What reactions do you have to the "No Impact Man" experiment? Which of the suggested changes to yourself and the world are the most and the least attractive to you? How likely would you be to participate in a "No Impact Man Experiment"?
Steve Strauss (emailed to Autumn)
Blog #4
The No Impact Man experiment came off very strange to me at first. I thought to myself why would anyone want to take a whole year off of not only not using electricity, but non electric transportation and not buying anything new except various foods. After reading into this mans theory he does present valid points that I agree with on certain topics. I also felt that what makes him think that only two people doing this for one whole year could make that much of a difference and what change to their environment could they bring. Turns out by doing this it benefited them not only for that year but in the long run as well. There are various points that stick out to me that I would favor such as, eating healthier foods, and saving household electricity. By him only buying food from farmers markets, helps his family eat healthier and give them better habits in the long run, which I would sacrifice for. Saving electricity in his house also benefits in the economic aspect, it helps save not only money but wasted energy as well which is just as important that I agree with. Some parts that least attract me would be nonelectric transportation and not buying new clothes. I feel that transportation today is what gets this world moving and where we need to be, if we weren't as up to date as we are we would be crippled in terms of getting from point A to point B. I don't agree with nonelectric transportation because of how time consuming it would take to get from place to place as well as efficiency. Not buying new clothes on the other hand isn't something I would agree with. When one goes out and purchases new clothes for them or their family, they should then go and pick out which clothes they don't wear or fit into anymore and donate them to the less fortunate. I could only go so far in fulfilling the "No Impact man's" requirements in making that certain difference in the world, I would have a real hard time trying to force myself to handle the things I mentioned that I disagree with. This could really put me out of my element doing something like this, so there could be a bigger chance that I would participate for as long as I could handle.
From Stephanie L (emailed to Autumn)
I really like the concept behind the No Impact Man experiment. I really like his view on the economy and I agree that happiness should come from doing things to help the community and from spending time with family and friends instead of working away your life to have money to buy material things. We soon lose interest in the material things and want more. So, that is a good point for him to make. And, I like the idea of returning to a more simple lifestyle, appreciating the smaller things, and learning how to live without all these items that we think are key to our happiness. I dont disagree with any part of the experiment, however, I don't feel that me, personally, could do it. I can understand walking and riding a bike instead of automobiles, but what about traveling long distance? A vehicle would have to be used in some situations. I think eating fresh, local produce and only what is in season is very do-able. It would just take some sucking-it-up and learning to deal with what we have to get through that. Some products like toilet paper, razors, etc. I could not go without. Buying new clothes, toys, and other items that are 'wants' and not 'needs' would be the easiest to do without. The rocking chair story is a good example of that. I really love the idea of having to go to free shows in the community or just locally planned events and spending that time with friends and family. It could show us that actually do not need to rely on televisions, computers, etc. for entertainment. I do feel that this would create more happiness all around. Ultimately, I do not think I would be able to do this experiment for a year or even a month. I would give it a week tops. But, applying some of the ideas of No Impact Man whenever possible is a good idea.
From Stephanie L (emailed to Autumn)
I really like the concept behind the No Impact Man experiment. I really like his view on the economy and I agree that happiness should come from doing things to help the community and from spending time with family and friends instead of working away your life to have money to buy material things. We soon lose interest in the material things and want more. So, that is a good point for him to make. And, I like the idea of returning to a more simple lifestyle, appreciating the smaller things, and learning how to live without all these items that we think are key to our happiness. I dont disagree with any part of the experiment, however, I don't feel that me, personally, could do it. I can understand walking and riding a bike instead of automobiles, but what about traveling long distance? A vehicle would have to be used in some situations. I think eating fresh, local produce and only what is in season is very do-able. It would just take some sucking-it-up and learning to deal with what we have to get through that. Some products like toilet paper, razors, etc. I could not go without. Buying new clothes, toys, and other items that are 'wants' and not 'needs' would be the easiest to do without. The rocking chair story is a good example of that. I really love the idea of having to go to free shows in the community or just locally planned events and spending that time with friends and family. It could show us that actually do not need to rely on televisions, computers, etc. for entertainment. I do feel that this would create more happiness all around. Ultimately, I do not think I would be able to do this experiment for a year or even a month. I would give it a week tops. But, applying some of the ideas of No Impact Man whenever possible is a good idea.
