Green Group discussion

Please tell us what you'd like to see happen in this group besides a Book Club. Also tell us about any topics or issues you are particularly interested in or if anything concerning the discussion folders and topics needs improvement. Green Group should be a dynamic place to discuss things about the world we live in--help us make it become lively again!
Thanks!

The group seems to have gone a little quiet so I thought I'd post something here. I've quite a few books on the go at the moment but that one that's taken hold of me is The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception and Language in a More-Than-Human World. Has anyone else read this? It articulates many ideas that resonate with me deeply, and the poetry and scholarship of the writing is extraordinary. It basically addresses the underlying reasons for our modern day disconnection from the Earth - the understanding of which is fundamental to finding some way to reconnect.

This is very much a philosophical Green book. Is this side of things of interest to other members here? It's not an easy read, but it is extremely thought-provoking.

Hi Bob--it's funny, this group is generally a quiet one so the activity we've had recently has been very exciting for me and Kirsten! hopefully that activity has sparked some regular group reads action. but your post here reminds me that in another group i moderate we have a thread called "What else are you reading?" which not only sparks a lot of recommendations, but spins off into new threads. we don't need to be limited to just discussing group reads. let me chat with Kirsten and figure out a fun way to make a similar thread and i'll transfer most of your above post. I have a lot on my reading plate right now so i don't picture myself taking on this book as well, but i'd love to hear some of your reactions to it and hopefully your posts will ignite some interesting conversation. :D

Thanks for that Marieke. I've got many books on the go at the moment, including one recommended by Kirsten, but this was spotted, bought and now almost finished before I knew what had really happened! Sometimes a book just calls out to you to be read immediately. It would be a fantastic title to discuss. Many Green books don't really invite too much discussion because for those who are sympathetic (like we probably are here) there is not really much to argue about. This is rather radical and has some amazing ideas. I'm still not sure about some of them yet. I need to sit on a mountain top and think without distraction for a while!

Ask and ye shall receive!! Oh wait, sorry, Marieke, I kind of went ahead and made one. On one of the other groups I'm in we have a thread where you talk about books you're reading and then say a few words about that book...if you don't like it, feel free to edit!

That's great, Kirsten! Bob and Megan, it's here if you didn't already see it. and since you're both game to discuss that particular book, i don't have a problem with you setting up a separate thread. but i think we could make a separate folder...what do you think would be a good name? "I'm Reading this Awesome Book and Want to Talk about It!" and then you can create a thread for the specific book? does that sound sort of organize?

That sounds good to me.

Sorry, that's what I get for skimming the conversation quickly. Sounds good to me.

Hi, I watched a very eye opening documentary on PBS the other night about plastic bags. It would be really great if everyone checked out this link to see how we can all help.
http://www.bagitmovie.com/get_involve...
Even if you just have time to read the section on a life less plastic it would be really helpful! Plastics are everywhere and in places you might not suspect.

Plastics are everywhere! I have been trying to reduce my use of wasteful plastic (grocery bags) and let me say there are so many things you do not even think about until it is in your hand.

Since joining this group, i've gotten really disgusted by plastics and am trying really hard to cut them out of my life. Josephine, thanks for the heads up about that film. Since this is the "suggestion box" i'm going to take your suggestion to set up a thread for links to videos and such. ;)

There are some videos on youtube about the giant plastic trash bin in the ocean. I forget the name of them at the moment, but they were informative. It was a series of videos and they are not the greatest quality, but still good.

So many things come in plastic....all cosmetics and personal care. I am trying to find ways to make my own.

jennbunny wrote: "There are some videos on youtube about the giant plastic trash bin in the ocean. I forget the name of them at the moment, but they were informative. It was a series of videos and they are not the..."

have you seen this yet, Jennbunny? (i love typing your name!)

I did see the zerowaste blog. I was amazed by her and her family! I was impressed with all she does. Obviously some things are not as easy to incorporate as others.

My friends gave me that nickname quite a while ago....

I was thinking about changing the group picture...does anyone have any objection to this or suggestions for what it should be? I found a few ideas, but I just wanted to make sure it would be ok with you guys, or if you had input!

Kirsten wrote: "I was thinking about changing the group picture...does anyone have any objection to this or suggestions for what it should be? I found a few ideas, but I just wanted to make sure it would be ok wi..."

Feel free! :D

Going to go with this one for a while...until I find something better. Perhaps something more green...

Kirsten wrote: "Going to go with this one for a while...until I find something better. Perhaps something more green..."

it looks great!

I like the picture changes....keeps things new and interesting.

Thanks! I'll try to keep rotating the picture. Maybe I'll change it up as we change themes.

That is a great idea!

It is sad that there isn't more activity.

I would love to see a discussion on Mark Hertsgaard's "Hot." Or a book project on Edward Abbey's books, which might generate some more activity in the group. Start with his first published book and go all the way through to the end.

Also, someone in another thread posted an interesting sounding book on redwoods, always a popular topic.

