by Catherine Cheung. Did anyone of you see the “No Impact Man” on one of the Green Movie nights organized by Council in June?  If you haven’t, check out the trailer here!
“What would it be like to try to live a no impact lifestyle? Is it possible? Could it catch on? Is living this way more fun or less fun? More satisfying or less satisfying? Harder or easier? Is it worthwhile or senseless? Are we all doomed or is there hope?” These were the questions self-proclaimed “No Impact Man” Colin Beavan asked while embarking on his one year experiment—to live without making any net impact on the environment.

This is no small feat, considering the family of three, living in New York, attempted to live one year with no rubbish, no packaging, no plastics, no disposable nappies, no cosmetics, no air conditioning, no TV, no junk foods and no coffees …  In the second half of the year, the family even turned off their electricity!  And that’s not enough. In order to offset some of the “societal ecological debt”, they volunteered to clean up the city’s garbage and plant trees.

Right, it might sound a bit extreme. But they did it!  In stages, they researched and tried out  the ecological options available to reduce harm on the environment, and they have figured out the way forward – to do something and make a difference, rather than “don’t bother, it’s all too hard”. 

It’s not all about self-sacrifice either. Through the experimental year, the family found more time for each other and for their friends, they became re- connected with the local community, especially the farmers who supply them with fresh, local foods, and Colin’s wife is no longer prone to becoming diabetic.

So what about me? And my little family of three in Noosa? We certainly can’t proclaim ourselves as the “No Impact Family”, but we are trying to lower our impacts on all aspects of living.

• Energy – we have solar panels and solar hot water on our roof, and we use power sparingly.
• Transport – we walk and bike around as much as we can, and drive only when we have to. Our air travel is quite alarming though, with a second home in NZ and my side of the family in Hong Kong. We’ve planted over 30 native trees in NZ this year and plan to plant many more to offset our air travel.
• Food – we do our veggie and fruit shopping at the Farmers Market, mostly organic and local, and only have meat or fish once a week. In NZ, we have a productive veggie garden and orchard, providing more than we need, and we share/swop with our neighbours. For tea, coffee and chocolate, we opt for organic, fair trade.
• Waste – we tackle this at source by avoiding disposable items and packaged foods as much as we can. The many local second-hand shops are our first port of call when we need something: clothes, games, bikes and knick knacks… We bring our own bags, drink bottles and travel mugs wherever we go. Of course, we reuse and recycle.  Our chooks and compost heaps help us process our food scrap.
• Fun – we bike, go for walks, watch birds and fly the kite together. In the evening, we play scrabble, back gammon or read books.  We’re trying to wean ourselves off the TV. At least in NZ, we have succeeded. 
• Volunteering – we give our time to various community groups and campaigns, in turn we build friendships and expand our horizons.

There are plenty more we can do, and so can you.  By doing something, one step at a time, you will feel empowered.  By being connected with the local community, you will no longer feel isolated or can’t make a difference. Because together, we are a powerful force!

Catherine Cheung

Check out the trailer here!