Inspired by the documentary, we brainstormed how we will reduce our impact. We really liked the phased approach that was presented in the documentary, and have decided to change one habit a month. Every six months, we’ll brainstorm a new list. Here’s our most current list:
May: sell Scott’s 1999 Civic and get a scooter. (We didn’t expect this to be so much fun! Even though we still have one car, we usually choose to take the Vespa because it’s a nicer ride.)
June: consume only drinks that have not been stored in a plastic or aluminum container (this is proving tough for Scott, as he would go through a LOT of Dr. Pepper)
July: media - sell the TV, XBox, surround sound, and other related components. Consume content through kindle, online, or e-book (no more printed magazines or books)
August: start making and using home-made cleaning products
September: consume all local food (250 miles or less)
October: Bike or walk if the trip is less than 5 miles
November: Be conscious of how our appliances drain energy when we’re not using them. Unplug.
December: Expand local purchases to clothing, furniture, etc.
Thanks for being such an inspiration.
This post was submitted by Scott & Andrea.
The TLC program taught me how to ease into a more earth friendly and nutritious lifestyle. This gentle approach to adding more fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds to our family’s life has change the way I see nature. I can now eat 75% from my back yard and hope to bee 100% in a few months. The extra energy from this lifestyle has allowed me to focus on growing “vegiceuticals and fruitceuticals” and my body is so clean and healthy now.
This post was submitted by Allan Oswald.
I have often seen those beautiful little doilies at thrift stores and marveled at their craftsmanship. I appreciated the tedious hours devoted to each one but couldn’t think of a good enough reason to collect them…..until I made one into a reusable produce bag. I continued the crochet mesh to make a bag and finished with tie-able handles. They are easy to wash and a delight to fill.
This post was submitted by Aiko.
Over 60 people attended a family reunion in a nice church basement, One meal was totally organic/and or locally grown food.
My mother and daughter baked all the bread and made coleslaw. The meal: organic turkey, hummus, peanut butter and cheese, vegetables, condiments, coffee and tea. Brownies and zucchini bread were baked in a solar oven.
We used tablecloths, real dishes, the dishwasher and composted food waste.
The biggest use of carbon was “love miles” ~ traveling for 60 people scattered across the nation [and world].
We catered two modest, eco-friendly meals.
At the end of a three-day event we had garbage the size of a small bathroom trashcan.
Many said the organic/locally grown meal was best.
Everyone could see everyone else; yet break into smaller groups. Displays included photographs and documents of ancestors, and posters with eco-friendly tips.
Some said it was the best family reunion yet.
This post was submitted by Pro_Cricket.
We harvest almost all our food from the wild, from dumpsters, from our garden and from our 1.5 lot urban farm (laying hens, dairy goats and honey bees). We trap and eat Eastern grey squirrels on our urban lot and we harvest seaweed and shellfish from a beach 5 miles away from the house. We also fish from a lake 2 blocks from our house.
Among the benefits:
Reduce trips to the store.
Reduce use of pesticides.
Reduce food transportation.
Increase awareness of and connection to natural environment.
Learning self-reliance.
Humane treatment of animals.
Reducing populations of invasive species (animal and plant).
Eating healthfully.
We’ve learned to ferment foods, make our own yogurt and cheese, bake all bread, make our mayonnaise, can fruits and vegetables. And we will be experimenting with a modified root cellar (it rains a lot here) this winter. We still purchase vegetable oil, spices, salt, sugar, flours and coffee. And my Cuban-born husband still enjoys a sip of good rum now and then.
I checked off the category “More Time” below because I would say we have more LEISURE time due to our view that gardening, farming, dumpster diving and wild food gathering are very fun and leisurely activities.
We’ve made this conversion from uberconsumerism over a period of about 3 years. Thank you for all the wonderful ideas in the movie; we hope to try some of them out soon.
This post was submitted by Melany Vorass.
I have decided to have different challenges for each month.I ll start with not buying any clothes in September. I ll continue with not buying any packed food,not using transportation if it takes less than 1 hour by walking,not eating meat,not eating out and any other ways that i ll find.
I already live in a small apartment,and think twice while using water.
More important that this,I am talking a lot about environment and how we can lower our footprint.People started to ask less ‘What is the relationship between consuming less and environment?’!!
This post was submitted by didem.
Watching “No Impact Man” last year really made me think about my footprint on this planet. I have been doing a lot of small things for years but after watching the DVD; Colin’s family inspired me to do more. I think about my actions everyday and how they affect our planet. I gave up paper napkins, towels. I have said NO to plastic bags(been doing this for years) I bring my resusable mug everyway. I have gone through my home and changed everything possible to lower my impact. I shop at Farmers markets and do not shop at grocery chains anymore. I read all labels on foods. There is so much we can all do to help our Mother Earth. If each one of us does these things we can really make a differece. Thanks to everyone that is making an effort to heal our planet. Living this lifestyle brings peace and happiness to oneself.
Namaste!
This post was submitted by Paula.
My partner and I have made a commitment to reduce, reduce, reduce. We have set a 5 year plan which includes solar panels, growing our own food and eliminate commercial laundry soaps. We have successfully eliminated commercial laundry soap… and since it is nearly spring here in wisconsin and all our gardening plans are begining! I am happy to report that we have a large enough area that we can grow enough food to sustain us through the next winter. I am terrified of canning food as I fear botulism… however, my partner assures me canning is safe, SO… wish me luck!
Alas, that is all we have going on currently…
Thank you for everything… your movie changed my life!
This post was submitted by Erica.
I started a blog kinda like yours, where you were writing about how you were trying to live greener. I am not going as fast as you did but I am trying hard to make it so we have a very small foot print. Anyway my blog says a lot more http://crystalclearmom84.blogspot.com/
This post was submitted by Crystal Scott.
One of the best decisions my family has made is to get rid of our cable service. It is amazing how much more time we have to do the things that we love- exercise, hike, read, etc. Plus we are saving about $80 a month by not paying for it. We are also not subjected to a daily barrage of advertising like we were before. Granted, this is a very small step, but I think it is a great first baby step towards having a lower impact, plus saving some money along the way. We have gone without for over a year now, and have made many additional changes in our lives to try to cut our impact, but things really got rolling when we made this move.
This post was submitted by Kyle.