Winner,2023ChoiceOutstandingAcademicTitleOnemorninginMiamiBeach,anunexpectedguestshowedupinaluxurycondominiumcomplex’sparkinggarage:anoctopus.Theimagequicklywentviral.Buttheoctopus--andthecombinationofinfrastructurequirksandclimateimpactsthatleftitstranded--ismorethanafunnymeme.It’sapotentsymbolofthedisruptionsthatachangingclimatehasalreadybroughttoourdoorstepsandthewayswewillhavetoadjust.RobVerchickexamineshowwecanmanagetherisksthatwecannolongeravoid,layingoutouroptionsaswefaceclimatebreakdown.Althoughreducingcarbondioxideemissionsisessential,weneedtoadapttoaddressthedamagewehavealreadycaused.Verchickexploreswhatresiliencelookslikeontheground,fromearlyhumansonthesavannastotoday’sshopownersandcityplanners.Hetakesthereaderonajourneyintothefield:paddlingthroughLouisiana’sbayous,hikinginoneofthelastrefugesofJoshuatreesintheMojaveDesert,anddivingoffKeyLargowithcitizenscientistsworkingtorestorecoralreefs.Thebookemphasizesdisadvantagedcommunities,whichbearthebruntofenvironmentalrisk,arguingthatbuildingclimateresilienceisanecessarysteptowardjustice.Engagingandaccessiblefornonexpertconcernedcitizens,TheOctopusintheParkingGarageempowersreaderstofacetheclimatecrisisandshowswhatwecandotoadaptandthrive.
