Colin Beavan
Biography
"Colin Beavan's writing, speaking, and activism has encouraged tens of thousands of people to examine their lives to
discover what's really important to them. The resulting lifestyle changes that people make allow them to live more lightly
on the planet, while leading more fulfilling lives. It is Colin's mission to engage citizens, on an individual and collective
level, in choosing ways of life that are healthier and happier for individuals, for our society, and for our planet."
"In 2006, author Colin Beavan, a newly self-proclaimed environmentalist, could no longer avoid pointing the finger at himself.
He left behind his liberal complacency for a vow to make as little environmental impact as possible for one year. No more
automated transportation, no more electricity, no more non-local food, no more material consumption...no problem. That is,
until his espresso-guzzling, retail-worshipping wife Michelle and their two year-old daughter are dragged into the fray! What
would it be like to try to live a no-impact lifestyle? Could it catch on? Is living this way more satisfying or less satisfying?
These are the questions at the heart of his endeavor, through which Colin hopes to explain to the rest of us how we can
realistically live a more "eco-effective" and, by turns, more content life."
"Colin has his PhD in electrical engineering (University of Liverpool). He spent the late 80's and early 90's as a consultant to
philanthropic organizations such as social housing providers, drug treatment agencies and hospitals, helping them to promote
themselves in order to secure increasingly scarce, Thatcher-era funding. In 1992 he returned to the United States and wrote for
magazines until Hyperion published his first book Fingerprints: The Origins of Crime Detection and the Murder Case that Launched
Forensic Science (a popular history of criminology) in 2001. In 2006, Viking published his second book, Operation Jedburgh:
D-Day and America's First Shadow, which focused on the operation that formed the precedent for U.S. anti-Soviet operations in
Afghanistan. He is a visiting scholar at NYU, an advisor to the University's Sustainability Task Force, sits on the board of
directors of New York City's Transportation Alternatives, and on the advisory council of Just Food.
On May 9th, 2012 Colin announced his run for U.S. Congress on the Green Party ticket."
Adapted from author's official web site at: http://www.colinbeavan.com/bio.html
Website
www.colinbeavan.com
Author's official web site includes information on his biography, books, speaking engagements, media, movie, blog and contact information.
No Impact Man The adventures of a guilty liberal who attempts to save the planet, and the discoveries he makes about himself and our way of life in the process.
Videos
Articles
- American-bashing misses the point when climate talks fail
- Join The No Impact Experiment: Colin Beavan Talks About Living Better by Living Lighter
- No Impact Man's Colin Beavan on the Lessons of Living Unplugged
- The Year Without Toilet Paper
- "No impact man" after a year doing without - what now?
- "No Impact Man" Colin Beavan and Michelle Conlin
- We are a nation of oiloholics: Instead of ranting at oil companies, pols, let"s look in the mirror
- Fight Climate Change: Live the Good Life
- No Impact Week: Taking The Environment Into Our Own Hands
- Bring on the Bike Lanes: Bloomberg and Sadik-Khan should build more, not fewer, pathways for cyclists
- Colin Beavan: Advice from an Accidental Activist
Interviews
Blog
A blog by Colin Beavan about what each of us can do to end our environmental crisis, make a better place to live for ourselves and everyone else, and hopefully come up with a happier life along the way.
In addition to some 2,500 daily visitors and 4,000 daily page views, the site has 10,000 email and "newsreader" subscribers. About 1.8 million people have visited the blog since it's establishment, and it was voted as one of Time Magazine's Top 15 environmental blogs.