What you need to know

The blog is just launching this balmy February day of 2007—yippee!—but our no impact experiment has been going on for two and half months. So, just a little recap and update to let you know what you need to know to understand what is going on and where we’re at.

No Impact Man is my experiment with researching, developing and adopting a way of life for me and my little family—one wife, one toddler, one dog—to live in the heart of New York City while causing no net environmental impact. To do this, we will decrease the things we do that hurt the earth—make trash, cause carbon dioxide emissions, for example—and increase the things we do that help the earth—clean up the banks of the Hudson River, give money to charity, rescue sea birds, say.

In mathematical terms, in case you are an engineer or just a geek who likes math, we are trying to achieve an equilibrium that looks something like this:

Negative Impact + Positive Impact = Zero.

No net impact. Get it?

We’re taking a year to do this thing (starting the end of November, 2006) and it’s working in stages. Stage one was figuring out how to live without making garbage: no disposable products, no packaging, etc. Stage two was figuring out how to cause the least environmental impact with our food choices. Stage three is figuring out how to reduce our consumption to only what is necessary and how to do that sustainably. The whole thing gets harder and harder as we add each stage.

What will the future stages be? Who knows? I am no eco-expert. I am just a liberal schlub who got sick of not putting my money where my mouth was. In a way, the whole project is a protest against my highly-principled, lowly-actioned former self. I’m fumbling through, trying to do my best and doing the research as I go along. This blog is my attempt to tell you how it’s going.

That's pretty much everything you need to know to understand this blog. But for more details on the design of No Impact Man, the book, the movie and all of that, see the posts on the left hand side under "What's It's All About."

Comments

[Pam Ruggles]

Hi Colin,I'm quite impressed with what you and your family are doing especially living in NYC I am wondering how you wash clothes, if you don't use a dishwasher are you also not using a washer or dryer? Also, does no impact include not using running water at all in your house? That's a hard one to envision. I have MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity) and have been forced, although not entirely unhappily into this lifestyle to a degree. I say to a degree as I have to live miles outside of any city, due topollution, so am forced to do a certain amount of driving to obtain services such as health care, some groceries, auto maintenance, etc. If everyone would live like you are, people such as myself would not be forced out of cities. Anyway, I do luxuriate in my slower paced life and have many benefits such as greater happiness and peace of mind as a result. All the best with your experiment,Pam

[Colin Beavan]

Pam, hi, we still use a washing machine for our clothes. We haven't moved on to that stage of the project yet that involves water and energy. So far we have delt with trash, local eating, and are now looking at sustainable consumption. I don't think we'll ever go completely without running water, but we will restrict our water use. Thanks so much for commenting on your MCD, too. What a shame we've gotten ourselves in a state where people's bodies are overloaded with the chemicals we expose ourselves to.

[Saskboy]

Interesting project, I'll have a closer look as time goes on. Do you know of a similar project here:
http://notaloadofrubbish.blogspot.com/

[Megan]

Hi, Collin. Just a comment on the clothes-washing business: Before I moved to NYC, I lived in New Mexico, where it was easy to wash clothes in some sort of non-harmful cleaning agent (we used those ionic ball things from Gaiam, and alternated with Seventh Generation detergent for more soiled clothes like workout attire), and then funnel the graywater from the washing machine into our garden. Plants love dirty wash water, as it contains all kinds of nutrients (read: dead skin, dirt, etc. Yech!). But now that I live in New York, and don't have a washing machine, I just send my laundry to the lady down the street for dropoff. :( Is there a green way to do it? Maybe I could wash them myself with natural detergent and hang them out on a clothesline.
Looking forward to hearing what your solution is to the clothes-washing dilemna...

[Rebecca]

Megan - it's pretty easy to wash your clothes in a more eco-friendly way in NY. 7th generation and multiple other brands of eco-friendly detergent are readily available - all my local (Park Slope, Brooklyn) grocery stores stock them as well as a couple natural goods stores. Although I do my own laundy at a laundromat, I imagine that the place where you drop yours off would be willing to use whatever detergent, etc you want them to as long as you provide it. I don't imagine it would be all that simple for them to air dry some of your items that don't really need the dryer, but maybe you could talk to them about that too and see if there's a way to work it out, such as you picking up those items earlier and air drying them yourself at home (on a drying rack. While I do have a backyard, I am not willing to dry my newly cleaned clothes out there for the squirrels to run on and birds to shit on...) Good luck!