Very excited to see that the group has a new moderator. Looking forward to seeing what he plans for the group!!!

Most people feel helpless when it comes to solving the enormous environmental problems we face. I'd like to see the moderator work on suggestions of what we can do.

Jimmy wrote: "Most people feel helpless when it comes to solving the enormous environmental problems we face. I'd like to see the moderator work on suggestions of what we can do."

Hi Jimmy - that's what I would like to see as well. In upcoming reads, we can select books that focus on those issues. Too many times, we hear about the problems, but rarely do we hear about ways to help.

Hi, lynnm, i just joined this group. And a lot of thrift activities helps to lighten the earths load. One thing i recently did was to make pickles. Pickle juice lasts for months so all you have to do is slice up a cucumber and put them in the jar. Then wait two weeks. It only cost me 37 cents for the cucumber as opposed to $2.50 for a new jar of pickles. One less jar needing to be manufactured. I hope this group doesnt mind if i post other thrift comments in the future.

Rebecka wrote: "Hi, lynnm, i just joined this group. And a lot of thrift activities helps to lighten the earths load. One thing i recently did was to make pickles. Pickle juice lasts for months so all you have to ..."

Hi Rebecka! First, welcome to the group!

I love your suggestion because I love pickles! I've been doing somewhat the same. I buy the store pickles, and then for about three batches, I buy a cucumber, cut it up, and put in the pickle juice (and I have to add a bit of salt as well). But I didn't know that the pickle juice would last for months.

And I would rather make pickles from scratch. I found a recipe online, and it doesn't seem hard. I don't know why I haven't tried it yet, but after your post, I'm motivated to try! :-)

Thanks for sharing...

Hello everyone!

I'm looking forward to hearing your suggestions for the group. Let me know what types of threads you want to see. Also, let me know what ideas you have for book genres (fiction, nonfiction, recent essays, classic essays, etc.)

I would like to see a Green Fiction book club related to climate, global warming, "green" topics, over-population and such.

I get most of my information about such topics from primary sources and do not generally read non-fiction in this area. Fiction, for me at least best underscores the dystopias we face.

Kernos wrote: "I would like to see a Green Fiction book club related to climate, global warming, "green" topics, over-population and such.

I get most of my information about such topics from primary sources and..."

Hi Kernos,

I definitely will have some "fiction" months. Not every month, but certainly a number of times during the year. Also, comics, science fiction books (which often times have a link to environmental issues), and film.

I'm going to set up a thread for member's favorite green books, and I am definitely looking forward to your list of green fiction books, because I have trouble finding green fiction.

Also, I was the same at one point. I only liked fiction. But during graduate school, I learned to like non-fiction. Obviously you can do what you like :-) but maybe you might want to give non-fiction a try at some point. There are some great non-fiction book on the environment.

Or start with personal accounts - a "plug" for the November read, Into the Wild, is really good. And off hand, "No Impact Man" also comes to mind.

BTW - overpopulation is such an important issue that no one talks about. And it is hard to find books on the topic that aren't older. Maybe we can find one to read some month.

A question: Where on this would be the best place to ask about environmentally sound practices—things to do, things not to do, things that are not as simple as they seem?

Kernos - Member Shout Out - a couple threads below this one.

(I was trying to be creative, but I'm not sure it's the best name for the thread. I might have to rename it.)

Do we have a thread for Transition Towns? We are a part of it here, I'd be interested to know if it's taking off elsewhere, and who else is involved.

Georgina - I would put the information in Member Shout Out. (Rather than having many individual threads, I think that it might work better to have practical ideas and current trends in one thread. That way members don't have to search around for the right thread.)

And I should be embarrassed to admit it, but I have no idea what Transition Towns are so I'm really looking forward to reading all about it!

O.K will do, Lynnm. :)

If anyone would like a low-cost review copy of "Journey to Chernobyl: Encounters in a Radioactive Zone," see cheneybooks/com/reviewers .

You have to meet this guy: Caleb Behn, a young Dene man from the wilds of northeastern British Columbia. He's the subject of an important documentary called Fractured Land about the social and environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") operations.

Filmmakers Fiona Rayher and Damien Gillis have been following Caleb for the past two years, helping tell his story of a land and worldview under attack. Now, they're reaching out to everyone to raise funds to complete the film: http://www.indiegogo.com/fracturedland (just 30 hours left!)

I'm pretty excited about the film and its message, so please stop by, watch the trailer, and donate only if you can. There are some cool prizes from signed DVDs, books (ours included!), mentorship opportunities, drummaking workshops, immersion tours, and lots more!

PLUS: I'm also doing a cool tie-in prize with the campaign: Donors who give at least $80 can contact me for a FREE e-book copy of Small Business, Big Change: A Microentrepreneur’s Guide to Social Responsibility by Susan Chambers (you also get a free signed DVD copy of the movie *and* a T-shirt). Details about the book giveaway are at www.SmallBusinessBigChange.com.