1.       Who has the greater responsibility in addressing climate change and pollution:  the government or individuals?  How can individuals most effectively help usher in change, locally and at the federal level? 

2.       Perseverance forms a theme in Farewell, My Subaru.  What does Farewell, My Subaru teach readers about perseverance and taking risks?  What do you believe you’ll need to persevere through in the next 3 years?  What risks will you be willing to take?   

3.       Doug Fine isn’t the first person to chronicle his search for a more simple, sustainable life.  In 1845 author Henry David Thoreau spent two years in a self-made cabin on Walden Pond in Massachusetts which he described in Walden: or, Life in the Woods.  Is it an essential part of human nature to crave a slower, more simple life or is it natural to want to be an up-to-date consumer.

4.       Food plays a major role in this story.  How much of the food you eat is locally grown?  Organic?  Processed?  Are there sources for locally grown/organic food where you live?  Did Farewell, My Subaru inspire you to change your eating habits?   

5.       We can’t all move to a ranch in New Mexico.  If you were to choose a few of Doug Fine’s actions to implement in your own life, what would they be?  Which conveniences or behaviors would you change in order to reduce your environmental impact? 

6.       Is there a right balance between personal lifestyle and global sustainability?  How much personal obligation do we have to reduce our individual carbon footprints?   

7.       Doug Fine raised goats to produce his own milk.  Mad City Chickens advocates the benefits of raising chickens in urban settings for eggs and meat.  How realistic is it to allow residents to raise their own chickens in a city like Danbury?  How can urban areas accommodate urban “farmers”?