I have a great book to recommend: Green Goes with Everything by Sloan Barnett, who has 3 kids and is a dedicated consumer advocate. She talks about the ways our homes (and the products we bring into them) are making us sick and, way more importantly, alternatives to those toxins. The book is stuffed with tips to help us all make our lives more green.

Sweet! Thanks so much for even more fabulous eco-friendly tips & tricks. We love you all for taking the time to share the wealth of knowledge you’ve all amassed. Look forward to more green & proud of ‘em posts in the near future!

xo,
Sherry

If you can’t ride your bike to work, ride your bike for trips under two miles. Need to run to the store to pick up a few things? Hop on your bike! Enjoy the fresh air and the fact that you’re doing good things for both yourself and your planet.

If you’re lucky enough to live in an area with good farmer’s markets, patronize them! There is nothing like fresh, locally produced food that has not traveled far to get to you.

I’m surprised no one ever mentions this factor, perhaps because it’s politically incorrect to do so and it’s a big and long-term commitments: become a vegetarian. A vegetarian diet puts MUCH less strain on the planet and it’s resources, besides being healthier for you. If you’re not ready to go whole hog (no pun intended!), at least try to cut down on your meat consumption – instead of meat everyday, try no more than 2 days a week. As Sherry and John mentioned a few weeks ago, use this as an excuse to bust out a cookbook and try new foods.

And if you thought the previous suggestion was a little too much, try this for size: have fewer children. Ack! Every individual on this planet is a major consumer of resources (and much as it pains me to say this, the average American consumes much much much more than the average Indian, say). When I’m ready to be a parent, I will adopt children.

http://www.localharvest.org/csa to find a farm near you.

1. Buy a Nalgene or other reusable water bottle, then re-fill it rather than buying disposable.
2. Turn off your water when brushing teeth, washing dishes, ect. Water plants and lawns briefly in the morning/night when it will be less likely to evaporate.
3. Eschew styrafoam!!! Ask that your restaurants not use it. It takes tremendous energy to produce, and won’t biodegrade. It’s so bad that my hometown of Portland, OR has banned restaurants/stores, ect from using it. And guess what? starbucks and mcdonalds survive just fine, and use much more eco-friendly packaging instead.