I am very very excited to share that Colin Beavan affectionately known as No Impact Man will be the convocation speaker here in MY very own community at Illinois Wesleyan University! The event is open to the public.  Note: Seating will be limited!

30,ooo college freshman have read Colin’s Book as part of their summer reading freshman orientation.  30,000 !!!!!!

Wesleyan turned the read into an opportunity for discussion and their very own version of No Impact Experiment.

To quote IWU’s press release:

To celebrate Beavan’s visit to campus, the University Wellness Center is encouraging all faculty, staff and students to participate in a “No Impact Experiment” from Sept. 12-19. It will be one week of cutting consumption, and rethinking a disposable way of life. Each day of the week, participants will attempt to reduce their impact on the environment with steps such as taking public transportation, reviewing what goes into the trash, not buying any new items, powering down unused items and giving back to their community. “Each day builds on the next,” said Illinois Wesleyan’s Visiting Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Health Laurine Brown, “so that ideally, by week’s end, participants have stopped consuming new goods and making trash, switched to a non-polluting transportation, and all while discovering hidden lessons about what is important in your life.”

I personally think that this is not only admirable, character building and a remarkable way to build campus community.

I think it’s really cool!! Way to go IWU.

Colin Beaven