Colin Beavan

This is definitely a good read, and I would recommend it both to beginners and more seasoned environmentalists.

The author grapples with big issues, and takes them on as well as he can, which is pretty awesome. He looks at all aspects of the no impact lifestyle, and doesn't just stop at using canvas bags like most people. He switches to a local diet, stops buying new things, and even turns off the electricity. Throughout the book, you see how the author evolves throughout the course of this show more experiment, and how he questions every act he carries out.

I really appreciate how the author takes on the big questions such as whether personal lifestyle changes are enough to solve the problems of over consumption and global warming. He is rightfully skeptical of legislative change, but agrees that spending time arguing over whose method is best wastes time that could be spent making lifestyle changes and advocating for change as well. I agree that making lifestyle changes is important for people to understand that it is possible to live a lower impact lifestyle, it is more rewarding and engaging, and when institutional change finally comes about, it won't be as much of a culture shock for people who have already made changes in their lives.

It's also refreshing to read a book about making these lifestyle changes in a city. I've read so many "urban" homestead books about making your city home more eco-friendly, but so often the books are catered towards people with houses and lawns and the whole nine yards. The author and his family reside in a one bedroom apartment in Manhattan, and he says that this is a reality that many people live with and that we can still make changes even without our own homes.

I'm also looking forward to reading a lot of the books he references throughout the text, and which he provides in a resources section at the end of the book. As much as I like to think that I live a low impact lifestyle, I know that I don't and I'd like to get more ideas on how I can change my lifestyle to be more environmentally friendly. show less

There have been a lot of books lately in which the author gives up some modern convenience (or some combination of them) for some period of time. Some of them are pretty awful. But Beavan manages to be both humble and even occasionally funny while narrating his family's attempt to make the smallest negative environmental impact possible while living in New York City and maintaining their usual social commitments, work etc. This is an inspiring book and, while I consider myself to be a show more "not-that bad" person in my habits (i.e. I buy organic, don't eat "much" meat, walk "most of the time" etc.) I really started to re-evaluate things after reading this book. I especially appreciate the author's openness about discouragments and doubts, but also his emphasis on the personal benefits of living with less, the enhanced family and social time etc. show less

I had to read this book for work as I am a college instructor. So, I expected that I would have to slog through it as I normally do with the "freshman common book." I was pleasantly surprised to find Beavan to be relatable, talented, and far from pedantic. Beavan's narration is witty and funny, and, best of all, he acknowledges the extreme nature of his experiment. He's not advocating that we all adopt his temporary lifestyle. He's advocating that we all think about our choices and their show more effects on us and on others.

This brings me to my favorite part of the book. Colin Beavan is clearly a believer in emotional unity, which is an incredibly important life value for me. He writes that "[t]here is no my despair or your despair. There is only our despair." When we destroy the planet, we are hurting one another, and, so, we are hurting ourselves. Even if this had been the only insight I gleaned from the book (and it wasn't), the narrative would have been completely worth reading. Beavan presents environmentalism as simultaneously self-interested and generous, which is an amazing rhetorical shift from the more common depiction of recycling, etc... as a sacrifice of time and energy. The complexity of his argument, and the effectiveness that complexity generates, is fascinating to any writer. Amazing. show less

I have to admire Colin Beavan for his consistent attempt to make no impact on the environment. I admire his wife, daughter, and dog even more for joining him on his urban adventure (he attempts this feat while living in a 9th-floor apartment in NYC—and his self-imposed rules prohibit the use of an elevator). Beavan is a good writer; his words and his tone truly capture the concurrent folly, heartbreak, earnestness, absurdity, and exasperation engendered by his attempt to live for one year show more without damaging the planet. And his reflective prose clarifies for us (without being too preachy) just how dependent we are on the alleged conveniences of modern life. I’m not sure if I could even attempt one-tenth of what Beavan does to improve the planet, but his example proves that we—and by we, I mean the human race—must do something to avert the inevitable disasters that our careless stewardship of the planet will evoke. I’m not sure, however, that I share Beavan’s optimism. I suspect that most people will have to be forced to make changes that will require them to do more to save the planet. show less