10 Eco-Minded Books to Read in 2023

With the new year just around the corner, it’s time to start some reading goals and begin chipping away at that ever-growing to-be-read pile of books while also seeking out some new reads to check out.

While you may want to pick up a few colorful cookbooks or today’s hottest fiction novels, you should also consider some of these excellent sustainability-focused books to help you boost your sustainability goals in the new year. Whether you’re a fashionista looking to build an eco-friendly wardrobe or you are just starting to learn more about sustainability, there’s a book for you on this list.

Here are some of the top eco-minded books to read (and share with loved ones!) in 2023.

Wilding by Isabella Tree

Wilding by Isabella Tree will inspire anyone to reconnect their yard to its natural roots. Tree’s book follows the ‘Knepp experiment’ as she rewilds her property. The reader follows along the beautiful journey as failing farmland transforms into a natural ecosystem that boosts biodiversity and welcomes home many unique and even rare species. It may even inspire you to ditch your own lawn for a more pure and wild landscape.

The Intersectional Environmentalist by Leah Thomas

Released just this year, The Intersectional Environmentalist from Leah Thomas, also known as Green Girl Leah and who coined the term “intersectional environmentalism”, can educate environmentalists and activists on broader perspectives to help fight climate injustice and environmental racism. This book is essential reading for anyone who is ready to go deeper with their actions for people and the planet.

Give a Sh*t: Do Good. Live Better. Save the Planet. by Ashlee Piper

No need to beat around the bush. Help yourself and anyone you know live a more sustainable lifestyle with the practical tips and knowledge found in this handy guidebook, Give a Sh*t, from environmental expert and media personality, Ashlee Piper. You will crack it open for the playful language and humor, and stay for the transformative advice to help you live a more sustainable lifestyle.

Buy Nothing, Get Everything Plan by Liesl Clark and Rebecca Rockefeller

Whether you enjoy connecting with your community or simply love getting stuff for free, you’ll find endless use from the book written by the founders of the Buy Nothing Project. Buy Nothing, Get Everything Plan by Liesl Clark and Rebecca Rockefeller is a guidebook to decluttering, connecting with community, and divesting from a market economy into a sharing economy. If you aren’t already, you will quickly be signed up for your local Buy Nothing group after this read.

Fuzz by Mary Roach

What happens when nature breaks human-made laws? That’s the question Mary Roach explores in Fuzz. From bears to rats to trees, there are many cases of human vs. nature in real life, and this book explores what happens when these conflicts come to a head. Sometimes funny, sometimes sobering, it’s an informative book that will have the reader entertained from cover to cover.

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Written by botanist and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass is a weaving of Indigenous knowledge and modern scientific tools to showcase the beauty and importance of the plants around us. This beautifully written book can help readers dive deep into themselves and the world around them to reconnect with nature in intense, meaningful ways.

All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson

For creative readers, All We Can Save, curated by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson, is a collection of essays, poems, and art from 60 women that addresses the environmental damages that have been done while also inspiring solutions and bravery to move us forward. It highlights femme voices from leaders in the climate space and encourages the reader to explore ways they can help save planet Earth.

Loved Clothes Last by Orsola de Castro

Loved Clothes Last by Orsola de Castro, founder of Fashion Revolution, is an important book for anyone who feels overwhelmed by fashion consumerism. Rather than tossing out a ripped shirt or overhauling your closet when you feel bored with the choices inside, this book will guide you on how to clean, repair, or completely revamp the clothes you already have as an alternative to buying more.

The Conscious Closet by Elizabeth L. Cline

Another great book for fashionistas (or anyone tired of feeling like there’s nothing to wear in their closet), The Conscious Closet by Elizabeth L. Cline is a helpful guide to living with less and investing in more ethically made, sustainable clothing over fast fashion. From finding one’s fashion personality type to shopping for sustainable, long-lasting fabrics, Cline explores the facets of curating a chic, eco-friendly wardrobe.

Old Enough to Save the Planet by Loll Kirby

It’s not too early to start learning about sustainability. For anyone with kids, Old Enough to Save the Planet by teacher Loll Kirby, will be a fun, inspiring book to read together in the new year. The book shares stories of 12 kids around the globe who are working to make the world a better place. It’s a great way to encourage the next generation to appreciate and preserve nature while also getting some quality time together while reading.