Bending the Curve: Climate Change Solutions

Reviewed by Natalie Martin, Instructor of Power Plant Technology, Flint Hills Technical College on 2/14/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This book gives very in depth information on climate change, it's causes and solutions. The index and glossary accurately identify the chapter and context.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I found the information to be accurate and unbiased. The sources used for information are all very reliable.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The content is up to date. I did not find any obsolete information.

Clarity rating: 5

The text broke down the topics very well. All technical language was explained. Some of the metaphors were not explained, such as the Goldilocks reference in Chapter 1. Some were explained, such as the blanket also found in Chapter 1.

Consistency rating: 5

The book was written consistently with terminology and the lay out of each chapter is the same.

Modularity rating: 5

This text is easily broken down into smaller sections that can be assigned out.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The layout is good and makes sense for the text.

Interface rating: 5

Charts and images provided were explained well and appeared in the right sequence.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I found no grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I found reference to examples from many different moments in time as well as locations on the planet.

Comments

This book is well written and informative. I would recommend it for anyone interested in learning about climate science and how we can solve the problem. I would however argue that this is not really a chemistry text as I saw no chemical reactions or mechanisms described in the text.

Reviewed by Juan Artes, Assistant Prof., University of Massachusetts Lowell on 6/17/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This is a great read, covering almost all areas and ideas about the urgent topic of climate emergency.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

All the content looks accurate for the moment it was published. Since this is a really fast-paced area, giving the reader even more public accurate resources to get updated information even years after the publication could be a good addition for the next edition (maybe a whole appendix dedicated to online resources?).

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The book is relevant and will become even more relevant after time. The information is as updated as it can be, and the only addition I suggest for the future are more online resources that the reader can use to get updated after the years.

Clarity rating: 5

This is a really clear text.

Consistency rating: 5

The text is absolutely consistent.

Modularity rating: 5

The different parts of the book make really easy for the reader to navigate different points.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The organization is really good/

Interface rating: 5

Looks good.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not see any grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text is already inclusive and multicultural.

Comments

Thanks for this book. This text is an important addition, extremely relevant in a time that we need climate education at all levels more than ever. It was a joy to read and I am sure I will use this at some point in my teaching.

Reviewed by Shafkatul Khan, Visiting Assistant Professor, Miami University on 3/31/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Climate Change Solutions: Bending the curve addresses a critical gap in teaching climate change in the classroom, especially from the perspective of solving this seemingly insurmountable environmental problem. The book does a good job of addressing climate change solutions and actions, and the relevant economics, sociology, and public policy behind these solutions. The book could be much more useful for classrooms in a wide variety of disciplines if it addresses two issues in subsequent editions. Firstly, the book explores the cases in California much more comprehensively than it does cases elsewhere in the US as well as the world. Given that climate change is global, we need to expand beyond the borders of California and look at some of the really enterprising climate change adaptation and mitigation work happening elsewhere. The book has a few examples from India and Latin America (and perhaps other places as well that evaded my reading), but not nearly enough international treatment of an issue that is truly global. Secondly, the book focuses on the social science aspects of climate change solutions. However, the book does not address the effects on the biosphere at any meaningful length and consequently does not address adaptation for the adverse effects on the biosphere. Also lacking in the content are mitigation strategies such as reforestation and ecosystem restoration where ecosystem management and a biosphere centric approach could play a key role in climate change solutions.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The books chapters are contributed by individual authors and then edited by the editors, resulting in a fairly accurate, unbiased, and fact-based discussion of the issues at hand. The scholarly and yet optimistic tone of the chapters is a refreshing change in this particular subject area!

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The book is published in 2019 and even in this fast changing area of knowledge and research, the book is highly relevant. The relevance is most obvious in the chapters that deal with economic and policy aspects of climate change or case studies in California. The lack of treatment of climate change's impacts in the global south and how societies are responding to climate change globally could probably take away a bit of the relevance of this text pretty soon.

Clarity rating: 5

The book is written clearly. The authors of each chapter has different writing styles. Even then, the text in the chapters are approachable and easily understandable. The text is probably appropriate for advanced undergraduates or a survey course at early graduate level.

Consistency rating: 4

The book's treatment of the topics is thoroughly consistent with my understanding of the topic area (I am a climate change biologist). In my reading, I did not notice any discrepancies or inconsistencies in the terminology or framework around climate change policy and mitigation.

