Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life

Maybe going green doesn't mean avoiding unnecessary animal testing especially for beauty and cleaning products, but it is important to me to at least do the best we can for other species. I couldn't find any mention of this cruel and largely unnecessary (with today's technology) practice. In fact, she seems to advocate testing, although she doesn't say what kind. I agree that safety is important, but many ingredients are time-tested or have been tested in the past and no longer need to be tested. We can support companies that make an effort to use only those ingredients instead of supporting unnecessary suffering. Wet n' Wild, Bonne Bell, Physicians Formula, and Prestige cosmetics are examples of inexpensive cosmetics that do not use animal testing. This info from caringconsumer.com.

I do like her discussion of the real "cost" of buying or not buying organic groceries. But I feel some of her recommendations are unrealistic for most of us; she promotes a cosmetic line lavera that makes a sunless tanning product that costs $27.50 for 5 oz.

Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life

Excellent book - I bought several copies so I can give away as gifts. It is very informative and has great resources and tips on various aspects of going green - beauty, exercise, nutrition, gardening, etc. Each topic also comes with a list of resources.

The other day, I went to Target, going to my usual Target Aisles: bedding, cosmetics, skin care, and books. I bought a makeup bag to corral my lipgloss, blotting papers and brush in my work totebag and Gorgeously Green.

I almost didn't buy it because I saw it in one of those health food store advertorial magazines and I generally think those are full of nonsense.

Let me tell you: half the book is highlighted with Things I Must Remember. I'm sure it will take me a while to incorporate them all - or even half of them - in to my daily life but I will. There were also a lot of websites where you can buy things and we all know how much I love an internet shopping "trip."

The thing about Uliano is that she isn't preachy and she isn't "all or nothing." For example, while I agree that using plastic or glass dishes is better than Styrofoam, I am not taking my Tupperware to D & W and asking them to put my sandwich in that. Maybe someday I will but not now. I'm also not going to stop flying to cool places for vacations and I'm not quite ready to give up my plan to go on a cruise with my sister. Uliano understands that we aren't all going to Go Granola. Of course, now I also have a new vacation destination, entirely thanks to Uliano: an Eco-Spa!

There were other things that thrilled me that I had no idea existed. For example, Woman's Wonder Bar, which are chocolate candy bars that are supposed to help with PMS and menopause. I am so going to that website and buying some. Eco-friendly poop bags since I must clean up the presents Peggy Sue leaves for the world. There are free ringtones you can download that sound like nature: the mating call of a whale, an owl hooting, various birds. All kinds of things. There is a nonprofit who will take your partially used antibiotics, antifungals, etc and distribute them to developing countries. That's pretty cool.

There are 8 chapters, each covering a different area of life. The chapters are:
1. Becoming Aware (just what it says.)
2. Green Goddess (all about beauty.)
3. Your Green Temple (all about a healthy body. Yoga and weight training routines are included)
4. Soulful Shopping (self-explanatory, I think!)
5. Your Palace (about your home and garden.)
6. Every Last Bite (not surprisingly, all about food.)
7. Out and About Having Fun (transportation, entertainment and travel.)
8. Go Supergreen (activism and maintenance.)

I bet you'll find some ways that you can live a more eco-friendly life without driving yourself nuts or becoming one of the Granola Brigade. (Though there *is* a recipe for granola that looks yummy!) You'll likely find some things you never considered and each small change adds up to a big difference.

I wanted to like this book, I really did. I found it to be very cute, but a bit of a puff piece.

There's alot of tid bits of information, but nothing substantial. Some information is conflicting - on one page Sophie says she avoids microwaves and doesn't want it altering the molecules in her food. Yet, on another page, she writes that the microwave is the most eco-friendly way to cook, as it uses the least amount of energy.

And yoga sun salutations and exercise instructions don't belong in a green guide. They just don't!

I also purchased Easy Green Living by Renee Loux and found it to be much more substantial and informative - like a mini encyclopedia on what you need to do to live green.

This is the best book i have bought in a long time.. Very insightful and life changing.