten all As in high school; how much more of an oddball would I be if I earned all As as a physics major at Yale? The only way to escape this paradox was to do well on my exams and lab reports but remain quiet in class and present myself as a lovable if clumsy clown in the lab.” How many of our students are hiding their true selves in order to fit in?

3. In other countries, women are equally represented at the PhD level; how does American culture dissuade women from presenting as smart and capable mathematicians and scientists? How can we change this?

4. In your field, where do you see hope? What success stories can you share?

1. Have you ever found yourself to be “the only one like you” in a room? What was the experience like? What could you do to support someone in that position?

2. What prompted your love for being in nature? What do you do to connect others with nature?

3. Have you heard of picture a scientist? What are your thoughts on picture an environmentalist?

4. Have you applied for, and/or received a grant? What issues/complexities did you face in that process? Do you feel that the grant process (generally speaking) is an equitable experience?

5. Carbon credits and their implications for Europe and Africa were just touched upon in the book. What were your thoughts about what was shared?

6. In what ways have you found commonalities with individuals who may not share similar lived experiences as you - especially in the professional work place?

1. Fragment contains elements of speculative fiction, like the idea of direct human–whale communication. It also presents scientific facts about physical oceanography for example. What did you think about this mixture of scientific facts and fiction? How might you talk to young readers about what is real and what is fiction in the book?

2. The novel uses two main fictional elements to tell the story - the release of a super-iceberg from the Ross Sea, and the discovery of human-whale communication. Did either of these ideas seem plausible to you? What opportunities might these fictional elements create for conversations with other readers of this book about planet stewardship?

3. The story involves many characters:

   • Ring, the blue whale
   • Science TV reporters Jay and Al
   • The Marcy’s captain, Blair Cockburn
   • Rescued Antarctic scientists Kate, Eric and Graham
   • The Lincoln’s crew and captain
   • Passengers and crew on the cruise ship, Rose Sayer
   • Reporter Nancy Pepper and her cameraman, Ben Irons
   • The President of the United States and his advisor

   Did you feel a connection with any of these characters? If so, which ones, and why?

4. Fragment presents us with a major disaster related to rapid climate change. Do you think something like what is described in the novel could really happen?

5. The story includes a number of people and organizations associated with the United States government, e.g.:

   • The President and his political advisor
   • A climate-change denying science advisor
   • Military personnel
   • NOAA

   What do you think of these portrayals in the novel? Do you think they agree with how American politicians and organizations are viewed by much of the world?

6. How might one investigate how American politicians, our political system, and federal organizations are viewed by people in other parts of the world?

7. In Fragment, the character Kate encounters considerable sexism from a variety of sources. What is the presence of sexism in today’s scientific culture? Were there instances of racism in the book? If so, what were they?

8. Did the language used by characters in the book (for example, “Just an iceberg”) reflect how language affects our perspective of science? Can you think of examples you’ve encountered in the media or in conversations with others?

9. Are you aware of scientific programs that study communication with wildlife, such as apes, elephants, ravens and crows, whales, and dolphins? What do you think people can learn from animals? If we could communicate with animals, how might it change our approach to nature or our perspective on animal rights?

10. In Fragment, an ice sheet threatens several islands, but no one is willing to rescue the people in harm's way. What message does the author give in response to socioeconomic status and the effects of climate change on the poorer peoples of the world? How should the world help the citizens of island and low, coastal nations who are threatened by sea level rise? How is sea-level rise affecting places with which you have a connection?

1. Escape Undersea is full of science and interesting facts. What new information did you learn from the book? What information do you think your students would find most interesting? What topics would you and/or your students like to explore further?

2. What questions do you have, or you think your students will have regarding living and/or working in the Aquarius undersea habitat?

3. Genetic engineering plays a key role in the book. The genetically altered giant lionfish in the book is clearly fiction, but there are examples of how genetic engineering is actually being used to benefit the environment. In 2021 the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District and Oxitec released genetically engineered mosquitoes to control invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the Keys. The project was successful and has been repeated every spring. What examples of genetic engineering are you familiar with?

4. Another key concept in the book is the problem of waste water run-off, how it affects the ocean, and causes algal blooms. Do you know where your wastewater goes?