My initial reaction to the "No Impact Man" experiment was actually very positive. Although parts of it did seem a little extreme, I love the determination this man had to change everything in his life in order to see what it would be like to try to change the way we affect the world. I admire his willingness to change himself and his wife's willingness to go along with everything, since they knew it was for a greater cause. I really like the attention the author draws to obsolescence. I was impressed at the prospect of undergoing this change for an entire year, and I loved some of the points he presented. Ones that particularly stand out to me are ones about why we work so hard. We work hard to get money so we can buy things. When you think about it, what is the point of that? It really isn't making us any happier. I like his view that what we're truly looking for is love and friendship, and we can gain these by simply spending time with one another and getting to know each other while enjoying nature. We don't have to compare who has the best stuff in order to make friends that last. Some of the suggested changes that are the most attractive to me are buying food locally or growing your own food, borrowing or renting products, and not using forms of "canned mass entertainment." I like the idea of growing your own food or obtaining through local farmer's markets because you have a way to be sure where it came from, and the food will be chemical free. This contributes to the health of your body and also to the health of the environment. I think recycling products or borrowing ones you don't need often is a great idea because Beavan is right; the objects you don't use everyday are simply sitting there. What's the use in leaving them if they could be utilized by someone else and saving energy and money? Lastly, I think limited (or in this case, completely excluding) your use of canned mass entertainment will help people meet others and form important relationships. I know that I'm happiest when I'm with my friends and people I care about, so I find it more meaningful to spend time with them instead of solitarily immersing myself in some type of technology. I dislike the limited use of forms of communication. I suppose you could use the internet to obtain information you need to know about the world, but I feel like taking away television, books, and newspapers would limit some people's access to important news. I do like the idea of riding a bike everywhere rather than a car, but not being able to use what are now considered regular forms of transportation would be a bit impractical when it comes to moving large objects or things you would have to borrow or rent from others. The aspect of using recycled toilet paper freaks me out a bit too. I think if I underwent the "No Impact Man" experiment, I would quickly have a problem with feeling unclean or just a little bothered with what would feel like would be reductions in cleanliness. I think I'd be pretty likely to participate in a "No Impact Experiment." I think it would definitely be hard to get used to, and I would miss the comfort of my normal life, but I think it would be worth seeing what the difference would be. It is extreme, but that's partially what's intriguing about it.
ReplyDeleteMy primary reaction to the “No Impact Man” experiment is, “YES”! I’m so thrilled that someone cares that much (or feels that guilty) to eliminate all the different elements in their life that require burning energy. Beavan impressed me by showing that one can sacrifice the technical and material objects in life to help decrease carbon emissions. I had never heard of anyone who enjoys technology and “normal” day to day life creating an experiment like this. But the fact that after his family endured the lack of secular pleasures for a whole year, and they found they actually enjoyed life without those things makes me very inspired. I want to one day buy only locally grown products to help create a strong local economy, and see the whole world travel using zero emissions. I honestly agree with most of the ideas that the project reinforces; use minimal electricity, don’t buy new products, reuse, rent, buy used, or borrow as much as possible, and mass entertainment can be eliminated. But on the other hand, I listen to music almost all day long and if I did not have access to some sort of tune I would be sad. Futhermore, although I do not watch television, it can sometimes be enjoyable to have access to a TV. I am someone who would be very likely to participate in a “No Impact Man Experiment”, because I would be willing to give up a lot to see that the general public becomes more sustainable as a community. Becoming a part of this type of project would set a great example for others to follow.
