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Doug Fine: Farewell, My Subaru

Presented by Downtown Alliance

May 8, 2009

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Enjoy an evening with Doug Fine who will read from and sign his book Farewell, My Subaru. Presented by Sam Weller's Bookstore and the Downtown Alliance.

Like many Americans, Doug Fine enjoyed his creature comforts, but he also knew full well they kept him addicted to oil. So he wondered: Was it possible to keep his Netflix and his car, his Wi-Fi and his subwoofers, and still reduce his carbon footprint?  In an attempt to find out, Fine up and moved to a remote ranch in New Mexico, where he brazenly vowed to grow his own food, use sunlight to power his world, and drive on restaurant grease. Never mind that he’d never raised so much as a chicken or a bean. Or that he had no mechanical or electrical skills.

In Farewell, My Subaru, whether installing Japanese solar panels, defending the goats he found on Craigslist against coyotes, or co-opting waste oil from the local Chinese restaurant to try and fill the new -veggie oil- tank in his ROAT (short for Ridiculously Oversized American Truck), Fine’s extraordinary undertaking makes one thing clear: It ain't easy being green. In fact, his journey uncovers a slew of surprising facts about alternative energy, organic and locally grown food, and climate change. Both a hilarious romp  and an inspiring call to action, Farewell, My Subaru makes a profound statement about trading today's instant gratifications for a deeper, more enduring kind of satisfaction.