Comments on: No Impact Man: Admirable Experiment or Extreme Environmentalism?

By: Apply for FREE No Impact Man Winter Retreat

Apply for FREE No Impact Man Winter Retreat — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 02:11:56 +0000

[...] glad to see that No Impact Man (aka: Colin Beavan) has taken the lessons learned from his “No Impact” experiment and [...]

By: From the editor: How do you reduce your environmental impact?

From the editor: How do you reduce your environmental impact? — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 18:08:42 +0000

[...] someone who cares about the environment, I’m fascinated by people like Colin Beavan, aka No Impact Man, who try to live as impact-neutral an existence as they can. And I admire people like Taina, a 31 [...]

By: Julie Schwietert

Julie Schwietert — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:01:50 +0000

Hi, Joyce-

Thanks for giving us a report directly from the opening! I recently wrote an update piece about this, engaging some of the articles youv’e read (sounds like we’ve read the same ones!). I arrived at the same conclusion you did.

By: Joyce Hanson

Joyce Hanson — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:39:06 +0000

I went to the NYC opening of “No Impact Man” on Sept. 2, which Colin and Michelle Beavan also attended. They spoke on a panel with the filmmakers after the screening, and I’m happy to report that husband and wife are still together. She was looking quite fashionable at Lincoln Center that night, so a year of consuming less has done her no harm.

I’ve read a bunch of film reviews about “No Impact Man,” and the cynical New York critics have been mixed, calling Colin Beavan a rich man’s Thoreau who did a lot of his writing in a studio near Union Square after sending his daughter to a day care center that suffered no shortage of electricity. Still, his example is both inspiring and humorous, and shows all of us city dwellers how we can survive on a lot less than we think we can.

By: Rose

Rose — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 01:49:46 +0000

Wow, I’m very inspired! Can’t wait til it comes out in New Zealand. Obviously it is a huge challenge to have zero impact – using no electricity would be near impossible for me (I’d hate to miss out on reading Matador articles), but definitely if everyone could make a small change such as buying locally, reducing the amount of packaging in their shopping, biking or walking for short distances and ride sharing for longer distances it should have a positive impact on our planet’s health. Go Beavan family!

By: joshywashington

joshywashington — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:52:11 +0000

bravo Colin and extra super bravo for the reluctant wife.

we need a 180 degree turn from our collision course with disaster so fast the shift alone threatens our existence with whiplash…but that is what we need.

i will watch this movie!

By: Julie Schwietert

Julie Schwietert — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:12:09 +0000

I’m really looking forward to seeing the documentary. It seems that the biggest challenge for him wasn’t necessarily making the lifestyle changes himself, but helping his wife, in particular, get on board and become accustomed to seeing his new decisions as a viable way of life, rather than as one sign after another of deprivation. The clips at the end of the trailer are really moving and hey, I don’t need much convincing that the closer you get to knowing where things come from and how your own behavior affects other people, the better off you’ll live.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:42:18 +0000

I am really tempted to be cynical and critical about this, but really, fundamentally, I think it’s super-inspiring. As long as he doesn’t turn out to be one of those types who thinks anyone who hops a flight or eats corn flakes is a murderous evil freak, I think this is great.

By: Megan Hill

Megan Hill — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:43:46 +0000

This is a great experiment. I enjoyed seeing some of the unintended side effects: spending more time together, being more healthy, being better parents, etc. Hopefully it will inspire people to cut down on at least a few of their bad habits…

But wait, he has a blog? So he uses a computer? Last I checked, those use electricity.

By: Tim Patterson

Tim Patterson — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:01:28 +0000

I really admire Colin and his family and am inspired by his blog – especially when he talks about his daughter growing up in a no-impact household, and how his family spends time together while living green.