First Steps: Conserving Our Environment

In this series of stunning photographs, British photographer Zammit-Lucia celebrates the successes of the environmental movement and draws attention to the conservation work that remains. Zammit-Lucia is allergic to rhetoric, and his text, devoid of stridency, neutrally delivers extinction statistics and energy-saving tips. The images are what matter and best highlight our responsibility to imperiled habitats and species. The chapter “Land & Sea” juxtaposes dramatic landscapes (a deforested Sherwood Forest) and stark seascapes (a small boat adrift on dark water, closeups of coral and a diving whale) to accompany commentary on vanishing ecosystems. Arresting images of a near-extinct rhinoceros, a threatened polar bear and an endangered South Pacific palm tree illustrate threatened biodiversity. And in his “Modern Living,” section, Zammit-Lucia buttresses gorgeous cityscapes with his argument that “cities are among the most environmentally friendly forms of human habitation,” due to shared services, shorter travel distances and less wasteful distribution of heat and energy. Zammit-Lucia documents how suburbs ravage the environment while Manhattan uses less per capita of resources and energy than anywhere else in America. These surprising findings coupled with the raw emotional appeal of the photographs and a useful resource section distinguish this work as an aesthetic treat and a cogent call to action. (Apr.)