Discussion Courses FAQ

The Northwest Earth Institute discussion courses (offered through the Idaho Earth Institute) provide an enjoyable, supportive setting in which to explore personal values and habits, engage in stimulating discussion, and make personal changes if desired.  

People come to the courses looking for a variety of ways to change their lives, including simplifying, saving money, becoming more spiritual, living more lightly on the planet, and meeting others with similar feelings and questions.

Since 1993, tens of thousands of individuals and hundreds of organizations have been involved in NWEI courses. 

Each course book has 100 to 150 pages containing a variety of essays, articles and book excerpts grouped by a weekly theme. Discussion questions, sustainability ideas and additional resources (books, movies, web sites and so forth) are included for each chapter.

Questions  (Print a PDF copy)

1. What are the course topics?
2. What does a discussion group "look" like?  How do the courses work?
3. What topic should I start with?
4. How can I start or join a discussion group?
5. What is the ideal group size?
6. I've never participated in a self-facilitated discussion group and feel hesitant or shy.  What is the facilitation process like?
7. Where do the groups meet?
8. How long is each meeting/session?
9. Can children attend?
10. What about food?
11. I feel too busy right now to attend an 8 -10 session discussion group. How can I buy a course book anyway?
12. How much does this cost?
13. At this time, $15 for a book feels too steep for me, yet I still want to take a course.  Is this possible?
14. Is Idaho Earth Institute non-profit?

Answers

1. What are the course topics?

   In alphabetical order, they are

   Choices for Sustainable Living. 9 sessions. Explores the meaning of sustainable living and the ties between lifestyle choices and their impact on the earth. 

   Discovering a Sense of Place. 9 sessions. Knowing and protecting the place where we live. 

   Exploring Deep Ecology. 9 sessions. Discusses core values and how they affect the way we view and treat the earth. 

   Global Warming: Changing CO₂urse. 4 sessions. History and science of climate change; new strategies and personal actions for creating a sustainable future. 

   Globalization and Its Critics. 9 sessions. Overview of how global trade affects the environment, local economies, and cultural customs throughout the world. 

   Healthy Children, Healthy Planet. 8 sessions. Discusses how the pervasive effects of advertising, media, and our consumer culture can influence a child’s view of the world. 

   Voluntary Simplicity. 8 sessions. Addresses the distractions of modern society that may keep us from caring for ourselves, our relationships, and our environment.
    

2. What does a discussion group "look" like? How do the courses work?

   We’ve listed the number of chapters (weeks/sessions) for each course above. There are three additional weeks/sessions involved in each discussion group: the presentation, the mentored session (which may or may not serve as the discussion for the first chapter), and the celebration. 

   The process begins with a presentation session. This is an overview of the Idaho Earth Institute plus an explanation of how the discussion groups function. 

   At the end of the presentation, interested attendees register for the class, receive course books, and choose someone in the group to be a class coordinator. (This person handles communication with IEI and acts as mini administrator to maintain group cohesion.)  

   The next session (or meeting) is the mentor demonstration. A volunteer from IEI models a typical session pattern. She or he provides an opening and then facilitates the discussion of the first chapter, which everyone has read on their own. Since this session often involves frequent stopping and starting to address questions about process, many groups repeat discussion of the first chapter at their next session/meeting.

   The remaining sessions continue in the same pattern: reading (on your own time) and discussion (in the group) of each chapter. Since every session is facilitated and opened on a rotating basis by members of the group, a sense of trust, respect, discovery and community develops among the members.

   When the group completes the discussion chapters, everyone comes together for a “celebration.” This can take the form of a longer final meeting (for example, with a potluck added), or a separate get-together. Most groups go with the latter option. Some of the celebrations have included watching a video together, enjoying a picnic in a park, having a white elephant exchange, experiencing a guided nature/history walk, or taking a field trip to a sustainable local farm.
    

3. Which topic should I start with?

    Since there is no set order for taking the courses, we invite you to begin with whichever topic is most interesting or appealing to you. Our Discussion Courses web page links to more detailed information about each course. 
    

4. How can I start or join a discussion group?

   Whether you want to get a group of people together or join a group that’s already forming, there are several options. 

   One way to begin is by asking a group of friends, co-workers, neighbors or other people in your life to get together to hear about the courses. In other words, schedule a presentation session.  

   Another is to let us know you’re interested in joining a group that someone else is already putting together. We will tell you what classes are forming. You pick the one you want to join based on location, day of the week, time, topic, or other criteria that’s important to you. 

   If you’d like, we can help you find group members; we send out e-mails and list upcoming courses on our web site. 

   Write to us at info@idahoearth.org and let us know how you’d like to begin.
    

5. What is the ideal group size? 

   One of the goals is to have lively discussion; we’ve found that 7 to 14 is an optimum range for accomplishing that. It’s most effective to find a number between “too small” (which may not provide a sufficiently invigorating range of ideas and questions, and can be ultra-small when someone is absent) and “too unwieldy” (so many people that it might be hard for everyone to participate in a meaningful way).
    

6. I’ve never participated in a self-facilitating discussion group and feel hesitant or shy. What does the facilitation process look like?

   At the presentation session, the discussion model is explained, and everyone reviews the wonderful facilitation guidelines page printed in the books. 

   In the second session of a group, a mentor attends the discussion of the first chapter and acts as the facilitator for the evening, thus modeling what the process looks like. 

   Briefly, the facilitator’s role is to use the simple principles of group discussion to keep the group focused. Discussion questions and topics are already included in each book. 

