Introducing the OB Book Club, where sustainability meets storytelling. Coming to you once a month. Each month we’ll be recommending a story that inspires us here at OB HQ and introducing it to you.It’s not strictly just books, but the aim of our book club is to share stories that inspire us to make a difference, wth the hope it will empower us to create a world where plastic pollution is a problem of the past.

New year, new rhythms
As we welcome the new year, January is the perfect time to recalibrate, reflect, and reconnect - with ourselves, the seasons, and the natural world. Our first pick of 2025 embodies this completely: The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2025 by Lia Leendertz.

This month-by-month guide offers a way to ground yourself in the rhythms of the year, while exploring how these rhythms tie us to the elements, particularly water and the ocean. Lia Leendertz’s The Almanac is a celebration of seasonal living. Each month is a wealth of knowledge and inspiration about the natural world, including:

• Tide tables and moon phases
• Seasonal wildlife observations
• Folklore and traditions
• Seasonal recipes and crafts

Water is a compelling topic through the almanac, making it particularly meaningful for us. The tide tables, in particular, remind us of the ocean’s constant presence, even when we’re far from its shores. By tuning into the lunar cycles, we can reflect on how the moon governs the sea, and our moods, creativity, and energy. The seasonal wildlife observations often focus on coastal and marine life, helping us to notice the ecosystems that depend on the ocean. The Almanac reminds us to pay attention to what’s happening both above and beneath the waves. And offers us a more mindful approach to:

• Marking the seasons with purpose. Whether it’s a winter walk by the sea or noticing the first signs of spring, these rituals ground us
• Celebrating the water cycle. Rainfall, rivers, and the ocean are all interconnected, and by observing these cycles, we’re reminded of the importance of protecting water sources
• Reflect on how our actions, from reducing plastic use to supporting ocean conservation

This year, The Almanac can be your guide to slowing down and noticing the world around you, gaining a deeper appreciation for the ocean’s rhythms, creating small, meaningful rituals that honour the seasons and our connection to water, and finding joy in simple, seasonal living.

FABRUARY

The Wild life of Roger Deakin: A Blue Mind pioneer

Ever dipped into wild swimming? Once you’ve overcome the fear of the freeze, you’ve probably felt that deep, restorative connection between water and mind. In The Swimmer, Patrick Barkham explores the life of a man who mastered that very relationship with water, treating it as his home, and his teacher.

Last month we shared a blog post we produced on “The Blue Mind Concept”. In celebration of this, for Feb we've decided to pick a book that explores that connection between humans and water. Deakin’s philosophy resonates with the Blue Mind concept: the idea that being near, in, or on the water enhances our mental well-being. His journey reminds us that water is a place of healing, and of belonging. The Swimmer also serves as a call to action, as Deakin describes his experiences with polluted rivers, eroding coastlines, and an increasing disconnection from the natural world. It seems as if his writing was his activism, and it urges us to cherish and protect waterways, and the ocean.

So, whether it’s an open water dip, a moment of reflection by the sea, or simply choosing to be more present in nature, join us in taking some inspiration from The Swimmer, by Patrick Barkham.

Small choices, big waves of change

For B Corp Month, we’re highlighting how small choices can create big waves of change — making Obsolete by Chris Baker the obvious choice as book of the month.

Obsolete highlights the power we have as consumers to drive real change. With 60% of global GDP driven by consumer spending, where we choose to spend our money has the potential to reshape industries. Shifting just 1% of spending toward ethical brands could generate billions annually for businesses that are part of the solution.

Baker introduces and explores ‘Change Brands’ —companies proving that purpose-driven business can thrive and explains why as individuals its important we support them.

Here at OB, we believe in the power of collective action. Every choice we make —no matter how small— has the power to be something bigger. To our own community, thank you for being part of the change towards a plastic pollution free ocean.

Climate myths meet reality.

Taking inspiration from World Earth Day and this years theme of ‘Our Power out Planet’, this month we’re recommending the Climate Deniers Podcast to you.
Hosted by Rollie Williams (Climate Town) and Nicole Conlan (The Daily Show), this podcast combines climate science conversation with comedy. Each episode leads with a topic in the sustainability space and presents a brief overview in an easy to digest and enjoyable way. Providing you with a baseline to explore more yourself if you’re interested.

This World Earth Day, the focus is on taking action around energy. The podcast has plenty of episodes covering this topic making it a great resource to get informed and to inspire you to make change.

🎧 Listen here:

Patreon 

Spotify 

Let's go wild!