5. Coral reefs play a big part in the book. Today, coral reef ecosystems are under multiple threats, including climate change, pollution, overfishing, invasive species, and development. How do each of these stressors impact coral reef ecosystems? In addition to Lionfish, can you think of other invasive species that are disrupting ecosystems (aquatic or terrestrial?)

6. In the first part of the "Note from the Author" at the end of the book, there are 33 statements which ask the reader to identify if the statements are real or made-up. In the second part of this section Dr. Prager answers the questions and explains why each statement is real or made-up. How could you effectively use this section of the book with students?

7. Escape Undersea is fiction based on science. After reading the book has your perspective of climate change or the ocean changed? Would you and/or your students want to live and work in an underwater research laboratory?

8. Aquarius was owned by NOAA and operated by the University of North Carolina Wilmington until 2013. In 2013 Florida International University (FIU) took over the operational control of the Aquarius. In 2014 FIU assumed ownership and created the Medina Aquarius Program. You can learn more about the Medina Aquarius Program and see amazing video of the Aquarius here.

1. Waldron cites Sheren Razack who argues that individuals hold multiple identities simultaneously and that these produce hierarchies of privilege and disadvantage. These include race, gender, class, and other social identities. Is this reflected in how you see your identity? If so, how?

2. Was there a specific example of the health impacts highlighted in the book or movie that caught your attention about the burden of pollution in African Nova Scotian and Indigenous communities?

3. Waldron explains that environmental racism is a subset of the larger environmental justice movement that started in the United States. She referred to this as “old wine in a new bottle.” What does she mean by that reference? How is it different from mainstream environmental activism?

4. “Space is never apolitical” but involves a web of relations that includes inequalities in housing, schools, zoning, and policy. These help to shape opportunities that determine access to high quality air, water, land, and food. Are you aware of instances in your community or region where “your postal code determines your health?”

5. Studies conducted in Nova Scotia and Canada show that Indigenous communities are “more likely than other communities to be located near polluting industries.” Do you think that this would hold true in the United States? Can you cite examples of this?

6. Boat Harbour is a quiet estuary near Pictou Landing First Nation, an Indigenous reserve, that was once a fertile hunting and fishing ground. The provincial government did not address contamination until significant and sustained protests occurred. Was the effort successful?

7. A natural gas storage facility was scheduled to be built on the Shubenacadie River. This would require the development of a brine discharge system to be located near First Nation communities. Local resistance grew, arguing that the Sipekne’katik and Millbrook Nations had not been consulted. There were also concerns about treaty rights and water contamination from other sources. Conceived in 2014, the Alton Gas Project was cancelled and decommissioned at the end of 2022 citing economic challenges. How do you think the resistance by the local communities affected this result?

8. Waldron pointed out many instances where opposition to environmental racism was being led primarily led by women. What are some of the financial, psychological, physical, and health implications of this work on women over many years?

9. Waldron suggests using a multi-prong strategy for addressing environmental racism. This includes using an environmental justice lens to look at how race intersects with class, gender, and other social identities, better environmental policy, partnerships between white-led organizations and Indigenous and Black communities and alliances between Indigenous and Black communities. How can we help students to understand the important of good communication and the understanding of different perspectives in recognizing and addressing environmental racism?

10. This book is peppered with references to many studies that demonstrate the important role that research has to bring facts to the forefront of any environmental conflict. Waldron suggests that we also need to consider community members as experts in their own lives and include them as participants in the co-creation and dissemination of knowledge. Do you think that researchers typically include local community knowledge in their studies? Why or why not?

1. What is citizen science? Do you have experience as a citizen scientist? Is this a skill we can teach children in formal and informal settings?

2. Citizen science is one of three main themes throughout the book. What other themes do you see, and how do they all connect?

3. In the book, Dara talks about the Gray Seal Protection Act. Are you familiar with the Endangered Species Act? Are there any local species whose numbers you are noticing a decline in?

4. Does there have to be a conflict between nature and agriculture? Do you see this in your community? Do you have suggestions on how to blend the two philosophies on land management?

5. Domestic cats are interesting, are they a cause for concern in maintaining ecological diversity in areas where urban and natural areas interface?

