My Green Manifesto
Ryan Abbott
Professor Conz
Book Review
4 April, 2013
My Green Manifesto In the educational book, My Green Manifesto: Down the Charles River in Pursuit of a New Environmentalism, David Gessner goes into depth describing Dan Driscoll’s journey down the Charles River. His adventure speaks out to the readers by influencing others to get outside more so that one can appreciate the nature that is given to us on this planet. Gessner believes that if people get outside more they will soon start to understand how important this “wilderness” is and that it needs to be taken care of and loved. What many people don’t realize is that most of the communities that are lived in today aren’t considered wilderness. There may be parks or forests near-by but not wilderness; unless your living completely off the land in the Appalachians, Rockies, or somewhere where humans have not yet occupied as a community then it is not wilderness. As they journey down the river they encounter vast areas of wilderness and as they continue they see, what use to be wilderness, is now buildings in the heart of Boston where a lot has changed. He also decries the methods of many current environmental organizations, arguing that no disembodied environmentalism that “so often sounds like nagging” is likely be fully effective. He believes that to “fight joyously for what’s good in the world,” as his friend Dan has done for the Charles, is the key to protecting even the most trammeled wildness. This is why the main aspect taken out of this book is to find a new environmentalism. The adventure starts off introducing the river men canoeing down the Charles River enjoying a couple brews. They are paddling down the river soaking in all the natural beauty such as the different landscapes and the variety of birds; warblers, orioles, woodpeckers, and birds of prey. Gessner describes all of these scenes as backyard sights that can sometimes go unnoticed by bystanders and even the residents living there.
Professor Conz
Book Review
4 April, 2013
My Green Manifesto In the educational book, My Green Manifesto: Down the Charles River in Pursuit of a New Environmentalism, David Gessner goes into depth describing Dan Driscoll’s journey down the Charles River. His adventure speaks out to the readers by influencing others to get outside more so that one can appreciate the nature that is given to us on this planet. Gessner believes that if people get outside more they will soon start to understand how important this “wilderness” is and that it needs to be taken care of and loved. What many people don’t realize is that most of the communities that are lived in today aren’t considered wilderness. There may be parks or forests near-by but not wilderness; unless your living completely off the land in the Appalachians, Rockies, or somewhere where humans have not yet occupied as a community then it is not wilderness. As they journey down the river they encounter vast areas of wilderness and as they continue they see, what use to be wilderness, is now buildings in the heart of Boston where a lot has changed. He also decries the methods of many current environmental organizations, arguing that no disembodied environmentalism that “so often sounds like nagging” is likely be fully effective. He believes that to “fight joyously for what’s good in the world,” as his friend Dan has done for the Charles, is the key to protecting even the most trammeled wildness. This is why the main aspect taken out of this book is to find a new environmentalism. The adventure starts off introducing the river men canoeing down the Charles River enjoying a couple brews. They are paddling down the river soaking in all the natural beauty such as the different landscapes and the variety of birds; warblers, orioles, woodpeckers, and birds of prey. Gessner describes all of these scenes as backyard sights that can sometimes go unnoticed by bystanders and even the residents living there.