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Independent Press Award 

2025 Distinguished Favorite

Lloyd Alter

The Story of Upfront Carbon: How a Life of Just Enough Offers a Way Out of the Climate Crisis

When you look at the world through the lens of upfront carbon, everything changes. The astonishing upfront carbon of everyday objects from coffee cups to heat pumps, and why electric bikes, not electric cars, are the answer.

"Upfront carbon" refers to all emissions involved in making your car, your home, or any other item. These invisible embodied carbon emissions matter a lot. As we weed out fossils fuels and incorporate more renewables into our energy supply, upfront carbon becomes increasingly dominant compared to operating emissions, yet it is often ignored.

Leavened with wit and packed with concrete strategies for minimizing the ecological footprint of transportation, agriculture, consumer goods, the built environment, and more, this accessible guide is perfect reading for a world on the brink.

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