Modularity rating: 5

Each of the chapters can be assigned by themselves as readings in a course. The sections and the chapters do build on each other. The first four sections especially lay the foundation for the rest of the chapters. Still, each of the chapters are self-explanatory and can be assigned out of the sequence as they are laid out in the book.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The progression of the different topics around climate change solutions is gradual. The editors do a great job of organizing the different chapters in sections that help progress the reader's understanding of the issues at hand. Within chapters, the text boxes help highlight the key points. I probably would have appreciated a little less focus on the long sections of texts to make key points in certain sections. More visual aids, such as graphs, schematics and infographics could be useful in lessening the dependence on long sections of text to illustrate a point.

Interface rating: 4

The text in the electronic version is easy to read. I received a printed copy from my university librarian and the printed version was as legible as any college textbook. For an electronic book, I would like to be a bit more use of electronic media. A lot of resources on climate change, from interactive modules to youtube videos from reputable sources are available on the internet. Integrating such resources, especially at the end of chapters, could make understanding some of the key concepts easier and could also provide with a wide variety of case studies. In the references for some of the chapters, links for reports that are online are easy to click on and go to. More of these sorts of references that we can click and read would be great to have in subsequent editions.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

In my reading, I did not find any noticeable grammatical error.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

The book is moderately sensitive to current cultural sensibilities in academia or on college campuses. I, however, find the overt focus on climate change solutions in California a bit puzzling and inconsistent with treating climate change as a truly global issue. As I pointed out earlier in my review, I wish for a proper treatment of global case studies, highlighting the ingenuity of climate change adaptation and mitigation work being done in the global south, or even outside the US and outside California.

Comments

Thank you to the editors and authors for creating this book. It is a much needed resource in classrooms across the US.

Reviewed by Karen Magruder, Assistant Professor in Practice, University of Texas at Arlington on 1/28/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The authors managed to find a great balance between being thorough and succinct. This book covers a lot of ground, but each of the chapters are logically connected and pertinent. Summaries do a great job of distilling large amounts of information into key learning concepts, making it easy for students and educators to apply in classroom setting. The authors remain solution-focused while still providing enough detail on various aspects of the problem to justify the need for action.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Given the potentially polarizing nature of climate change and it's solutions, it's critical that texts on the topic present trustworthy information, and this book has done just that. The authors draw from a variety of reputable sources, from peer-reviewed journal articles to programs and organizations with the highest levels of expertise and authority. Data appears current, accurate and free from bias.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The topic of this book is extremely relevant for a wide range of students, educators, and community members alike. Information and recommendations from this book could easily be applied to courses from a variety of disciplines, such as environmental studies, public administration, economics, and social work. Content appeared up to date and could be easily updated as new data emerges.

Clarity rating: 5

The concise summaries of climate change basics were detailed enough to provide excellent context, while still being simple enough to be easily understood by someone without expertise in environmental studies. I found the text easy to follow throughout the book. Bolded and color-coded keywords make learning new terms straightforward.

Consistency rating: 5

The text appeared internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework.

Modularity rating: 5

Each section logically builds on the next, but could also stand alone. Sections are clearly organized and distinct topics are easily identifiable. Having a companion resource with discussion questions and other activities makes it easy for educators to imagine portions of the textbook being broken into modules.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The authors start by laying out a clear, compelling case for why action on the climate crisis is urgently needed and then give readers a cogent roadmap for bending the curve.

Interface rating: 4

Overall the book was very easy to navigate regardless of device used to access the text. Headings and the main text were very clear. Most of the photos and images were clear as well, but there were a few places where graphics or charts appeared pixelated, making the chart labels difficult to make out even after zooming in. Similarly, a few graphics featured light colored font on light-colored or "busy" backgrounds, which is challenging for individuals with any vision impairment.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The proofing and copy-editing appear excellent. No notable grammatical issues.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

As a social work practitioner and educator, I paid special attention to cultural relevance and appropriateness. I was pleased to see that the authors used terminology consistent with best practices in the social sciences, such as using the gender neutral "Latinx". There was also a demonstrated effort to include perspectives and case examples from a variety of diverse contexts. Writing was inclusive and sensitive to issues disproportionately impacted vulnerable or historically marginalized populations.

Comments

I wish I had found this book before I developed the syllabus for my new Green Social Work course, but will definitely be utilizing portions of the book in future sections of the course. Thank you for creating such a useful resource!