I never read the Home & Garden section of the New York Times, so I cannot explain how I stumbled upon the recent story titled The Year Without Toilet Paper. Nor can I explain why this fascinating tale about one couple's choice to endure a yearlong lifestyle experiment they call "No Impact" isn't front page news.

Suffice it to say that this Manhattan couple, and their two-year-old daughter, are experimenting with a lifestyle Henry David Thoreau would be proud of. Here's a brief summary of the endeavor from No Impact Man's blog:

For one year, my wife, my 2-year-old daughter, my dog and I, while living in the middle of New York City, are attempting to live without making any net impact on the environment. In other words, no trash, no carbon emissions, no toxins in the water, no elevators, no subway, no products in packaging, no plastics, no air conditioning, no TV, no toilet paper…

What would it be like to try to live a no impact lifestyle? Is it possible? Could it catch on? Is living this way more fun or less fun? More satisfying or less satisfying? Harder or easier? Is it worthwhile or senseless? Are we all doomed or is there hope? These are the questions at the heart of this whole crazy-assed endeavor.

With any luck, this tale will migrate from Home & Garden to the front section of the NY Times. In the meantime, however,  NYTimes editors have given the story Op-Ed space, and have asked readers "what would you be willing to sacrifice for a more environmentally sound life?"

My favorite reply (#85 of 379 posts):

In my little town, everybody must drive
Though walking is good for the mood
Everyone here needs a car to survive
Go to work, get to school, buy some food.

My son in college is not all that far
But getting him home is a pain
It takes just two hours to come home by car
Or five by a bus or a train

I keep my bedroom at 50 degrees
I hardly ever buy stuff
Sit on my toilet, your tootsies could freeze
But is anything I do enough?

Kyoto is dead, China’s poison’s the air
People fund roads but not rail
Alternative energy’s plenty out there
But our government wants it to fail

So sacrifice, suffer, avoid, go without..
Live as if your were entombed
Without one good leader with vision and clout
Alas, we are probably doomed!

Carbon Neutral Journal's choices are brought to you by Jorgensen Associates.

Popularity: 11%