1 . Published while the climate crisis has given us a clear picture of tourism’s harms, the books below describe the necessity and opportunity for replanning travel as better managed and even more beneficial to local people — which, together, create a good definition for green travel.

“The Last Resort: The history of Heaven, Profit, and Danger at the Beach,” by Sarah Stodola. In this exciting travel book, Stodola studies the history and beauty of beach traveling culture, as well as its effects on the environment and local communities. “This major global industry that has brought about economic and social inequalities and contributed to the climate crisis while suffering from danger of disappearing.” said Stodola.

“Sustainable Travel: The Essential Guide to Positive-Effect Adventures.” by Holly Tuppen. After journeying around the world without flying, Tuppen became a travel expert who views sustainability (可持续性) as necessary to protect our planet and communities. In this book, she presents a general description of sustainable travel and its relationship to the climate and wildlife risk.

“Horizon,” by Barry Lopez. Through six regions, including the Oregon Coast and the Antarctic, Lopez uses his unique style and traveling experience in more than 70 countries to create a book filled with wonders and concern. “Our question is no longer how to use the natural world for human comfort and gain, but how we can cooperate with one another to ensure we will someday fit in with it more respectfully,” he writes.

“Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World,” by Anu Taranath. In this award-winning book, Taranath offers tips for reconciling (使和谐一致) our expectations with the cultural differences we meet while traveling. Although the book isn’t a green travel guide in itself, it does provide necessary social responsibilities that can increase our sustainability efforts to plan our journeys with greater respect.

3 . Due to climate change and changes in land use, wildfires are predicted to rise by up to 14 percent by 2030, 30 percent by 2050 and 50 percent by the end of this century, and even areas once considered safe from major fires such as the Arctic, will “very likely” experience a major increase in burning, according to a new report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

The report, Spreading like Wildfire: The Rising Threat of Extraordinary Landscape Fires, says that wildfires and climate change are “mutually exacerbating.” Wildfires are made more serious by climate change through increased drought, high air temperatures, low humidity, lightning, and strong winds. Meanwhile, climate change is made worse by wildfires, mostly by ravaging sensitive and carbon-rich ecosystems like rainforests.

Wildfires can threaten people’s health and lives, contaminate water, destroy crops and reduce land available to grow food. Costs of rebuilding after areas are struck by wildfires can be beyond the means of low-income countries. Wildlife, as well as natural habitats, is also rarely spared. All these slow progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

While the situation “is certainly extreme, it not yet hopeless.” The publication calls on governments to adopt a new “Fire Ready Formula,” with two-thirds of spending devoted to planning, prevention, preparedness, and recovery, with one-third left for response. Currently, direct responses to wildfires typically receive over half of related expenditures, while planning and prevention receive less than one percent. “We have to minimize the risk of extreme wildfires by being better prepared: invest more in fire risk reduction and shift from passive response to prevention and preparedness,” said Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director.

Setting up data and science-based monitoring systems, strengthening regional and international cooperation, restoring ecosystems and thinning forests around areas where nature and human living spaces meet are just a few suggested examples of investments into prevention, preparedness and recovery.

4 . On a recent afternoon, Sarah Levy picked up an empty pickle jar from a shelf in her store, sniffed it, and then suggested a customer fill it with soap. There’s a take-a-jar, leave-a-jar policy at Cleenland, Levy’s new “low-waste, no-shame” store that lets shoppers stock up on cleaning supplies using their own bottles. And as an early adopter of a new shift in American consumption habits, she has become expert at getting the pickle smell out of glass. “This is not a trend; it’s a rebirth of interest in reusing instead of recycling,” said Levy.

As consumers seek to limit the waste they create, more local entrepreneurs like Levy are stepping in to serve them and have begun opening stores — physical, mobile, and online. Boston General Store is selling a growing variety of zero-waste decorations. Make & Mend sells secondhand arts and crafts supplies in Somerville’s Bow Market.

Julia Wilson, who tracks business sustainability efforts for the Nielsen research firm, says 73% of consumers are looking to shift their consumption habits to reduce their environmental impact, and she predicts that they’ll spend $150 billion on sustainable goods by 2023. “It opens the door for new entrepreneurs who are thinking about things differently and upstart products and brands,” she said. Some entrepreneurs are using a “circular economy” model in which goods are delivered in strong packages and they are sent back when they’re empty. Boston-based ThreeMain opened earlier this year selling cleaning products in reusable aluminum bottles. The most well-funded attempt, Loop, sells 100 major brands in reusable containers.

Levy recognizes the difficulty involved in changing consumer habits, but she says the model works because she’s selling necessities. And she’s hopeful, as zero-waste shops have exploded abroad in Britain, Canada, and particularly in Australia, where the non-profit Plastic Free Foundation launched the Plastic Free July campaign, which has become a global phenomenon.