Last year, I was selected for the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) academic fellowship on environment and natural resources management in the United States. During the fellowship, I was introduced to our environmental textbook – ‘California Greenin’: How the Golden State Became an Environmental Leader’. The book is an interesting history and environmental book about the development of California from the Gold Rush to the present.

            David Vogel, professor emeritus in the University of California, Berkeley, detailed how citizen mobilisation, grassroots movements and regulatory capacity worked to transform California into what it is today. The book introduces us to California during the Gold Rush era. Gold mining had caused devastating environmental impacts including water pollution, land degradation and air pollution.

            Unable to withstand the harmful impacts, Californian residents took matters into their own hands and campaigned for environmental protection and regulation. They wanted to protect their backyards as California is a gorgeous state with lush forests, towering mountains and sandy beaches. Grassroots movements began sprouting in various places in California as residents began to take on an environmental stance. As a result, these environmental groups are backed by businesses and regulatory capacities thus enabling them to preserve their state’s natural beauty.

            This is a book that demonstrates the impressive environmental accomplishments in California over a period of about 50 years and contains lessons that can be learnt by any country. Where California previously suffered from massive pollution of land, air and water, today it is one of America’s most beautiful state. It has also given birth to the ‘California effect’ – the shift of consumer, environmental and other regulations with stricter regulatory standards to protect the environment. The California effect is one of the models which other countries are looking to model in terms of environmental protection.

            California Greenin’ is a book that should be read by all – not just eco-warriors, to get a better understanding of how citizens and businesses can work together to push for better environmental protection. Just by using our voices, we can push for change in our community. Let us all learn to use our voices for the environment – just like the Californians!

 Picture credits: Google Images