5 books to read this World Environment Day

Here's a carefully curated list that would help you become more conscientious about the environment

June 5 marks World Environment Day. The theme for this year is ‘Ecosystem Restoration’ and what better way to celebrate the day than to read some books that break down the potential threats, policies and its failures and the solution to the current environmental crisis.

‘Everybody Loves a Good Drought’, P Sainath

Originally published in 1996, the book enumerates how poverty has been the driving force in rural parts of India. The book has won the prestigious Magsaysay Award for explicitly explaining the life of people living in some of the poverty-stricken districts of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and a few other states. The book has also questioned the effectiveness of various government policies implemented for developing a sustainable environment.

‘The Story of My Environment’, Poornachandra Tejaswi and Dr KM Srinivasa Gowda

The 2003 English translated book by Dr KM Srinivasa Gowda is a collection of short stories on ecology and the environment. The book is light-hearted and easy to understand. Purnachandra Tejasvi has shared his experiences while he was staying in south interior Karnataka during the 1960s and 70s. Love for animals and birds has been highlighted with a tinge of humour. The original Kannada version, written by Purnachandra Tejasvi, is titled ‘Parisarada Kathe’.

‘Indira Gandhi: A life in Nature’, Jairam Ramesh

The well-known economist has written this book on the country’s first woman Prime Minister highlighting her works on preserving the environment. The 2017 work also encompasses some of her unpublished letters, memos, notes on some landmark environmental policies which she wished to implement during her tenure.

‘Elemental India: The Natural World at a Time of Crisis and Opportunity’, Meera Subramaniam

The 2015 book describes the basic needs of portable water, safe food, and fresh air for every individual to survive during any environmental crisis. It also stresses implementing policies keeping the ‘ five elements’ of nature in harmony. Through examples of five such ecological cases, the author brings hope for the nation to fare well in the coming years.

‘Parisara Adhyayana’, PV Bhyrappa

Kannada book published in 2018 is a comprehensively designed book for both rural and urban students preparing for competitive and civil services exams such as IAS and KAS. All theoretical and practical concepts on ecology, nature, and wildlife are described here.