I write about the environment because I’m concerned about where our planet is headed. While I want to help people understand the severity of our environmental problems, I always try to provide hope because there are so many smart and creative people out there working on solutions. The big challenge in environmental writing is to not only communicate the problem, but to also inspire people to care enough to take action.
My ever-evolving work life has always been about communication. I started my career creating documentary film portraits for children at WGBH-TV, then studied directing at the American Film Institute, winning the Alfred Hitchcock Fellowship. “Jazz is My Native Language: A Portrait of Toshiko Akiyoshi,” a one-hour documentary I made about the great female jazz musician, aired on PBS. After I had children, I became a literary agent for children’s book authors and illustrators, helping my authors shape and tell their stories. Subsequently, I was editor of Westchester Parent Magazine, writing a monthly editorial column that won two gold awards from Parenting Publications of America. Because I was becoming more and more concerned about the environment, I volunteered with the Hudson River environmental organization Riverkeeper, eventually becoming its communication coordinator. The experience made me a committed environmentalist and led me to where I am today.
Renée Cho 