It's a bird, it's a plane...it's No Impact Man
There is a new superhero in Gotham City and his name is No Impact Man. Actually, he’s just a real guy living in New York City with his wife and baby BUT he is doing something remarkable which makes him, in my opinion, a new kind of superhero. Here’s his plan:
For one year, my wife, my 2-year-old daughter, my dog and I, while living in the middle of New York City, are attempting to live without making any net impact on the environment. In other words, no trash, no carbon emissions, no toxins in the water, no elevators, no subway, no products in packaging, no plastics, no air conditioning, no TV, no toilets…
What would it be like to try to live a no impact lifestyle? Is it possible? Could it catch on? Is living this way more fun or less fun? More satisfying or less satisfying? Harder or easier? Is it worthwhile or senseless? Are we all doomed or is there hope? These are the questions at the heart of this whole crazy-assed endeavor.
The blog is fantastic. Colin Beaven, aka No Impact Man, is 43. His wife Michelle is 39. Together with a two-year-old daughter and four-year-old dog they are exploring life with less and discovering they have more this way.
The experiment is a great idea. Usually people associate low- or no-impact living with rural settings. However, there is just not enough room for everyone on the planet to live on a spread of country acres and most people in the world live in cities. Cities by nature offer opportunity for condensed resource use and vibrant cities help stem urban sprawl, so there’s more nature for everyone to enjoy.
There are some other important ideas that emerge on No Impact Man, like On Not Throwing the Baby Out with the Bathwater. This post is an interesting take on balancing consumption and creativity.
No Impact Man is well into his year-long plan. Turns out that “no impact” is actually having quite an impact, a positive one that is.