Beavan reveals what was contained in the four trash bags he and his family had amassed in four days, including paper and plastic ware and diapers. He realizes that he has a long way to go in his quest to be “No Impact Man,” even if he doesn’t produce the “4.6 pounds of trash per day” (36) produced by the average American family.

The author recalls growing up in Westport, Massachusetts, with his conservationist grandparents. Although they were not hippies (his grandfather worked in the CIA, while his grandmother was a model), they turned down the heat and reused paper bags. Their mantra was to appreciate what they had been given, and when the author sees trash from cups and papers that he has used for mere minutes, he feels guilty.

Beavan goes through his trash like “an archeologist” (37) and thinks to himself that there are no remains of fresh produce in it. He realizes that there is no evidence of having lived a healthy life. He goes through his hectic day schedule with his wife, which involves dropping off his daughter with a babysitter and running to pick her up after work, and he writes that his schedule leaves no time for a leisurely meal.