The experiment intrigued me, because I had seen the movie about the Beavan family's year-long experience of living lightly, and I believe we should all be taking deliberate steps to reduce our wasteful ways. Yes, we are a wasteful, throw-away society, though some of us are trying, in our own way, to break out of that cycle and live more...thoughtfully. So, participation in this week-long, planned experiment, with thousands of other eco-conscious people, would have been illuminating, because each day presented a particular challenge that forced conscious thought about our mostly unconscious daily living habits.
I signed up to receive the guide and the email updates. Alas, the timing made it all but impossible for me to join in, because of our previously made plans to be out of town and out of our normal environment. I had to settle for following along vicariously, which was also illuminating, but not quite the same as actually doing it. Of course, I have the guide downloaded to my computer (NOT printed out!), and I can pick my own date and run my own No Impact Week at any time...I just like to think I'm already on the right track.
Meanwhile, Day One was CONSUMPTION day for the participants, who, after watching "The Story of Stuff," were directed to make a list of items they needed to buy for the week. Then they were told to delete the things they could live without. For the rest of the items, they were encouraged to examine what they could borrow, buy secondhand, or make themselves. Colin Beavan stopped buying new goods (except food) three months into his year-long experiment. His wife Michelle (painfully) kicked her shopping habit and discovered that she had more money, more space in her house, and more time to spend with family and friends. As you know, if you read this blog, "stuff reduction" is an ongoing project for us.
Participants were also instructed to save (in a reusable bag) ALL of their personal trash for the day (empty bottles, can, wrappers, food waste, etc) in preparation for Day Two, which was all about TRASH, why we create so much of it and how to stop doing that! After having to look at your trash from the previous day, something becomes immediately clear: disposable=trash. And the remedy is...stop using disposables! Plastic bottles and grocery bags are some of the worst offenders. You can recycle them, but why not stop using them altogether? Carry your own reusable bags for food shopping, and carry your own reusable water bottle or coffee cup. Look for items that don't come packaged in throwaway bags, boxes, wrappers, etc. (This should take you to the outer aisles of the grocery store, or to farmers markets, and you'll find you're eating healthier too). Goodbye fast food and carry-outs--hello potlucks with the neighbors. Cut up old clothing for rags and stop using paper towels. Stop using disposable razors. You get the idea.
Day Three was TRANSPORTATION day --"don't burn fossil fuels, burn calories!" I'm all in favor of spending less time in the car. As the mother of an Iraq war veteran, it's really easy for me to remember that soldiers are dying for the freedom to keep the oil supply and corporate profits flowing. As far as I'm concerned, we aren't paying nearly enough for our gasoline to cover its real cost. I'm sorry if it sounds harsh. But that's my trigger, and other people may be motivated to reduce their oil consumption for other reasons.
Anyway, make a list of the places you are going this week. Are all of these trips necessary? Can you walk, bike, carpool, or take public transportation to get to some of your destinations, instead of driving your own car? Are you at least combining errands in a way that reduces your mileage travelled?
Throughout this day, participants are told to keep a list of everything they eat, where they eat it, and where they purchase it, in preparation for Day Four--FOOD day. This is when everyone takes their list from the previous day and calculates their carbon "foodprint." Did you eat anything grown with 250 miles, how much non-organic meat and dairy, how much packaging came with it, etc? Then, there is encouragement to try altering your diet towards more local, organic, less processed and packaged, vegetarian and vegan choices.
Day Five is ENERGY day. Walk from room to room in your house and make an assessment of how much energy you're using, i.e., how many devices are plugged in and turned on, and then decide what you can MITIGATE or ELIMINATE. The Beavans actually had their electricity shut off towards the end of their year-long experiment. That would be an extreme step for most of us (though one should always be prepared for emergencies when the power goes out and it's NOT your choice). But most of us can use less heat and a/c, lighting, TV, and other energy-sucking devices. At the very least, there are compact fluorescent and LED bulbs, programmable thermostats, and Energy Star appliances.
Day Six---WATER. This is probably our most precious resource, the one that makes life possible, and we who have a good supply tend to take it for granted. Many areas of the earth, including some of our largest population centers in the US, must get their drinking water from somewhere else and would suffer severely if that source were cut off. If you haven't experienced a dry or contaminated well, or a watering ban during a drought, then you may not have had a reason to think about this. No Impact participants are asked to assess their water footprint.
There are lots of ways to use less--do only full loads of laundry, or at least set the water level appropriately. Don't run a dishwasher that isn't full, and if you hand wash your dishes, let them soak for a few minutes in hot, soapy water to get clean with less water and less effort.. Don't leave the faucet running while you brush your teeth, put a brick in your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water per flush, take shorter showers, don't water your lawn.
Day Seven is GIVING BACK day. How do you contribute to your community? Do you volunteer,or write checks to charities, perform random acts of kindness for strangers? Is there something you would like to help with that you aren't doing now?
Day Eight is an ECO-SABBATH, take a break from everything day. Don't go anywhere, don't buy anything, don't turn on the TV, don't answer your phone, don't cook, just give yourself and the planet a break and spend time by yourself or with family and friends. Read, converse, play a board game, commune with nature, be grateful for what you have.
Some folks diaried their experiences at the YES magazine No Impact Week Blog, and I'm reading through them as time permits. Some of them are very good writers and their stories are quite enjoyable. There's a wealth of information for anyone looking for tips to modify their lifestyle to a more earth-friendly one.
Should everyone try the No Impact experiment? I suppose it could be eye-opening in dramatic fashion for some, but it's kind of like a crash diet if you return to business as usual when the week is up. For people who have already overcome their indifference to the world around them and WANT to live more thoughtfully, it makes more sense, I think, to gradually incorporate more and more of these practices into your daily living until they become your normal habits.
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