Rating: ★★★★★
Genre: Nonfiction, environmentalism
Synopsis: We are past the point of no return: only radical actions can save us now. But how? In a series of essays written by a variety of people–and an introduction by Vandana Shiva!–Extinction Rebellion’s handbook is ready to turn you into an activist with a plethora of skills and knowledge in your arsenal.
Review: A wholly necessary book for the environmental activist. Discussing current political discussions, scientific breakthroughs, and our own ideologies surrounding environmentalism, This is Not a Drill succeeds in its mission provoke and educate. With its plethora of authors and essays, we get many different views on the serious topic of climate change and consumerism.
My favorite essay is the one discussing environmentalism and climate change through the lens of drug addiction and harm reduction. What war are we fighting? A climate war or a drug war? When illegal drugs rely so much on plants, there’s no regulation of those plants, or for the workers–making it an unsafe environment with potentially deadly effects. But if we use harm reduction as a means to meet everyone and our earth halfway, could we possibly help what’s going on? It was so intriguing and brought to light so many things that are not made obvious.
Though, perhaps best of all is the end of all the essays in which there are many diagrams and to-do lists for how to create a march and keep protesters going, how to block a road, and how to block a bridge. It was just incredible to see that in a book and to finally have that “Aha!” moment from the other side of the protest line.
Overall, this was a great book that I’d have to recommend to those interested in saving our planet.
little lady librarian 