Inspired by the No Mow May movement — which encourages people to put away the lawnmower and let biodiversity bloom — our May OB Book Club pick is Wilding by Isabella Tree.

This bestselling book tells the true story of how Tree and her husband transformed their family farmland through rewilding, in what became known as the Knepp experiment.

Part memoir, part ecological awareness, Wilding is an inspiring story of promise - showing what’s possible when we step back and let nature take the lead.

You can read it, or watch the 2023 documentary adaptation now streaming on most major platforms here:

Book

Trailer

Riding the waves of reslience. 

Saturday 21st June is International Surfing Day, a celebration of the sea, surf culture, and the power of waves to bring people together.

So, we’ve chosen something that celebrates that spirit; Big Wata (Viewer’s Choice Award 2018), directed by Gugi van der Velden. Set in Sierra Leone, this intimate documentary introduces us to West Africa’s first and only surf club.

Big Wata (which means "The Ocean") is a beautiful reminder of the ocean’s ability to heal, empower, and inspire. At OB, we believe that connection to the sea, whether through riding waves, walking the shoreline, or simply watching the tides, is always a powerful force for good and we will always try to protect it.

This International Surfing Day, we invite you to immerse yourself in a story of resilience and rediscovery.

🌊 Watch Big Wata on select streaming platforms
📽️ Trailer available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHsbZMMH_Y0 

Small actions add up.

Our July OB Book Club pick is inspired by Plastic Free July: No. More. Plastic.: What You Can Do to Make a Difference by Martin Dorey.

The book is filled with quick tips and actionable solutions that anyone can do. No preaching, just purpose.

But don’t just take our word for it. We asked Martin to tell us in his own words and here’s what he shared: 

“I wrote No. More. Plastic. after years of beach cleaning and running the #2minutebeachclean campaign. It enabled me to share my findings and the knowledge I had gained with a wider audience. I hope that everybody who reads it makes just one small change today and perhaps another tomorrow.” – Martin Dorey

This is the perfect pocket sized book to open with your kids, gift to a friend, or keep by your side as a daily reminder that change doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Check it out here.

Stories that shape how little ones see the world

Our August OB Book Club pick is the summer holidays must have for any long afternoon with little ones: Oceans Away by Dani, founder of Eco-Able.

This beautifully illustrated children’s book invites young ones to dive deep beneath the waves, meeting some sea creatures along the way. Through it’s storytelling and stunning artwork, Oceans Away ignites imagination while gently exploring important themes of ocean conservation, waste, and the small steps we can all take to protect our planet.

Dani’s passion for protecting our oceans shines through every page. Here’s what she had to say when we spoke to her:

“I’ve always had a love of the ocean, ever since I was a small child. I have found it really shocking that plastics are so prevalent in our precious waters and the more I learn about the damage it does, the more I feel compelled to make a difference.

As well as being passionate about the environment, I’m also really passionate about education and helping children understand what is happening in the world around them, knowing that they may well be the ones to solve the problems that we face today.

My aim is that ‘Oceans Away’ will have a direct impact on young reader’s actions whilst they go about their lives, with a view to them gaining an understanding about how all of our actions affect the world around us. Stories can have such a big impact on children and this book aims to encourage a love of the environment and an understanding that what we consume and the actions we take, matters to the wider world.

Focusing on education and sustainability is the way we’re going to have the most impact on environmental issues, both now and in the future. My aim is to be a part of those conversations and collective actions, as I really believe that together we can make a difference and that education is the key.”

– Dani

This is a book that children (and adults!) will want to read again and again, using its stories as a springboard for discussions about our oceans and the world we all share. Printed on 100% recycled, carbon-balanced paper (certified by the World Land Trust) and using eco-friendly inks, this book is the perfect planet friendly pick.

Check it out here: https://eco-able.co.uk/product/oceans-away-book/

Rethinking our rivers

Today is World Rivers Day, and this month’s OB Book Club pick puts the world’s rivers front and centre: Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane - a powerful and perspective-shifting read that challenges us to rethink how we see and treat our rivers.

From the cloud forests of Ecuador to the creeks of southern India and the wild waters of Quebec, Macfarlane takes us on a journey through global river-rights movements - showing how these vital waterways are being fought for, protected, and reimagined.

At Ocean Bottle, we’re committed to stopping plastic from polluting the ocean - and that means protecting the rivers that carry it there. This book reminds us to see rivers not just as paths to the ocean, but as ecosystems worth protecting in their own right.

🌊 Is a River Alive? is out now: SHOP HERE