6. Dara uses poetic language throughout the biography, “bruised blackberry sky,” how did this enhance his story?

7. Throughout the story, Dara uses sight, sound and smell to enhance his dialog. How do you use these senses when you are outside?

8. Intertwined throughout the story Dara talks about autism, education and his family. Did this enhance the story or distract from it? How can educators use nature to work with a diverse group of students?

1. The astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson tweeted the following after watching Don't Look Up: “Finally saw the @Netflix film Don’t Look Up, a fictional tale of a Nation distracted by pop-culture and divided on whether to heed dire warnings of scientists. Everything I know about news-cycles, talk shows, social media, & politics tells me the film was instead a documentary.” In what ways might he be right?

2. How did you feel about the movie?

3. Since we don't currently know of any asteroids on approach to Earth, upon which critical scientific questions of our age, if any, does this movie reflect, and in what ways does it do so? Are there ways it does not reflect the problems we face?

4. When Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) is bundled onto a train to New York to meet the press, Dr. Oglethorpe (Rob Morgan) advises him to keep it simple and tell stories. Is he right? Why or why not?

5. In the same scene, Dr. Oglethorpe continues by saying "...and no math." As the train doors slide shut, Dr. Mindy responds, "but it's all math." Who is right and why?

6. In the movie, Dr. Mindy is a regular guest on a news program but the show’s presenters are always trying to “keep it light.” Dr. Mindy never succeeds in getting his message across. How do you see the state of science journalism today? Are journalists able to effectively get complex topics across to an audience of non-scientists? Are you able to - with your students/audiences? How?

7. One of the themes of the movie is that the people are distracted by petty politics, the love affairs of pop stars among other factors. They’re too distracted to hear the message that the scientists are trying to convey until it is too late. Do you find your students are more distracted today? Can they handle complex topics as well as they did in the past? If you are concerned, how do you deal with the distraction?

8. In the movie, a few mislead the many for short-term political power and profit. Ultimately scientists fail to counter misinformation and the Earth is destroyed. How do you deal with misinformation and how well do you succeed? What works for you?

9. As the comet gets closer and more people are able to see it with their own eyes, they are able to verify its existence and the threat that it presents. As the effects of climate change become more obvious and visible, do you see more people willing to accept the science? Do you see enough people willing to accept the science?

10. If you watched enough of the end credits to see the strange twist at the end, the President (Meryl Streep) and BASH CEO Peter Irsherwell (Mark Rylance) journey to a planet circling another star where the President is immediately eaten by a Bronteroc. If the Earth becomes unable to sustain humanity, is there another place we can go? Is there a “planet B?”

1. This anthology shares lots of women’s voices – what are some benefits of having many different authors in a book about the climate crisis?

2. The writings in this book are in eight sections (root, advocate, reframe, reshape, persist, feel, nourish, and rise). How did the sequence of sections shape your experience as a reader?

3. This anthology combines nonfiction stories and essays with poetry and visual art. How do you think the poetry and art adds to the book? Do you have a favorite poem?

4. Are there any quotes from the stories or poems that resonated with you?

5. Did you see yourself and your point of view in any of the writings in All We Can Save? If so, which essay, story, or poem really resonated?

6. Has anything in this book seeded new ideas or plans for how you teach about climate change and solutions?

7. The stories include emotions related to the climate crisis. How do you think we can process emotions related to climate change while also teaching the science and taking action on solutions?

8. Are there any stories, essays, poems that you plan to share with students? How would you recommend educators use this book?

9. Did the book help you move towards hope and away from despair? If so, how?

10. Is there a climate solution in the book that inspired you?

The book is broken down into three sections: Challenge the System, Hold Fast to Science, and Take a Stand for Justice. Why do you think these titles are significant?

1. In the introduction the author references “hope”. With todays’ rapidly changing climate what does hope look like for you and your community?

2. As you we move through the book there are many comments made by the women that are profound.  What do you think about this statement: “Lives absorbed with seeking solutions,” What does this mean to you? How do you see solutions progressing globally to mitigate the climate crisis?

3. In the first vignette, Molly references her participation in the Democratic National Convention in 2008. What is your experience with the relationship between politics and climate science?

4. What do you think about the quote on page 5: “The average person struggling to get by doesn’t have the luxury of being able to worry about things happening thousands of miles away.  That’s why we must solve climate change for everyone.”

