Back in August, 2006, we had a mini No Impact experiment for a week to help us decided if we could do it for a year. I pulled out my bike—the one I use now to get around—and dusted it off. This is my journal entry about my first real ride (the picture, by the way, comes from […]
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Today is answer the critics day
Now then, I’ve had an incredible amount of support for the project from all over the world the last few days, and I’ve had rather a large amount of, well, hate mail. Someone wants to spray Michelle and I with an Uzi and get Isabella adopted by Angelina Jolie, for example.On the other hand, there have been […]
A million questions—just a few answers
So many people emailed me yesterday, thanks! I’m answering your questions here instead of by email so everyone can see. I’ll answer more in subsequent posts. Also, thanks to everyone for all the comments on the posts. I have to read through them still, but I’ll try to answer questions there soon, too. Can you […]
Cure the planet’s fever
I expect a lot of new visitors here today, so I’m going to devote this post to a quick survey of consumer-related activities that contribute most to the planet’s pressing environmental problems and some measures each of us can take in our own lives to improve things. But before we get to that, let me […]
Giving and impact
Today’s post is by Professor Arthur Brooks (pictured here), director of the non-profit studies program at Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. Arthur has been a fervent supporter of the No Impact experiment and a great personal morale booster since No Impact started. His ideas on the unnecessary cleft between individual […]
I hereby sacrifice my teeth to the environment (kind of)
A newspaper reporter asked me today by email to confirm that, among other measures, we stopped using toothpaste and started using baking soda to brush our teeth. She also asked why. Here is what I said (in slightly improved words): We’re taking actions now that I’m pretty sure are sound but for which I don’t […]
Bits and pieces
Today is a day for some practical living details on our No Impact lifestyle, answering questions that have come in comments and private emails, and mentioning a couple of news stories that are kind of alarming. Too hot for comfort—The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced on Friday that the 2006/2007 winter has been the […]
You can’t buy a clean conscience
Ben Elgin, writing in this week’s BusinessWeek, begins his article “Another Inconvenient Truth“, about carbon offsets, by mocking the Academy Awards for declaring “all their celebrity presenters to be ‘carbon-neutral.’” He goes on to say: “A growing number of organizations, corporations, cities, and individuals are seeking to protect the climate—or at least claim bragging rights […]