Beavan, Colin

Colin Beavan provides an account of his experiences trying to live everyday life in New York City with his wife and young daughter while making zero net impact on the environment--an experiment that meant no elevators, no subways, no air-conditioning, no toilet paper, and other deprivations.

The author chronicles his life for one year for causing as little impact on the environment as possible. He refuses to use toilet paper and electricity and gives up all motorized transportation as well as other restrictive items along with his family.

Tells the story of the discovery that fingerprints could be used to identify criminals, discussing the pioneering work of Dr. Henry Faulds, and reviews the 1905 murder case in which fingerprint evidence was first put to the test.