Samuel van der Swaagh
House 2, Cohort 2
09/19/12
Reading & Writing
No Impact Man: Reading Journal #1
Colin Beavan
During the opening three chapters of No Impact Man, Colin Beavan finds a philosophy, equilibrium, that not only launches him into a one year project of being eco-friendly, but also guides his thinking on the matter. As Beavan states, while explaining his philosophical approach to the experiment, "In blunt mathematical terms . . . we would try to achieve equilibrium that looked something like this: Negative Impact + Positive Impact = No Net Impact." When Beavan begins to strategize for how he might minimize his carbon footprint, he realizes that it is impossible for people (especially city dwellers) to completely reduce their environmental impact to zero. From the very moment we step outside to the instant we leave work, we exhale carbon dioxide, accumulate trash and release waste into the environment whenever we relieve ourselves. The question is not only ‘how can we reduce our impact on our surroundings,’ but also ‘how can we compensate for our negative impact upon our eco-system?’ In other words, Beavan seeks to avoid both hedonism and asceticism. Beavan believes that self-restraint from overindulgence has emotional, physical, and environmental benefits. He does not, however, believe that utter self-denial is an answer to our environmental crisis.
While the author makes his first move toward this equilibrium, Beavan confronts a question that challenges his thinking on consumption and waste management: Do we consume convenience products (e.g., tissues, paper or plastic cups, and takeout meals) in order to survive, or do we pursue a lifestyle that is centered around convenience? Or in the words of Beavan, "Do we work for and pay for all this convenience in order to live our lives, or do we live our lives in order to work for and pay for all this convenience?" The point of Beavan's question is ‘do we live to consume stuff or consume stuff to live?’ The question drives home our need to re-examine our consumption habits and trash bins because too often, in our busy lives, we approach life ungrateful or discontent. Today's modern consumer rarely savor's a moment or thinks twice about buying or tossing products, or even considers how much he/she spends on disposable or use-one items. Part of the battle of attaining this equilibrium is rejecting the easy fix mindset, which largely contributes to our garbage issue, and living a life of gratitude.
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Submitted Version of 09/19/12:
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