What Can I Do?

My Path from Climate Despair to Action

By: Jane Fonda

Narrated by: Jane Fonda, Annie Leonard, George Newbern, Adenrele Ojo, Tantoo Cardinal

Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's Summary

A call to action from Jane Fonda, one of the most inspiring activists of our time, urging us to wake up to the looming disaster of climate change and equipping us with the tools we need to join her in protest

"This is the last possible moment in history when changing course can mean saving lives and species on an unimaginable scale. It's too late for moderation."

In the fall of 2019, frustrated with the obvious inaction of politicians and inspired by Greta Thunberg, Naomi Klein, and student climate strikers, Jane Fonda moved to Washington, DC, to lead weekly climate change demonstrations on Capitol Hill. On October 11, she launched Fire Drill Fridays, and has since led thousands of people in nonviolent civil disobedience, risking arrest to protest for action. In What Can I Do?, Fonda weaves her deeply personal journey as an activist alongside conversations with and speeches by leading climate scientists and inspiring community organizers, and dives deep into the issues, such as water, migration, and human rights, to emphasize what is at stake. Most significantly, Fonda equips us all with the tools we need to join her in protest, so that everyone can work to combat the climate crisis. 

No stranger to protest, Fonda's life has been famously shaped by activism. And now she is once again galvanizing the public to take to the streets. Many are already aware of the looming disaster of climate change and realize that a moral responsibility rests on our shoulders. In 2019, we saw atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases hit the highest level ever recorded in human history, and our window of opportunity to act is quickly closing. We are facing a climate crisis, but we're also facing an empathy crisis and an inequality crisis; the surge of protests over police violence against black Americans has once again highlighted the links between racism and environmental degradation in our country. It isn't only Earth's life-support systems that are unraveling. So, too, is our social fabric. This is going to take an all-out war on drilling and fracking and deregulation and racism and misogyny and colonialism and despair all at the same time. 

As Annie Leonard, executive director of Greenpeace USA and Fonda's partner in developing Fire Drill Fridays, has declared, "Change is inevitable; by design, or by disaster." Together, we can commandeer change for the positive - but it will require collective actions taken by social movements on an unprecedented scale. The problems we face now require every one of us to join the fight - the fight for not only our immediate future, but for the future of generations to come. 

This audiobook program includes a PDF of photographs and graphs.

100 percent of the author's net proceeds from What Can I Do? have gone to Greenpeace.

©2020 Jane Fonda (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Critic Reviews

"'What Can I Do?' isn’t a rhetorical question...The Oscar Award-winning actress and committed activist sounds the alarm on looming climate disaster, providing readers with actions they can take to create positive change in a world on the brink." (USA Today)

"An informative guide to getting involved in the fight against climate change." (Publishers Weekly)   

Not for the climate savvy already

I bought this book because I was interested in hearing Jane's point of view on climate change and if we could find new ways to combat it. However, a lot of the book is what I've already known I can do(if not, all). I am happy the book is about demanding the government as well to do more but I wish there was more of an emphasis on corporations. And the passion in Jane's voice is great but it's throughout the entire book and for me, it loses its meaning when I'm listening to the same tone for 4+ hours.

What can I do is a personal invite into activism

Thank you 🙏🏼 . I can help but want to be a better human being listening to Jane. I have only been an activist for only a few years, from Standing Rock in ‘15 to today writing postcards to voters for Mark Kelly. I await the ability to safely meet Fire drill Friday’s for the only planet we have. There is no planet B. ❤️☀️

Truly Inspiring

This book is perfect for anyone interested in climate change and those interested in becoming activists.

Thank you, Jane

This book is a call to action that we can all answer. Inspiring and thrilling.

Excellent tools to help address the climate emergency

Jane Fonda gives an impassioned reading of her book, “What Can I Do?” As a climate activist practicing civil disobedience, she provides a guide for all of us to get involved to fight the existential threat of climate change. As an octogenarian, she saw the way the world was when there were only 2 billion people on the planet and how we have systematically degraded our environment. Excellent book and a wake up call for all of to get involved to save our planet.

Thank you Jane!

Thanks to everyone involved for educating us on climate change. Your recommendations to solutions help us to find our way through this crisis!! Lorraine 🙏🤩👍✌

This is how we make a change

Enjoyed the action it shows we can take! Let’s heal our planet together. Fossil fuels are the real problem.

Jane Fonda is my new hero!!!

Absolutely loved this book! Found it extremely inspiring and it gives me a little hope! My absolute favorite part is the fact that they give You ideas for what you actually can do to help the climate crisis!

I am impatient to hear Jane’s perspective on this urgent question.

Unfortunately thought I bought this title, the ap won’t allow it to play but instead keeps repeating the introduction. Troubleshooting suggestion say to delete and reinstall but there is no delete option. I want to hear this and I’m frustrated

Jane's Fame Interferes with Otherwise Great Book

The story of climate activism coupled with what the average person can do about it is excellent. The great part of it is the suggested actions are valid; they can make a difference. Other such books suggest personal sacrifices such as using less air conditioning that are worthless unless billions of others do the same. This book tells how to reach your legislators, what groups to join, etc. Listen to it with a pen and paper handy. It has great information.

Jane Fonda is one of the most interesting people on Earth. Most people either love her or hate her. But even if you love her, her fame gets in the way of this book's story. Also she doesn't narrate this book like someone who won two Oscars. When she reads words spoken by others, she doesn't do anywhere near as good a job as most Audible narrators.

Even so, if you like Jane, and I do, this is an awfully good climate book. If you hate Jane, you'll probably stop listening early and miss out on a very worthwhile climate read.