The Right to be Cold: One Woman's Story of Protecting Her Culture, the Arctic, and the Whole Planet

Climate change causes politicians to dither, extraction industries to deny, and the public to shrug. Meanwhile, writes author and human rights advocate Watt-Cloutier (a nominee for the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize), the Inuit are watching their way of life melt away, and the fate of the Arctic concerns the whole world. The right to a healthy environment and a safe climate%E2%80%94which includes "the right to be cold"%E2%80%94is fundamental to humanity's future. Losing the Arctic, Watt-Cloutier warns, also means losing the wisdom required for us to live on the planet in a sustainable way. Her book is part autobiography and part manifesto; she details how her Inuit upbringing taught her that environmental preservation and human rights go hand in hand. Inuit culture emphasizes sustainably harvested food, community bonds, and a recognition that humans are connected to the land. These teachings influenced Watt-Cloutier's efforts to lobby the United Nations Climate Change Conventions to redefine human rights, as well as her work with the Inuit Circumpolar Council, through which she fought to reduce industrial toxins in the Arctic. She discusses these issues and more in a passionate, engaging story that everyone who has a stake in Earth's future should read. Agent: Rick Broadhead. (Mar.)