Green Heroes: From Buddha to Leonardo DiCaprio

New book provides an overview of the environmental movement from the Middle Ages to the 21st century through the profiles of over 50 individuals who have inspired millions to take action in support of green movements.

Heidelberg | New York, 02 March 2020

In Green Heroes: From Buddha to Leonardo DiCaprio, László Erdős presents an extensive volume about his personal heroes whose thoughts or actions continue to motivate millions today. He groups these characters broadly into three overlapping categories: animal advocates, nature conservationists, and environmentalists. Each person is described through a short portrait that includes anecdotes and stories, scientific facts, ethical principles, green strategies and tactics, and thought-provoking quotes. In some cases, Erdős also relates the individual characters to a specific environmental problem and also discusses their causes, as well as possible solutions. For example, the chapter about Jacques-Yves Cousteau discusses the state of the oceans, and the sections about Al Gore and Arnold Schwarzenegger briefly outline global warming. The issue of overpopulation is raised in the chapter on David Attenborough. The chapters on Jane Goodall and Rachel Carson address animal welfare issues. At the end of each chapter there is a helpful list of references for further reading, viewing and browsing. 

“The personalities you will read about in this book form a quite eclectic group: saints and scientists, philosophers and activists, writers and filmmakers, indigenous leaders and clergymen, movie stars and politicians, women and men, humans and non-humans,” explains Erdős. 

General readers interested in the people behind environmental movements will be drawn in by Green Heroes. But this book will hopefully also inspire and motivate readers to protect animals, the natural world and ultimately the human species too. 

About the author

László Erdős, holds a Ph.D. in vegetation ecology, is currently a research fellow at the Institute of Ecology and Botany of the MTA Centre for Ecological Research (Vácrátót), a research fellow at the MTA-DE Lendület Functional and Restoration Ecology Research Group (Debrecen), and a visiting lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Eötvös Loránd University (Budapest). He often gives popular presentations on conservation issues.

Erdős, László
Green Heroes: From Buddha to Leonardo DiCaprio
2019, 223p. 1b/w illustration
Hardcover €29,11| £24.99 | $34.99 | 
ISBN   978-3-030-31805-5
eISBN 978-3-030-31806-2