Ideal Bite

So last night in NYC I caught a screening of No Impact Man. Maybe you've heard of Colin Beavan, the author of the same-titled book and star of the movie coming out Sep. 11. Well, this NY-based writer - along with his wife and young daughter - decided to live a year with as little environmental impact as possible. The point (although some critics saw as too radical) was to go without everything - electricity, public transit, meat, and even toilet paper - and at the end of the year see what's possible and/or practical to go without. To name a few, they only ate locally, biked every where, used candles for light (Colin installed a borrowed solar panel for laptop power), and washed clothes in the bathtub with DIY detergent…much to his wife Michelle's chagrin. 

Michelle was the highlight of the movie for me. She works at Business Week and is a self-proclaimed reality TV-loving, coffee-addicted consumer. To me, she represented the every day person who maybe doesn't consider how they impact the environment, while Colin was the dark greenie showing her the extreme way of eco living - which was a great balance.

Some skeptics saw Colin as an opportunist with a gimmick for a book - however, as he questions himself through out the film, you can tell he really does care about his mission. At the end, the one thing I wish they had done was discussed in depth what's doable and practical to the every day person (example: No electricity, not so much. Biking, totally possible). Either way, the movie really gets you thinking about your impact. 

So, what are you willing to go without to help the planet?

-NY City Editor Brianne…off to brainstorm how I can reduce my impact…

From New York