Food for Thought is not an assignment but something to assist you in thinking about main ideas in the book and how they relate to you. Use these questions as tools to prepare you for class discussions.
According to extensive research done by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), farmer’s markets are booming in the U.S. Most markets sell everything from vegetables to meat, honey to cheese, and baked goods to homemade soaps. Consumers are looking for healthier, tastier, and local products. Not to mention the good feeling when they know they have supported a local grower. It was difficult for Doug to kick the habit of shopping at the ‘big box stores’ and find local solutions. Why did Doug feel the drive to go local? Do you ever feel the same? Is there anything at a big box store you could not live without?
We live in a multitasking world. Many of us can watch tv, check the status of our friends on Twitter, chat with someone on Facebook, and talk to someone in the room with us all while have a snack. We have become pros at the balancing act. But where and when do we find balance in our lives? Doug finds the balance between keeping Netflix and iTunes while living off the land. What areas of your life do you find the need to balance? What balancing act will need to change when you come to UTSA?
From the latest blockbuster movie to ancient mythology, many stories have ‘the hero’ always pegged in the same theme: perseverance. Odysseus perseveres in his odyssey, Luke Skywalker saves the galaxy after much training and many duels, and Tony Stark keeps inventing to disable armored villains. In Farewell, My Subaru, Doug always perseveres as well. What do you think Doug’s biggest challenge was? Did he do anything you would not attempt? Was there a natural next step for him in his green living journey?
Just a few short years ago, if you described Jane as a “crunchy granola person,” people knew exactly what kind of person Jane was. She recycled, went to farmer’s markets, drove hybrid cars, shopped at thrift stores, cloth diapered her children, bought energy saving items for her home, wore Birkenstocks, walked or biked on the weekends, carried around bags for her stuff, and was considered weird. But in 2010, the lines are starting to blur. What taboos have become norm in our society in the name of green living? Is Doug’s adventure so different from what you or I do to try to be a little greener for our world?
The book leaves off with Doug having successfully installed solar panels, grown his own food, raised his own goats and chickens, and greatly lessened his dependence on foreign oil. He then makes it clear to the reader he isn’t done. He is continually striving to do more. Is enough success ever enough? Where should Doug stop? Where would you stop? What would be your definition of success for yourself in the next five years?
Reading is an activity! While you are reading, consistently focus on the text. Be sure to keep up with characters, plot, setting, cause and effect, pivotal events, etc. Try to predict what will happen or how what you just read was impacted by past events and/or characters.
