Want to Join In?

Here is the beginning of a list of green-living actions that you can take too. If you do join in to any aspect, please, please, please, let me know by posting a comment on the particular tip entry. Thanks!

• Help save the 100 million trees that end up as junk mail each year
  
• Stop plastic bags from polluting our oceans
  

Comments

[freya]

Hi there, just wanted to let you know that I love what you're doing. I've been doing a similar thing, though in a less aggressive (in terms of your commitment; I still take elevators and subways...) and less well-packaged, media-genic way. OK so I'll admit I'm a little jealous of how your blog has taken off, but hey, it's all for the cause, right?! Would love if you took a look at my blog littlegreendot - freyaanddot.blogspot.com - and let me know what you think. Good luck with the project, Freya.

[Jason Beardsley]

Hello. I have a question or two, below, but want to thank you first for doing what you're doing--not only your experiment, but the publicity you're giving it. 'Bruce' the blogger (quoted in the Times) misses the point that certain kinds of impact are good! Now for my questions, which are serious even though they may sound silly: Was your decision to nix coffee a dietary or ecological one? Would you drink coffee if it were locally grown and roasted? Or, would you drink imported coffee if it were brought to NYC on a sailboat? (And no, I don't sell coffee or own a sailboat.)

[C71]

Colin:

Why not have a spot on your blog where people can share their "no impact" suggestions. I am sure we all have ways we try to create less impact: ways we recycle, ways we re-use and your web site would be a great place for people to share ideas. For example I am an avid reader and I use a web site called paperbackbookswap.com. Its free and easy and you can swap books with people all over the country...it is not "no impact" because it employs use of the US Mail but it is a great way to share books.

I would also be interested in hearing people's "you gotta be kidding" stories. I use cloth bags for my groceries, and have for some time. The looks I get when I tell the cashier, that I will be using my own bag...they look at me like I am crazy... but I persevere. Other folks must have stories like this... I want to know.

I would

[Phil Brady]

I think this experiment is great!

I live in South Alabama and happen to believe that New York City is simply one big disfunctional instance that the country could very well do without. The best way to "no-impact" it would be to disperse its population over five or ten thousand square miles with every homeowner having his own half acre to farm. There are about thirty-five thousand square miles of pine trees in Alabama, and more are being planted as they are harvested so toilet paper is a non-issue around here. However, it is interesting to see how these token efforts such as yours develop and I plan to become a fan.

[Sarah McGaughey]

Hi Colin. I just wanted to Thank you for what you are doing and say "keep up the good work". My husband and I did a similar project on a lesser scale,in Toronto, Canada, where we went one month completely garbage free. It took over three years of practice to get that month, but we finally did it! A friend sent me your link, and I was blown away. I think what you are doing is especially important because of who you are in the world. It shows people that everyone can completely change if they want.
As soon as projects start getting press attention, criticism starts rolling in (along with heaps of support). Our biggest criticism was that we were weirdo's and freaks and no one else would want to be like that. LOL. I noticed you too have been getting criticism, but fortunately you are not a weirdo! Keep on truckin' (actually not trucking, scooting and biking). You are such an inspiration and more hard-core than I could ever be. Way to go!