No Impact Man… The Book

There’s No Impact Man, the blog, the movie and now the book.

Colin, Michelle and Isabella (yeah, we’re on a first name basis) embark on a year-long lifestyle experiment where they attempt to live with the smallest environmental impact. Why do such a thing?

If you want to change the world, start with yourself. Or as the famous Gandhi quote says, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Colin realized that in order to change the world he needed to stop condemning others for their consumption of resources, and start changing his consumption.

And so No Impact Man was born. The transformation towards a no impact life happens in stages over the course of a year. Each stage brings it’s own set of problems, stories and discoveries.

The first step Colin and his family take is towards zero waste. They examine the contents of their trash and vow to not produce trash – this means not buying packaged products or using disposable products like paper napkins. Next they take on carbon producing transportation. They use bikes, a scooter or good old fashioned walking to get around NYC. Next up they switch to locally produced food. And then they pull the plug on electricity.

While reading this book, I thought about the changes Colin and his family made. Could I go without a car? Could I shop at the farmer’s market exclusively? Could I go electricity free once a week? Could I avoid buying things wrapped in plastic?

What I got from this book, other than inspiration and ideas on how to shrink my carbon footprint, was an overwhelming sense that I can make a difference.

As Helen Keller said, “I am only one, but I am still one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something.“

It’s better to do something, than nothing.

I found the book to be entertaining, inspirational, thought provoking, and deeply personal. Colin is the real deal.

Check out No Impact Man, the project to see how you can make a difference.

Go big; Decluttering a play room

After completing a few small decluttering projects – drawers, cabinets and bookshelves, I decided to do a project outside of my home. I asked my friends if they had an area that needed decluttering.

My friend Laura enthusiastically said ‘Yes!’ 

So, we set a decluttering date.

When I arrived at Laura’s home and saw her daughter’s play room for the first time, I ran.

OK I didn’t run, or cry. At first sight I knew it was going to be a long and rewarding day. This project was big. Where should we start?

Furniture

We started with the big stuff; the furniture. Was all the furniture needed? What would be the best layout for the room? Since it’s a small space, we decided to remove one piece of furniture; a green shelf and drawer unit.

Sorting and purging

Next came the sorting and purging. We purged little kiddie stuff (like Teletubbies and Sesame Street toys) and sorted everything. We put all the art supplies together, the costumes, Polly Pocket, littlest Pet Shop toys… you get the idea. Once sorted, we organized everything and put things away.

In the end we removed four large trash bags full of kid stuff and donated them to goodwill. We threw away two bags of miscellaneous junk toys – broken toys and random pieces of plastic.  

The finished space

Ah, much better!

We found…

• Decluttering is more fun with a friend
• Big projects are smaller when you have help
• You purge more when someone else asks questions like: “does your daughter play with this?”

The desk space is inviting now

Playroom closet - before and after

I left Laura’s house exhausted, happy, and completely inspired to declutter my office. I came home, purged a few books from my shelves and sat on my tushie the rest of the night; satisfied with a job well done.

The next morning Laura spent time in her daughter’s play room because it was a peaceful and inviting place - the space was transformed. We added nothing to the space, instead we removed things so that what was there could shine.

How about you? Have you taken on a big decluttering project?

Start small; Declutter a drawer

Decluttering your home can be overwhelming if you look at the BIG picture. So don’t look at the big picture. Instead, start small. Focus your effort on a single drawer.

1.  Target a drawer

Pick a drawer any drawer. This drawer looks like a good candidate.

Bathroom drawer (the before picture)

I call this drawer my cosmetic junk yard (yes, I’m sheepishly taking ownership of this mess).

2.  Take everything out

This step is critical. Everything must go.

Keep removing stuff

Don’t be tempted to stop short. Remove everything from the drawer.

3.  Clean the drawer

<imagine my empty drawer – I forgot to take a picture>

Now that everything is out, clean the drawer. You’re starting over. Imagine that you’ve just moved into your home. 

4.  Purge

• Remove things that should be somewhere else 
• Throw away expired items and junk
• Make a pile of useful things you don’t use: the give-away pile

5.  Group alike items

Next organize things into groups, rather like organizing Halloween candy after trick or treating. For example, I made a pile of my teeth products, my lotion products, my deodorants, and my travel sized stuff.

Misc freebies from my dentist

6.   Put things in the drawer

But first, shut your eyes and imagine your drawer. How do you want your drawer to look? What do you need in your drawer? Once you know what you need and how you want it to look, open your eyes and make it happen.

When I shut my eyes, I imagined my bathroom drawer with the things I use daily. No duplicates or backup products.

My new drawer

Ah, much better. Everything I need is readily available. 

Peace and order now reign where there was previously chaos. I open my bathroom drawer and smile.

“Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” – William Morris