All reviews for Ekovuosi Manhattanilla (2009)
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I have a weird emotional attachment to the No Impact Man project. I discovered Colin Beavan's blog when I was pregnant with my first child and suffering from intense depression. His blog, and his ideas about how community and environmentalism could intersect were this ray of hope in my life that played a huge role in pulling me through a very dark time. I know it sounds silly, but I needed so desperately at that time to know there was still good in the world, that it was a place worth bringing my child into, and I got that from his blog. So that personal experience certainly colors my review of this book dramatically. I can see why some things about Colin come off as annoying. But everyone is annoying. He's not a perfect person, obviously. In fact, I'll bet he can be a jerk some times. But so can I. I guess I am willing to look past that at the message he's trying to get across, which is overwhelmingly good, because I can recognize that I have no place to judge. Colin's overwhelming message is that of valuing people and community over consumption, and finding ways to do the most good in the world. It is about empowering ourselves as individuals and working collectively. And it's practical advice for working towards these goals. Beyond the lack of toilet paper (if you really want to know, google family cloth), and the weird bag episode, there is actually a lot of profound and beautiful stuff in this book. It was nice to be transported back to that feeling of hope I used to get from his blog. If you are looking for a positive, feel good message about environment and community, that doesn't ignore or gloss over problems, this is the book for you. It will leave you feeling empowered and inspired, rather than worried and stressed, like most books on environmentalism.Also, I totally want a bike rickshaw now.
This book really opened my eyes to how wasteful our culture has become. Although I recycle as much as possible, this is just a blip in what needs to be done.The author spends one year trying to change his way of living to not leave any carbon footprint on our world. Each month he added new ways to become more Eco-friendly. He started with not buying anything in packaging, which was a lot harder than he expected. From there he added walking or biking instead of using cars or any other fuel burning transportation. He even by the end of the year was not using electricity.While each added habit at first seemed difficult, he found that he and his previously shop-a-holic wife were much happier. They had time to talk, enjoyed outings with their young daughter, lost weight, and enjoyed life much more.Even after the year was over, he and his wife decided to keep a lot of the ways of living they had tried.As I was reading this, I realized how dependent I am on wasteful uses of resources, and want to try to be less so. I doubt very much I could go as far as he did, but I certainly can change many ways I am wasteful.
found this less interesting than his blog. the documentary, even less so.
Not one of my favourite books. I struggled trying to pick this book up.
Insightful in a very readable,proactive feeling way.