The Story Behind This Book

Shaun White arcs midsky, twists, then rushes toward a white and waiting slope. Michael Johnson races past, pumping fists and air with every record-breaking stride. Brian Vickers rounds a curve of the raceway for a steady split-second, then is gone.

When air pollution drove many athletes from the Beijing Olympic Games, all eyes turned to the delicate relationship between sports and the environment. But the connection was always there. For snowboarders, sprinters and NASCAR drivers alike, every step of the game relies on the earth, giving to and taking from it, and every action has consequences.

Champions for Change looks through the eyes of today’s top athletes and explorers at a world in the grip of global warming, and asks how each of us can tap into our own heroism and help. Part dazzling photographic essay, part call to action, Champions for Change guides readers of all ages through the climate change frontlines and into the lives of athletes working to make a difference. They include:

•Brian Vickers
•Andrea Jaeger
•Shaun White
•Masa Sampei
•Lynn Hill
•Jim Whittaker
•Liz Odera
•Michael Johnson
•Justin Rose
•Greg LeMond
•Natalie Coughlin
•Jen O’Brien
•Jessica Long
•Haile Gebrselassie
•Jack Johnson
•Roz Savage
•Anne Quéméré
•Marcos Diaz


Created with the support of the United Nations Department of Public Information.