Extracts from Murder in the Climate Assembly
About 15% of the novel is the story within the story i.e. a fictional whodunnit, based on a real case-study of a murder in a citizens’ assembly on climate (see structure). The extracts below show how ideas such as libraries of things and the sharing economy are included. In extract 1, the detective watches footage of the members of the climate assembly debating libraries of things.
Extract 1 (from whodunnit set in climate assembly) Libraries of Things
FOOTAGE FROM DAY 3 WITH LIBRARY OF THINGS EXPERT
The group sits around the oval table, debating. Naomi is knitting.
BARRY: How does it work? Can you just like borrow what you want for free like a library?
LIBRARY LADY: There are several models. Some Libraries of Things have per-item fees, but some go for a subscription model.
JASON: A Spotify of stuff?
LIBRARY LADY: Exactly.
JASON: Would they have old consoles?
LIBRARY LADY: Yes, they’re very popular, Nintendo, Atari-
JASON: And games? Like Super Mario brothers?
LIBRARY LADY: Probably.
JASON: Sick!
BARRY: What if you borrowed something and broke it? Stuff gets broken all the time in our house.
LIBRARY LADY: They’d be delighted.
BARRY: Huh?
LIBRARY LADY: They want to avoid waste – so much is hardly used before it’s thrown away. If you used it enough to wear it out, that’s brilliant.
BARRY: This sounds too good to be true!
NAOMI: Sounds grubby. It’s hot.
Naomi passes Steve the knitting and takes a perfume spritzer out of her designer handbag and liberally sprays it on, triggering a coughing fit from Devanika.
LIBRARY LADY: If the idea takes off, there’ll be different levels. For example, a more expensive gold option would let you borrow luxury items, like yachts.
STEVE: Where do I sign?
He starts to knit.
LIBRARY LADY: The most popular items …
Naomi watches Steve knit.
NAOMI: You’re surprisingly good at that.
STEVE: I’m good with my hands.
DEVANIKA: Seriously!
LIBRARY LADY: Are tools …
STEVE (to Needles): Bet that surprised you, didn’t it Granny?
NEEDLES: I’m sure there’s more to you than meets the eye, duck.
LIBRARY LADY (loudly): The most popular items are things that are only used now and then – gardening tools are popular, carpet cleaners, kitchen items. Fun stuff too, like party gear, golf clubs, instruments, games.
[section cut]
NAOMI: Surely not that many people would go to libraries?
SARAH: It’s not just libraries. As buying new goods uses up carbon allowances, department stores would swap their toy, fashion and games departments for subscription services. You’d be more likely to buy your dad a year’s membership to the sports department than a new set of golf clubs.
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