Follow the Manhattan-based Beavan family as they abandon their high consumption 5th Avenue lifestyle and try to live a year while making no net environmental impact.Follow the Manhattan-based Beavan family as they abandon their high consumption 5th Avenue lifestyle and try to live a year while making no net environmental impact.Follow the Manhattan-based Beavan family as they abandon their high consumption 5th Avenue lifestyle and try to live a year while making no net environmental impact.
- Directors
- Stars
- Awards
- 1 win total
Featured reviews
Something I admire and value greatly in this film is the mindful epiphanies that crop up (that sometimes had nothing to do with what the project was about--unexpected revelations). You'll have to see for yourself, although I will share one ;-). Many complain of not having enough time in the day for anything, or that time moves too fast. This documentary has answers a big eye-opener.
This is by far the most selfless documentary I have seen. It awakens many priceless life lessons that so many miss. I am truly grateful that despise the criticism given (which was actually taken back later in the film by the very people who gave it upon getting to know the family), that the project was seen from start to finish and gone back to be interpreted on many levels (so much self-actualizing going on in this film). This should be watched in as big of a group as you can get together, and it should be exposed to the corporate world. Many people don't quite know the impacts eating meat does to the very animals that are killed for food and on a much larger scale, to the earth. Education and understanding is key.
I LOVE and am so inspired by the call to local and global action and community. This documentary offers the best advice anyone can give to promote action and understanding. Of course it helps to practice good choices yourself but to get involved, involve others, and continue education and understanding, a difference will result and on a much larger scale.
A big thanks to everyone who made this film possible.
The movie itself is quite honest and relatable. Colin is the butt of many jokes including some of his friends. The relation between Colin and Michelle seems strained at times, she wants to be part of the team but he is pretty extreme while remaining quite nice.
Some of the stuff they do makes a lot of sense but no electricity except for one solar power unit, a bit extreme. I like the idea of zero garbage but man you have to work hard for it these days, almost everything is in a package or wrapping. The worm box bit was really funny. The candles actually seemed really nice but not very practical, romantic, not great for reading. The small plot for veggies was great and interesting that even that guy was critical of Colin.
I enjoyed this a lot and strongly recommend. Especially for anyone who wants to reduce their impact on the planet.
Some of the eco-friendly mechanisms that they used seemed crazy for any normal consumer, but it was interesting to see their quest and attempt at conquering their goal to not leave an impact. I felt that throughout the movie, there were some really insightful perspectives regarding the experiment and techniques.
After watching the movie, I was about to eat dinner and started feeling really bad about cooking the noodles wrapped in plastic and using that paper napkin that I would soon throw in the trash can without a second thought. The movie definitely had an impact on me and left me thinking about my actions way after I finished watching the documentary.
Storyline
Did you know
- Quotes
Mayer Vishner: My hesitation about your work, is that it enables people to fool themselves that all they have to do is change the lightbulb or recycle all their plastic bags, as long as they feel that way, no politician will pick it up.
Colin Beavan: And I feel that it is completely true. It's both... . If you have a political stance, then there is an tremendous integrity to living in a way that reflects that political stance.
Mayer Vishner: At the risk of being too personal, it's not, it's just the facts. Michelle writes for Business Week. Millions of trees are cut down on a regular basis in order to promote the fully fallacious propaganda that America corporate capitalism is good for the people, good for you and me. If it's your contention she makes up for it-that it evens out- because she doesn't take the elevator in your fifth avenue co-op, I have to say, you are either dishonest or delusional.
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $100,028
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $15,215
- Sep 13, 2009
- Gross worldwide
- $116,349
- Runtime1 hour 33 minutes
- Color
Contribute to this page
