Official Review: Grassroots Stewardship

[Sam Ibeh]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Grassroots Stewardship" by F Stuart Chapin, III.]

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

"We have met the enemy and he is us." This quote taken from one of the diagrams in the book summarizes the main point F. Stuart Chapin attempts to make in the book, Grassroots Stewardship.

As people seek to meet their needs and desires, they often do things that affect ecosystems. This involves exploitation and its impact, such as pollution, which reduce the capacity of ecosystems to provide services to society. Suppose people degrade nature to meet their short-term desires, ecosystem services decline. This action erodes society's ability to meet its needs.

The author attempts to explain the relationship/interaction between people and the rest of the ecosystems and how humans can improve the degrading state of nature. In the author's words, "Today's heightened awareness and concern about environmental degradation and social inequities suggest that now may be the time to mobilize people around stewardship for ecosystems and society."

The author seemed to have done extensive research, coupled with his knowledge of the subject matter (Ecology); he wasn't doing guesswork. The certainty of the information was seen in the way he presented the facts and his detailed explanations.

Even with the complexity of the subject matter, the author uses visual aids to drive home his points and makes sure the reader understands. And the occasional comics make the reading less boring for the reader.

He made his points so simple that a layperson would understand. The reader would not need to have any experience in ecology to understand the message of the book.

Another thing I love in the author's writing is the coherency of the chapters; they are all connected. This makes the read seamless and progressive. Also, his points are as objective as possible; he presents real and verifiable facts. Everyone and their mother will agree that books like Grassroots Stewardship need to be objective and not based on emotions or personal idiosyncrasies. The author does not only state problems, or make points that are not viable; he offers feasible solutions. Thus, there's a step-by-step action plan for grassroots stewards in every chapter.

There was absolutely nothing I disliked about the book; the book was professionally edited. For what it was worth, I was on the lookout for grammatical errors. However, I was pleasantly disappointed. Therefore, I rate this book four out of four stars. I recommend that everybody reads this book, especially people who want to help transform a planet in peril to one where society and nature can flourish.

******
Grassroots Stewardship
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[LuciusM]

Wow! This is a great book I must read. GREAT REVIEW!

[djr6090]

I like the Pogo quote, "We have met the enemy and he is us." Ecology crisis books are a dime a dozen, but one that offers advice on how each of us can do our small part are rare. Thank you for surfacing this one.

[Kola+wole]

Sounds like a great read. We definitely cam hello stop nature's degradation by paying attention to it. Excellent review.

[R Lefler]

I might like this one, because I was involved in Environmental Club in high school and I've done environmentalist activities off and on since, but it's really hard sometimes to know what you can do with limited time/power/money that will make the most difference. Thanks for the review, I'll probably check this one out.

[MsH2k]

“he wasn't doing guesswork” I love that statement.
This sounds like a comprehensive guide to help us take better care of our planet.
Thank you for your thorough review!

[Ivana Tomaš]

I think more and more people today should be environmentally aware. I love books that cover such topics, and the big plus for me here is that the book contains a step-by-step guide.

[Doziesixtus]

I might like this one, because I was involved in Environmental Club in high school and I've done environmentalist activities off and on since, but it's really hard sometimes to know what you can do with limited time/power/money that will make the most difference. Thanks for the review, I'll probably check this one out.

Its apparent the author is a staunch environmentalist. The cover photo said it all even before I read the review.

[Uzo_Reviews]

Books with easy to read language remains one of my favourite. And this work in hand with detailing and explanation. If this book contains all these, them I'll make it a pick. Thanks for a great review.