On no sleep and trapped on the wrong side of the River during the worst (and pretty much only) snow storm of the winter, I waited in Silver City at 1 a.m., (where Billy the Kid and now I were briefly imprisoned, 120 years apart), for my childhood friend Jason Ensler to literally skid into New Mexico with his cameraman on a spur-of-the-moment jaunt from L.A. He’d told me how much he believed in the Farewell, My Subaru project, but when the guy – a supremely talented director, as you’ll see in this film, and in a new NBC pilot he’s directing called “The Man of Your Dreams” – showed up in a blizzard that had even grizzled locals worried about our prospects for getting across a 6,000-foot mountain pass and home to the Funky Butte Ranch alive, I knew that this was going to be a special endeavor. He was even driving, yes, a rental Subaru. The car company’s choice. Karma appeared to be with us.
I recognize that this film must have been shot, because there I am hanging from windmills and delivering progressive-but-I-hope-not-preachy-dialogue about how anyone can get off petroleum if I can, but I have little memory of it. I was that tired. All I can say is, 1) it tells the story of the carbon-reduction project documented in Farewell, My Subaru remarkably well, 2) the snow is incredibly atypical in an era of Dramatic Climate Change, and added a great cinematic touch since the grid power went out and the Ranch still had solar-powered juice, and 3) I’m really appreciative to Jason Ensler for coming to shoot it – the writer’s strike had just ended, and he had to dash back the next day to start the pilot for NBC (Don’t miss it — Jason also has directed tons of films and television programs including “Andy Barker P.I.”, “West Wing” and “Scrubs”). So click on play above to see the Farewell, My Subaru film – the first, five-minute one, I should say.
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28 Responses:
March 20th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Keep going Doug. Funky and far-out where everybody should be. Close to selling out “Farewell, My Subaru” - save a copy for me.
and…..
congratulations, Paw Paw.
March 20th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Hey, that was great, that was so much fun to see the land there especially. And the house looks SO Alaskan! Tell Amanda, if she ever comes up, she’ll feel right at home.
March 20th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Awesome…I love it. YOu can still be an American and be green….no need to go into the stone age again!
March 20th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Thanks Anthony, Sally and Kevin. This film was so fun to make and I hope you guys like the book.
March 25th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Hey Doug,
I just finished your book. Very enjoyable, and congratulations on finding your calling. I am hoping to follow up, via your blog, on your continuing success.
Thanks,
Tim
March 26th, 2008 at 6:54 am
Man, this is great — feedback on the day of publication. Tim, this makes the solitary act of writing worth it!
March 26th, 2008 at 10:07 am
Just got your book, Love it!!! You make the hard process of going green hilarious!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the insperation!!!!!!!!!!!
March 26th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Looks very interesting, but what about all the oil that has gone into creating the batteries, pipes, steel, solar panels, vegetable oil, etc?
Yes, you are reducing your carbon footprint, but how can your “providers” economically reduce theirs too?
March 27th, 2008 at 8:18 am
Marissa– So appreciate the kind feedback, and PS Bob, you ask good questions, which I do address in the book. Here are a couple thoughts — Johnny Weiss is President of Solar Energy International, one of the most respected non-profits in the field of renewable energy. I happen to be doing an article on renewable energy for a magazine t the moment, and just interviewed him. He believes that the solar system for an average house pays back its financial costs in five to seven years. But even discounting that, he points out, “What does you power boat pay back its production resource cost?” Many solar panels are warrantied for 30 years. Every one of those years, no natural gas has to be brought from the Gulf of Mexico in diesel trucks to your utility for your grid power, since you don’t use the utility. At the same time, Congress is close to passing new an expanded tax credit for renewable energy to bring down that cost per watt for solar energy — lobby them for this! And once critical mass is achieved in the consumer marketplace, solar costs will come down even more. Furthermore, payback is more than financial. The instant you use fewer fossil fuels, you help prevent environmental degradation world wide — in places like offshore in Alaska, not to mention violence in Nigeria. The resources that go into solar panels vary widely depending on where your panels are made, but already I rarely go to the gas station and write measly checks to a utility. So after thirty years (the length of the warranty on my panels), the manufacturing resources that went into my solar system will be long paid back in every form imaginable. But you ask a good question — we should try to make the production of our systems as sustainable as possible. Critical consumer mass is key, I think. Also, we need cleaner, better battery technology. I tell kids to go into battery engineering.
March 27th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Found out about you via c-realm, I am ordering your books today. This gives me hope that a dependant slave to the machine can extricate himself from the matrix and not only subsist…but thrive. This is very inspirational to say the least. The video on your site is very important as well….You should put DVD’s on this so as to teach your approach so that knuckle heads like me….that are awakening slowly can learn.
March 27th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
The reading last night in Abq was great, I’ve already set my TiVo for the DC one so Kaitlyn can see. Just out of personal interest, I’d like to talk to you in depth about how self-sufficience can integrate with high density urban housing. Not while you’re touring, I know it’s hectic, but I’d be really interested in the future.
