NO IMPACT MAN

Guy’s view...

So this is a documentary where a family decides to live without plastic, electricity, canned food and a bunch of other things regular people just can’t live without (at least I know I couldn’t live without them). But who knows maybe I would thrive in a post apocalyptic world where all we could eat where other people, roots and other knicknacks. I also have girl who’s great with a paintball rifle and various martial arts that can help me hunt for food.

So what about this documentary? Well, I find all these things where people challenge themselves to things they normally wouldn’t do. “Super Size Me” comes to mind. That documentary actually had an impact on the fast food industry for at least a month or so. I only hope that some people will rethink what they do with their waste and how they treat mother Gaia.

There’s not only the “non impact” element that is fun to watch with this movie. It’s also nice to see that the lack of things brings people closer. There’s a very cute “scene” in the movie where the whole family does laundry in the bathtub. Very cute, I have to admit.

Guy’s Rating: Important message and a nice little movie to watch.

Girl's review...

I have a desire to do what I can to minimize my impact on the environment. I unplug everything I'm not using. I turn off the lights in rooms I'm not in. I don't leave my car running when I'm sitting idle, waiting for a train or whatever. I don't leave taps running. However, I'm also a hypocrite. I forget to unplug things or turn light off. I own a smaller SUV, which isn't the worst of it's breed, but it's definitely not a bonus for the environment. I guess that's why I enjoyed this movie, because these people are hypocrites, too. They are normal people, not those die-hard extremist environmentalists who would knife me in the street to find out that I don't use wholly organic bio-degradable bags to pick up my dog's shit.

I'm not perfect, but at least I try, and that's what these people making the documentary are saying. We aren't perfect, but we should at least try. They do their part for the 'no impact plan' in stages. It starts with only buying local (grown/made within 250 miles of home) food and ends with no electricity. They use the stairs. They bike. They go outside with their kid, as they forwent TV. Even though this caused a lot of discomfort at times, and some family strife between husband and wife, what they set out to do seemed to improve their standard of living, as well as not impacting their environment.

That's what I liked best about this movie. With forgoing so much material possessions and wants, they created more memories as a family unit. They spent more time with their kid outside. They learned how to problem solve together. They created a good message. It was all very hooky at times, but always very positive.

Still! It would have helped a lot more if I had liked them better. I am positive that if they hadn't have had that cute little kid with them, this documentary would have seemed pompous. That kid created some pretty cute moments, like the bathtub moment and the gardening moment, which really helped the fact their her parents were a bit douchy at times.

Girl's Rating: Even with the angst-filled father and materialistic mother, this family unit did create a good message with this film. It's worth watching, if only to take away one or two ideas to generate less impact in your life.