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Just a little longer and it's Christmas again. And this year the holidays also fall outside the weekend. So extra time for (in-law) family. But also more opportunity to read, watch and do. At least you won't be bored, with these tips from the editors of Change Inc.

Afraid of getting bored? These tips will get you through Christmas | Credit: Getty Images

Editor Sebastian Maks: The Foundations - Ramsey Nasr

"Three essays, three points in time. Each represents its own vantage point. If you walk on, the landscape has already changed. So begins The Foundations by writer, artist and actor Ramsey Nasr. Although the book was written as a reflection during the corona pandemic, its message is as meaningful as ever. In his argument, Nasr draws clear parallels between the pandemic, the pursuit of economic profit and climate change - anno 2021 meant to hold up a mirror to us: can we perhaps also behave differently than we used to? He also carefully ridicules the machine-based bio-industry. I can recommend the book to everyone, especially since it has meant a lot to me. After reading it, I started to look even more critically at my consumption behavior and stopped eating meat altogether. The argument has that power in it."

Editor André Oerlemans: Indian chief predicts climate crisis in 1855

An Indian chief predicting current climate, nature and environmental problems as early as 1855. To give goosebumps. Yet that is exactly what Chief Seattle did, when he turned over the lands of his Duwamish tribe to the U.S. government in that year. Anyone looking for a special book to read this Christmas should search the library or book websites for "Preserve the Land," published by Natuurmonumenten in 1980 to mark its 75th anniversary. In it, the full text of his speech is brought together with photographs by Lies Wiegman on the destruction and pollution of nature and the environment. "We are a part of the earth and the earth is a part of us. The white man comes in the night and takes from the land what he needs. His hunger will eat the earth bare and leave only a desert," the chief spoke prophetically.

Editorial director Teun Schroeder: the film How to Blow Up a Pipeline

"For those looking for a good serving of eco-sensation, the film How to Blow Up a Pipeline is definitely recommended. The film is reminiscent of the heist classic Ocean's Eleven (2001). The film follows radicalized environmentalists - each personally affected by the fossil industry in their own way - who plot to blow up an oil pipeline. Admittedly, a fairly large portion of the film consists of scenes in which young lazy people cautiously lug around explosive elements. Nevertheless, a very entertaining action movie for the holidays."

Editor Kaz Schonebeek: This is what the Netherlands sounded like - Early Birds

This podcast is a time travel through the nature of the Netherlands. The radio makers of Vroege Vogels have reconstructed the acoustic landscapes from different time periods. We hear how nature has changed: from the last ice age 100,000 years ago, through the arrival of the first humans and the Middle Ages, to today. This is done in great detail, giving you (with headphones on) a real sense of being surrounded by the wind, sea, birds and animals. The podcast shows how - certainly in the Netherlands - natural systems are always subject to change. And therefore also vulnerable. The podcast is perfect for traveling to other places and times in your mind, while snuggling up on the couch with a blanket.

Editor Hannah: Wir konnten auch anders (We know how to do it)

Not yet read, but high on my list is the book Wir konnten auch anders. In Dutch it was published under the name We weten hoe het moet. In it, German historian Annette Kehnel describes sustainability from the Middle Ages to the present. According to her, we can learn a lot from our own past. Renaissance architects recycled building materials, crowdfunding was used for the bridge in Avignon, and repair markets in Frankfurt created a true circular economy. Her vision: if we want to make tomorrow's world possible, look to the past. This speaks to me. You, too, perhaps.

Read also:

  • More fireworks bans this year: what is the impact of fireworks on the environment?

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