March 28th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Hi Doug! I am really enjoying your book, I got it on the day it came out after seeing your video via Boing Boing. You are doing what I would like to be doing in a few years.
I have laughed out loud several times while reading, especially at your initial description of Melissa. I will probably finish the book tonight. I keep falling asleep while reading anything and everything lately due to all of the cell dividing my body is doing growing a baby!
Also, your video actually got my husband more interested in all of this living with goats and chickens thing (I’ve been wearing him down slowly to those ideas for a while).
Wishing you were coming anywhere near Houston on your book tour!
March 29th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Hey there Doug. Got your book from my husband for our anniversary and loved it. Even though we live in Indiana- a land which travel is counted by car in minutes and hour (45 minutes to the other side of town, 2 hours to the in-laws)- your adventure into clean living has provided laughs and inspiration. Thanks.
March 31st, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Hiya doug, great job! Good luck with the ranch, looks like a funky time.
I think for most of us out here in suburbia it could be even easier than moving hundreds of miles from the city, along with allowing us to stay close to friends and high speed internet =] the solution is:
- solar/wind power on the roof,
- a garden instead of a lawn (or local organic coop),
- bikes/busses (which already run on biodiesel/cng/electricity).
These changes would practically neutralize our greenhouse output and give the planet a chance to stabilize.
Your ranch has raised awareness of how practical and fun going green can be, thanks =]
March 31st, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Doug,
My wife bought me the book unknowingly on opening day. She bought it for me because she knows I love my Subaru. What a great read! I am giving this book to a friend so they can read it as well.
I enjoyed your sense of humor towards life in general. I think that if more people laughed (or, as in your case, made snarky comments) at the bad events in life, then the world would be a happier place.
I dissagree with one particular theme in your book. To me, the solution to our current energy issues and the growing one overseas is not alternative sources. To me a reduction in energy use and consumerism as well should be the main focus. If we covered the surface of the planet (or even the sun for that matter) with solar panels we would eventually consume more energy than was produced. Sustainability is the key and our current paradigm of consumption of every last resource available is not sustainable at all.
So as much as you love your ipod, subwoofers, laptop and ice-cream, they are all just driving us towards our own demise. Geez, I never thought of myself as a doom-and-gloom, the-world-is-ending type person until I just wrote that.
Anyway thank you for showing how to reduce your carbon footprint in a comical but insightful way. I hope that the sales of the book will let you become as confident, self secure, relaxed, and enjoyable as “Herbie” (without the run-in with cancer, I hope).
April 1st, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Hi Doug,
I just read your book in an evening, the first time in my life I’ve read a book straight through without closing it once. FANTASTIC stuff. Thanks for providing an informative and entertaining read and an entire evening spent away from the TV, using only the power needed for a reading light. Your eco-lifestyle spreads it’s influence far and wide!!
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:03 pm
I so appreciate these posts. I spend two years writing a book with no idea how it’ll be received, so comments like these really make my day.
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Hey Doug -
Loved the book…really look forward to the future posts about how things are going at the Ranch. Really enjoyed the video as well…Keep up the good work! Purchased an extra copy of the new book to share with friends and will encourage them to not only read this one but also the first…
April 5th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
I just saw your presentation in Washington, DC, last Thursday (4/3). You are an amazing speaker. Today, I’m working on writing a response essay to your oration. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to make my life ‘greener’. Thank you so much!
April 6th, 2008 at 7:15 am
Wow, Lynne, just saw your post this morning and what a great way to start the day. Thanks! And yep, anyone can easily approach carbon-neutrality.
April 7th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Hi Doug,
Heard you on NPR in the Dallas/FortWorth area the other day, and immediately downloaded your book from audible.com. The book is wonderful, and your reading of it really adds to the experience… very nice work, I appreciate getting more than I paid for. Speaking of which, I’m evaluating ways to get more than I paid for in terms of wind and sun. I can’t believe you made me genuinely worry about a goat, grieve about a chicken, and rejoice over a garden I’ve never seen. Best wishes… I set up an RSS feed from your blog to keep tabs on your admirable adventure.
George
April 10th, 2008 at 10:35 am
George — Fantastic! Thanks for the kind words and it sounds like you’re on the way to carbon-neutral living. Sustainably-powering your home is definitely worth it, IMHO!
April 18th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Doug,
Thanks for such a great read! I bought it today, and read half before I even left the bookstore! I initially picked it up because I too love my Subaru! While the goats, chickens and solar panels are beyond me right now (maybe someday!) I can’t agree loudly enough with the idea of eathing local. Hopefully more people will start living that message.
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Picked up your book at the DC Nat Geo talk. People on the metro must think i’m a freak…can’t seem to not giggle out loud while reading!
Goatie babies are so cute! Girl name? Stevie, of course.
May 4th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
I am by no means new-agey, but in this day and age sustainable living just makes sense. Can’t wait to pick up a copy.
October 7th, 2008 at 10:08 am
This is inspiring. You are certainly an autonomous actor in the world. I loved the videography too.