Climate change is a complex, ever-changing topic. For those of us who are trying our best to stay informed and contribute positively to the environment and our communities, it’s certainly not an easy task to do solo. If you’re getting your news online, it’s so easy to get swept up in the emotional frenzy of social media; in this realm we don’t have to think before we speak and sometimes use the platforms cathartically (which, hey I’m SO guilty of doing) which, studies have shown makes us more distressed.

Let’s all breathe for a second. Participation is sometimes a much more effective tactic than protest. If we only have one mode when addressing these issues we’ll burn out quick and lose our perspective. For me, staying centered, keeping my calm and reading up on the solutions to these ominous problems is what prevents me from being sent into a tailspin.

This list of resources on how to better understand climate change includes books, websites, media and more. If you’ve been searching for more guidance than I hope that this helps! I’d love to hear what your go-to’s are, so drop me a note in the comment section below or send me an email at katherine@thebasicgoods.com You can also sign up for my newsletter, The Exhale, where I’ll share more links and relevant info.

Resources to help you understand climate change:

• Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming Edited by Paul Hawken – The title speaks for itself but if I could say something, it’s that this
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – The United Nations body of scientists and experts around the world who bring our global governments the info necessary to understand how to approach our warming planet
• Climate Desk – A journalistic collective that sources news articles and updates from top media outlets
• Protect Our Winters – A nonprofit that provides info and action plans in pursuit of mobilizing athletes and all winter-sports-lovers to learn how to help protect our winters
• The Green Life Newsletter from Sierra Club
• Yale Environment 360 – The Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies online magazine. It’s easy to read, understand and most importantly, helps me feel like I’m staying on top of things.