5. One of Amy Westervelt’s initial awareness to a changing climate were the devastating fires that plague Northern California every year.  What significant environmental events do you remember that piqued your interest in climate change and that may have motivated you to become more active in climate awareness?

6. How do we as a society use recent weather events to motivate people in their awareness about a rapidly changing climate?

7. How do we as educators or influential humans capitalize on life changing moments?  Is there a way to increase the availability for individuals to have life changing moments?

8. Did any of the trailblazers at the end of the segments speak to anyone? If so, who? and why?

9. Have you heard of the 2020 Global Climate Risk Index which presents the countries most impacted by climate change today? Do you think its conclusions would sway Americans to take a stronger stand on climate change?

10. Katharine Hayhoe wonders: How do scientists bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and the understanding of the general public? Is there a distinction between climate change and ecological issues in general? What do you think?

11. Do celebrity activists i.e. Sir David Attenborough, Leonardo DiCaprio, Greta Thunberg, Jane Fonda, Meryl Streep, Prince Harry, etc., help, harm, or have no impact on raising climate awareness or developing mitigation strategies?

12. This is a list of the 100 most influential people on climate ( Apolitical 100 Most Influential People in Climate | 2022 ). The top three individuals on this list are women, have you heard of them? Why or why not? Is the world totally ethnocentric? How do we communicate better between countries?

13. How can data and information from the past (paleoclimate) help scientists in the future? What does it mean to the planet that the permafrost is melting? Is this relevant to the general public? should it be relevant?

14. On page 121 of the book Debra talks about indigenous stories and uses John Muir as an example as a human who did not recognize the work of the indigenous peoples in Yosemite and how they “landscaped” ecosystems. Do federal land policies come into conflict with traditional native sustainable land practices?

15. Tessa Khan questions, what do you think of the expression “Fossil Fuel Racism?” Can this expression be turned into a positive? How do citizens with the power to bring about change fight the dogma of economic superiority? (Page 155)

16. The women in this book are motivating with their passion and drive for climate awareness, equity, and change. How can we take this and move forward? How can we engage our communities, our schools, our local governments?

1. Miles, the main character and narrator in The Highest Tide, says: "most people realize the sea covers two thirds of the planet, but few take the time to understand even a gallon of it... Then they'll have a hard time not thinking about the beginnings of life itself and of an earth without pavement, plastic or Man" (pages 1 and 2).

   According to NOAA, coastal counties of the U.S. are home to over 128 million people, or almost 40 percent of the nation's total population, yet the coast accounts for less than 10 percent of the nation's land mass – making population density in these areas over five times greater in coastal shoreline counties than the U.S. average. This means that issues affecting the coasts affect a large proportion of Americans.

   How is America affected by: mangroves, salt marshes, sea grass meadows and coral reefs? What are some of the ecological issues facing coastal communities? How could we teach the 60% of the American population not living in coastal counties about the importance of these aquatic ecosystems?

2. Every day Miles observes sea life - i.e., giant squid (page 8), organ-vomiting sea cucumber (page 56), horny phosphorescent worms (page 59), scarred and battered Ragfish (pages 59-61), giant sunflower star (page 75), moon jellies (page 131), etc.

   Are humans missing something exciting if we don't pay attention to the natural world? Why are these observations important? Why is citizen science so important?

3. Miles references Rachel Carson. Is this author typical of a current day teenager? Phelps tells Miles that he's in love “with a spinster who's been dead for decades" (page 31). Phelps also tells Miles, "You're a freak... Why don't you use all your homo-reading to study something of value to us"... "like the G-spot?" (page 30). How and why does the author introduce male puberty into the story?

4. In the book many strange events occur in the Sound during the summer: winds, weather, flooding, could these be attributed to rapid climate change? Miles says, "People lost interest once the explanations rolled in. Some even got angry, as if scientists were determined to squeeze the magic out of everything" (page 243). Given people's desire to fixate on mystical explanations for environmental events rather than the rational ones, how likely does it seem that people will take responsibility for actions that have an environmental impact? In the novel, how does the media, feed this type of irrational response?

