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Mark Watson

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Crap at the Environment Paperback – 19 Feb. 2009

by Mark Watson (Author)

4.5 9 ratings

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He used to be totally crap.

Now, he's only marginally better.

What the environmental movement has been waiting for is a plane-frequenting, blissfully ignorant comedian with no green credibility whatsoever to tackle one of the most important issues of our time. When non-expert Mark Watson announced his intention to spend the year becoming less Crap At The Environment, within 24 hours, 500 mates and fans had joined him.

He lived for (almost) a week without plastic. He ransacked libraries in order to read frightening books on climate change. He lured audiences outside to plant trees, confronted his morbid fear of bike-riding, even started eating vegetables. And a man who began 2007 as a blight on the planet ended up coming to the attention of the most famous almost-president in the world, Al Gore . . .

Print length

336 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Hodder Paperbacks
Publication date

19 Feb. 2009
Dimensions

12.9 x 19.8 x 2.1 cm
ISBN-10

0340952814
ISBN-13

978-0340952818
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Product description

Review

'[One of] the new green heroes.' (Sunday Times on CRAP AT THE ENVIRONMENT)

'Despite his irrational fear of cycling and uselessness at crafts; he can write an accessible environmental book which is both informative and laugh out loud funny, or, if you prefer, "funformative"' (The List)

'Unpretentious, informative and very, very funny. Buy it for all your friends, or buy one and share. Imagine all the tree you'll save!' (Herald Sun, Australia)

'A quirky, irreverant take on the green lifestyle . . . an accessible antidote to the flood of more worthy environmental titles already available . . . in comical, self-deprecating style' (Bookseller)

'Mark Watson comes across like a green St Paul to Al Gore's Jesus Christ' (BBC List)

funny, at times bizarre. . . full of nervous energy. . . amusing (Sunday Express)

'A practical, often amusing, always insightful and pragmatic look at what individuals can do about global warming - worth reading!' (Sydney Morning Herald, PICK OF THE WEEK)

'Expect to hear plenty more about him' (Observer)

'Packed with brilliant observations and sharp one-liners' (The Times on A Light-hearted Look at Murder)

'Intelligent, humane and desperately funny' (Independent on Sunday)

'Woody Allen and William Boyd have had a bastard love-child and his name is Mark Watson' (Stephen Fry)

It prompts an appreciation of how much effort it's really going to take to make a difference, while poking your guilt. (Metro)

A year in the life of the hapless eco-warrior and gifted comedian crusading against his own environmental apathy. Even if he doesn't quite manage to save the world, he makes it a funnier one to be in. ( The Times )

Book Description

Perrier-winning Mark Watson's first-hand comic account trying to save the planet (how hard can it be?) - 'Unstoppably funny - a kind of superhero' Sunday Times

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hodder Paperbacks (19 Feb. 2009)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0340952814
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0340952818
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 12.9 x 19.8 x 2.1 cm

Customer reviews:
4.5 9 ratings

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4.5 out of 5

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Grahamt

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 August 2014

Verified Purchase

Brilliant! Really funny!

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nieeyore

An interesting read!!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 October 2011

I'd read a few reviews saying that the book wasn't all that great, but, bought it on the fact that, I find Mark Watson amusing, & figured his book would be too. Yes, in a nutshell, it's basically his 12month quest to stop being crap at the environment, but, it's an eye-opener too. It's an interesting read, & people should read this book - if more out of interest than anything.

One person found this helpful

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magicaltrevor

Making the world a little bit better one step at a time

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 June 2009

One of the other reviewers on this site criticizes Mark Watson for not going deep enough into environmental issues in this book. This is to make the fundamental mistake of ignoring the title of the book and, furthermore, Mark Watson's main objective in writing it. The whole idea was to start from a point of general ignorance about green issues, but with a nagging conscience, and to investigate them so as to become more informed. Armed with this information Mark could then make changes to his lifestyle and encourage other people to do the same; which is exactly what he did when he set up CATE. (Crap At The Environment, for those not up with their acronyms)

In the book Mark explains how he created and ran CATE, the successes and failures of the network of ambitious eco-friendly bloggers, taking workshops on climate change run by Al Gore and, eventually, being trained to run his own seminars about environmental issues. It's a fascinating journey to read about with his brand of humour providing laughs throughout. Anyone who was involved in CATE from the start will enjoy reading back through the tasks and anyone new to Mark Watson's efforts to save the planet will finish the book knowing a bit more about climate change than before; or at least armed with enough information to try and make their own attempts to save the planet.

