Just Read: "Farewell, My Subaru: An Epic Adventure in Local Living"

I recently finished reading "Farewell, My Subaru: An Epic Adventure in Local Living" by Doug Fine. I had seen a review for this book in Backpacker or NG Adventure and thought it sounded interesting so I picked it up about a month ago but never had a chance to read it till we were on the honeymoon. Cars + book + me = short read. Reading in a car is one of the most relaxing things I know. And John likes to drive, so this combination works well for me when trying to get through a book. On a side note we have also discovered that I get alot more writing done on long trips as well. On a trip to California over Thanksgiving I was able to finish a paper for the new Ceratopsid Symposium book. I had written the first draft of this paper on a long trip back from Sundance, Wyoming back in September. And it is fun to, because John and I can bounce ideas off each other and still talk, while I write and he can jam out to his Bob Marley/Grateful Dead addiction. But anyway......

From the publishers summary:

"In Farewell, My Subaru, Doug Fine vows to grow as much of his own food as he can, use only the sun to power his ‘Net surfing and sub-woofer, and consume little to no fossil fuel for an entire year — never mind that he’d never raised so much as a chicken or a bean. Or that he had no mechanical or electrician skills. Or that coyotes and mountain lions would like to treat his Funky Butte Ranch like a buffet line.


Beginning with a near-Biblical flood that makes Doug’s ranch in New Mexico resemble Noah’s Arc, and ending with a hilarious farewell to his beloved Subaru, Fine struggles at every turn with the contradictions and challenges of going green as his shopping list changes overnight from things like, “wasabi” and “pineapple juice” to “shotgun shells” and “goat syringes” (for the mischievous Pans he found on Craigslist).


Including practical resources for regular Americans who want to live greener and funny sidebars with facts you never imagined about the clean, local life, Farewell, My Surbaru is both a hilarious romp and an inspiring call to action; it’s a book for the reluctant environmentalist, the armchair traveler, and anyone who has ever wondered: do I really need that four dollar frappuccino from Kenya?"

And the authors summary:

"This ia a book of carbon-neutral carnage, about my attempts to kick oil while still living like an American. Farewell, My Subaru is the account of everything that can go wrong (and then right) when a regular guy tries to get oil out of his life. It details, among other embarrassing (but, my editor insists, inspiring) realities: coyotes eating my chickens, my near-death due to clumsiness during solar panel installation, and my suffering from Extreme Munchies thanks to the exhaust of my new carbon-neutral, vegetable oil-powered R.O.A.T. (Ridiculously Oversized American Truck). Hence the title of the book – I had to ditch the ol’ reliable Subaru in favor of a diesel. But for all the mishaps, I have reduced my electric bill by 80% and no longer need gas stations to drive. All while keeping my Netflix, my Internet, my fridge, washing machine, and most of all, my booming subwoofers."

I thought this was a really interesting read. You can live "green" (as it is is the trend to call it now) and still keep the things you love - it does not require you to live in a straw house with no pluming and nothing but beans and rice to live off of. Heck, this guy still has internet!! That is a vote of confidence for humanity (in my perspective) right off the bat! The book sort of has an abrupt ending, but I guess when life is a continuing experiment, there is no clean-cut ending for a book.

I would really recommend this book to anyone (although John was not a fan and did not make it to far into the book - but he did read the last chapter. He likes the ideas, just not the writing style). Its not to long, its funny, and it really made me think about some things and encourage me to try do what I really want to do - which is live a more ecologically sustainable life. I know I am a huge carnivore, and if veggies would hurry up and evolve to taste better maybe I would eat more of them, but I think I am getting better in that realm. I have been buying local produce down at the farmers market and was able to get everything (produce wise) on my shopping list down there this past week. Next I am looking for a local meat shop that sells local, free range, cruelty and pesticide-free meats. I already do not drive to work (side affect of working from home eh!) so we have been saving much in the way of gas, which is nice for a change.

I have long been teasing John that I need a farm, what with my history of bringing animals home and love for only more. I think a little place outside of town where I could grow the food that we (or at least John) would eat, and have my own chickens and goats would be awesome (even though all the eat'n meat would have to come from somewhere down the road - I could supply the animals, just would have to never meet them - I get far to attached to my critters!). Maybe someday. But till then I can keep reading about Doug Fine's experiment for living a sustanable life on the Funky Butte Ranch in the deserts of New Mexico via his website. Check both the website and book out!