- Green Goes with Everything
- by Sloan Barnett
(Atria, $20)
Sloan Barnett became an unlikely eco-activist when she learned that her 3-year-old son Spencer's asthma was probably caused by exposure to environmental toxins in her household cleaners. Barnett went on a mission to educate others and to urge people to make healthier decisions about the products they bring in to their homes. This guide helps readers determine if they are being negatively affected by toxins in their homes, amend their behavior so they waste fewer resources, and make smarter choices about everything from their cookware to their body wash.
- Healthy Child, Healthy World
- by Christopher Gavigan,
(Dutton, $26)
Gavigan's book also focuses on shopping green. With a foreword by Meryl Streep and contributions from Gwyneth Paltrow, Tom Hanks, and Erin Brockovich, it specifically targets consumer choices as they pertain to children. Starting with advice on food and beauty-product choices during pregnancy, Healthy Child, Healthy World goes on to discuss green diapers, finger paints, school supplies, and toys. It also offers mom-friendly tips on its celebrity contributors' pet issues, such as where to find less toxic hair dyes and nail polishes.
- The Green Parent
- by Jenn Savedge
(Kedzie)
Our children will inherit the earth, and in this book Savedge advises readers on how to maintain a healthy, beautiful one. It gives quick, simple tips for reducing waste and conserving electricity, water, and other resources and offers clever ideas for getting kids involved. One of our favorites: String the included "Light Patrol" badge on a ribbon around your little one's neck and give him the awesome task of making sure switches are turned off every time anyone leaves a room. He'll relish the responsibility and learn something, too.
- Gorgeously Green
- by Sophie Uliano,
(HarperCollins, $17)
Uliano's book is the eco-living guide for the woman within the mother. Written with a wicked sense of humor (and with a foreword by Julia Roberts), this manual shows you how to throw a chic dinner party, eat sushi, take a vacation, and even clean your closet in ways that are healthy for both you and the environment. Tips include composting your old wedding bouquet and gifting an eco-friendly sex toy for a girlfriend's birthday. Don't miss the list of healthy, wholesome, and delish recipes—chocolate chip, walnut, and banana cookies you can feel good about? Yes, please!
- It's Easy Being Green
- by Crissy Trask
(Gibbs Smith, $13)
Trask starts by presenting myths about earth-friendly living (green products are expensive and hard to find; being green is too much of a sacrifice; one person's actions can't make a difference) and then debunking them, so the reader realizes that going green isn't so difficult. The handbook presents lots of simple tips for conserving energy and resources, but the most notable section is the comprehensive guide of online resources for everything from buying organic bras to working for the Endangered Species Coalition.
