In 2007, Colin Beavan got tired of “waiting for the senators and the CEOs to change the way we treat the world.” Instead, he decided to take a personal stand and live one year producing no waste, eating a local diet, and consuming nothing.
He even brought his family along for the ride:
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…
They walked and rode bikes. They ate a local diet. They struggled sometimes. At the end of the experiment, though, they were a healthier, happier, and closer family than when they began. Last week Beavan launched The No Impact Project to encourage other folks to “better their lives and lower their environmental impact through lifestyle change, community action, and participation in environmental politics.”
They’re encouraging folks to take the challenge not for a full year, but just one week. Here’s a video explaining the project:
So what do you think? Are you up for the challenge? Take a peek at The No Impact Project website for more info!
Image Credit: Creative Commons photo by Crystl
About Becky Striepe
