Bali OK: A Parable for a Changing Climate

Bali OK is a love story woven around the theme of climate change. Bali OK is also a scientific mystery story, with a twist - and with a chaser of hope. In the year 2037, climate change has become an undeniable fact of life. Amazingly, one tiny piece of the planet has remained unchanged: the island of Bali. When social media discovers Bali's thriving butterflies, a flood of the world's more affluent immigrants seek out Bali's throwback climate, pursuing the visa that people call the "Greener Card." Two scientists independently become aware of this anomaly: Deborah, an American a butterfly scientist, and Wayan, a Balinese agricultural scientist. Their search for a scientific explanation soon brings in Deborah's colleague, Stefan (who, as a transgender man, has always had to think outside boxes). Stefan sketches out for them a new theory he calls quantum ecology. Bali OK gives an anthropologist's view of the age-old culture of Bali, enlivened by Deborah's pen-and-ink sketches. Underlying the narrative is a recurring theme around the importance, and the challenges, of sharing knowledge. The reader will come away with a smile - and with a new sense of the possibilities for navigating our next global challenge. NOTE - All proceeds of book sales go to support the work of Health In Harmony, a U.S.-based non-profit organization that partners with local communities to conserve and restore rainforests around the world.

Carli Spero is the pen name of an American anthropologist whose work focuses on Indonesian culture.