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Our Journey to Sustainability

How Everyday Heroes Make a Difference

Jon R. Biemer

Explores the motivations, successes, and visions of individuals working tirelessly to heal our planet through 150 personal stories.

Everyday, countless individuals are hard at work, seeking solutions to environmental problems and creating new ways to live sustainably. It takes the combined effort of many to secure a healthy future, from electric vehicle owners to animal lovers, journalists to artists, scientists to indigenous communities and cities. But what is it that motivates people to act on behalf of the planet?

That is the question at the heart of Our Journey to Sustainability: How Everyday Heroes Make a Difference. Compiling 150 stories from personal interviews, research, and his own experiences, Jon R. Biemer explores the varied motivations that inspire environmental action and presents over twenty-five sustainable wisdom tips that readers can implement in their own lives, suggesting real-world ways to make a difference. Readers will visit cities and towns across the country, indigenous reservations, and wildlife preserves. They will be introduced to the heroes in the trenches who are creating a healthier environment, on scales both small and large, while learning how actions can add up to great results.

Biemer profiles a mix of modest and impressive efforts by youth advocates, professionals in the prime of their career, and post-retirees. Some folks are just doing a day’s work, while some are fighting for environmental justice. Our Journey to Sustainability shows what it really takes to recycle, repair cell phones, recover a brownfield, and halt a freeway, and highlights the real-life dreams of entrepreneurs who are revolutionizing geothermal energy, the clothing industry, the way boats are built, and much more. Eco-heroes are everywhere, and their initiatives are the substance of realistic hope for our planet.

  • Details
  • Details
  • Author
  • Author
  • TOC
  • TOC
  • Reviews
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Features
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 256 • Trim: 6½ x 9¼
978-1-5381-7873-7 • Hardback • August 2024 • $36.00 • (£30.00)
978-1-5381-7874-4 • eBook • August 2024 • $34.00 • (£25.00)
Subjects: Self-Help / Green Lifestyle, House & Home / Sustainable Living, Science / Environmental Science

Jon R. Biemer has more than forty years of experience creating sustainability. His practices and causes include free cycling, repair cafes, village building convergences, environmental education, solar and wind energy, and energy efficiency in homes, municipalities, and industry. Biemer is a mechanical engineer and holds a certificate in process-oriented psychology. He has managed utility energy conservation programs and now provides organizational development consulting to nonprofits. He is the author of Our Environmental Handprints: Recover the Land, Reverse Global Warming, Reclaim the Future (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021) and a member of the Society for Environmental Journalists.

Sustainable Wisdom Vignettes

Acknowledgments

Introduction: Finding Your Fire

Chapter 1: Pilgrimage

Chapter 2: Portland, Oregon. A City that Cares

Chapter 3: Homeowners

Chapter 4: Electric Vehicle Drivers

Chapter 5: Meadville, Pennsylvania. Old Meets New

Chapter 6: Partner with Young People

Chapter 7: Calling All Artists!

Chapter 8: Henrietta, New York. All In!

Chapter 9: Environmental Journalists

Chapter 10: Entrepreneurs

Chapter 11: Corvallis, Oregon. Being Practical

Chapter 12: Stewards of the Land

Chapter 13: Indigenous Country. The People Rising

Chapter 14: Bison

Chapter 15: Bees and Eagles

Chapter 16: Save the Tiger

Chapter 17: Gainesville, Florida. Southern Style Sustainability

Chapter 18: Explorers

Chapter 19: Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. Under an Enchanted Moon

Chapter 20: Faith Based Environmentalists

Chapter 21: Valuing Spirit

Chapter 22: The Power of Walking

Chapter 23: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Sustainability at Scale

Chapter 24: Go Beyond

Bibliography

Notes

Index

About the Author

This is a great book. The range of people and projects included ensures that there is something that will grab you. I found inspirational favorites where I least expected and learned a lot, even though I am quite familiar with the subject matter. The goal of this book—to move people to action—is a critical one. I hope that you are moved; it’s time for everyone to get busy.


