A No Impact Man theme song

“People killing, people dying,
Children hurt and you hear them crying.
Can you practice what you preach
And won’t you turn the other cheek?
Father, Father, Father help us.
Send some guidance from above,
Cause people got me, got me questioning:
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love, the love, the love?”

--From the Black Eyed Peas’ Where is the Love?

You should see Isabella dancing to it!

==========

Meanwhile, fans of the Comedy Central’s Colbert Report, watch for a No Impact Man appearance on Monday night (April 9). Don’t ask me how that happened because I don’t know. Oh, and also Talk of the Nation on Monday too. Weird, huh?

Comments

[margarita]

Colin,

I have a question. I know you're busy being no impact and all, and you have a job and a young child, but do you participate in your local government, as well? Are you aware of the policy making that goes on every day? Do you guys have neighborhood associations? How much are you a part of your local community--I mean, do you know your neighbors?
I ask because I think that even small groups of people can affect great change (obviously, no?). But I also think that part of this green movement needs to include a reconnecting of our local communities. People need to care about one another again because then I think it makes it harder for each of us to put up with bad government, bad anything. I know it sounds like these are obvious statements, but I haven't really seen much discussion of these topics. I know you say that this is your experiment and that you aren't trying to push anything on anyone, but can we all just sit back and hope things change? Or don't we have to step up, stick our necks out and say something about it? And I mean, beyond just changing our consumption habits?

[Ralph]

Colin,

I think your point is right that change needs to happen on local government levels. One local company in my town is working with us to bring it about in the area of new construction sustainability
www.ljurban.com
Also I am a member of my local association and we are working on bringing more and more sustainability to our community.
But I think in the long run its still a personal decision affected by people like no impact man that bring us to change how we do things as a society. So put in where you can.

[Michelle]

I love you No Impact Man!

[rachel]

Okay, here's the situation. There are hundreds, thousands, maybe millions of issues out there deemed significant by someone. Probably thousands of issues that really ARE significant, but regardless of their significance, one man and his family cannot possibly be expected to tackle them ALL at once. If you want to use No Impact Man's blog to bring publicity to your pet issue, rather than attacking him with, "Well have you thought about this?" or, "Why aren't you doing that?", a better approach might be, "Hey Colin, I really admire the work you're doing and the fact that you're willing to turn your life upside down and let the rest of us watch in order to find better ways of doing things. Here is what I'm doing to make the world a better place...".

Ultimately, things will only change when we ENCOURAGE those who are trying to change them, instead of sneering because it's not exactly the way we would do it, if in fact we got off our lazy butts and actually did anything.

[margarita]

Rachel,

I think you're comments are probably directed at me. Please know that I wasn't sneering. I was simply asking a question. There are a million issues. I was simply curious about Mr. Beavan's social involvement beyond his personal changes in consumption habits. I think it's a valid question, and one I'm not sure I've seen addressed here yet. Mr. Beavan, I do appreciate your efforts, as I appreciate the efforts of anyone who thoughtfully considers the way they live in this world.

[L.L. Barkat]

I like the song. Simple. True. Though perhaps few of us fully understand what living "light" has to do with love. But it has much to do... much ado about something.

[vanessa]

This is kind of a paranoid question (ok, a TOTALLY paranoid question). My partner wants to know where we should buy land so that when the ice-caps melt, we will have oceanfront property. I do understand that if this were to happen, land ownership would be a pretty mute point - anyway, I am obviously not using the correct search parameters to find a future worst cast scenario map of the future of global climate change. I thought this might be a good place to ask if anyone knows where I could find such projections. Thanks.

[Juliana]

I greatly admire you and your family!
I try to do little things throughout my day to stop negative environmental impact, but wish I could be more like you.
Anyway, I'm brazilian, and you should see how global warming makes all tabloids here. I read your story in a "How to Help Refresh the World" article in one of our best magazines.
Continue like that and I hope to hear more about you at the end of the year (and look forward to reading your book)!

[H. Spencer Young]

Speaking of music:

http://tinyurl.com/38vs86

[julia]

Vanessa: you're kidding, right?

[julia]

Rachel, well said! I totally agree.

[Zack]

Can't wait to see you on Colbert- good luck.

[Samuel (from Brazil)]

Man i don´t believe that i´m from Brazil and i have to tell you that this song is not from the Black Eye Peas, but from Marvin Gaye.

[Colin Beavan aka No Impact Man]

No Sam, believe me, it's the Black Eyed Peas.
Colin aka No Impact Man

[Deanna]

Hmmm. And I thought the song was from the South Park movie:

"Bombs are flying
People are dying
Children are crying
Politicians are lying too...

I'm super, thanks for asking!"

Equally catchy, no?

Good luck on Colbert!

[Samuel (from Brazil)]

Yeah man i´m sorry. The two songs look very much alike. But you were right! I´m sorry for being "MR. Know it All". I really appreciate all the effort you're doing right there. I'd like to share some experiences from a Third World Country View. What do you think?

[Darlene]

I just heard you on NPR, in fact I sat in my car for ten minutes or longer listening to the end of your segment. I immediately went into my apartment, told my daughter about you and logged on to read your blog. I am beyond impressed. I can only commend you and your wonderful wife for doing something like this. It's great that she supports you and you must be really proud to have a wife like her.

It's something like this that can make people rethink their own lifes, make them wonder what can I do? It's renewed my own committment to doing all I can to help the environment because living in an apartment and not in the country off the land makes one feel as if you can never do what you should and you're proving that doing something is better than nothing. You're opening new doors for me so that I can see myself doing so much more.

I really believe in what you're doing, support you and your family wholeheartedly and can only say BRAVO! Sorry for rambling but goodness how wonderful to hear your story! The best discovery in weeks and I'm going to spread the word! I wish you and your family the very best.

[Kathy]

Thank you for taking on such a challenge as a family, and sharing your experience with all of us! A great source of inspiration and positive alternatives :)

I found your link during my search for info on plastics. My family decided it would be fun to do a family learning project with a focus on plastic, and increase our own efforts to reduce our footprints on the earth (an ongoing evolution)

I'm spreading the word about your project on my own blog shop4change.blogspot.ca

look forward to colbert tonight, and also look forward to continued reading on your no impact new york adventure.

[Ellen in Conn]

Vanessa: Uphill!