In my previous blog post I reviewed the book, Building a Better World in your Backyard Instead of Being Angry at Bad Guys, by Paul Wheaton and Shawn Klassen-Koop. As part of that review I noted that I thought this would be an excellent selection for book discussion groups. It is relatively short, easy, and entertaining to read. The authors prime intended audience are those with little to no experience with ecological/environmental matters though I feel it would of useful interest to those more versed in the subject too. This should help make it appropriate for all that might be a part of such book groups. The material covers a wide range of subject matter offering many ways for everyone to connect to it. I would anticipate lively conversations sparked by the book.
(Please note some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links. What this means is that should you click through them and make a qualifying purchase I will receive a commission which I’d certainly appreciate since it helps support this blog project. However, this shouldn’t increase your cost any, and certainly don’t ever feel like I’m pressuring you to buy things through the links I offer here or anywhere else. I’m all about being frugal first!)
At my recommendation the group I’m a part of at my local library was going to be discussing it this past summer, but then Covid-19 happened and things have gone on hold. I promised our discussion leader that I would make up a list of questions to help facilitate the conversation. I figured it would be nice to share these publicly so others could use them, encouraging more groups to read and discuss the book.
Oh, as an added bonus for making this an excellent selection for book groups, the authors give a deep discount for those purchasing the book by the dozen. It’s available in ebook and audio book formats too.
So with no further ado, here are the discussion questions I came up with. Feel free to add more or subtract any from the list for your own use.
1. – In the first chapter the authors state, “This book is one massive, steaming pile of my opinion. Well, our opinion.” Were there parts where you strongly disagreed with them? Did you strongly agree with them in other areas?
2. – They present a case that for lighting in cold climates if you look at the broader systems beyond just electricity consumption such as embodied energy in manufacturing, home heating, and the toxic materials involved, incandescent bulbs can be “greener” than CFLs or LED bulbs. What do you think about this? Can you think of other instances in the book where broader systems thinking was applied?
3. – In the section on the Wheaton Eco Scale they observe, “that most people find folks one or two levels above them to be pretty cool. But people three levels up seem a bit nutty. People four or five levels up seem downright crazy. And people six levels up should probably be institutionalized for their own safety and the safety of those around them.” Does this observation ring true to you? Can you think of anyone in your life this might apply to? How many of the ideas they presented seemed “nutty”, “crazy”, or worth being “institutionalized” for?
4. – The authors present a lot of different ideas of things people could do throughout the book in a wide range of areas. Are you already doing any of the things mentioned in this book? What idea surprised you the most? Is there something new you are inspired to try after reading this book?
5. – Dandelions keep popping up throughout the book. In particular when discussing the different levels of the Wheaton Eco Scale. How would you describe your relationship with dandelions? Do you think this will change after reading the book?
6. – Chapter 10 – Radically Deviant Financial Strategies starts with the line, “You have my permission to cackle wildly if you happen to implement any of these techniques.” Was there any wild cackling in the room after reading it? If so, what strategies do you already use? Are there any you’d like to try?
7. – In chapter 14 – More People Living Under One Roof Without Stabbing Each Other they note that this “has the potential to have the largest, most positive impact”. There could be many large benefits to community living both for the larger environment and for ones personal life. However, the authors also recognize that there are many potential downsides too, noting that if your approach “is dependent on people in the house being decent, you will learn the ugly truth: people are human.” Have you ever experience any sort of community living through dorms in college, having roommates in an apartment, living with a large/extended family, being part of an actual commune, or some other variation? What are some of the potential benefits of living with others? What have you experienced the downsides to be? Do you have any ideas of how to “turn the volume up on the benefits and down on the drama”?
8. – Chapter 19 lists twenty things to do with sticks that fall in your yard besides feeding them to “a wood eating, fire breathing monster named Chipper” or putting them out on the curb to be hauled away. How many of the 20 have you done? Did you see any new uses that would work in your specific situation? Can you think of some other good ways to use such material to transform it into a resource instead of a waste stream?
9. – The book talks quite a bit about “wrestling with poop beasts,” presenting and comparing many of the different approaches to dealing with the everyday reality of urine and fecal matter. How many of the different “poop contraptions” listed on page 119 have you used? Have you ever used any of the ones they rated highest in their chart on page 120? If so, what was your general experience with them?
10. – A substantial portion of the book deals with food production in some way. Did you get any new insights from all these ideas and observations? If you already grow/raise some of your own food are there any new techniques you want to try? If you don’t already grow/raise any of your food are you inspired to start?
I hope you find these questions useful for stimulating and guiding a lively discussion of the book, “Building a Better World in your Backyard Instead of Being Angry at Bad Guys,” by Paul Wheaton and Shawn Klassen-Koop. Again if you are looking to purchase one or more copies of the book in any of the formats, paperback, ebook, or audiobook you can find them through this link.
If you do use these questions for you book group I’d be delighted if you left a comment to share how it went.
Studio Snippet
In my last studio snippet I introduced a new project that I’ve been spending most of my time on. However, I also noted that I’ll still be making some vessels, just not as many. This is the current vessel I am working on a little bit here and there. I’ve started the chasing work and will be spending a lot more time on that before this piece is done.
It has actually been a bit of a relaxing breather to work on this piece. Unlike the new project, it’s something I’m very familiar with so there is no serious stress trying to figure things out. I can just sit down and hammer, knowing what to do and how to do it.
I’m happy to have a site where I can again allow comments. (I had to shut them off on my old website because the spam was simply uncontrollable!) So please I encourage you to share thoughts of your own. My general rule about comments though is just to play nice. Differing views are fine, but I’m not interested in engaging in or moderating verbal fights. If I feel things get out of hand, by whatever criteria I decide, I’ll just start blocking or deleting things.
One discussion suggestion could be regarding your review comment- “ In fact, on the back cover they state, “If 20% of the population implemented half the solutions in this book, it would solve the biggest global problems.” It’s hard for me to say if this is really true or not, but seems it would certainly have a reasonable chance.”
-Assuming this refers to 20% of the entire world, what are the chances of actually getting this in the hands of 1.5 billion people? If instead we consider the population of the United States, then 66 million people? And once those people have read and seriously entertained the ideas, what are the chances at least 50% will be implemented? Is it reasonable to think people will do these things permanently? And soon enough to have the desired result of reversing global warming and seriously curtailing pollution?-
You see where this is ripe for discussion. 😉
My comment that it seemed reasonable it could solve some of the biggest problems was IF 20% of the population implemented 50% of the ideas. Do I think that those numbers will actually happen directly from this book? Absolutely not, for all the statistics you list! For that amount of change to happen requires a real cultural shift.
What I especially like about the book is that they are pointing out that we don’t need to wait for a ton of other people to do something or join us before we begin making changes in our own lives that not only help the planet but can help provide us a much better life in the process. Where the cultural shift happens, if it ever does, is from enough people doing these things for their own immediate benefit and others then seeing and desiring the same benefits resulting in them taking up such practices.
Will this happen soon enough? I doubt it, esp. since we are already seeing the results of a collapsing environment. What I expect to see happen is a continual downward progression with a whole host of unanticipated things resulting until eventually living lower impact lifestyles will just obviously make the most sense if for no other reason than because they are the only option for almost everyone. I particularly like a phrase coined by John Michael Greer, “Collapse now and avoid the rush!” It’s a quip noting that it’s much more pleasant to make changes in an optional manner than a forced one. While we still live in an era of astounding material wealth it’s also easier to set up lifestyles that use less.