   Each group member is asked to sign up for at least one session of facilitation and one of doing an opening. You may find it’s helpful to pick a week corresponding to a chapter that’s especially appealing to you. And, since everyone takes a turn, there’s a sense of sharing and equality that is fostered by the process. 
    

7. Where do groups meet?

   There are a variety of options, and many of the choices come from how the group is formed, as well as group members’ desire for efficiency and convenience in a location. For example, co-workers getting together to take a course may choose to meet at their workplace (perhaps during lunch or at the end of the work day—or even before). Religious and spiritual groups may use a room in their center of faith. Neighbors may decide to meet in one home, or rotate among several homes.  

   Some places may charge a small fee (for example, $1 per meeting per attendee) for use of their building; each group will need to decide if they are comfortable with that and if the benefits of the location justify it. 

   In Idaho, groups have met at: group members’ homes, faith group buildings, public libraries, restaurants, coffee houses, workplace meeting rooms, parks, fire stations, university/college meeting rooms or empty class rooms, the YMCA, apartment complex meeting rooms, and community centers. 
    

8. How long is each meeting/session? 

   The usual range is one to two hours, with the specific time varying according to the group. Many members find that something around one and a half to two hours seems ideal, allowing for sufficient discussion and participation. Some groups find a way to fit each week’s session into just a lunch hour, though, and you may find that works for you. Each group decides what works best for its attendees and the location.
    

9. Can children attend?

   While older teens may enjoy the courses, none of the current topics are designed for children. However, group members may wish to bring along their children because of the sense of community, to foster an intergenerational environment, or to avoid babysitting costs. Some groups find that the background noise of children reading or playing is a wonderful addition to the group atmosphere, while others find it distracts from meaningful discussion. (One Boise-area group discovered that the 8- and 10-year-old who had listened to each meeting were very interested in the conversation; in fact, the children did the opening for that group’s celebration.) Each group needs to decide its own policy on this issue.
    

10. What about food?

    This is another topic for each group to discuss and decide. Some find that food adds warmth and community to a session. Others find it distracting or time-consuming. A nice solution might be beverages only (water, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, lemonade) or beverages and light snacks. Another suggestion is to extend each session to something like 3 hours in order to allow for a potluck or restaurant meal. In any event, most groups will decide that it’s fine for individuals to bring along their own sustenance for whatever reason (no time to eat dinner between work/school and group; blood sugar concerns, and so forth).
     

11. I feel too busy right now to attend an 8 - 10 session discussion group. How can I buy a course book anyway?

     Most everyone who joins a discussion group discovers that a sense of
    community and the ability to compare notes and learn from others are
    wonderful aspects of the sessions. Also, the books are designed to be used in a discussion group setting. In fact, copyright permission for the text was obtained specifically for course-work use. As a result, we currently offer the books only for use with discussion groups.

    We are, however, able to loan one or more books to you if you’d like to examine them more carefully before committing to a discussion group.  

    Additionally, we frequently send out e-mail notices about upcoming groups that are forming.  

    So if you’re too busy now but might have time in the future, please drop us a note at info@idahoearth.org so we can add you to our e-mail distribution list and keep you apprised of those opportunities. We’ll also let you know about Turtle Talks, Home Eco Parties, our annual Earth Day plant sale, the annual yard sale (reduce, reuse, recycle, restore!) and other events. 

    In January 2007, NWEI unveiled a new (and shorter) book: Global Warming: Changing CO₂urse. At just 4 chapters, this may be a nice “first course” for people who want to get their feet wet in the discussion group process. 

    Please note, however, that an 8- or 10-session course allows people to get to know each other and really explore ideas and questions that are important to them. Almost everyone ends up feeling that the time commitment was well worth the investment, and they may even form lasting friendships or ongoing groups from that first experience. As a result, we encourage you to look for a space in the upcoming months (or years!) that might accommodate one of the six “regular-length” courses.
     

12. How much does this cost? 

    Since we endeavor to make the discussion groups accessible to everyone, there is no fee for the course. However, the cost of each book is $15, which is the same amount that we pay to NWEI (book plus shipping combined).

    The Idaho Earth Institute is very much a grassroots volunteer organization. We invite course participants to support IEI via an annual membership. Membership donations pay for IEI outreach expenses (newsletter, Turtle Talks, book marks, web site, event fliers). Since outreach is what keeps the momentum of education and consciousness-raising rolling, your membership contribution is a vital and valued tool. Annual membership dues are $35. However, if you join during the time you are in a discussion group, the introductory dues are $20.
     

13.  At this time, $15 for a book feels too steep for me, yet I still want to take a course. Is that possible?

    Yes! We are able to loan books to group members while they are taking a course. Please let the class coordinator know that you prefer this option.  

    In addition, Boise Public Library owns copies of several of the course books; they are available for check-out. Other titles can be borrowed through the Interlibrary Loan program. 

    Keep in mind, though, that the majority of attendees find they want to underline, highlight, write in the margins, and dog-ear their books. If you start out with a loaner and decide you’d rather purchase the course book so that you can annotate it to your heart’s content, we can accommodate that. 
     

14. Is Idaho Earth Institute non-profit?

     Yes. We received our 501c3 status from the IRS in August 2004 and before that operated as a chapter of NWEI, which is also non-profit. All membership dues and other contributions to IEI are tax deductible, although purchase of the course books is not.

Idaho Earth Institute, P.O. Box 245, Boise, Idaho 83701
208-333-0312  info@idahoearth.org

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Last updated on: June 3, 2007