ZWEE book & movie recommendations
Dark winter evenings and holiday breaks during Christmas offer the perfect opportunity for reading books and watching movies. We’ve gathered recommendations from our team members to help you gain a broader perspective on the environment, economy, and our world. We hope you’ll find something here for yourself — or perhaps a gift idea for the loved ones!
1. Climate - A New Story, Charles Eisenstein (book)
This book approaches climate change not only through the lens of carbon emissions or technical solutions but reveals it as part of a broader relationship between nature and human society. It encourages us to see climate change as an opportunity to restore respect for nature, care for ecosystems, and foster collaboration. This perspective helps us understand that change is not just about technical fixes but also about adopting a new mindset that allows us to better comprehend our role in the world.
2. An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us, Ed Yong (book)
At first glance, this book may not seem directly related to sustainability, but it actually connects beautifully, offering insights into understanding both ourselves and the living environments of animals on a broader scale.
3. Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist, Kate Raworth (book)
Oxford academic Kate Raworth has identified seven key ways in which mainstream economics has led us astray—from promoting the myth of the “rational economic man” to the obsession with achieving growth at all costs. She offers an alternative roadmap to help humanity find a balance where everyone’s needs are met while staying within the planet’s limits.
4. Big World, Small Planet: Abundance Within Planetary Boundries. Johan Rockström ja Mattias Klum (book)
Currently, over seven billion people live on planet Earth, and human activity is impacting the planet’s core functions to such an extent that the geological epoch is now being referred to as the Anthropocene. World-renowned environmental scientist Professor Johan Rockström and acclaimed photographer Mattias Klum have written a book that explores the concept of a shared planet. “Big World, Small Planet” explains how to define the boundaries for sustainable development that our planet can endure.
5. Welcome To Sodom (movie)
Not too long ago it used to be untouched swampland, today it is the largest electronic waste dump in the world. It is proven to be one of most toxic places on the planet. About 6000 women, men and children live and work here. Welcome To Sodom goes behind the scenes of Europe's largest e-waste dump in the middle of Africa. What lives do people lead among the waste of the first world?
6. The Intelligence Trap, David Robson (book)
What blinkered Einstein and Edison? Why did Steve Jobs and NASA make lethal errors of judgement? How might environmental disaster and social inequality be averted?
It is time for us to learn a new way of thinking.
The twenty-first century presents complex problems that require a wiser way of reasoning, one that recognises our current limitations, tolerates ambiguity and uncertainty, balances multiple perspectives, and bridges diverse areas of expertise.
7. Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy (movie)
Pulls back the curtain on the world's top brands, exposing the hidden tactics and covert strategies used to keep all of us locked in an endless cycle of buying, no matter the cost.
8. How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas, David Bornstein (book)
How to Change the World profiles inspiring social entrepreneurs and demonstrates how individuals can make a significant impact. Case studies include Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize winner for her campaign against landmines; Roberto Baggio, who established 80 computer schools in Brazil’s slums; and Diana Propper, who influenced corporations to address environmental risks. The paperback edition features a new foreword on the growth of social entrepreneurship, including major initiatives like the Gates-Buffett partnership and updated stories of the featured entrepreneurs.
