Despite the recent “eco-movement,” few trendy environmentalists would consider trying Colin Beavan’s (the self-proclaimed “No Impact Man”) approach to reducing our environmental footprint: no electricity, no new clothing and possessions, only locally-grown food and no energy-guzzling transportation for a whole year. Directors Laura Gabbert and Justin Schein’s documentary No Impact Man attempts to give Beavan’s fringe experimentation with leaving no carbon trace some mainstream appeal.
Beavan, a Manhattan local, grew sick of leading a wasteful lifestyle and decided to lead his shopping-addicted, caffeine-fed family in an attempt to change the way they viewed life and the environment. With its companion book and blog, No Impact Man shows the family’s failures, frustrations and ultimate successes of reforming their lifestyle.
On his mission, however, Beavan shares the spotlight with his wife, Michelle Conlin, and her ultimate struggle to accept such drastic change. Easily the most interesting part of the film, Conlin assumes the voice of the viewer, desperately trying to accept Beavan’s radical lifestyle choices while simultaneously fighting the entire process. She doesn’t want change; she’d rather drive to work with a Starbucks latte in hand while talking on her iPhone. She does attempt to adhere to her husband’s rules, only occasionally breaking them for an eco-harmful cup of java.
But No Impact Man doesn’t criticize the global community for its unsustainable choices. Instead, it’s an attempt to show people easy, practical and eco-friendly lifestyle alternatives. Like so much of “going green,” No Impact Man does not feature many frills or thrills. It’s a simple documentary that asks more questions than it ultimately answers. But in the end, it points a questioning finger at the audience and plainly asks, “Now, what are you willing to do?”
