The Concept of No Impact Man - Essay Example

of the of the Some Salient Points in No Impact Man If it is direly difficult to live in the current circumstance of the world despite the overwhelming supply of primary goods and services, how would it be like when we shy away from the norms of urban living and start to live a life that is pre-industrial in nature: there is a total defiance to use things a person normally uses every day. There is man who certainly knows the answer: Colin Beavan. Beavan, his wife Michelle, and their two-year old daughter Isabella have gone through an experiment to find out if they could survive to live a life that does not cause any injury to the environment. What they thought was to stop using the things that an urban family would use every day. While this may sound not so difficult in the context of suburb or rural living, the sternest of problems is the fact that the Beavan Family lives in the super metropolitan of New York. You can simply imagine how it would be like waking up in every morning not allowed to use toothpaste or a shampoo. But that is just less of what Colin Beavan cemented as a commitment: he intended to reduce his personal impact to the environment for one year by practicing vegan diet, purchasing locally-produced foods, turning off the refrigerator, no elevators, no cars, no buses, or no airplanes, not using products that contain environmentally-detrimental contents, no electricity, no material consumption, and no garbage. For a skeptic, this is a complete delusion that has gone overboard but for Colin, this is just one way to protect and save the environment for the generations to come. Although the caption of the documentary absolutely waxed lyrical the many eyes of the witnessing populace, it was likewise devaluing, reducing the impact of Beavan’s experiment into a mere marketing publicity-stunt that points towards selling albums or books. For cynically-inclined observers, Beavan’s endeavor may just fall under the futile category; although, that is primary due to the fact that it is a lot simpler to presume the pits and most horrible upshots – it necessities slightest contemplation. No Impact Man would really make cynics doubt about the contrived nooks and crannies as the main cause of coming up with the documentary: (1) it is possible that Beavan is using the documentary in order to advertise books. In any case, he is a writer and quite a prolific one at that; or (2) it is also possible that Beavan is trying to increase the people’s awareness of what the humanity can do in order to save the planet. However, if you would enable yourself to surpass your individual disbelief and doubt about the purpose of the documentary, you might be amazed by the extraordinary undertaking involved in the documentary. Whether it is some sort of a publicity stunt or whatever, Beavan’s experimentation to an incredibly carbon-reduced path for quite a long period of time (one year is long for such an activity) in a highly urbanized zone while nurturing a two year old child – is a sincere and honorable effort; and considering the fact that this experiment is causing too much dilemma on his wife, Michelle, a writer for Businessweek – it is also a valiant one. What is very impressing about Beavan’s experimentation is that he is not the kind of person so used to “simple living” nor he is an environmental activist; he is actually a city man living in the realms of the influential New York City but still able to adapt to the kind of life that early Americans have lived while maintaining his location. He never moved from New York; he stayed in New York. And with the most challenging circumstances of not being able to take advantage of the conveniences of a city life, that is more than just a challenge; it is a complete horror. That partly explains why Beavan’s experimentation was one-of-a-kind and extremely praiseworthy. Beavan and his wife precluded from using PUVs so for a year, they were allergic of cabs, trams, and trains. They practiced vegan diet and stopped eating outside in restaurants and pubs. They only consumed foods that are organically and locally-produced. The quit the zest for watching television. They stopped using products that contain harmful chemicals and instead took advantage of some environmentally friendly launder powders like Borax and a baking soda to regularly clean their teeth. They quit drinking coffee. And yes, they avoided using elevators for a year. That is particularly difficult and problematic especially in New York where skyscrapers proliferate just like mushrooms in a rainy season. Seen this way, the level of sacrifice that is poured in by the couple is too much to think about and do. They were living against the norm but they persisted for a cause. It is very humbling to realize that their struggle is not directed towards personal achievement but a witnessing: it was the intention of Beavan and his wife to prove to the world that every person can do something, in his own simple ways, to control the exacerbation of the ecological domain and to mitigate the effects of global warming and climate change. By and large, what makes the documentary more convincing is that they gave up everything to become full-pledged environmental pillars and sanctimonious environmental nerds who would continue to teach us on a consumer-rich, extravagant way of life. The appealing part was looking at their struggle through the course of a year, how it caused a certain degree of pain in their marriage, and how their own experimentation increased their individual awareness. In the end, they were still a portion of a greater problem. 2. Carbon Footprint Calculations: Inputs: Number of People Living in the Household: 4 Home Energy: We live in Arizona; we live in a Single Family Home (detached); with three bedrooms. Driving and Flying: No vehicle Food and Diet: We include meat in our diets at most meals; we eat organic food sometimes. Recycling and Waste: We recycle not much; we compost food scraps and yard trimmings sometimes Results: The results are good because our total greenhouse gas emission of 48 tons is way below the U.S. Average of 110 tons; although, it is significantly higher than the world average. Nevertheless, it is still more than 50% lower than the country’s average, which is a healthy number. In order to further reduce our household’s carbon emission, I intend to propose the following: (1) plant trees around the house; install efficient lighting only; health and cool home efficiently in all areas of the house; eat organic foods more; and recycle materials such as plastic bags or things that can still be used for other purposes such as plastic containers or bags. 3. Measure your Eco-Footprint at the Conservation International Website Inputs: In my home, I recycle paper and plastic bags and used clothes, furniture, and appliances. To reduce my use of materials, I remove my name from junk mail lists. To reduce pollution, dispose toxic substances on designated days and in designated places; and I limit the use of pesticides. Results: 30 Perhaps, in order to live a greener life, I may have to consider the following: recycling reusable products more; make my home energy-efficient by installing energy efficient bulbs and appliances; reduce pollution by riding a bicycle or walking instead of riding a cab or a public transportation. Read More