What is NetworkNature Reads?
#NetworkNatureReads is inspired by #ReadingRainbow and the #NewYorkTimes #ByTheBook series, both of which spread a love of reading by highlighting stand out books and the people who love them. Our goal is to do the same, but with a #naturebasedsolutions flavor. Every month, we will feature one book selected by a NetworkNature member.
We believe that literature widens perspectives and can foster connection with human and environmental communities. Read Wild Geese by Mary Oliver if you aren’t sure what we mean.
This month’s interviewee is Minja Alaniva, a communications intern at ICLEI Europe in the Biodiversity and Nature-Based Solutions Team.
Want to get involved? Contact hello@networknature.eu to suggest a book!
Book
The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
Related Projects
Tell us about yourself! What role do nature and reading play in your life?
Nature, specifically near my hometown in the Finnish Lapland, or here in Freiburg, is a place for me to go enjoy fresh air, see the seasons change and make the best out of those seasons. Noticing the shifts in these, I decided to pursue a career in the environmental field. Reading fiction is a way for me to be immersed in someone else’s story and surroundings.
Which book did you pick and why?
Although I am an optimist and a positive person, my favorite type of books are those that remind you how fragile one's current reality might be. Margaret Atwood’s Year of the Flood is exactly that kind of book.
Can you share a specific moment from the book that resonates with you personally? How does it connect to your work with Nature-based Solutions projects?
As in other work by Atwood, the explanations of how systems slowly slip into horror are often inspired by mixing things that have already happened. The story of The Year of the Flood is narrated by two women, in a system dominated by capitalism, where environmental degradation and stomping on human rights has become the norm. Nature-Based Solutions projects could have avoided that state, haha!
In what ways do you see the themes or lessons from the book aligning with the goals of conservation and the challenges we face in combating biodiversity loss today?
The women end up with a group of strange gardeners, who reimagine the relationship between humans and nature, by combining religion with what seem like nature based solutions, such as building roof-top gardens! The book also features some less conventional solutions that have nothing to do with our work, haha. Besides practical solutions, the group is also founded on the utmost respect for all species, which is taken to religious lengths. Their saints are those who fought against biodiversity loss.
In a city that is filthy and dangerous, in a world faced with mass extinction, the group finds meaning and refuge in their garden, where they connect with the species that are still around. The story highlights the importance of being intentional in one's acts and the power of sustainable small actions, even if the world around gives reasons for hopelessness.
If you were recommending this book to a colleague or a friend within the conservation community, what key takeaway or message would you highlight?
I think that ultimately while Atwood’s books show the worst possible scenarios, they invite you to reflect on your own role and values. The book suggests that responding to environmental crises isn’t about being perfect, but doing what you can given your circumstances. And that will probably be enough!