The story of Do Earth - September 21

When I was a young boy deeply steeped in tales of adventure, of first ascents and new passages discovered, I felt a distinct sense of disappointment at being born in such an inconsequential age. Everything worthwhile had been 'done'.

 

Now I see how wrong this was. 

 

Not only did this conquering urge reflect the domineering and acquisitive instinct which has brought us to the brink, but teetering here, there has never been a more important time to be alive. 

 

 

Collectively we face humankind's greatest challenge, spelt out in "unequivocal" terms by the recent IPCC report on climate change.

 

This struggle cannot be won by a single heroic adventurer. The only way is through common purpose and collective action.

 

Our Ultimate Meaning

 

Those of us who love the outdoors, particularly folk given to reflecting on our experiences, have a great deal to contribute. You could argue that this is the ultimate meaning we can realise from our carefully cultivated connection to the natural world.

 

 

I believe these things deeply. Yet, initially, when Miranda from the Do Book Company suggested Do Earth would make a great feature for Adventurous Ink, I was unsure.

 

Even though many of our books encourage us to consider ourselves an intimate part of the natural world, and shed light on how we are damaging our environment, I was concerned that it was a little off topic and risked 'preaching to the choir'.

 

A Powerful Call To Arms

 

But then I read author Tamsin Omond's powerful call to arms, which invokes the very relationship subscribers have been nurturing.

 

"To heal we don't just need to fight, we need to be enchanted by the planet again."

 

We are already enchanted by the planet! We must play our part, as our Manifesto recognises "It falls to us witnesses to sound the alarm."

 

I should have known better.

 

Miranda and I have a shared story that merited more trust in her judgement, and connects us to Tamsin's journey too; we first met at the life-changing Do Lectures, back in 2012.

 

 

Miranda was wide eyed, fresh from quitting her job in publishing to seek out the next challenge. She found it standing there on stage, as speaker after speaker imparted their wisdom to a highly receptive, if slightly soggy, crowd.

 

Neatly Bound Kindling

 

Since then it's been a joy to watch the Do Book Company go from strength to strength as they translated a succession of fire-starting Do Lectures into neatly bound kindling.

 

Indeed, I have my own tiny library of these great little books. I love, and  appreciate, how their format compresses so much purpose into such a compact volume.

 

These books have changed my life.

 

I hope this one has a similar impact on yours, and ultimately on the world.

 

Get straight to the heart of the topics Tamsin considers in this short reading from Planet Earth...

 

Join us as we strive to become yet more connected, more enchanted, more purposeful.

 

Don't miss the chance to win £300 of books in our collaborative competition to celebrate the launch, and feature, of Do Earth.