Thank you, NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau books for this ebook for review. This book gives an honest and positive opinion about how we as a whole can make good changes (big and small) to combat climate change. It seems very daunting (and possibly scary) when you think about it and the author addresses this. Steyer has obviously been doing this awhile and is very knowledgeable about the topic and breaks it down so everyone can do something to work towards the end goal.

📚 2024 #51: “Cheaper, Better, Faster” by Tom Steyer

📕 This book shares a positive outlook on the climate crisis and is divided into three sections: why do we need to make a change, how do we do it, and four areas in which we need to make change fast. Steyer breaks down why people doubt climate change and believe false claims from the oil industry. He focuses on decarbonization as the main goal, defining a “five plus one” strategy - five ways to reduce emissions (electricity generation, transportation, manufacturing, agriculture, buildings) and one to undo damage (sequestration).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/5: There's way too much information to be presented in this quick review, but anyone trying to understand the climate crisis and what they can do about it should read this. There's so much misinformation, misleading done by oil/agriculture/plastic industries (that obviously just want you to buy more of their stuff), and blindly hoping that tech will solve all our problems. People are generally confused about what's going on (as big business wants us to be) and this book clears a lot up using facts and research. I tend to be a climate pessimist these days, but if more people that have doubts or confusion read books like this, we might stand a chance.

🤓 You should read this if you liked "Wasteland" by Oliver Franklin-Wallis or anything by Barry Lopez.

🥰 Thank you to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Tom Steyer has been banging the climate drum for a while. The billionaire investor has spent years and no small amount of money working on climate issues. A former presidential candidate who ran nearly exclusively on climate issues, Steyer co-chaired President Biden’s Climate Engagement Advisory Council. These bona fides are just to prove that Steyer is no newcomer to the climate wars. His new book Cheaper, Faster, Better: How We’ll Win The Climate War isn’t another climate gloom-and-doom book. Instead, it’s a fierce, optimistic call to action that seeks to evangelize a climate army.

In the book, Steyer offers a different approach than the usual carbon footprint shaming and let’s all recycle rhetoric. His approach is from a business standpoint and in each chapter, he showcases a variety of entrepreneurs making progress on the climate front. In addition to being a climate optimist, Steyer is a capitalism optimist. He believes that the right mix of governmental, institutional, corporate, and venture investing in climate tech will usher us into a bright new future.

Steyer’s book is inspiring, full-throated, and full of examples of positive activity on the climate front. Still, his enthusiasm for building the next generation of climate warriors falls a little short on the specifics on how the rest of us can join the movement.

Cheaper, Faster, Better
Posted on May 26, 2024 by Jack

While I was browsing through Netgalley looking for an interesting read, I came across the name Tom Steyer. I am pretty sure it was in the business & finance section as I browse there sometimes for investment books suitable for a “RetiredGuy”.

Anyway, the name sounded familiar and then I remembered that he was in the debate for the Democratic Party nomination for President. Tom Steyer is a very successful investor and businessman. And ran in the primaries to raise awareness of climate change issues.

As a scientist, I see overwhelming evidence indicates that climate change is a great threat to everybody’s future and we are already seeing the early effects.

This book is “Cheaper, Faster, Better: How We’ll Win the Climate War” by Tom Steyer. Since climate change is a very real problem with multiple effects, including huge economic costs. I was not surprised to find the book in that the business section. The summary of the book sounded like I might enjoy it so I decided to give it a try.

But I was surprised at how optimistic this book is. Tom Steyer's vision is a world where we have broken our addiction to fossil fuels and replaced our dependence with newer technologies which will bring us into a future where things are cheaper, faster, and better.

The book is both very realistic as to climate change and the damage already done and optimistic about our future if we can act together address this crisis. There are extensive discussions on some of the new technologies and business opportunities as well as various roles we can each play.

I highly recommend this book for everyone.

Excellent description of what has been done to save our planet and what still needs to be done. many 'new' technologies have been started, and need to be strengthened. Criticisms of petroleum and coal energy production is discussed, and the ways new technologies---wind, solar, geothermal, etc is being substituted for poluting energy sources.

"Cheaper, Faster, Better" is a timely and thought-provoking manifesto for economic reform. Tom Steyer offers a compelling vision for building a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous society, grounded in sound analysis and moral clarity. While some may question the feasibility of his proposals, the book serves as a powerful call to action, urging readers to imagine a future where economic progress is not only measured by GDP growth but by the well-being and prosperity of all citizens.