1. Dr. Hayhoe tells us what is best when talking about climate change in this book and from her years of experience communicating on the topic. What recommendation in the book was most helpful or surprising to you?

2. Before a Rotarian event Dr. Hayhoe recalls reading their four-way test for any issue worthy of their time and attention:

   • Is it truthful?
   • Is it fair to all concerned?
   • Does it build goodwill and better friendships?
   • Is it beneficial for all concerned?

   What did she do as a result? How does this illustrate her advice as to how best to address climate change with others?

3. Why have so many Christians been dismissive of climate change according to Dr. Hayhoe? How does she recommend that someone of faith should communicate climate change to another or others of faith?

4. What does Dr. Hayhoe have to say about government regulation on the topic of climate change? What about addressing climate change and the environment? Do you agree?

5. Dr. Hayhoe uses the term “zombie arguments” regarding scientific-sounding views that attempt to discredit scientific facts. What are some zombie arguments that she speaks of and which arguments if any have you commonly heard from a naysayer or naysayers?

6. Ronald Reagan coined the saying, “If you’re explaining, you’re losing.” How does this relate to climate change communication and what does Dr. Hayhoe recommend instead?

7. Dr. Hayhoe frequently refers to the survey, “Global Warming’s Six Americas” from Yale’s Program on Climate Change Communication. What six categories does the survey identify? Do you find these six categories all-encompassing and satisfactory? What category do you identify with? How has the survey changed over time?

8. What role does fear play when we’re communicating the impacts and projections of climate change? When is fear good? When is it bad? What does the author say about eliciting guilt?

9. Dr. Hayhoe frequently uses terms that are important for us to understand regarding climate communication. A few are listed below. What do they mean?

   • Knowledge deficit gap
   • Cognitive misers
   • Solution Aversion
   • Psychological distancing
   • Motivational reasoning
   • Tragedy of the Commons
   • Threat multiplier
   • Climate potluck

10. What does Dan Kahan’s Science Intelligence Scale tell us about motivational reasoning? Who is most susceptible to utilizing it?

11. Climate change solutions are important to include, especially when talking about the impacts of climate change. Solutions give hope. What are some solutions that Dr. Hayhoe discusses?

12. One educator elicits questions about climate change from her students, then addresses these questions in her teaching on the subject. Do you see this as effective? What approach have you used in or out of the classroom with positive results?

13. Outside of your work (if you’re tasked with addressing climate change), have you spoken about climate change with another or others? Who? Where did those you spoke to fall in terms of categories identified in the “Global Warming Six Americas” survey? What tactic did you employ? How did it go? Where you successful and if so, how so?

14. Do you agree with Dr. Hayhoe that a “Dismissive” person isn’t worth your time to speak to about climate change, especially since they represent only seven percent of Americans? What has been your experience?

15. As a result of reading this book, what one piece of advice will you carry out when communicating climate change? ‌

Join us even if you have not been able to read the book! In A Terrible Thing to Waste: Environmental Racism and its Assault on the American Mind, Harriet A. Washington discusses many instances of the long-ranging impacts of environmental racism on black, Indigenous, and Latinx communities. Her extensively researched book documents communities suffering with the effects from chemicals causing severe health complications and a lowering of IQ which can serve as “a predictor of success in school, social settings, work achievements, and lifetime earnings.” She investigates heavy metals, neurotoxins, deficient prenatal care, bad nutrition and pathogens as agents influencing intelligence to explain why communities of color are disproportionately affected. Washington ends with suggestions on actions that can taken individually and collectively to remedy these problems. Harriet Washington is the Shearing Fellow at the University of Nevada’s Black Mountain Institute, a research fellow in medical ethics at Harvard Medical School and a senior research scholar at the National Center for Bioethics at Tuskegee University.

1. NPR's Sarah McCammon spoke with author Harriet A. Washington about the incidences of environmental racism. (https://www.npr.org/2019/07/27/745925045/book-a-terrible-thing-to-waste) She asked “Why are people of color are disproportionately affected by this?” Washington responded “For the same reasons they're disproportionately affected by many things. It's various racist policies that have persisted for decades - and in some cases centuries - have herded them into areas where they are exposed to toxins. Segregation is a factor in many urban areas. Do you see this in your community?

