Collectively, small lifestyle changes can make a huge impact on the environment-and your life. Looking for happiness and health? What’s good for the environment is also, it turns out, great for you. Here’s a collection of tips from the No Impact community.
Do you have a video story from your No Impact Experiment? Share your story below:
As a result of Colin’s empowering text, I reduced my commuting miles in NH by 30. I look to increase that distance after trading my mountain bike for a road bike (I won’t buy new either, thanks Colin).
As a means of getting my kids excited about reducing our waste, we broke out the markers and crafted a “credo” on the wall — very liberating,fun, and effective.
Later this spring I am taking a course on preserving food from our vegetable garden and / or local farmers. Mason jars will be the method.
As a teacher at a local high school, I am also encouraging the use of “Happy Hank” (carrying a hankerchief that farmers carried for years) to replace papel towel waste in the restrooms.
This is only the beginning — thank you No Impact Man!
This post was submitted by Ryan Mahan.
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.
Hi! I recently started documenting everything I throw away, every day, by saving it all until bedtime and posting a picture of it on my blog, 365 Days of Garbage. I’ve only been at it just over a month and it’s already helped me start reducing — when I kept seeing all the paper towels you used washing your hands at the office all day, for instance, I started realizing I rarely need to use them at all. By the time I get back to my desk, my hands are already nice and air dried. Becoming mindful of my garbage, instead of mindlessly throwing it in a can and forgetting about it forever, has really changed how I think about sustainability.
This post was submitted by Meredith.
I don’t drive my car or buy anything one day a week. I use solar power, 6 panels currently, and growing. I bathe using Dr. Bronners and 2 gallons of water only. I wash my laundry with Dr Bronners and baking soda in the tub then rack dry. I eat all meals at home. 80% of diet is grains, vegetables and fruits. I grow strawberries, blackberries and blueberries in my garden. I mow the back yard every other week. Always trying to find ways to adapt and lower my impact. Got the idea for the laundry by watching No Impact Man movie. Great site, might adapt some more ideas from here. Thanks
This post was submitted by Jason Bedard.
After being inspired by No Impact Man I decided to look again at the use of chemicals in my cleaning routines. I came across an article about soapnuts and consequently bought a bag to try. I cant sing their praises enough they are the most natural product on earth in my opinion. I boil 100g of them in 1ltre of water for 25 mins and hey presto i have 500ml of chemical free washing liquid which is enough for 10 washes. i store the liquid in an old glass jam jar in the fridge to keep it fresh.
This post was submitted by nina fletcher.