Listening out for the planet

At MUP we care about sustainable publishing practices, so we’re thinking about what we do as well as how we do it. To help raise awareness of the climate emergency we are all facing, we have put together a short reading list of recent books that explore both problems and potential solutions.

You’ll now see Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) labels on many of our printed books to show they use responsibly sourced paper, and we try to print our books as close to a customer’s location as possible in order to reduce how far our books travel. 

Of course, if you’re looking for a responsible reading option with zero-paper and zero-shipping, go for a digital book! These aren’t entirely zero-impact, because of the raw materials, energy and water necessary to manufacture devices, and the environmental impact of charging and data storage, but they say that once you’ve read 100 books on your e-reader, you’ll be having a positive effect on the environment compared to reading new physical books. 

And if you listen to an audiobook, you’re already winning! Audiobooks race into the lead for having the lightest carbon footprint in publishing, as you’ll most likely be listening to them on a phone or laptop you already own. 

I look after MUP’s audiobooks programme, and I’m thrilled that we have two new MUP audio editions out this summer which both have the environment high on their agenda. 

The audiobook of Beef, Bible and bullets: Brazil in the age of Bolsonaro by Richard Lapper publishes this week. It’s the first book in English to give a detailed context to the country and voter-base that brought Bolsonaro to power, including a close look at how his weakening policy on deforestation and ‘denialist’ attitude towards global warming in order to advance the interests of agribusiness is having devastating environmental effects. As Lapper explains, ‘the breakdown of Brazil’s efforts to control deforestation’ and the way Bolsonaro provided encouragement for his gung-ho supporters’ on his path to power is leading to alarming ramifications for the entire planet. 

We collaborated with audio production company Strathmore on this book, and they’ve done a fantastic job. Talented narrator Leighton Pugh worked alongside producer and director Veronica Gardiner, who is a native Brazilian Portuguese speaker, and the authentic pronunciation of Brazilian names and places really brings the book to life. Listen to a clip here. 

If you’re in or near Manchester, now is the perfect time to give this one a listen, as you can team the audiobook with a visit to the incredible Amazônia exhibition at the Science and Industry Museum (free, and on until 14 August). Breathtaking photography by Sebastião Salgado is teamed with an original musical score by Jean-Michel Jarre to bring a stunning aural dimension to your visit. 

MUP author David Whyte was in town this month too, to give a talk at the Manchester Histories Festival on his book Ecocide: Kill the corporation before it kills us. We’re currently recording Ecocide with audio production company Sound Understanding, who are interested in the contribution audio publishing makes to sustainability:  

‘As an independent audiobook producer, Sound Understanding collaborates with many skilled narrators, producers, and editors. Covid called for more agility in our approach, and the majority of our audiobooks continue to be produced remotely, often with each contributor working in a different location. This helps keep a very low carbon footprint for our projects. 

The remarkable growth in the audio market has come about because it fills a need for immediately accessible content, and at the same time allows hard-pressed consumers to multi-task or simply enjoy an alternative way of accessing a book. In an increasingly eco-conscious environment, the benefits and sustainability of audio will surely continue to drive its success.’ 

The audiobook of Ecocide will be out this summer, and it’s going to be an important listen. In it, author David Whyte asks why we don’t put corporations at the heart of the planet’s problems and shows ‘categorically, that we will not survive if we continue to allow corporations to occupy a central role in the economy’. 

I’m proud that MUP’s growing audiobook collection includes important titles that can help us explore key issues relating to climate and the environment. I hope you enjoy listening to these brilliant books, while remembering that the audiobook experience itself can play a part in helping us reduce our environmental impact. 

The audiobook of Beef, Bible and bullets by Richard Lapper is OUT NOW and David Whyte’s Ecocide is COMING SOON. Find them on Audible and iTunes, and via many other audio retailers and libraries. 

Jen Mellor 

Digital Production Manager, Manchester University Press