ReplyDeleteI actually have heard about the no impact man experiment before the assignment. My sister loves to watch documentaries, and reading about extreme things and measures people go to. No matter the subject. When she first shared with me the no impact man experiment, I thought, "How in the heck could someone want to actually go through with these things?" My sister then explained to me different aspects of the experiment, and although I still thought that most of these things were still extreme, I could actually see myself going through with some of the parts of the experiment. Something I could see myself doing is buying some products used , or renting things. On the other hand, I could definitely not go without a disposable razor, beauty products, or coffee!! I most likely would not be able to go through with this experiment. "Growth in our economy doesn't necessarily mean that there's more money in the average person's pocket or that the average person is more content." This quote made me think about the money aspect in today's society, and in my life. As a whole, society relies too much on happiness based off of income, or the amount of money that one has. One of the parts I enjoyed reading about were when Colin and his wife purchased a rocking horse that was used and already had a name carved in it. They decided the name was going to be the name of the horse and when they gave it to their daughter she loved the horse. As a nation, things are so materialized and a lot of parents feel the need to buy extravagant things for their kids. To make up for lack of time spent with them, or just to try to fill an empty need for things that no child necessarily needs. So much money that is spent today is spent on pointless things. It is amazing to think about the money we could save by cutting down any shopping (other than groceries) to once a month. A quote i found in the reading that I really liked stated, "How can we live good lives without harming the planet? But if we're saving the planet and we're not living good lives, that is a terrible waste, too."
ReplyDeleteAfter first watching the No Impact Man experiment, I was in awe. It was so shocking and impressive to me that someone would put themself through such an inconvience to help save the earth. Although the man running the experiment seemed really enthusiastic during the whole project, his wife was so unhappy that it really surprised me that he would push through and continue to pursue his goal. If i were to engage in an experiment like this, something that would be appealing to me and easy to do, would be eating locally and seasonally. I am a vegetarian so I already eat a lot of fruits and veggies,and it would not be hard for me to restrict myself to only eating within season. I really enjoy fresh and homemade products, so i would love to eat all locally produced foods. However there are a lot of really unappealing aspects to this experiment. As someone who really enjoys beauty and fashion, it would pain me to throw away all my makeup and refrain from buying new clothes. Also i would not want to give up sodas,beer, coffee, or bottled water for an entire year. I think a week would be hard enough. Another really difficult change would be to not use my car or take elevators. I really hate walking places and riding bikes, and I cant imagine walking up dozens of flights of stairs to get to my apartment/job/class. To be perfectly honest, I think it would be pretty unlikely for me to do a No Impact Man experiment for a year. I would be willing to try it for a week but I think a year would be too difficult for me in this stage of my life. However I would be willing to incorporate certain aspects of the experiment into my life, such as eating locally and seasonally and cutting down on plastic waste.
ReplyDeleteAt first I found the "No Impact Man" experiment to be quite strange. Taking into consideration how much of our lives today are surrounded by the use of electricity, and how much we rely on it, it seemed peculiar for someone to choose to go without it. However, he does bring up some very good reasoning to this experiment, and I can completely understand and respect where he is coming from. Reading more into it, it's clear that even if a small handful of people participated in this, the benefits would be not only to our planet but to those people as well. Some things that were mentioned that caught my eye were saving electricity in the home and eating healthier foods. By buying groceries only from a farmer's market you are not only eating cleaner but also helping out your local business, which in the long run is good for the economy. In these harsh economic times, saving electricity in the household is also beneficial due to the fact that you are saving money and not wasting any electricity. A few things that deterred me from his experiment was the idea of non-electric transportation, not buying new clothes and limiting the forms of communication. As a society we have evolved into these people that highly rely on many electric ran transportations. Without many of the forms of transportation our world essentially becomes more enclosed and can almost be thought of an isolated country, limiting us to many things that generally happen to benefit us in the future. I can see where buying new clothes wouldn't be essential to most people, seeing as a great deal of people all over the world and including our own country don't get the luxury of this. However, the purchase of clothes is something that drives our economy and is proven that even in times of economic troubles, people will still continue to shop and purchase clothing. As for limiting forms of communication such as books and television, I find it hard to grasp even the thought of the absence of these things in daily life. Books, both for learning and fun, bring a certain enrichment of life to people that adds value to their quality of life. The limit of communication just seems a little bit too far considering how that would cut us off from an abundance of knowledge we receive from many different kinds of communication on a daily basis. I could definitely see if I tried the "No Impact Man" experiment, I would immediately have an issue on my first day feeling very non-hygienic and clean. It would be something entirely out of my comfort zone and I would be out of my element. I am so used to the status quo of my life I feel like a big change like that would disrupt my personal world's natural balance. For me, the idea just seems a little radical, but I would commend anyone who could take on such a challenge.