Helpful

Clare Topping

Should have been better

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 March 2010

OK, I will admit, I am already a convert to reducing my environmental impact as much as possible. However, I read this book in the hope of finding out why others find it so difficult to do even small things that could make a difference and therefore to be able to try and win others over. I was also hoping to find ideas about how I could make further improvements along the way. However, I am not sure if it is because the book is two years old now and there has been a lot of media coverage about how to green your life, but it seemed to me that there were only the most obvious suggestions in the book - walk or use public transport, don't fly (although the author does make 2 trips to Australia in the course of the year long diary), eat less meat, eat locally produced seasonal food. These are tips you can pick up from anywhere on the web.

What I did find particularly disappointing was his lack of information about the effects of modern lifestyles on the environment (although these would probably be classified as the boring bits), but, even more was his constant wish to do something bigger, that had more impact. I thought I was going to discover something I had missed at last, but, no. It involved a successful application to attend an Al Gore training session in Australia so he can go and deliver the Al Gore message / lecture. Not that I have anything against Al Gore, but it is hardly applicable to the rest of us.

Whilst the book is an accessible read, there is is much more relevant information available on the internet for free and, most of it is just common sense. The idea of demonstrating that you can make a difference even if you had no previous interest in the environment is a good one, but, as the author continuously points out - are these small things going to make enough of a difference?

Helpful

Kid Ad

But rather good at writing funny things in a book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 April 2009

I've enjoyed Mark Watson's Radio 4 appearances over the last few years, and I'm always glad to see him pop up on the odd TV panel show, so I think it's fair enough to pin my colours to the mast at the offset and say that I opened the book as a fan. Thankfully, I also closed the book as a fan, and possibly even a bigger one.

Mark Watson's aim is that over the course of a year he'll learn more about the environment and mend his polluting ways. It's all set up rather nicely to be one of those themed comedy journals that have become so popular. You know the type; say yes to lots of people with the same name as you while travelling around with a fridge on your back. Many examples now seem to start with a zany premise that barely manages to raise the merest hint of a smile, and then flog it tirelessly while going nowhere. This book starts with a rather studious idea, but builds an interesting tale around it. On the comedy front it's a winner hands down. Watson is an undeniably likable fellow to follow around for a few hundred pages, and he frequently manages to be laugh out loud funny. It loses its way a little towards the end, but that is easily forgivable as it never becomes a chore.

The environmental points weave into the humorous tale of the author's green journey seamlessly. Such a stern message could easily jar against the tales of 24-hour comedy shows and railway adventures, but they never get too serious to become preachy, and, to my mind, didn't go too far to the other extreme and end up as flippant either. That said, it's not transformed me into an environmentalist either, but that was rather unlikely. However, I not only enjoyed the read, but I now think of it when someone offers me a plastic bag, so it must have worked on some level.

One person found this helpful

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Mr. Andrew R. Hamilton

Do I really have to give up Cheese?

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 August 2008

Mark Watson might be preaching to the converted as far as I am concerned, being as I am already a green writer and campaigner. That aside I would have no trouble giving this book to my less than green friends or relatives.

Even I learnt a thing or two from this book, well to put it another way I was re-told a thing or two I had conveniently forgotten. Such as methane being 25 times more damaging than co2, making me drastically consider my cheese intake.

The book might not be as high energy as some of Watson's stand up but it is a bloody book. It is however funny, light hearted and has the feel of chatting in the park rather than being preached at.

If you are green and your mates are crap buy it for them but make sure that you read it first.

9 people found this helpful

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Crap at the Environment Paperback – 19 Feb. 2009

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