Author shares climate change stories

Author and Vancouver Observer reporter Carrie Saxifrage will share stories from her new book, The Big Swim, at Chapters Bookstore (1395 Hillside Drive) on April 1 at 7 p.m.

The book highlights the growing unease felt by many: the disconnect between our daily lives and the irrefutable evidence that it’s time to act on climate change, already transforming the world before our eyes.

“People want to take action on climate change, but they often feel powerless,” said Gisela Ruckert, chair of Kamloops 350. “It’s tricky to stay motivated when the solutions all smack of self-sacrifice and we see no immediate benefit. I’m hopeful that this book will help bridge the gap, by illustrating how each of us can grow personally through aligning our behaviour with what we know needs to happen.”

Saxifrage set out to write a book that people who aren’t interested in climate change would enjoy. As a result, some stories have very little to do with climate change and a lot to do with life: the death of a parent, adventures in nature and a building project gone awry.

Other stories face the predicament head on: how climate change affected Saxifrage’s identity as a mother, how her family decarbonized their life and how she manages the despair that can arise from knowledge.

Said Saxifrage, “I hope that people will use this book to invite others they care about to have the conversations we need, the ones about freeing ourselves from the deadly dependence on fossil fuels and embracing energy systems that support communities and ecosystems.”