ReplyDeleteI found the “No Impact Man” to be a very interesting view on how to better the world and even ourselves. I can partially agree that such an experiment could definitely benefit those partaking, but I feel that the rules of the experiment were a little extreme. In today's society there is such an emphasis on “things” that we often lose sight of what is really important. As stated in the reading, studies have shown that having more things has not actually made anyone happier but instead often causes quite the opposite. For example, the United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world and yet not one of the overall happiest. This experiment is a good way to find out what is really important to you and what you actually need when consumer products are of little to no concern. The component of the experiment I found to be most attractive was simply the straying from the on going necessity to obtain more and more stuff. I feel that it is much more important to be happy with the things we have as opposed to always wanting more. Being successful is one thing, but constantly needing to work harder and harder simply to accumulate the wealth to purchase more meaningless goods makes no sense to me. The component I found to be least attractive was that where electricity was abandoned. Technology is such an important part of my day to day life, whether it be my cell phone or the computer, that I don't think it would be beneficial to my happiness to live without them. For this reason I find that it would not be very likely for me to participate in such an experiment even though I do agree with many of the ideals expressed by it.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the “No Impact Man” experiment is a bit extreme but is very beneficial in proving a point. Obviously, most people are not willing to go completely “no impact.” Humans never will truly have no net impact on the environment anytime soon. But, it will be possible for everyone to have less of an impact on the environment. In my opinion, this is the most important part of the “No Impact Man” experiment. People, in today’s world, will just not be willing to give up some things that were given up in the experiment, such as toilet paper, washing dishes, new clothes, and much more. But, there are also parts of the “No Impact Man” experiment that would appeal more to the general public. I feel that with the incorporation of some elements of the “No Impact Man” experiment, the world could have a noticeably smaller impact on the environment. Personally, I feel that I could make some changes to myself so I would have less of an impact on the environment. I probably could walk instead of drive short distances. I also think I could try to limit the amount of garbage/waste I have and try to use “green” products. But, I don’t think I would be able to participate in a full-fledged “No Impact Experiment”. I feel that this would probably lead to a slightly lower quality of life. Despite this, I feel I would be able to participate in a less extreme form of this, where I would have just a minor impact and still be able to benefit the environment.
ReplyDeleteI was very surprised by the "No Impact Man" project. It honestly took me a moment to fully grasp the idea. I love the idea of walking and biking places. It saddens me that our city is not one where you can walk or bike everywhere in a timely manner. My father has always traveled for his job and most recently he lived in Washington D.C. He stayed in a small rural town just outside of DC but he was still able to bike. He rode his bike to the bus stop, got on the bus, then rode into the office. One of our communities needs is a better system of public transportation and more accessible means. I also completely agree with eating locally grown food. I have never understood why society decided to put chemicals and preservatives into the food we eat. When eating fresh food your body can actually use the nutrients. Over the summer my family ate vegetables grown in local gardens from around us, it honestly helped us to feel much better. Also, my dad has become vegan because of health reasons. Along with being vegan he has noticed that vegetables that are treated with chemicals or that are not local affect his health more negatively than those that are local. Although I think it is a good experiment has ultimately provides a goal for us to work towards, I can relate to his wife in that I would have an issue giving up retail. I enjoy shopping, I am sure there are better ways to do this such as not getting shopping bags, but I am not sure if I would be able to completely give up my shopping. I also agree that the television has become too centralized in the home. I babysat my cousins this summer and they would rather watch television than play outside. This was mind blowing to me. At the age of 9 or 10 I would stay outside all day with my friends riding bikes and playing on the play ground. I think that the laziness that comes with watching television has also helped America with the problem of obesity. I am not sure if I could participate in such a strong form of the No Impact Project, however reading about it made me realize the small steps I can start to take to make a difference in the environment.