The Eco Chick Guide to Life: How to Be Fabulously Green

by Starre Vartan

SAVE THE WORLD IN STYLE!

Lower your carbon footprint―in your favorite pair of stilettos―with THE ECO CHICK GUIDE TO LIFE . Here you'll find hundreds of ideas on how to be ecologically smart and still be stylish and trend-setting. You don't have to sacrifice to go green―you can eat well, dress well, and live well once you learn how

Learn where to shop for vintage and recycled jewelry (mining practices for gold and silver are notoriously polluting).

Wear sustainable threads―organic cotton, peace silk, bamboo―or look for funky reconstructed designs made from vintage fabrics.Find shoes made from naturally tanned and dyed leather, hemp, or made from recycled materials...that still look incredibly chic.Party it up- with the planet in mind! Make your next fiesta fabulous with organic beverages, seasonal food from the farmer's market, and more.

Pretty-up with organic, biodegradable hair products, body washes, moisturizers, and make-up―better for you and the planet's water supplies! We'll explain why and what to look for.How to earn points while convincing your boss to go green in your office.

Travel green and still see the world in style!Save cash with some Earth-loving swaps around your apartment, dorm or house.

…and more. Let these and other easy-to-follow, fun and fashionable tips help you to feel great while doing good. You and Mother Nature will look fabulous!

This book is printed on recycled paper.

Genres: Nonfiction, Environment, Green, Sustainability

272 pages, Paperback

First published August 18, 2008

Reviews

[Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, I'm pretty cranky today...but this book really pisses me off. Why do publishers feel the need to make anything directed at women pink and cheesy?

This is a book of smart advice and reasons for going green that makes itself unique by targeting women. Okay, fine, I guess I can see how women would need their own book. I'm all for the divine feminine. But no, this isn't feminine in that menstrual sponge kind of way, its feminine in that "Shop-ping," "CUTE," and "Chick" way. And the worst part is that buried beneath all the vapid crap is a book with really sound advice. I can't even say how happy the section on jewelry made me. But to get through it I had to read sentences in the voice of Daria's sister.

Maybe I'm just being no fun. And maybe if this book can reach the label-obsessed, Sex and the City loving, pink Razr owning women of the world it will have done its job. But, I can't help feeling like any woman who would look it would be offended by it.

[JJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have taken particular care to eat organic food for a couple of years, while I have been unconcerned by living an organic life. Recently I have started all-natural makeup.

This book introduces tons of ways to be eco-friendly regarding our lifestyles such as natural makeup, eco-friendly home, and eco-travel.

One of the suggestions which resonated with me is buying clothes without "dry clean only." Dry cleaning is quite bad for our health, because toxic chemicals are used in dry cleaning.

From now on I will be an eco chick!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to turn off my electronics more!! And not buy a blood diamond. Has never been a problem for me thus far in my life tho.....I don't wear real diamonds that much. And maybe consider some cool vegan shoes. Buy more organic (if everyone did that the prices would come down), buy better fish, and invest in glass containers for food (not plastic).

Famous vegetarians: Albert Einstein, Leo Tolstoy, Alice Walker, Jaques Costeau, Rachel Carson, Vincent Van Gogh, Doris Day, Jane Goodall, Martina Naratilova, Carl Lewis.....

Oh yeah, and make more of Radar's dog food.

[Tamara]

Gave this one a second try, and the first two chapters do cover topics that most other books avoid, such as whether or not to flush a condom, and green alternatives when Aunt Flo comes to town.

Otherwise, the rest of the chapters are the same old, same old, and don't seem too girl-specific.

[Marcie Lovett · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess I'm not the demographic for this book, because I thought it was written in a dopey, hipper-than-thou style. I skipped a lot of text while reading because I thought the content was nonsensical. There is some useful information, but you have to wade through the useless bits to get to it.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an easy-read informative book about making eco-friendly choices. It includes ideas for various topics such as: healthy cleaning products (for your body and home); healthy eating (for yourself and pets); fashion (reduce and/or reuse); energy efficiency. There are lots of current references for eco-friendly products and websites too.

"Being an Eco Chick means doing good while having a good time doing it: it is NOT about depriving yourself, but about rethinking how we live our lives, and living better - more creatively, more passionately, and more consciously. "

[Lydi B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Flipped through this super quick. Many of the tips did not apply to me (I don't wear make-up, I'm not a party-thrower... etc.), but there are a few helpful tips even for those who always consider the effects of products on the planet.
The most useful tips were product suggestions for reducing chemical contamination in your home.

