#8-2. Faction: Motivated from "The Conversion of the Jews" -- No Impact Man Project

Ye Ji Park / 111053 / 11b3

Mr. Richard Menard

American Literature

September 26 2012

Faction (Motivated from The Conversion of the Jews): No Impact Man Project

No Impact Man Project (n.) a project devised and performed by Colin Beavan and his family; living a life that influences the environment as least as possible

"You know that you're a real freak to put this plan into practice, right?" Nicolle asked. "No Impact Man Project? Are you sure this is a feasible plan?"

"Relax, Nicolle, take it easy. Just a half century ago people lived well without using all those transportations and electronic goods. There's no reason that we cannot do this," I said.

"Why do you care about the Earth for anyway?"

"Well, you know what I would say. Earth is constantly being contaminated by us; even at this very moment, our air-conditioner, on-television, and leftovers of fast food we just finished off few minutes ago contributed in Earth's decay. I'm suggesting helping the Earth a little bit by restraining ourselves a little bit," I concluded, reading my wife's countenance to see if she was angry with her irksome husband. And yes, she was; Nicolle turned her back on me and gazed into the television, which her favorite TV show was playing on.

"Okay, understandable. But why do WE need to do this? There are so many people who are enjoying their life without paying slight attention to the Earth. I'm definite that our acts would result in nothing but a very, very minuscule delay on the Earth's collapse. ... You know what I mean? I don't see a clear outcome that will justify all the inconveniences we would be demanded to suffer for next twelve months," Nicolle finally said. Her shoulders were trembling.

I suddenly felt sorry for her; yes, she was right. No matter how arduously my family performs the project, millions of people would continue to waste, consume, dump, etc. The Earth would keep on decaying despite our project, and the outcome of this project must be tremendously small compared to all the efforts we are going to devote.

Still I wanted to challenge; I wanted to see if it was possible for us to live without televisions, newspapers, fast food, air conditioner or electric heater, etc. I wanted to see if I could live with influencing the environment as least as possible. And... this is my secret hope that I didn't tell to my wife, because I was sure that Nicolle would gaze me as if I am the greatest nut in this world, but I sincerely hoped to achieve victory in No Impact Man Project, thereby instigate people around me to follow me and do the project themselves. Maybe then, the outcome would be larger, and it may contribute … “significantly” in delaying the Earth's decay. MAYBE. But holding expectation and hope is not something bad, right?

Isabella was crying. I looked at the watch; it was definitely not a meal time, so she must be calling me to change her diaper. I groaned -- this was, actually, the moment that I did not want to confront. I made few contracts with Nicolle to make her participate in this project, and Nicolle negotiated by letting me do some bothersome and irritating tasks. Changing Isabella's diaper was one of them.

I looked environmental-friendly diaper that I decided to use instead of disposable one, in hope that my discomfort would help the Earth. Reading the instructions carefully, I folded the new diaper and attached it with a pin between my daughter's legs -- which was the most thrilling and frightening moment that made my hands shake frantically.

Actually, changing my daughter's diaper was not the only ordeal I faced during practicing No Impact Man Project. The project demanded me eat only local food, made of agricultural products within 500 miles, and this meant that Nicolle could not drink coffee anymore. She was literally mad at me, and after appeasing her for more than an hour, I promised her to grow peppermint and make her mint tea every day. That was a labor.

Nicolle and I were both suffering from the steaming hot of NYC, August. We opened the window, fan ourselves frantically, nibbled chunks of ice, but never turned on air conditioner. Nicolle was missing her Chelsea Lately, and I missed electric light bulb that enabled me to work even after the Sun sets. We were exhausted after climbing stairs to the fourteenth floor, and we thought that we were going behind time, since we could not read newspapers and catch the top issue for that day.