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Political science professor Mike Gunter’s new book, Climate Travels: How Ecotourism Changes Mindsets and Motivates Action, identifies the most urgent problems facing our planet in the 21st century, including sea-level rise, extreme weather, and species diversity loss. In the book—and in courses like Politics of Climate Change—Gunter stresses that while humans have indeed negatively affected the planet, we also have the intelligence, knowledge, and creativity to reverse the damage done and make better choices for the environment in the future.

An intrepid traveler himself, Gunter has trekked to all seven continents and cites his childhood filled with hiking, camping, and fishing trips as an inspiration for his professional aspirations. He makes a case for conscientious traveling to wild places as an educational tool and for everyone to be involved with solving climate problems, even if on a small scale.

“Beyond introducing us to different food, people, and ideas, travel helps us learn more deeply about where we come from,” says Gunter. “Travel sharpens our understanding of what we do well back home—and what we can improve. When done carefully and with conscientious purpose afterward, I see it as a missing link in changing American priorities regarding climate change.”

Climate Travels is available on Amazon.

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