Isabel Losada - The Joyful Environmentalist: How to Practise Without Preaching

This edition first published in the UK and USA in 2020 by

Watkins, an imprint of Watkins Media Limited

Unit 11, Shepperton House

89-93 Shepperton Road

London

N1 3DF

Design and typography copyright Watkins Media Limited 2020

Text copyright Isabel Losada 2020

Isabel Losada has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior permission in writing from the Publishers.

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Typeset by Lapiz

Printed and bound in the UK by TJ International Ltd.

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-78678-470-4

www.watkinspublishing.com

Acclaim for

The Joyful Environmentalist

Isabel Losada writes wittily, engagingly and compassionately about the ways in which we can help the planet. For those increasing numbers of us suffering from eco-anxiety here, at last, is a friend to guide us through the maze of conflicting advice, steer us round the pitfalls and gently support our stumbling steps. Her own stories of frustration and confusion, meltdowns and bafflement, will chime with anyone who has ever tried to do their bit for conservation in a world that seems determined to thwart them at every turn. Told with humour and candour, The Joyful Environmentalist is a manifesto of brilliant advice offered with humility and good grace it is a practical guide to empower us all.

Isabella Tree. Author of Wilding

There is much to read that discourages both individual and collective action to live with love for each other, the world and ourselves. Much that ever so cleverly separates us and undermines our self-worth as citizens together with the power to change. Isabel encourages both individual and collective action with her honest, humorous account of all the choices we each can make right now today to change the world by changing ourselves. She gave my spirit a lift and my feet somewhere to stand.

Sir Mark Rylance

This is the joy we need in our lives, cutting through the despair to help us find our way in the world.

George Monbiot

Perhaps the most important message any environmentalist can give at the moment is that green options are neither just a last desperate hope for saving the planet, nor misery maximisers that will make life less worth living. They are ways of affirming that worthwhileness and enhancing it. This book, practical and realistic as well as visionary, will keep that positive message before the readers eyes. Joy is after all one of the best motivations we can have for change.

Dr Rowan Williams

Critical Acclaim for Isabel Losadas previous books.

The Battersea Park Road to Enlightenment

A total delight. Isabel Losada navigates her way through the eccentric highways and byways of the human potential movement with scepticism, humour and interrogative open-mindedness. Candid, thought provoking, sassy and very very funny.

Mick Brown - Daily Telegraph

Full of a crazy joy ... made me laugh out loud.

Impact Cultural Magazine

Swift, Snappy and Engaging

The Sunday Tribune

For Tibet, With Love

The world must be changed Isabels story brings this truism to life, in a vivid, funny, heart-warming, delightful way. It is a great read, a live teaching! I enjoyed it, laughed and learned a lot!

Professor Robert Thurman, Tibetologist and Buddhist Scholar.

Columbia University, New York.

Isabel Losada is a 21st Century Hero ... someone who is changing the world for the better and will make you want to, too.

Harpers and Queen Magazine

This remarkable tale of one womans dedicated personal journey captures the spirit of compassion in action.

Lama Suyra Das

Fast, funny and inspiring too. Isabel Losada is a writer that changes lives.

Joanna Lumley

Men!

Isabel Losada has achieved the perfect combination of humour, poignancy and intellectual rigour.

The Statesman

Think Michael Moore meets Men are from Mars only a lot funnier.

Glamour Magazine

Finally, everything we couldnt work out is explained. Brilliant, honest research and funny too.

Elle

The Battersea Park Road to Paradise.

Isabel Losada proves herself a fantastic prose-stylist and the most eloquent of guides. Its a book which grapples with the big questions.

Piers Moore Ede,

author of All Kinds of Magic.

Engaging, lyrical and courageous. Her journey and her honesty will make you laugh and touch your heart. This is rocknroll of the soul. I love this book.

William Bloom.

The intriguing thing about this thought provoking book is the amount of genuine happiness on display... happiness based on being at peace with yourself.

The Daily Telegraph

Sensation

Sensation explores the gentle beauty of intimacy and pleasure in human relationships; its impossible not to be entertained, educated, amused and inspired.

The Amorist

I have learnt from Isabel that we are not approaching sex in a very conscious and connected way. It s very interesting to read a woman talking plainly and mechanically about sex. I want to learn this stuff.

Russell Brand

Lets talk about important, deeply nourishing sex that we could ALL be having if we brought more honesty to the bedside table.

This kind of sex conversation is the point of Isabel Losadas new book, Sensation: Adventures in Sex, Love and Laughter. Losada leaves no stone unturned - or should I say unturned-on? Nakedly frank and frankly nakedly necessary.

Caroline Sanderson,

The Bookseller

For J. S. A. N.

Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.

Mahatma Gandhi: 1869-1948

You have given me a thing I could never have imagined, before I knew you. Its like I had the word book, and you put one in my hands. I had the world game, and you taught me how to play. I had the word life, and then you came along and said, Oh! You mean this.

Richard Powers: The Overstory.

Contents

***

Introduction

What Im doing is this. Im looking for every single way that I can help the planet. How we live and work, travel, shop, eat, drink, dress, vote, play, volunteer, bank everything.

We all want to do what we can to make a difference. But its a bit overwhelming and were busy. We either have too many school or university exams, too many bills or way too many humans in our lives. We dont have many hours in the day spare and few of us are getting enough sleep. So, as with my previous books, Ive done a little research on your behalf. All you have to do is read and use any of the ideas that you like.

And life is short. So joy is vital. There is a lot of overwhelm around this subject which doesnt help. Where do you start? The good news is that there is much that we can do. So much. Lets enjoy changing the way we live and make choices that enhance life for ourselves and for others. Anything less is a disservice to our one brief life and to our beautiful planet.

Ive written this in a way that will suit those of us who read but now spend more time on social media. It has short bits and long bits. It will suit you if you have small children and so have long since given up hope of being able to sit down for more than ten minutes. Or if youre intention-rich but time-poor. It has stories, reflections, ideas and, most importantly, every single solution I could find. This is the single-minded focus: solutions. I hope it will be funny in parts and that, for those of us determined to do what we can to love our planet better, it will be useful. It will be good company if you just want to read two pages at the beginning or end of the day. Its not a linear journey because everything connects to everything. Instead, the sections build together, like a jigsaw, to make a picture and a plan.