No Impact Man by Colin Beaven

Are you the type of person who tries? Colin Beaven is. He sets out to live, with his wife, daughter, and dog, in NYC, for one year without creating a environmental footprint. Then, he writes a book about the experiement.

They stop making trash, they stop using any transportation that is not self-propelled, they only eat food grown/made with ingredients from within a 250 mile radius, and they turn off the electricity.

He doesn't do it to self-promote. He doesn't do it to be a martyr. He doesn't do it to be a over-acheiveing environmentalist. He does it because he doesn't know what else to do, but try.



As a story, it works. And, in my opinion, it works well as an experiment too. Ultimately, he asks questions that go beyond what's good for the climate, and he begins to ask questions about what is good for us? And, he means what is really good for our quality of life and our happiness levels.

As non-fiction goes, this book will be enjoyed by mature kids and grown-ups in their lives. I'm really sad I didn't read it with someone I love. I'm going to sign off and start lobbying the Tall Guy to read it.

No Impact Man by Colin Beaven can also be sampled at this site, the No Impact Blog.

Keep reading, everyone!
-stenson