Abstract
Atlas of a Threatened Planet: 150 Infographics to Help Anyone Save the World by Esther Gonstalla is a reader-accessible, multi-channel compilation that facilitates a visual understanding of the need for action in protecting the planet. Divided into four sections: Air, Weather, and Climate; Water, Ice, and Snow; Soil, Plants, and Animals; and Everything Man-made: the book easily conveys detail that is both foundational and complex. It is clear from the start that Gonstalla is focused on increasing understanding of the interconnectivity between the hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and human footprint.
The visual approach to the information presented provides a unique learning opportunity. Each two-page spread would make an informational and aesthetic poster for a classroom or public space and is designed to appeal across age groups. To demonstrate how the future of coral, sea level rise, and organisms are projected to be impacted by greenhouse gas emissions, there is a clever use of shades of teal, red, and gray in tandem with labeling to convey a sense of urgency and danger (Gonstalla, 2024, pp. 38–39). Related, across the book, red is thoughtfully utilized to express danger. Red bubbles around increasing amounts of carbon dioxide, red skull graphics, and red deceased organisms in a three-panel infographic demonstrate the serious threat of ocean acidification to marine life (Gonstalla, 2024, p.65). There is a powerful infographic that uses symbolic colors again to express different scenarios of sea level rise. The International Planet Protection Convention (IPCC) “Best Case” scenario, in which there will be 60 centimeters of sea level rise by the year 2100, is shown in a light teal; the IPCC “Worst Case” scenario, in which there are 100 centimeters of sea level rise by the year 2100, is shown in darker blue; and the scenario with a faster collapse of ice sheets, in which there are 220 centimeters of sea level rise by the year 2100, is shown in red. In the infographic, the use of space and transitioning colors demonstrates the urgent crisis rising sea levels pose to life on Earth.
Gonstalla parallels humans to soil-dwelling organisms, which leads readers to have compassion and curiosity for different communities (Gonstalla, 2024, pp. 102–103). Another illustration, “The Life of a Tree,” breaks down complex subjects in a way that is easy to read for a wide range of audiences. The infographic demonstrates plant life cycles, nutrient cycles, heterotrophic respiration, and tree trunk development in easily read graphics and brief text (Gonstalla, 2024, pp. 114–115). Gonstalla implements engaging arrows and lines, providing a flow of movement across the page, making learning about the importance of trees entertaining. Gonstalla’s use of strong symbolic and engaging visuals sparks curiosity and compassion, fulfilling the book’s purpose, as it influences readers to want to act in reducing the threat of climate change to the world.
The “Complex Carbon Cycles” infographic is another learning opportunity related to a challenging subject. The infographic addresses dissolved organic carbon, carbon stocks, the “CO2 budget,” and element interactions that create compounds (Gonstalla, 2024, pp. 22–23). Engaging features are also instrumental in captivating Gonstalla’s wide audience. At the bottom of an infographic about “Soil Life,” features a URL link where readers can explore further on a digital platform (Gonstalla, 2024, p.100). Young children can particularly enjoy this part if their parents read along with them and direct them to the website, and other ages can take it upon themselves to become further invested in the content independently.
From a broader societal perspective, Gonstalla addresses themes and connects them to human action, promoting an empathetic connection with the information she presents. Gonstalla introduces the social impacts of the climate crisis, including extreme weather event damage, water insecurity, increased spread of diseases, and food shortages (Gonstalla, 2024, pp. 34–35). Readers can understand how society is affected and gain compassion and an eagerness to contribute meaningfully to a solution. Gonstalla discusses how to ameliorate negative social impacts, providing a sense of hope (Gonstalla, 2024, pp. 40–41). An infographic titled “Adaptation to Climate Change” reveals how differences in infrastructure, resources, and location lead to disproportionate climate crisis impacts around the world (Gonstalla, 2024, pp. 54–55). This intersectional knowledge can engage audiences who are interested in social justice and public safety and build curiosity around solutions. Further, Gonstalla discusses the water crisis, including how it will affect different communities in different ways and varying levels of threat (Gonstalla, 2024, pp. 88–89). This contributes to a holistic view of the climate crisis and its impacts, engaging readers who are passionate about empowering those who are disadvantaged by inequality.
Negative socioeconomic and ecological impacts on organisms are leveraged throughout the book to induce an emotional reaction and to teach readers the importance of mitigating and adapting to the threats of climate change. This kind of knowledge increases awareness and encourages readers to think about how the state of the climate crisis could look different with reforms.
Drawbacks of Atlas of a Threatened Planet may include benefits, such as the dichromatic color scheme depicting positive climate solutions in green and the negative impacts in red. The latter may oversimplify complex issues or ideas. For example, in an infographic titled “The Future of Raw Materials Is Circular!” human activity is labeled in red, including repairing and reusing, despite these behaviors having positive attributes that people should adopt to become more sustainable (Gonstalla, 2024, pp. 180–181). Ideally, sustainable human behaviors would not be grouped with negative impacts in red so as not to cause any confusion among readers, particularly younger audiences. Overlapping the use of red in human activity and ecological footprint may confuse readers and portray the assumption that human activity is inherently perpetuating the climate crisis. While the dichromatic color scheme, using different tones, helps convey varying levels of positive and negative impact, it can cause simplified associations. However, despite any noted shortcoming, Atlas of a Threatened Planet provides more information in a multi-generational, educational, and entertaining manner than comparable books on climate change and sustainability. Even topics that may appear to be “simple,” such as ice, have detailed facts delivered in a visually appealing and informative way. Gonstalla includes actions that any individual can take to lessen their environmental impact, offering an element of individual empowerment for issues that can be significantly challenging. Aligned to this are the last two pages, which are uplifting, addressing positive changes that humans have made to improve the Earth. Anyone interested in learning more about environmental science or climate change would benefit from Gonstalla’s contribution. Atlas of a Threatened Planet offers a well-rounded approach to explaining the climate crisis that encourages curiosity and consideration for organisms other than humankind.