Calgary authors Robin White and Marian White will be presenting slide shows at Pages Books on Kensington at 7 pm, November 17th and at Pincher Creek public library at 7 pm, November 19th . These are part of their new Alberta bad-news/good-news book-signing tour with their award-winning environmental coffee-table book, Wild Alberta at the Crossroads (see dates below).
This book is unique not only in portraying all six Alberta natural regions from prairie to Canadian Shield, but in taking a critical look at our stewardship of the land and response to global warming. Confronted by unrestrained resource extraction and ensuing climate change, the Whites concluded that celebrating Nature was not enough; we must face up to our environmental problems. Clearly many agreed, for the book sold out and was reprinted this summer.
Also this summer, the Whites visited Denmark to learn more from that country’s wide array of locally owned renewable energy projects and heavy use of public transport and bicycles. Those initiatives moved the Danes from 99 percent dependence on energy imports to energy independence as exporters today.
“Denmark puts Alberta to shame,” Marian says. “Thanks to far-sighted leadership, it has embraced renewable energy, conservation and, of particular note, local co-operative solutions to energy needs. The result? A prosperous economy and a standard of living at least as high as Albertans’, along with – get this – declining carbon emissions.”
As the count-down to December’s global climate summit in Copenhagen begins, the Whites will shed light on our governments’ deceptive language regarding carbon reduction targets. And they will draw on their Danish experience to enlarge upon the discussion, in their book, of climate change and the urgent need for deep systemic and lifestyle changes by government, industry, and public alike.
“Worldwide, attitudes – and increasingly investment – are turning in favour of conservation and renewable energy,” says Robin. “But will it be fast enough? And will Alberta catch up or be left in the dust? It’s time for smart leadership. Our children’s future is at stake.”
Wild Alberta at the Crossroads won gold in the international Independent Publisher’s 12th Annual Book Awards’ best regional non-fiction category, at BookExpo America in Los Angeles in 2008. It is a 7-year travellers’ tale spiced with humour, science, politics, and an abiding love of the land. Through inspiring stories and outstanding photography, it celebrates the sheer beauty and diversity of Nature, exposes shocking abuse of the land, and challenges all Albertans to rapidly become part of the solution.
Wild Alberta at the Crossroads is in book and other stores across Alberta.
The White’s Alberta Event Schedule
For more information see www.naturewatchworld.com/newsevents.html
Calgary
Friday, November 13th 5-9 pm
Book signing
Chapters Sunridge (Spectrum Shopping Centre, NE)
Saturday, November 14th 1-4 pm
Book signing
Chapters, Chinook Centre
Tuesday, November 17th 7 pm
Slide show and book signing
Pages Books on Kensington
Saturday, November 28th 11 am - 3 pm
Book signing
Mountain Equipment Co-op
Thursday, December 3rd Noon-4 pm
University of Calgary Authors’
book-signing at the University Bookstore’s annual discount event
Friday, December 4th Noon-5 pm
Book signing
Coles bookstore, Market Mall
Saturday, December 5th Noon-5 pm
Book signing
Crowfoot Chapters
Sunday, December 6th Noon-4 pm
Book signing
Dalhousie Station Chapters
Friday, December 11th 1-4 pm
Book signing
Chapters Macleod (a block north of Southland Drive)
Saturday, December 12th Noon-4 pm
Book signing
Shawnessy Chapters
Friday, December 18th 3-7 pm
Book signing
Indigo at Signal Hill SW
Pincher Creek
Thursday, November 19th 7 pm
Slide show and book signing
Pincher Creek Municipal Library
Canmore
Friday, November 27th Noon-3 pm
Book signing
Café Books
Red Deer
Sunday, November 29th 1-4 pm
Book signing
Chapters
Edmonton
Friday, November 6th 4-8 pm
Book signing
Indigo Edmonton South (1837, 99 Street)
Saturday, November 7th 1-5 pm
Book signing
Coles Southgate Shopping Centre
Saturday, November 21st 1-4 pm
Book signing
Chapters Westside (170 Street)
Sunday, November 22nd 1-4 pm
Book signing
Indigo, North Town Centre
Monday, November 23rd 6:50pm
Appearance on CityTV’s Edmonton Breakfast TV show
Wild Alberta at the Crossroads
ISBN 978-0-9783849-0-6
Published by NatureWatch Press, Calgary, Alberta
Distributor: Federation of Alberta Naturalists, Edmonton, Alberta
Hard-cover coffeetable book, full colour, 192 pages, 156 photographs, 7 maps, end notes, index
$39.95 + GST. Second printing recently printed on Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper.
For pictures and more information, contact Publicist (see masthead). See also www.naturewatchworld.com/gallery.html.
Big-picture environmental topics are in the last chapters of the book but you can read the preface online at www.naturewatchworld.com/Pages10-15.pdf, noting the end of page 14, plus page 15.