Carl Hiaasen: Eco Warrior

The pen is mightier than the sword–and it is with that very weapon that Eco Warrior Carl Hiaasen takes on all things outrageous and criminal.  From his home state of Florida, Carl Hiaasen has been writing a regular column for the Miami Herald (a tidbit Enviro-Girl never knew until she researched further for this post–here she only thought he was a wicked awesome novelist).   In these comumns he has chastized, beleagured and brought to light all nature of offenses, particularly those environmental.

Dolphins, manatees, swampland and urban sprawl are just a few of the topics he has unflinchingly brought under the microscope of his writing–the loud (and sometimes it seems, lone) voice in a Florida wilderness overpopulated with tourists, developers, politicians and snowbirds.

But his novels, that’s where Enviro-Girl fell in love with Carl Hiaasen.  Filled with fringe characters, inspired plotlines, satrical and downright silly storytelling and fast-paced action, his books appeal to any gender and nearly any age of reader.  Enviro-Girl recommends Sick Puppy, Skinny Dip, Nature Girl, Tourist Season and Double Whammy, for adults.  But for every reader, young AND old, Carl Hiaasen has crafted three outstanding books laced with environmental consciousness AND good humor.  Flush, Scat, and Hoot remain favorite books of the younger set, Enviro-Girl’s nieces have read and re-read them several times.  He’s a writer working for the fun of it–telling a terrific story, making up memorable characters everyone wants to read more about.

Take this Eco Challenge, readers.  Check out Hoot or Flush this weekend and share it with your kids.  Read it yourself.  And give thanks that Florida has given us a person with so much outrage about the environment but still maintains his good humor enought to invite people in to read more about it.  A zealot?  Yes, but Carl Hiaasen is the good kind, not turning people off but instead tuning people in.