— Laurie Huber, founder, Energy Shift Corporation; and zero-net energy home builder


Our Journey to Sustainability helps us understand that the environmental movement is composed of individuals living diverse, rewarding lives. I felt a deep connection to each person Biemer interviewed. Thank you, Jon, for shining a light on the people behind the movement and what motivates them to prioritize the health and welfare of Mother Earth.


— Linda Neale, author, “The Power of Ceremony”; and cofounder, Earth and Spirit Council


Our Journey to Sustainability is the burst of hope that everyone needs in their lives. The book presents stories of everyday people across all sectors demonstrating that a more sustainable world is possible. If you find yourself feeling vulnerable and stressed over climate change, consider Biemer's antidote: do something! Climate action is key.


— Angelou Ezeilo, founder, Greening Youth Foundation; and author, “Engage, Connect, Protect


Jon R. Biemer’s interviews illuminate a universal truth: Ordinary people who take extraordinary action are the ones who change the world.


— Carlos Araque, founder and CEO, Quaise Energy, Inc


Documenting stories of everyday leaders as they engage in education, advocacy, and action, Biemer highlights a road towards sustainability.


— Cassandra Carmichael, executive director, National Religious Partnership for the Environment


It is as if I suddenly have a new bunch of green-minded friends joining my own volunteer committee sharing their backgrounds, experiences, and ideas for making a difference in my own community! This book is a great resource for environmentalists everywhere, and a testament to past heroes in the ongoing fight to care for planet Earth.


— Pat Wartinger, chair, Town of Henrietta (New York) Sustainability Committee


Written in a friendly, accessible style, Jon Biemer’s latest book introduces us to people who are making sustainable change in their personal lives and their communities. Biemer lets them explain in their own words what motivated these changes and the steps they took. Reading this book should convince anyone that their actions, no matter how small, can be part of the journey to a more sustainable world for all of us.


— Jane Ellen Nickell, chaplain emerita, Allegheny College


11/22/24, Environmental Directions Radio: Nancy Pearlman interviews Jon Biemer about the book.

Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mTxIgXH2CrDkjmHdJYGLIPYm737cfGWP/view



Our Journey to Sustainability

How Everyday Heroes Make a Difference

Cover Image
Hardback
eBook
Summary
Summary
  • Explores the motivations, successes, and visions of individuals working tirelessly to heal our planet through 150 personal stories.

    Everyday, countless individuals are hard at work, seeking solutions to environmental problems and creating new ways to live sustainably. It takes the combined effort of many to secure a healthy future, from electric vehicle owners to animal lovers, journalists to artists, scientists to indigenous communities and cities. But what is it that motivates people to act on behalf of the planet?

    That is the question at the heart of Our Journey to Sustainability: How Everyday Heroes Make a Difference. Compiling 150 stories from personal interviews, research, and his own experiences, Jon R. Biemer explores the varied motivations that inspire environmental action and presents over twenty-five sustainable wisdom tips that readers can implement in their own lives, suggesting real-world ways to make a difference. Readers will visit cities and towns across the country, indigenous reservations, and wildlife preserves. They will be introduced to the heroes in the trenches who are creating a healthier environment, on scales both small and large, while learning how actions can add up to great results.

    Biemer profiles a mix of modest and impressive efforts by youth advocates, professionals in the prime of their career, and post-retirees. Some folks are just doing a day’s work, while some are fighting for environmental justice. Our Journey to Sustainability shows what it really takes to recycle, repair cell phones, recover a brownfield, and halt a freeway, and highlights the real-life dreams of entrepreneurs who are revolutionizing geothermal energy, the clothing industry, the way boats are built, and much more. Eco-heroes are everywhere, and their initiatives are the substance of realistic hope for our planet.

