Recently I shared a few links for documentaries (http://www.joyfuljunction.com/1/post/2010/04/pondering-the-possibilities.html) that were extremely impactive for me for multiple reasons. In the "No Impact Man" video, the husband named Colin Beavan also wrote a book entitled "NO IMPACT MAN: The adventures of a guilty liberal who attempts to save the planet and the discoveries he makes about himself and our way of life in the process."
Today I only read the first 20+ pages of Colin's book, but I was so inspired that I wanted to share a few quick quotes. But first before I do that, let me quickly express why this book set off that alarm so quickly. Believe it or not, it's not only because I'm interested in making some extreme life changes:-)
Here are a few highlights:
- This book further allowed me to recognize the need to be accountable for the choices I make, whether it's environmental or even spiritual.
- Colin is very honest & transparent about his endeavors (I can relate)
- He clearly expresses his desire to understand his current state of being and adjust his overall lifestyle
- He didn't just make broad and abrupt changes, but gradually introduced these adjustments in phases.
- Finally, I found Colin down to earth & his writing style was appealing to me (Caution- There is what some may consider occasional "foul" language, but I was able to overlook those few incidences and catch the "nuggets" that laid within.)
Okay, here are the quotes:
From Chapter 1:
How a Schlub Like Me Gets Mixed Up in a Stunt Like This
(Pg 12)
"As I opened the door to my apartment that afternoon, I felt an unnatural rush of cool air....If I was the type of person who left his air conditioners on when no one was home, not only did I not have the professional authority to talk about the environment, I didn't have the moral authority, either....It was as though I wanted to change other people but was unwilling or unable to look in the mirror. "
(Pg. 15)
"So this book, in short, is about my attempt with my little family to live for a year causing as little negative environmental impact as possible....My intention with this book is not to advocate that, as a culture, we should all give up elevators, washing machines, and toilet paper. This is a book about a lifestyle experiment. It chronicles a year of inquiry..."
From Chapter 2:
Day One and the Whole Thing is a Big Mistake
(Pg 23)
"Consider the resuable-cloth-versus-plastic-diaper debate.
Only about thirty cloth diapers are needed to raise a child if you wash them twice a week. Admittedly, laundering diapers impacts the planet (the heating of the water and the water use itself, for example). On the other hand, that same child, by age two, would go through some 4,000 plastic diapers. How could pumping oil out of the fields in the Middle East, shipping it to factories in, say, China to manufacture plastic diapers, delivering those diapers back to the United States, and then burying those poop-filled 4,000 diapers not be worse than washing the thirty pieces of cloth 104 times?"
**BTW, this wasn't used to condemn disposable diaper users--remember I used them for my first 6 children--however, I did like the generalized scenario he shared when comparing the two options
I still have 200+pages to go and I'm sure I'll get more and more inspired as I read on :-)
Oh, I was able to check this book out from the library in case you're interested in reading more