Joining the Institute

Underneath all the nonsense on this website, the careful observer might notice that there is a serious streak to all this. We’ve always wanted the Institute of Backyard Studies to be an interesting organisation that people will flock to join, and now it’s finally become a reality.

For an annual fee of $20 the benefits of belonging include the following:

• A dandy, important-looking (and highly framable) Certificate of Associate Membership from the Institute.
• The choice of a ‘Good Shed’, ’Shed Science’ or ’I tinker, therefore I am’ sticker for your shed or car.
• A space on the Institute of Backyard Studies website to display your own shed stories and up to three photographs. (The Editor reserves the right to edit stories and pictures as he deems necessary.)
• A 5% discount on the advertised price of all items in the Institute’s online Shop.
• Regular emails advising of the Institute’s new projects, publications and products.
• The option to receive email advice whenever new posts or comments are added to the site.
• Advice about upcoming events in your region at which the Institute will have a physical presence.
• Other good things as we think of them.
• And absolutely nothing involving goats.

We will also probably draw the line at funny handshakes.

The Institute is planning to hold more public events, including conferences and practical displays. One suggested event is a Day of Unusual Music – everything from bicycle-powered music to Theremin music (that’s the 50’s electronic device which instantly calls to mind ’flying saucer’) to, well, anything. Another planned activity is lobbying for the defence of hard rubbish rights, the great ritual redistribution of household resources that takes place in many Australian cities every year. We’d like to encourage other cities, and indeed countries, to adopt this fine practice.

Above all we’d really like to champion the idea of resilient resourcefulness: between climate change and economic turmoil, it seems likely that we will have to learn to make better use of the resources around us and not take so much for granted. And if we can do it with a sense of humour, so much the better.

Associate Members will be actively encouraged to contribute their ideas for projects promoting resilience and resourcefulness to the Institute. We’ll look forward to your suggestions. 

To join the Institute as an Associate Member, go to the Shop, click on Membership and follow the instructions to pay your annual fee of $20 and receive an official Membership package.