No Impact Man

My husband and I just got done watching the documentary movie "No Impact Man." We learned some stuff and enjoyed it until the end. There's lots of things we're now inspired to do, such as create a compost pile in the back yard (and I do love worms), make our own toothpaste and laundry detergent, shop locally for food, etc. I guess the big point of the movie was that one person's change can spur lots of change in others. It's all about environmental change, what we can do to stop contributing to the damages being done to the planet. So now I am going to research how to make my own home more sustainable and what I can do to benefit the planet (as well as what I do that hurts it). So far I have been recycling everything I can, reusing glass jars, growing a garden, and I switched my cat litter over to corn and pine based instead of carbon clay based (yes, your pets have a carbon footprint as well). My husband threw a fit about it when I switched around a year ago, but now he doesn't complain at all, and the cats can't tell the difference. This new litter can even be put in compost, although I am still learning if that's a good idea because of pathogens. Oh, and we also stopped eating meat, which as I've blogged about before, the world of meat is one of the leading causes of greenhouse gas emissions.

Anyways, there's a ton of stuff you can do to get started. Little things like switching lightbulbs, buying recycled products or recycling yourself, reusing things like glass jars and plastic or paper bags (but better yet, getting rid of plastic altogether), vowing to never buy paper plates, stocking up on cloth shopping bags, collecting rainwater, growing a garden, starting a compost bin, or even giving up meat.

Doing something like giving up meat or recycling is a lot like losing weight. In order to stick with it without it feeling like a burden, you need to feel completely sure that what you're doing is the best thing for you, that it only has benefits, and that you really want it. The more you want it, the more you know about its benefits, the easier it will be. And once you get going and it becomes easier, it will become second nature and you won't feel deprived. But everyone has their limits. For me, I would not be able to go without my computer/the internet. But I am still convinced that the number one reason people in general can't start being more sustainable and eco-friendly, and even healthier, is because of a severe lack of information. Therefore I hope to share as much information as I can get my hands on.

For those of you who want to know more, here is the blog: http://noimpactman.typepad.com/
And here is the project website: http://noimpactproject.org/