Before a film launches, we often times host a strategy meeting, or summit, to pull together a group of organizations that will set the direction for the film’s campaign and point us to the upcoming opportunities where the film can help build the movement.

A couple weeks ago  we hosted a strategy summit for No Impact Man – a highly anticipated book and documentary film about Colin Beavan’s family’s year long experiment in sustainability. We met with leading organizations such as 1Sky, 350, Alliance for Climate Protection, Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, Center for a New American Dream, Climate Counts, Food & Water Watch, ioby, and the National Council of Churches (Eco-Justice Program) to discuss how the No Impact Project can support the movements to fight climate change, make our lives more sustainable, and curb mindless consumption.

For many people the unique thing about the No Impact project might be that an urban family successfully found a higher quality of life by eliminating cars, electricity, and non-local food from their lives for a year. But another key takeaway from their experience is that making change isn’t just about individual action. It’s about the personal connection with political action, or engaged citizenship.

Engaged citizenship allows us to transform our lives on an individual level and local level, and simultaneously connect to the national and international politics that are needed to solve this complex problem of global warming. Who better to advocate for safe bike lanes than bicycle commuters themselves?

The No Impact Man film and book show this natural connection and ultimately the No Impact Project, in partnership with cutting edge organizations, will support you in making your next steps into engaged citizenship.