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the No Impact Man Experiment was obviously outrageous but effective in proving a point to a society obsessed with consumption. The author perhaps could have found a way to concoct a lifestyle that the general public could latch onto instead of moving towards the extreme and largely unsustainable on a large scale. I more enjoyed his comments on modern society and economic development. The notion that patriotism and consumerism are practically interchangeable stuck out to me most prominently. Also the idea that like no other time in history, the global community has to combat the same issues in order to conserve the environment. Based on that idea, the necessary lifestyle changes cannot be sustained on buying secondhand goods for long. In stark opposition to luxury, I also enjoyed his ideas about employing the labor force on the provision of vital necessities and providing for a larger market for sustainable development. As an admittedly typical girl, I like the occasional retail therapy session, so I can empathize with his wife in that aspect. On the other hand, the fresh market- style diet appeals to me most. I think I would definitely participate in the experiment to prove a point, but maybe not for an entire year. A modified version however, I would be completely all- in for.
ReplyDeleteAfter first reading about the "No Impact Man", I was shocked yet proud that one individual would change his life to such an extent to show what it truly means to be a good citizen. I believe that in the end he not only proved a point but he ended up changing his family's lives for the better. He presented many valid points I had never really considered until I read this article. Society force feeds you all of these new commercial products and guilt trips you into "helping" the GDP. Those two points are perhaps the most important points to take away from this article. He allows us to see what society has subconsciously been doing to us our entire lives. Some of the ideas from this experiment I would love to adapt into my own life, one of which is the healthy eating aspect. To eat organic would better my life and body dramatically. The processed starches and chemicals would be replaced by nutritious fruits and energizing proteins. An idea from the experiment that would not necessarily work for myself personally was the lack of buying new things. I can certainly cut back a ton on how much I buy but around me, there are no second hand shops and to be honest, I'm a girl and I love to shop. I am unsure if I could participate in this dramatic of a "No Impact Man" experiment but I can take certain aspects from this and integrate them into my life. The most obtainable aspect of this that I will try to adapt into my lifestyle is the idea of less waste and byproducts because in the end, the vicious cycle of global warming is proven viable.
ReplyDeleteMy reaction to the “No Impact Man” experiment is that it is a very interesting idea which could provide excellent lessons to us all on how we may need to fundamentally rethink our values and lifestyle choices in order to save our planet. As the experiment was explained I began to realize, just as Colin Beavan did, that even though I want to live in a sustainable world I am still very guilty of living a very unsustainable lifestyle. The change to the world which I find most attractive is the idea of making sure that both the developed and undeveloped worlds work together to strike a united global effort for sustainability. I think this is extremely important because most of the world’s population is not living in a developed nation and therefore it is counterproductive to develop long term solutions to our environmental problems if those solutions can only be implemented in the developed world. The change which I would find the least attractive is to unplug from the electric grid and give up all of the conveniences which come with electricity. I fully understand how my use of electricity and electronic devices is harmful to the planet and not supportive of sustainability, but I know that it would be very hard to separate myself from the electric world in which I have grown accustomed to living. I doubt I would be very likely to participate in a “No Impact Man Experiment” simply because I am too spoiled by my current lifestyle, but I would be very likely to try a “Very Little Impact Man Experiment” instead.