[trudy]

I believe I've seen in Scandinavian homes some sort of drying closet...
I was shopping for a dishwasher recently under the erroneous belief that the old one was about to go belly up, and if I remember correctly, ran across the fact that washing machines are much bigger users of energy. However dishwashers save water over hand washing.

[Alina]

Hi everyone. I would just like to say that I am currently living in Europe with my american boyfriend. This made me aware of the extent of cultural differences between the European and American living. We live in Holland, where we ride bycicles everywhere, making use of the ubiquous bike lanes, and where there is no such thing as clothes dryers. So I would just like to make the point that using a indoor laundry rack is a much smaller incovenience than people might imagine. Not to mention that most clothes have a menacing "no tumble dry" label ;)

Best of luck with the experience. It made me think about my own impact, and if it does something for americans then its a big success!!

[Abigail Ward]

Dear No Impact Man:
I think that what you and your family are doing is really great and inspirational. My husband and I are continually trying to go green, and you have already given me some ideas on how to be more green. I will definitly be keeping tabs on this site. I have one question that maybe you might address: I have noticed that most every site that I have been to with tips for lowering your personal environmental impact (including the sites listed on your page) never mention eating less or no meat, and yet meat consumption is the second cause of global warming gases. Why is this? Even Al Gore doesn't mention consuming less meat as a potential solution. Is it just because the meat and dairy industry would throw a fit if anyone suggested that and no one wants to lose their support? How is it that such a major component of the problem is consistantly being ignored? My husband and I quit eating meat a long time ago and we realize that will not be everyone's choice, but couldn't people just eat less meat (say 2 or 3 times a week) instead of everyday? It would help our cancer, heart disease, diabetic, and obesity rates as well as the environment, and yet hardly anyone ever mentions the possibility.

Just something that concerns me. Thanks for the great work you are doing!

[Melissa]

Great thing your family is doing. However, if you are cloth diapering, why not use cloth wipes? You are already doing laundry so wipes wouldn't be adding too much to it.

[Debi]

My husband and I began our "low-impact" experiment in the wilds of Montana; we opened an organic B&B at the edge of Glacier Park. We live in one of the few totally pristine environments left in the lower 48. There are even more challenges to zero impact when you entertain paying guests, Those who show an interest in our lifestyle we encourage to compost, buy green, chemical-free products, eat local, etc. Even if we only save ONE polar bear, it's worth what turn out to be very small sacrifices.

[Dennis]

Only Elitist Leftist nuts would consider this. Someone that can afford to pay higher prices for food etc. Get a life. Find out how real people live. Beyond that land of lunacy known as Manhattan.
P.S. I am a native Manhattanite that moved to the Burbs.

[Nancy]

RE Dennis' comment above:

cutting out consumption in other areas undoubtably frees up a lot of income to use toward wiser food choices. I'm not a leftist, nor am I a nut, and I think this is a great idea. I don't understand how offering to live humbly for the sake of others is "elitist" ... certainly Colin's life choices will be of more use to subsequent generations rather than himself, as he's going for long-term impact.

Colin, check with your local libraries and family development resources for educational toys that can be checked out! We have a great one here in SFL that lends everything from flannel boards and puppets to microscopes! Your local homeschool community may be able to help you find these resources.

Good luck!

[Rory]

Wow, this sounds like a really tough experiment, but it's things like this that really open up people's eyes to what kind of impact they are having. A few questions for you though. Have you ever talked to a nutritionist about the diet you're on? Can you and even your growing daughter live healthily on mostly cabbage? Also, do you use commercial dog food? Good luck with the experiment, hopefully through your blog, book and movie it won't just be your life that is changed.

[wilando kurth]

aí COLIN,
é isso ai camarada, temos que tentar alternativas, a capacidade de suporte do planete esta extrapolada algumas vezes e se continuarmos vivendo como nosso pais nossos filhos não viverão. vai firme.
wilando - brasil

[laura]

:D Don't assume all conservatives are against what you're doing! There's a movement among us called "crunchy cons"-- basically, environmentally concerned organic-loving conservatives. I'm one and I think your experiment is FANTASTIC!! May we all be inspired to include some of your ideas in our daily lives...

