Earth Squad: 50 People who are Saving the Planet by Alexandra Zissu ’92. I can well imagine this book making its way into the curriculum of a place like, well, Friends Seminary. I would love to see every fifth grader (random choice) prepare a Power Point on one of these individuals and figure out how to join ranks and become an Earth Squad warrior. The students would have quite an array to choose from – an electric car expert, an activist chef, a plastics pollution explorer, a hip hop artist/climate protector, or an Amazon rain forest protector, just to name a few. (If anyone does this, please put it online somewhere so I can see it).
This book engages and informs young (and not so young) readers of the lives and accomplishments of 50 carefully selected leaders of the environmental movement, some well-known, like Greta Thunberg, Angela Merkel, and Pete Seeger, and others (no less illustrious) who were unknown to me. Every bio is accompanied by an action plan --concrete tips on how we can also “Act like Al Gore” or “Act like Rachel Carson” or any of the 48 other champions of the environment.
Written in a conversational style, the book is inviting with colorful portraits of the Squad members by Nhung Lê.
I am convinced that we all should “Act like Alexandra Zissu,” be aware of what is at stake and use this book to spread the word.
