Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World

As the book Big Green Purse by Diane MacEachern is primarily aimed at women, I asked my wife to read it first. She gave me a sigh, rolled her eyes and said she would skim it, but it ended up being so interesting she read it cover to cover. Here's a direct quote (honest!): "This is one of the most informative and life changing books I've ever read. It beats those 'self-help' books hands down as this actually contains practical information that you can use and apply for the rest of your life." Women spend eight-five cents of every dollar in the US marketplace. Big Green Purse is about harnessing that spending power to improve the environment, influence manufacturers and to help you and your family to live a simpler, cleaner and healthier life. Although my wife recommends reading the whole book, for those that are short on time it's broken into digestable chunks, such as cars, produce, cosmetics, kids and babies, and so on. Even if you don't read the whole chapter there is a wrap up section at the end which summarizes the main points. She found it extremely interesting as it gave lots of excellent facts and statistics but doesn't lay on a guilt-trip. However you might feel unwell after reading about all the crap we're putting into our bodies... It makes you want to change your lifestyle for the better and shows easy ways to do this without spending any more money. There are lots of practical tips and suggestions for which products to buy and avoid. These tips are actually useful rather than generic "buy natural" advice you often get. The book has seven Big Green Purse shopping principles: Buy less Read the label Support sustainable standards Look for third party verification Choose fewer ingredients Pick less packaging Buy local Instead of just telling us the three R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recyle) Diane actually tells us how we can do it. She expands on information that most of us know at least a little bit about, and my wife picked up a few new facts as well: Clean, don't sterilize. Avoid anti-bacterial products such as soaps and personal care products as they do more harm than good Avoid fragrances, phthalates, parabens and triclosan in cosmetics and personal care products Buy sustainable seafood with the MSC label and select small fish like trout over the larger predators like tuna and seabass Only certain types of plastics can be recycled - if you have to buy items in plastic, buy ones that can easily be recycled Plant an eco-lawn as a great alternative to a traditional lawn. If you plant three trees on the west side of your home you can trim your air-conditioning bill by up to 30% due to the shade they create. In summary it's a great reference book to have on hand when you go shopping for certain products and although it's geared to women, it has many ideas that men and women would equally find interesting. Finally, my wife says "buy this book and lend to all your friends!"

Big Green Purse is a book that every household should have on hand. Not only does this book give suggestions as to how to "green-up" your lifestyle, it provides you with the resources to immediately make changes. The writing is simple and to the point. Now when I shop, I feel as though every dollar I spend has a purpose. Whether I'm buying make-up from Everyday Minerals, Dr. Bronner's soaps for my family, or an organic apple from the local farmer's market, I feel my money is making a difference.

This book is one of extreme importance, not only for women, but for ANYONE interested in preserving this planet for future generations. So often "green" books or guides make potential solutions seem time-consuming and nearly impossible to put into action. But MacEachern spells it out quickly, simply, and successfully. Big Green Purse gives easy-to-follow instructions (and offers helpful background info) about precisely how women can, in fact, change this world. This book makes a healthier, greener planet seem attainable and completely possible; readers will feel empowered and totally capable of taking the necessary steps to make sure our world is healthy and functioning for generations to come. A must-read for any responsible citizen of the world.

Diane MacEachern gets it: as consumers, we have the power to create a greener world. (My only disagreement with her is putting the onus of responsibility on women; men count, too.) We should support only businesses that take strong measures to ensure that they are not polluting the environment and that they conduct business with humanitarian practices. When corporations do not sell their product they will either change what is offensive, or their business will die. That is the beauty of a capitalist society; success is measured by financial strength. And, we as the consumer have the power to influence which companies survive. MacEachern takes time to point out which companies are "greenwashing" and how to avoid those products. She focuses on the following: Coffee, tea and chocolate Electrical appliances Clothing and assessories Personal care products Household cleaners Transportation The book is empowering because we learn that each of us counts in making the world more environmentally safe. By the author of the award winning book, Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify and Energize Your Life, Your Home and Your Planet

Just got my copy--it's terrific and packed with fantastic suggestions! Women: we CAN change the world.