ReplyDeleteI was enlightened and surprised by the "No Impact Man" experiment because some of the rules he set for him and his family were very extreme. I thought things such as finding alternatives for toilet paper and tampons were astonishing - I understand that these things add to waste, but they are also biodegradable and I don't think toilet paper is something society will do rid of anytime in the near future. It was surprising also that they bought nothing new; I'm sure it was a great challenge for his wife not to shop at all. From the No Impact Project website, the comment from a woman with Chemical Sensitivity was surprising. She suggested that everyone try to live fragrance-free to help her and others with her condition live a more comfortable life. I think it would be very difficult for people to do that because the majority of product we buy have a scent - Clorox wipes, shampoo, body wash, hand soap, lotions, perfumes, deodorants. I would consider living fragrance-free if my products were negatively affecting someone whom I personally knew. Something listed on the website that I would enjoy doing is shopping at a local farmer's market. I am excited for the Farmer's Market at USC and I hope I can get a chance to stop by and check out their fresh produce! I don't think I would participate in the No Impact Man Experiment unless I had a group to encourage me and keep me accountable.
ReplyDeleteI think the “No Impact Man” experiment was a powerful one. What was especially attractive to me was the fact that this couple is totally relatable to the normal, every- day family. They lived in a city, had normal jobs, were responsible as parents, etc. and they still managed to pull through with this project, though there were challenges and doubts. Because they were an “average” American family, and not, as many people would say, some hippie family living in the woods, away from society and the societal expectations and pressures, the whole idea of living sustainably seems more plausible and more realistic for an average American citizen. This family went about their every-day life in a city and still managed to live economically mindful.
ReplyDeleteI loved the idea of riding bikes as a normal, every-day means of transportation. The only problem with that is that our country, Suburbia, is set up in such a way, where it is impossible and dangerous for a lot of people to ride bikes. We’re not, as a whole, a “bike friendly” country, which I think should change! I also fully support and agree with eating locally produced food. Eating food locally also means eating food seasonally, which enables us to rekindle the lost relationship we have with our food by appreciating it more when we can only eat something only during a certain time of the year. It creates a mindful relationship with food. I think it’s a great idea to carry silverware, a cloth napkin, and a reusable water bottle with you everywhere. Doing that alone would decrease a huge amount of trash we produce daily!
I also completely agree with the idea that because we have lost our sense of community in the U.S., we try to fill that void with buying a bunch of unnecessary stuff that just gets thrown away 6 months later. I think community is vital for human happiness and fulfillment and therefore the idea that we have to keep consuming in order for our economy to grow is a toxic one and ultimately empty.
I would love to participate in a “No Impact Man Experiment”! It would be a lot of fun for me to see just how wasteful I am because I already consider myself relatively eco-conscious and eco-friendly. But, if I pay more attention to my day-to-day life, I could see just how much energy I waste, how much stuff I don’t need, and how much trash I produce. I look forward to this experiment!
From reading Chapter 7 of Beavan’s novel No Impact Man, I found myself very interested and even a little bit appalled by his experiment. I think that he was going for the “shock” factor with the level of sustainable living that he and his family aimed to meet, and it definitely did shock me. Furthermore, I found Beaver’s writing style to be very captivating, and I especially felt that he made an effort to use rhetorical questions in an effective manner that made me pause and reflect on what he was actually saying in his piece.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most attractive lifestyle changes to me would be to either eat and/or grow local food. In a way this isn’t really a change for me as I already make a conscious effort to do so and even have a little garden at my house. I think that working on a farm and being a part of a Community Supported Agriculture program has allowed me to be more aware of the benefits that doing so have on your overall health, the impact on the local community, and quality of food. Just as Michelle said in the video, knowing who grows her food is a whole new experience in itself. The family’s “vacations” to the local farm and the dairy farm were also valuable experiences for them to appreciate more about the food they consume and the work that farmers do in order to provide the luxury of fresh fruits, vegetables, and milk.
Not using toilet paper is definitely the least attractive change to me. I understand the concept of reducing consumption, but to me there really is not viable substitute to using toilet paper and that just makes the whole concept much more difficult to accept. Also, I feel like using cloths would be very gross and unhygienic, especially considering the family didn’t use a washing machine and had to wash all their clothes by hand/foot in the bathtub.
Overall, I would be willing and excited to try and incorporate a “No Impact” experiment on campus and try to get my friends and other students involved in doing so. It would definitely be a challenge to be as extreme as Beaven and his family, but I think that would help us appreciate the things that we have an me overall more mindful of our consumption.