Ever had that sick feeling when you see a clear-cut forest or mountain top destroyed for mining? Do you grieve when you pass a street corner where an act of violence occurred? Often, we respond simply by abandoning these places, as if they no longer count. Or else we work so feverishly to restore them to a state somewhere between what we remember and what we long for, that we fail to pay attention to how they look now—and how they affect us. In her new book Trebbe Johnson presents a passionate, pioneering new approach. Choosing to respond to the loss of loved places in a way that opens us up to our sorrow and then expresses our gratitude with stories, mindful gazing, and spontaneous creativity offers a meaningful, vital, and even joyful path through the hard times we face on Earth.

For most people, places that have become damaged through human or natural events are nothing but eyesores, best avoided if no official agency has some kind of plan to clean them up. But it’s possible to discover meaning and vitality in a clear-cut forest, a mountaintop flattened by coal mining, or a street corner where violence occurred. We do this by visiting these places and making “guerrilla beauty” for them—anonymous, bold, spontaneous tokens of gratitude or consolation. Each of the 101 Ways to Make Guerrilla Beauty offered here is easy to do, whether you’re alone, with a friend, or with a group. They don’t require advance planning, expert advice, or special tools. Trebbe Johnson’s simple practices reflect a profound and innovative approach to surviving the environmental problems every one of us is facing, but to thriving in the midst of them.