11:373:101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Tree Sitting, Julia Butterfly Hill, Shopping Bag
7 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Introduction to Human Ecology The Legacy of Luna
11:374:101:01-08 Plastic - A Toxic Love Story
Spring, 2018 Sleeping Naked is Green
The Legacy of Luna – The Story of a Tree, a Woman, and the Struggle to Save the Redwoods – Julia Butterfly Hill
Who is the author? What are her credentials? What was her purpose in writing this book?
How was it that Julia Butterfly Hill came to be a tree-sitter? Did her background predispose her to this activity? Why or
why not? What was her motivation?
How does she describe the tree-sit? How did things unfold? What were the key events of her time up in Luna? How did
they affect Hill? Who were the other major parties involved? How does Hill describe them?
How does Hill characterize “the deal”? Did she seem to accomplish what she had hoped to do? Why?
How do you think Hill was affected by her two years of tree-sitting? What did she come away with – what was lost or
gained for her?
What do you make of her experience? What do you make of her? How would you evaluate this type of tactic in trying to
accomplish environmentally-related goals? What are its strengths and weaknesses? Would another approach have been
better? If so, why? If not, why not? To what extent did the author succeed in her intent?
Plastic - A Toxic Love Story by Susan Freinkel
Who is the author? What are her credentials? What is her background? What was her purpose in writing this book?
Plastic is something with which we’re all familiar, all use in many ways, shapes, and forms, and take for granted – yet until
relatively recently, that wasn’t so. How did that happen – how did plastic become such an integral part of our lives?
What are some of the most important benefits of plastic to us – what would be hardest to live without? What are its most
important drawbacks for us – what are the major prices we pay for using it? How does Freinkel illustrate this with her
examples – the Frisbee, comb, chair, IV bag, disposable lighter, soda bottle, grocery bag, and credit card?
How do you interpret her title? Has the book changed how you will think of plastic from now on? If so, how? Why? If
not, why not?
What would Freinkel have us do in terms of changing our relationship to plastic? Has she made an effective case here?
What do you think of her ideas and arguments? Has she been convincing? Why or why not? Overall, what did you think
of the book? Why?
Sleeping Naked is Green – How an Eco-Cynic Unplugged Her Fridge, Sold Her Car, and Found Love in 366 Days by
Vanessa Farquharson
Who is the author? What are her credentials? What is her purpose here?
How did the author come to attempt this effort? What kinds of changes did she make that she found to be relatively easy?
Which were particular difficult for her? Which ones do you think most students could or would do? Which ones do you
think most students wouldn’t? Why?
What do you think of her effort in general? How do you feel about the author and what she did? What kinds of lessons did
you take away from the book? Will it change anything you do? If so, what? If not, why not?
How would you expect your parents and/or their generation to respond to this book? What does that imply about the
prospects for changing behaviors in our culture in general?
Overall, how well does the author succeed in making her case? How likely is it what she would like to see done actually
will be done? How does the book leave you feeling about the future? What is your overall evaluation of the book? Why?
Is this just an interesting exercise by someone who got a book out of it, or is it something more, do you think?
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