Details
Details
  • Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
    Pages: 256 • Trim: 6½ x 9¼
    978-1-5381-7873-7 • Hardback • August 2024 • $36.00 • (£30.00)
    978-1-5381-7874-4 • eBook • August 2024 • $34.00 • (£25.00)
    Subjects: Self-Help / Green Lifestyle, House & Home / Sustainable Living, Science / Environmental Science
Author
Author
  • Jon R. Biemer has more than forty years of experience creating sustainability. His practices and causes include free cycling, repair cafes, village building convergences, environmental education, solar and wind energy, and energy efficiency in homes, municipalities, and industry. Biemer is a mechanical engineer and holds a certificate in process-oriented psychology. He has managed utility energy conservation programs and now provides organizational development consulting to nonprofits. He is the author of Our Environmental Handprints: Recover the Land, Reverse Global Warming, Reclaim the Future (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021) and a member of the Society for Environmental Journalists.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents
  • Sustainable Wisdom Vignettes

    Acknowledgments

    Introduction: Finding Your Fire

    Chapter 1: Pilgrimage

    Chapter 2: Portland, Oregon. A City that Cares

    Chapter 3: Homeowners

    Chapter 4: Electric Vehicle Drivers

    Chapter 5: Meadville, Pennsylvania. Old Meets New

    Chapter 6: Partner with Young People

    Chapter 7: Calling All Artists!

    Chapter 8: Henrietta, New York. All In!

    Chapter 9: Environmental Journalists

    Chapter 10: Entrepreneurs

    Chapter 11: Corvallis, Oregon. Being Practical

    Chapter 12: Stewards of the Land

    Chapter 13: Indigenous Country. The People Rising

    Chapter 14: Bison

    Chapter 15: Bees and Eagles

    Chapter 16: Save the Tiger

    Chapter 17: Gainesville, Florida. Southern Style Sustainability

    Chapter 18: Explorers

    Chapter 19: Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. Under an Enchanted Moon

    Chapter 20: Faith Based Environmentalists

    Chapter 21: Valuing Spirit

    Chapter 22: The Power of Walking

    Chapter 23: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Sustainability at Scale

    Chapter 24: Go Beyond

    Bibliography

    Notes

    Index

    About the Author

Reviews
Reviews
  • This is a great book. The range of people and projects included ensures that there is something that will grab you. I found inspirational favorites where I least expected and learned a lot, even though I am quite familiar with the subject matter. The goal of this book—to move people to action—is a critical one. I hope that you are moved; it’s time for everyone to get busy.


    — Laurie Huber, founder, Energy Shift Corporation; and zero-net energy home builder


    Our Journey to Sustainability helps us understand that the environmental movement is composed of individuals living diverse, rewarding lives. I felt a deep connection to each person Biemer interviewed. Thank you, Jon, for shining a light on the people behind the movement and what motivates them to prioritize the health and welfare of Mother Earth.


    — Linda Neale, author, “The Power of Ceremony”; and cofounder, Earth and Spirit Council


    Our Journey to Sustainability is the burst of hope that everyone needs in their lives. The book presents stories of everyday people across all sectors demonstrating that a more sustainable world is possible. If you find yourself feeling vulnerable and stressed over climate change, consider Biemer's antidote: do something! Climate action is key.


    — Angelou Ezeilo, founder, Greening Youth Foundation; and author, “Engage, Connect, Protect


    Jon R. Biemer’s interviews illuminate a universal truth: Ordinary people who take extraordinary action are the ones who change the world.


    — Carlos Araque, founder and CEO, Quaise Energy, Inc


    Documenting stories of everyday leaders as they engage in education, advocacy, and action, Biemer highlights a road towards sustainability.


    — Cassandra Carmichael, executive director, National Religious Partnership for the Environment


    It is as if I suddenly have a new bunch of green-minded friends joining my own volunteer committee sharing their backgrounds, experiences, and ideas for making a difference in my own community! This book is a great resource for environmentalists everywhere, and a testament to past heroes in the ongoing fight to care for planet Earth.


    — Pat Wartinger, chair, Town of Henrietta (New York) Sustainability Committee


    Written in a friendly, accessible style, Jon Biemer’s latest book introduces us to people who are making sustainable change in their personal lives and their communities. Biemer lets them explain in their own words what motivated these changes and the steps they took. Reading this book should convince anyone that their actions, no matter how small, can be part of the journey to a more sustainable world for all of us.


    — Jane Ellen Nickell, chaplain emerita, Allegheny College


Features
Features
  • 11/22/24, Environmental Directions Radio: Nancy Pearlman interviews Jon Biemer about the book.

    Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mTxIgXH2CrDkjmHdJYGLIPYm737cfGWP/view



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