No Impact Project: Useful Lessons for Life

Typical studies for middle and high school students include calculus, biology, history and chemistry, but let’s face it, who really remembers the atomic weight of Scandium? While some lessons are quickly learned and quickly forgotten, there are certain themes that stick with students, particularly those affecting and applicable to everyday life. The recently released No Impact Project curriculum draws attention to issues surrounding modern consumption and teaches students how they can lead less wasteful and more meaningful lives.

The No Impact Project was born from the film and blog “No Impact Man,” in which New Yorker Colin Beaven and his family chose to live with as little environmental impact as possible for a year. Buying locally produced food and forgoing unnecessary shopping, public transportation, and even electricity at one point, Beaven and his family found that they gained much more than they lost during the project.  The No Impact Project transforms some of the lessons learned by Beaven and his clan into lesson plans that teachers can use to help students learn about sustainability.

The lessons plans are divided into five categories; consumption, energy, food, transportation and water, each paired with a related non-profit group, including the Eat Well Guide for food. Using video clips and excerpts from the book, the plans engage students through warm-up activities, in-class discussions and take home assignments.  For example the food lesson has students examine the packaging their food comes in and develop a meal plan based on locally sourced food. The energy lesson has students create a “top 10” list of ways to reduce their energy consumption.

The five lessons plans, developed for grades six through twelve by Cari Ladd, M.Ed. are just a taste of what students (and the rest of us) can do to decrease our environmental impact. Accordingly, the curriculum, based upon national standards, lists a plethora of resources, projects and activities students can pursue. And with such a wide range of topics, there is sure to be a personal interest for every student.

In an era where the average teen spends seven and a half hours watching TV, talking on the phone, texting and surfing the web, it is important to remind them that they really don’t need any of these things. While the idea of giving up electricity for half a year may be extreme, it is certainly an awakening to the fact one can live a fulfilling life with friends, family, books and good food with minimal waste.

This post was written by Sophy Bishop, Program Assistant at Sustainable Table.