There was a story on ABC Nightly News a few nights ago was about a New York City family who is living a year long experiment to have “no impact on the environment”. The father is known as “No Impact Man” and he, his wife, and their 2 1/2 year old daughter are all learning to reduce their “carbon footprint”.
Here’s some of the things this family is doing without:
- No plastic bags or packaging of any kind, and no newspapers, because it causes trash;No driving or use of public transporation because it causes carbon emissions (pollution); and
No use of electricity, which means they do not use the elevator in their apartment building and have no refrigerator, television or any other electrical device in their apartment.
“No Impact Man” shaves with a straight edge razor and makes the family’s bread.
The family’s laundry in done in the bathtub, much like stomping grapes, and the daughter sees it as a play activity.
Mom walks their daughter to day care, navigates several flights of stairs to get her there, and then rides 30 blocks to work on her self-propelled scooter. Being able to have ice in her glass of water at work is a real joy for the Mom.
The family may spend more money on food because they shop at the local Farmer’s Market, but they save money by eating out less. They do not drink coffee because it isn’t grown locally. And they only buy foods that come from within a 250 mile radius.
This family consumes less in order to live ecologically, and they save money on the gym because they walk everywhere.
“No Impact Man” says it’s a shift in perspective . . . “If you care about something bigger, the community that you’re part of, you can look at one’s life and decide what is important and be happy with the choices you’ve made.”
Very interesting experiment . . . I wonder how many of us could live our lives like this? Personally, I already know I couldn’t.
But I have found something that allows me to do my part to reduce my “carbon footprint” and every person who drives could also benefit. You can get the details at: http://4planetearth.net/msajohnson