Description

Carbon, though often feared as the culprit behind climate change and civilization’s possible downfall, is, in fact, the essential element that breathes life into our world. Although it forms only a small fraction of Earth’s composition, the planet would be barren and lifeless without it.

In this insightful exploration, acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Paul Hawken takes readers on an illuminating journey through the remarkable story of carbon, the most versatile and fundamental element on Earth. With clarity and curiosity, Hawken examines life from carbon’s perspective, revealing how this ever-present building block threads through everything—plants, animals, insects, fungi, our food supply, and agriculture—not only shaping our planet’s history but also guiding its future possibilities and human endeavors.

Deeply hopeful and profoundly humane, Hawken’s inspiring narrative highlights the subtle yet powerful connections binding carbon to us all. He invites readers to reimagine carbon not as an adversary, but as an integral part of the living world, encouraging us to see nature, carbon, and humanity as intricately woven and profoundly interconnected.