Author Archives: Harry Katz
Undammed
Most books about the environment or climate change catalog the disastrous state of our world but dangle a morsel of hope at the end. Undammed, a book about dam removal in the United States, describes real progress, genuine restoration, and actual healing of the land and its people. Continue reading
There Are Rivers in the Sky
There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak tells the story of three people connected by two rivers and one raindrop. Arthur Smyth, born into squalor on the banks of the polluted Thames River in Victorian England, discovers the … Continue reading
Braiding Sweetgrass
Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass weaves Indigenous wisdom, western science, and autobiography into a compelling vision of humanity’s relationship with Nature. It’s a relationship based on reciprocity, respect and gratitude, where we can begin to heal the land and heal ourselves too. Continue reading
Cruising
My wife and I just got back from our very first cruise, a leisurely two-week journey from Amsterdam to Budapest along the Rhine, Main, and Danube Rivers with stops at a dozen cities and towns along the way. Here’s my unsolicited feedback about river cruising. Continue reading
All Remaining Passengers
I retired a few years ago and I’m now eligible for Medicare, Social Security and all those wonderful senior’s discounts. I’m in good health, thankfully, and my mind is sharp. Eighty still feels a long way off. So maybe I … Continue reading
Notes from the Energy Transition
In defiance of Donald Trump’s disastrous climate and energy policies, the world is steadily transitioning away from fossil fuels towards clean energy. In this post, I want to highlight some recent reports and articles examining this trend. First, Ember, a … Continue reading
When the Forest Breathes
Back in 2021, I read and raved about Susanne Simard’s wonderful book Finding the Mother Tree. Her new book, When the Forest Breathes: Renewal and Resilience in the Natural World, is a great follow-up. It’s an urgent call to save our forests and, in the process, save ourselves. Continue reading
The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World
William Dalrymple’s book The Golden Road reveals an ancient India that shaped global trade, religion, and science for over a thousand years. From the spread of Buddhism to the invention of zero, it uncovers a forgotten “Indosphere” whose influence still underpins the modern world. Continue reading
Wild Law: A Manifesto for Earth Justice
Wild Law: A Manifesto for Earth Justice is a radical rethinking of law, governance, and humanity’s place in the natural world. It challenges assumptions that have shaped centuries of environmental destruction and suggests a new way of governing ourselves, one that aligns with Earth’s own systems of self-governance. Continue reading
Endangerment Finding Revoked
On February 12, the Trump Administration revoked the 2009 “endangerment finding” that greenhouse gasses endanger human health and welfare. They claimed this was the “single greatest deregulatory action” in US history. I think it’s the greatest single payoff to the fossil fuel industry. No one should be surprised. Continue reading
Unsolicited Feedback 