2. Washington pointed out that environmental poisoning inflicts a loss of intelligence and behavioral problems but that alarms have not been raised to these issues. Were you aware of the pervasiveness of these problems and the relationship between intelligence and pollution?

3. Have you experienced or seen examples of environmental pollution affecting your education environment?

4. Washington uses the loss of IQ as one of the consequences of environmental pollution. She indicates that IQ tests can measure a loss of cognition but it is an imperfect instrument. Although IQ can be used as a relative test of intellectual ability, it has also been used to justify a biased, intentional ranking of world peoples. Do you agree with the use of IQ as a data point for studying the impacts of environmental pollution? Are there other measures we might consider?

5. Washington indicates that the IQ gap caused by environmental pollution, nutritional deficiencies, alcohol, drugs and pathogens can be closed with proper action. She does not agree that IQ is innate and permanent and that we have failed communities of color by not addressing these factors. What actions can educators use to help counteract the causes and impacts of environmental pollution?

6. There are 60,000 chemicals approved for the workplace, but testing is not usually done prior to use. Poverty and especially, race, are drivers in environmental exposure. Chemicals are far more likely to find their way into African-American, Hispanic and Native American communities which affect all aspects of their lives, including water, land and schools. Flint’s water supply with contamination by lead and Native American communities contaminated by uranium and coal mines are just 2 examples highlighted in the book. These pollutants affect all members of the community but can impact children and infants even more. Even small doses can trigger lifelong disabilities by hampering proper development of the brain. Was there an instance of pollution highlighted in the book that especially spoke to you?

7. The book highlights many examples of government, industry and political leaders who have evaded responsibility for environmental pollution. Additional examples come to light every year. One recent example is the radioactive contamination of an elementary school in the Midwest. What can be done to support healthy environments for our children?

8. Washington suggests many steps that individuals can take to fight for a less toxic environment. This includes uplifting the grassroots environmental justice organizing of black, Indigenous, and Latinx communities. She also provides a helpful glossary and long list of “Known Chemical Brain Drainers” in addition to supporting a positive connection to the natural environment in childhood to optimize mental and physical health. Many Planet Stewards projects have developed school gardens, study areas and natural areas for native plants and animals. Are there opportunities for your students to enjoy natural, healthy surroundings outside?

9. Climate change will increase the incidence and spread of pathogens and disease. Vectors will expand their territories and disseminate infectious diseases to communities that are not wealthy enough to deal with the factors that increase exposure and spread of disease. Why is an understanding of the health effects of climate change critical for everyone? What resources have you used about the health impacts of climate change?

10. Washington outlined steps that can be taken by individuals and communities to fight for a less toxic environment. These include:

    • Enroll in Pre-K
    • Fight toxins in schools
    • Poison-proof your home (air quality, vermin control, vacuuming, cleaning supplies)
    • Poison-proof your water (HDPE, filters)
    • Provide poison-free food (home canning, iodized salt, avoid processed food)
    • Avoid heavy metals (batteries, lead, pesticides)

    What steps have you taken to develop healthy environments for your family?

1. Hoot is a YA book, what age students would you read this with, and could you adapt it for an older audience, how old and how?
2. What is the conflict in the story Hoot? How do different characters relate to this conflict?
3. What was the difference between Roy and Mullet Fingers and their desire for action to save the owls? Which was more effective? Can you relate this to an ecological issue in your home town?
4. Hoot takes place in Florida, if you were a teacher in Florida what ecological concerns might you bring into a discussion that local readers could relate to, what about other states?
5. What are positive ways to bring about ecological awareness in a local community, especially when there are competing interests of large increases in economic development?
6. What is an environmental impact statement? Is it used in all construction projects?
7. What incidents in the story engage the reader to the plight of the owls? How does the author engage the reader?
8. In the book there are two instances of vandalism that Mullet Fingers uses as a tactic. Is the vandalism justified? Is vandalism a tactic that should be used in ecological conflicts, if so when is it justified or not?
9. Roy’s mom says "Honey, sometimes you're going to be faced with situations where the line isn't clear between what's right and what's wrong. Your heart will tell you to do one thing, and your brain will tell you to do something different. In the end, all that's left is to look at both sides and go with your best judgment." How would you approach this sentiment with a young reader?