Art and Climate Change by Maja Fowkes and Reuben Fowkes 

£16.99

This book delves into a deeper, more challenging read where facts, research, and art come together to highlight an issue at hand: Climate Change is happening here and now. It urges a radical re-evaluation of our environment and the changes it causes within our communities. By delving into relevant artworks across five chapters, it connects us with voices from diverse art backgrounds who have begun to grapple with and experience climate change firsthand.

Depictions of nature devastated by extinction events and landscapes scarred by extraction, these works reflect the urgency of the climate crisis. They also highlight the social injustices faced by marginalised communities which are affected by climate change. 

Sustaining photography by Lizzie King & Gwen Riley Jones 

£10

Explore Salford’s vibrant art scene, which is continuously more intertwined with sustainability, joined by the Art Garden nestling right within the Community Growing Space at Salford University. You will find out about the unexpected potential of everyday groceries, like beetroot and spinach, which can be repurposed for film development and dynamic workshops!  

Embrace the innovative green practices, and go on the quest for more natural and sustainable processes. This publication will assist you in visualising the possibility of creating photographs from the comfort of your own… kitchen! It will provide you with more than one way to be part of the eco-conscious action. The book was created by using a spinach pigment, which naturally fades away over time if faced with natural and artificial UV light sources, so don’t be surprised if after time the cover becomes a blank state for you to explore natural and creative approaches to a more sustainable life.

Feel The Grass With Bare Feet by Dulcie Wagstaff 

£25

This book, born from a socially conscious endeavour, provides a unique lens into the personal connection between women and the natural world. Through evocative imagery and different narrative structures, it offers an opportunity for everyone to delve deeper into their individual journey with nature.

Let’s join twelve creative women from Bristol and find out what it means to be part of nature in this modern environment. This is an open invitation to embrace your inherent connection with the natural world, to rediscover your roots, and to create deeper bonds with the environment through written text and photographs. It was created in hopes of reaching and naturally representing a diverse spectrum of women and non-binary people, who wanted to share their experiences of being part of nature. 

123 Seriously Smart Things You Need To Know About The Climate by Mathilda Masters, Louize Perdieus 

£12.95

Discover everything you need to know about climate change through facts!  Dive into an educational journey about climate change, its impacts, and potential solutions to the challenges we face today. Through the collaboration of author Mathilda Masters and illustrator Louize Perdieus, you’ll gain a fresh perspective on climate change and its relevance to our lives. Think about it – while humanity has been around for almost 3000 years, the Earth itself is far older… What does it mean to us, as a human species?  Let’s delve into the world we’ve inherited!

This book is ideal for teenagers or anyone keen on exploring this topic through engaging text accompanied by captivating illustrations from talented artists. It’s not all doom and gloom, instead, it’s filled with positivity and actionable ways that we can change and enhance our planet with, suitable to all age groups!

Mining Photography: The Ecological Footprint of Image Production MK&G 

£36

Paper’s impact on photography and its connection to the mining of goods persists even today. Photography, the steam engine in its transformative power, has changed our environment significantly. As various printing methods emerged over time, people quickly realised that photography had permanently changed our surroundings. Silver, traditionally used in jewellery making, found its way into photography practices. 

So where do captured images reside? As we navigate through centuries of photographic history, mining photography emerges as a topic that makes you ask questions about what, where, and when… Trillions of images are stored in databases, but where do they originate? The ecological toll of data storage underscores that these images are housed somewhere, often utilising materials sourced through mining. The grip seems unavoidable, even in the realm of smartphones and other technological devices, leaving an undeniable footprint on our planet.

Greenhouse Stories by d-o-t-s (A critical re-examination of transparent microcosm) 

£22

A one-of-a-kind book that will expand your horizons, edited by the dynamic duo known as d-o-t-s. The book explores themes ranging from agricultural practices to the role of supermarkets, shedding light on the enduring fascination with greenhouses and their connection to soil and industrialisation. 

Throughout the book, the greenhouse serves as a metaphor for the concept that Earth itself might function as a greenhouse, a notion that, while scientifically inaccurate, offers a thought-provoking perspective. It raises questions about whether greenhouses are tools of colonisation, given their historical context, or if they’ve become essential collaborators in sustaining the growing food industry. Technologies like LED lights and advancements in greenhouse technology are also examined, challenging the notion that they provide a blanket solution to climate change as we continue to progress.

Penguin Green Ideas Slipcase Collection

£100

Have you ever considered the pioneers who foresaw and discussed the impending climate changes long before now? Over the past 75 years, a new literary genre has emerged. With humanity significantly altering life on Earth, voices from across the globe have risen to champion environmental causes and emphasise our role in its preservation. Together, these books showcase the depth of environmental change and illuminate new paths for a more sustainable future.

This collection brings together the works of such authors who delved into the emerging concept of climate change. In a collection of Penguin Classics these twenty books represent the groundbreaking ideas that have revolutionised our perception and conversations about our home planet. These visionary thinkers passionately advocated for a greener, safer world for all.

Creative Climate Investigations, a creative project book led by Climate and Cities 

£50

Delving into social ecosystems, anthropology, and community dynamics involves exploring how these ecosystems interact with their physical surroundings. In this context, various artists from diverse backgrounds present their works, which often include collaborations or direct representations of green projects, one of them being in the urban background of London. 

Presented in an experimental format with diverse fonts, pictures, and a diary-like narrative structure, these works invite readers to contemplate mediums and alternative systems that connect with nature within the bustling city environments. 

“Creative Climate Investigations” represents the culmination of 2.5 years of creative research, embodying our learnings, experiments, and proposals as we grapple with challenges at the intersection of climate and urban environments. This exploration of eight projects is an opportunity for us to look into the themes of greenwashing, air quality, plastic pollution and so much more.

Text and images by Lilly Jankaus