[Amy Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great ideas for people trying to be greener, more sustainable, and lower-waste. It has great resources for each area of life it discusses and interesting bonus green tips.

[McKenna Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good intro. to eco-friendly living. Doesn't have many sources; some endnotes would have been nice. It works well as a jumping off point, though.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. The reason being that there are so many references to websites and places to buy specific green products. It might be a good one to own!

Some of what is in the book is common knowledge, but I did learn some things. Like never buy nonorganic peaches! They are the most tainted of any fruit or veggie. She has lists of the most tainted produce.

Due to the "gross factor" there are some things in the book not worth doing!!! If you read it, you will understand. But I like how the author gives you steps to take even if you don't want to go completely green. I also like her use of the word, flexitarian, meaning part-time vegetarian. And her chapter on pest control was helpful seeing I just found a couple ants in my laundry room! :) Enjoy!!!

[Sherry · Rating 1 out of 5]

I skimmed this book more than truly reading and wasn't very impressed. I guess it provides useful suggestions for anyone who has been living under a rock for the past several years, but generally gave info that is common knowledge about lifestyle and environmental impact. Heck, some of the suggestions were plain ridiculous or probably not realistic--e.g., never buying any new clothes and fixing what you have--there is a middle of the road that some of the suggestions miss. Title also ticked me off. Thought it was Eco Chic, but Eco Chick? Glad this was a library book and not a purchase.

[Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up at a cool used book store in Des Moines a few weeks ago. This is a great handbook that gives tips on how to green everything (from clothes to condoms). Seriously, very thorough. I wish she spent more time on food, but that could add another volume, so that's fine. The best part of this book is that at the end of each chapter is a list of brands that she has tested and researched that she knows are eco friendly. The end of the book has a resource section with brands, websites, and guides. Really cool little book.

[Krista Bolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many of the links are already out of date, which is too bad. Not all of the advice do I agree with, which is frequently the case when you read a lot of these types of books. You find a lot of conflicting info and can quickly learn to sort out exactly how much someone knows about a topic. I felt this author had satisfactory knowledge and she did point me to many new resources for shopping.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I REALLY REALLY like this book. I am going to buy it. It's not too preachy, she uses evidence in her arguments and you can either skim through it or read it intently. The author provides resources and great how to directions for making things. Lots of easy things you can do to be more eco friendly. the only downfall is that it is American and some of the suggestions aren't available in Canada.

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as Gorgeously Green by Uliano, but I found a few helpful hints I hadn't heard before. I would have liked for Vartan to talk about indoor composting more, and I noticed that some of the things were more for women in the suburbs than the city--but overall, pretty easy to use.

P.S. Don't flush your condoms. Thanks Vartan!

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about ways to be healthier for yourself and the earth while saving money too. It has links for places you can go to to be eco-friendly, and it is giving you simple solutions to annoying problems. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to save the earth or is just looking for a simple solution or cheaper ways to solve problems.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a good overview of how to live a more green lifestyle. It is a nice reference book including lots of websites that will give you more detail on what she mentions in the book. Now I just have to make a note of all the ones I was interested in so I can get more information.

[Jamie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. The suggestions tend to be either blatantly obvious or off-the-charts crazy, with not much in between. Just not very interesting. Definitely not worth the $.50 in fines I collected by forgetting to return it on time.

[Lolli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book & has a lot of suggestions for being eco-friendly. Some parts of the book are a smooth read, and other parts are a little tedious to read. Overall a good book with great ideas & a lot of information.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was a very quick read, but it gave me lots of practical tips on how to live green day-to-day.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in leading a greener lifestyle!

[Ursula · Rating 2 out of 5]

cute little book with some good ideas. if you aren't looking for something terribly in depth about living green, this is a good choice.

[Jen McConnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good tips for living green easily and cheaply.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource for environmentally minded gals.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great! Recipes for making your own cleaning products, and great, useful ideas of how to live more green in your day to day life.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked all of the practical, healthy and world changing advice in this book!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This seems like an excellent book. It would be something I'd like to sit-down and go through at a later time. But even just flipping through will garner some fascinating and useful information.

[Amy Chan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Love the variety of information and the recommendation of products and company. I am inspired to follow her blog and twitter to keep updated on eco lifestyle.

[Danielle Faucett · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was informative as I'm just learning to be more ecological

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. The book is short and sweet with great points for going green while not going overboard.

[Remi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Outdated and barely helpful.