[jennifer]

Colin & Michelle,
Congratulations for trying this out for an entire year- what a committment! I am inspired to continue to find more ways to fit greener habits in to our family without becoming a complete Luddite. We do the usual stuff- buy organic, ride bikes as much as possible, etc. However, we still like to eat out, and it is SO HARD to eat locally and seasonally here in the upper midwest especially when there is ripe papaya beckonning at Whole Foods!
Good luck. We look forward to reading your posts.
jen & family
ps. I've heard of a great place in Brooklyn called Added Value Herban Solutions- possibly another good source for worms.

[teresa wenke]

i have benn behind this for years. its so great that you have gotten coverage of your commitment. it inspires others

[Vicki]

If this is what makes you happy then I guess it's okay. However, I have no desire to go back in time and live like the pioneers did. I don't believe that people have that big an impact on the environment and I think Al Gore is an egomaniacal hypocrite who hasn't a clue. I will give you credit for walking the walk - unlike Gore. Still, although I enjoy growing vegetables in my garden and my youngest son has recently decided to raise chickens (although I don't see myself eating any animals raised in my back yard I will use the eggs) - I will still avail myself of what my local grocery store provides, drive my SUV (I'm not walking 5 miles to the store and 5 miles back) and enjoy the modern conveniences that make life easier.

[Denise]

I listened with interest to your interview today on NPR. The more mainstream America hears about your lifestyle and the purpose of your experiment the better. Hopefully these impact issues will soon become the familiar.
My husband and I bought a small farm in Ohio where we are consciously lowering our impact on the earth. We are having a great time in the process. Our lifestyle has become coupled with not only conservation but also independence. No bills for heat, dry clothes, water, garden veggies, etc.
Our low impact daughter and son-in-law are on their second child with cloth diapers and very happy. Every bit helps.
Thanks for bringing a lifestyle investment to the forefront!

[Shannan]

I REALLY= admire your , committment. It shows a great deal to others like myself who sit and say with a guilty conceounse to our kids ya thats a great idea. And then we come up with some excuse why our family can't do it or hope they forget. Why? Because it's easier just to bag and toss and carry on with our totally lazy ass lifestyles and hope that someones elses major efforts will make the difference. I won't lie to myself anymore. I think what will be left in 10- maybe 20 years let alone 80, I can't even imagine if Polar Bears are drowning NOW. What's the matter with us that War around the World is more important then cleaning our catastrophic mess.

[Gauri]

Colin,

Did you go to school in Westport, Mass?

I'm becoming quite sure as I watch you on Stephen Colbert's show that we went to school together. And yay for what you're doing.

You are welcome to reply to me directly! (off-blog)

[Jeff]

I haven't seen any mention of Community Sponsored Agriculture where you buy a portion of a local farm's harvest prior to the beginning of the growing season. Normally, produce is dropped off weekly at a central location for retrieval by the purchasers. This cuts down on delivery impact, in in keeping with purchasing/eating food grown locally. In addition, many, if not most of the farms involved in these endeavors are organic farms. Many are also happy to have volunteer harvesters (a good chance to demonstrate where our food comes from to your daughter.) Good luck!

[Pam Chapman]

Hi. I heard your interview on the radio, but I had terrible reception. I've been living a low tech lifestyle for sometime. No refrigeration for 25 years. I've used a cooler my grandpa told me about which is basicly a screened box covered with damp burlap which wicks the water out of a tray of water. The tray sits on top of the screened box and I've attached the whole gismo outside a window that opens. Have alot of eco ideas. Anyway I'm interested in The ceramic cooler you mentioned? There was alot of static so I missed your discription. I would like to make one. Any design features I should know about? I'm encourged that there's people in the city trying to live a simpler life too.

[Saskboy]

I saw you on Colbert Report. Good job standing up to his stage bluster.

[escape]

Congrats and good work!

One question about:

Negative Impact + Positive Impact = Zero

This is not necessarily true! Take for example, corporate offsettin and the environmental impact exchanging offsets has when one company that doesn't produce an impact gets credits to trade to another that produces too many.

Please go into how you ensure the impacts cancel each other out.