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 an American currently studying in London for 4 months, I’ve already experienced how greener life in Europe can truly be. I walk 98% of the time to 98% of the places I travel. Also, farmer markets are more common than grocer chains. However, in an effort to further reduce my impact, I’ve started to take all my class notes by hand - less electricity. My cut off time for my laptop is 7:00 p.m. Not using my laptop forces me to fill my time with reading which I’ve taken a liking to again!
Also, I try not to use the heater at night (even though its freezing), I prefer to bundle myself in covers. Although I am not 100% impact-free, living in London has taught me the benefits of walking, using farmers’ markets, and simply reading for free. My efforts are minimum but I can’t wait to use these skills back home in Florida where I can give more and take less.
This post was submitted by Elizabeth Goueti.
Washing clothes in cold water and line drying. I’ve noticed a large reduction in our gas consumption - hot water and dryer both heated by gas.
This post was submitted by Roy Russell.
From Aug. 2007-Aug. 2008 I ate only foods raised or grown within 250 miles of my apartment in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Since then, I’ve stuck to my 250-mile diet more often than not. I’d estimate that my post-250-mile diet is about 80% local.
To make it easier for others in the NYC area to eat local, I’ve organized my local foods shopping finds into a directory at http://www.localfork.com/locavoreguidenyc.aspx
I met Colin when we were both speakers at a Just Food event in 2007 and his zeal encouraged me to look at other ways besides food that I could change my lifestyle in a way that would be beneficial to the environment.
I will be blogging about my experiences during No Impact Week at http://ledameredith.net/wordpress. That will require electricity, and I don’t yet have the option of the solar gadget Colin had during his no impact year. I will do the best I can.
This post was submitted by Leda Meredith.
I created a facebook page called Consciously Green to give tips on how to reduce your impact. I want to spread awareness to as many people as I can. The tip I posted today is to put a full 20-ounce bottle in the toilet tank to reduce the amount of water it takes to fill and flush your toilet and to try the “if it’s yellow, let it mellow” technique. Try flushing every other time to save water.
This post was submitted by Dahlyla Lang.
20 years ago, I went Vegan; sold my car to travel by bike, bus and on foot; recycled, or used recycled everything, from clothing to furniture; gave away everything I owned that i truly didn’t need; began purchasing anything I did need locally; made conscientious use of electric and water; got rid of my credit cards and went to cash only (though I do have a bank); even started working from my home to cut out commutes.
I did it for my kids, though they weren’t happy about the car’s sale; although, mostly for myself. As a single income parent of three, economics were a huge issue. And no matter how much money I did, or didn’t have, it was clear no amount would buy my kids an Earth worth living on. So I asked myself, “As an individual, given my options, what one thing could I do that was the greatest impact toward removing my imprint?”
My kids weren’t happy about the car going, at first They have since thanked me and all ride bikes, bus, or hoof it. One son started an electronic recycling biz. The other builds from recycled goods, and just takes joy in redistributing second hand items amongst the needy (mostly single moms).
The boys never got much into being vegan, though they have since modified their diets to conform with their health. My daughter was actually my vegan inspiration. Since my adult life I’d been vegetarian. Going vegan was probably the best thing I did for myself. I’m a 53yo, exercise challenged, chocolate lover, with extraordinary strength and health.
I do like having a bank, though going debt free, to include my cash only policy, has saved me so much money!!!!! It’s allowed me to be more present with my kids and teach them to live within their means, as well. Tthey’ve also come to understand a greater value of self, as well, which is priceless.
This said, I’d like to take your experiment to see if there isn’t anything I don’t already know. It seems there’s always something one can learn. People are coming up with the most creative ways to live imprint free. And sophisticated. They’re so inspiring.
So I guess that’s what I’ve done: spared myself obesity and premature aging, to allow myself to be greatly stress free for my community and children, and ensure not just my corner of earth, but also that of my children’s, and their children’s children. Though at the time I started, I had no idea it would be all that it became. Pretty cool, huh?
This post was submitted by Eve Appleton.