I'll say it again and again: You have to figure out what's important to you and do what you can. And you can't fret for the areas where you fall short.
But if you are looking to green up your bookshelf and green up your life, here are some books that can help set you in the right direction. I have way more green living books than this, but here are my latest additions (including descriptions from the books themselves):
Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life
In Gorgeously Green, Sophie offers a simple eight-step program that is an easy and fun way to begin living an earth-friendly life. Each chapter covers topics from beauty to fitness, shopping to your kitchen—even your transportation. Whether it's finding the right lipstick, making dinner, buying gifts, or picking out a hot new outfit, finally, there is a book that tackles your daily eco-challenges with a take-charge plan. Just consider Sophie your go-to girl with all the eco-solutions.
Eco-Friendly Families
Eco-friendliness has grown into a way of life across the country. Eco-Friendly Families is the perfect guide to raising a family with "green" values, whether they're celebrating their first Earth Day or are old hands at recycling, eating organic, and carrying a cloth bag to the supermarket. Parents and children can all live by eco-example by following the tips in this book.
The Mom's Guide to Growing Your Family Green: Saving the Earth Begins at Home
Green products are everywhere--fod, appliances, cleaning products, and more--and all are claiming to be low impact and environmentally friendly. With all the choices out there, how can moms determine what will be best for the health and safety of their families--and the environment? Terra Wellington has the answers. As a consumer advocate and green-living expert, she has the inside scoop on the most practical, time-saving, and budget-friendly ways to live green.
The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget: Save Money. Save Time. Save the Planet.
In The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget, Josh Dorfman takes you inside the latest developments in green living to demonstrate how you can easily and affordably have your designer jeans and your planet too. From raising eco-conscious kids to greening your daily commute, Dorfman provides insights into the next wave of green innovation and the products and services that will lighten your planetary impact and lower your expenses.
Squeaky Green: The Method Guide to Detoxing Your Home
When Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan founded Method, the environmentally friendly brand of cleaning products, they used packaging stylish enough to showcase on the countertop and pleasant aromas such as green tea and cucumber to transform household products into must-have lifestyle accessories. And when they coined the phrase 'People Against Dirty,' they weren't just talking about the stuff you track in on your shoes they also meant the toxic chemicals that make up many household detergents. Packed with helpful tips and surprising facts, their first book, Squeaky Green, is a totally informative and completely entertaining room-by-room guide to giving dirty the boot. Squeaky Green is rehab for chemically dependent homes.
Naturally Clean: The Seventh Generation Guide to Safe & Healthy, Non-Toxic Cleaning
Naturally Clean also features a comprehensive product selection guide that analyzes over 300 natural and traditional cleaners: everything from laundry products through oven cleaners, disinfectants, spot removers, carpet cleaners, and bathroom cleaners. This handy, easy-to-use reference rates the household cleaning products found on the shelves of natural food and grocery stores, providing Seventh Generation's pick of your healthiest and safest options. A resource guide tells readers where to find additional information, and an at-a-glance glossary helps understand key terms.
Ecoholic: Your Guide to the Most Environmentally Friendly Information, Products, and Services
Ecoholic is an eye-opening guide to decoding the green from the greenwashed in the maze of products lining our shelves. Unlike other eco guidebooks, Ecoholic names names and gives you the dirt on what not to buy and why, as well as the dish on the most sustainable food, the greenest clothes, beauty products, home supplies, banking choices, sports gear, kids stuff and much much more. And yes, it will even take the toxins out of your love life. Ecoholic is a witty and indispensable guide to the small eco choices that make the biggest difference. No wonder reviewers have called this "sassy eco-bible" your " sacred text when it comes to making any life decisions."
This was written by Leighann who can be read at Multi-Minding Mom where she dishes about family, food, foraging, frivolity, and more! She does what she can and doesn't sweat what she can't.
(Disclosure: I did receive review copies of these books. The descriptions of the books are taken directly from the books or from online listings.)
