10 best books to help you live more sustainably

Sustainability started off as a buzzword many years ago, but it’s sticking around, with more of us than ever determined to do our bit in the face of plastic pollution, food waste and, above all, the climate crisis.

A survey by Smart Energy GB found that 75 per cent of us think we could try harder when it comes to living more ethically. However, despite one-third of respondents feeling anxious about their children or grandchildren’s futures, one-quarter said they don’t do more because “it’s too much effort”.

One in 10 felt they lacked the ability to make an impact, with many others unsure on how exactly they could make a difference. It’s understandable: these environmental issues seem – and are – overwhelmingly big. But if our planet is to be healthy and hospitable for future generations, they are also urgent.

If you’re looking to live a greener lifestyle, we’ve rounded up the books that will help. We were careful to avoid the books that point out the problems without offering solutions, and we favoured those that approached serious topics with realism and without preaching.

There is only so much that the individual can do, though. Governments need to step up and make lasting policy changes. But doing something, however small it may seem, is better than doing nothing at all. You don’t need to be perfect, as many of these books make clear, but we can all do better.

Read more:

• 10 best plastic-free books to help you lead a greener life
• 10 best vegan trainers that tread lightly on the planet
• Fast fashion books: Learn the truth behind the industry

The best sustainability books for 2022 are:

• Best overall – The Joyful Environmentalist by Isabel Losada, published by Watkins Publishing: £10.76, Agreatread.co.uk
• Best for easy swaps – The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide by Jen Gale, published by Green Tree: £10.59, Blackwells.co.uk
• Best for fast fashion facts – How to Break Up with Fast Fashion by Lauren Bravo, published by Headline Publishing: £13.99, Blackwells.co.uk
• Best for reducing single-use plastic – Turning the Tide on Plastic by Lucy Siegle, published by Orion: £8.99, Waterstones.com
• Best motivational book – No One is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg, published by Penguin: £3.99, Oliverbonas.com
• Best cookbook – Vegan(ish) by Jack Monroe, published by Pan Macmillan: £16.99, Waterstones.com
• Best for eco-friendly travel – Sustainable Escapes by Lonely Planet, published by Lonely Planet: £12.46, Wordery.com
• Best for information about carbon footprint – How Bad are Bananas?: The Carbon Footprint of Everything by Mike Berners-Lee, published by Profile Books: £8.19, Amazon.co.uk
• Best gardening book – The Garden Jungle by Dave Goulson, published by Vintage Books: £8.99, Blackwells.co.uk
• Best for simple solutions – No More Rubbish Excuses by Martin Dorey, published by Ebury Press: £9.99, Waterstones.com