Recently saw an advance screening of the No Impact Man doc.

The film is a well-made depiction of one family’s struggle to go without almost all modern conveniences while trying to survive in the jungle of Manhattan.  Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock somewhere or you’re just not tapped into the green blogosphere, you’ve already heard the tale of Colin Beavan and his self-promotional journey.

Thanks in large part to headlines by The New York Times, he may be remembered most as the guy who went a long time without toilet paper.

The stars of the film turn out to be Colin’s wife, Michelle, and two-year-old daughter, Isabella.  Michelle represents the doc’s everyman – a representation of all of us – trained by our consumer culture to crave our Starbucks products, air conditioning, cars, clothes and take-out food.

Ultimately, Colin and his project do make a difference if only to the degree that the publicity surrounding No Impact Man brings the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle message to The Today Show masses. Opens in NY and LA on September 11 – visit oscilloscope for release schedule. Catch the trailer on youtube.