Green Chic: Saving the Earth in Style

by Christie Matheson

"Matheson slyly steers us toward consumer goods and services that minimize our earth-stomping human footprint. She's brave enough to say 'buy less of everything, ' and even the politically fraught 'buy nothing.' Matheson's genius is to make this seem not only doable, but fun."- Elizabeth Royte, author of Garbage Land and BottlemaniaWant to go green without giving up great style? Welcome to the world of Green Chic. Choosing to be green makes a real difference in the fight against global warming. But did you know that it's also hip, classic and stylish?Offering up dozens of author-tested, earth-friendly ideas, writer Christie Matheson reveals that being chic and saving the planet aren't mutually exclusive.Embrace the fabulousness of green living and you - Look gorgeous- Have a killer wardrobe- Feel amazing- Travel in style- Create a home that's an oasis- Host fun parties- Eat incredible food and drink phenomenal wine... All while feeling more connected to your friends, family and nature.(And did we mention that green women don't get fat?)Printed on recycled paper, with a portion of its proceeds going to a green cause, Green Chic is the perfect book for style-savvy readers with a green heart. Can living a chic green lifestyle TRULY make a difference to the planet? You bet your organic cotton sheets it can.Buying into the Green Chic movement doesn't mean you need to buy more stuff.Avoid products that purport to be green just for the marketing "organic" processed foods; huge, gas-guzzling hybrid SUVs; clothes boasting that they're green just because they're made from "natural" cotton. Claiming to be green is trendy and companies out there are taking advantage. Don't believe all the hype.10 GREEN CHIC-AND EASY-WAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE- Ditch bottled refill a sassy thermos.- Pop little purchases in your purse, not a shopping bag.- Sip biodynamic wine.- Choose cashmere, not acrylic.- Let your hair air dry for a while before you blow less frizz, less energy consumed.- Unplug (and put away) unsightly cell phone chargers.- Opt for quality over quantity in everything you buy.- Cut down on clutter.- Limit your consumption of anything packaged in plastic.- Support local designers.BUT Don't go out and replace everything you own, from your makeup to your wardrobe to your furniture, with (theoretically) ecofriendly products. Being ecofriendly means consuming less, not more. Get in the habit of thinking before you buy. The best time to purchase ecofriendly goods is when you need them. That's when you're in a position to make a choice and express yourself as a green consumer.Being Green isn't a fad ... it's timelessly chic.

Genres: Nonfiction, Green, Environment, Lifestyle

Library Binding

First published March 1, 2008

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Christie Matheson is a writer living in San Francisco and Boston. Her work has appeared in Body & Soul, Glamour, Shape, Boston, San Francisco, Yoga Journal, and The Boston Globe Magazine. She is coauthor of The Confetti Cakes Cookbook, Vineyard Harvest: A Year of Good Food on Martha's Vineyard, and Tea Party and is the author and photographer of the outdoor travel book Discover Rhode Island.

Reviews

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was good for the beginner to green-living, but I thought Gorgeously Green was much better. GG was like a life-transforming book or a college course in eco-living, and Green Chic didn't make you feel quite as involved. Although it wasn't as thorough, there were a few things in it that GG didn't have that were helpful:

p. 11-CFL suggestions for rooms-I liked this b/c I've made some mistakes in lighting and have dim bathrooms and too bright bedrooms...

p.45-keeping the fridge full with white wine-loved this idea!

p.50-kobocandles.com for smelly soy candles.

p. 100 for sunscreen suggestions-I've tried Jason Naturals but they also suggested California Baby and UV Naturals which I'm going to check out.

and page 111-where the author basically admits that she never found a deoderant that was natural that worked. yeah! Me neither!! I've tried two now, (herbal magic roll on and Jason Natural's Tea Tree one), and neither work! I was getting so frustrated that I was happy to read that this author basically gave up her self. Now I don't feel so bad!

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

cute. Think this may be better for someone who is new to "green". Reading a book that tells me to say no to a plastic bag when buying a tube of lipstick isn't exactly earth shattering. But then I think of other women I know and yeah, that'd be a start for them.

I'm bummed by the author's stance on menstrual products. Fine if she decides any kind of cup / keeper system isn't for her, but I wish she'd not been so negative about it.

good resources for links.

[Lauren Ford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recently moved into my second-ever apartment. Unlike my first apartment, where utilities were a lump sum per month, this apartment I actually have to pay each individual utility bill. Now, I love saving money: couponing and thrifting are two of my favorite activities. In a neat twist, I picked up this book at my local secondhand bookstore, 2nd & Charles. (If there’s one near you, you absolutely need to check it out.) I want to do whatever it takes to save money, but I also have another reason for picking up this book: I want to save the environment a little bit at a time. (If everyone reduces something in their daily lives, think of how we could preserve this planet a little longer!)

IMG_20170405_162350_578A few months ago, I was procrastinating on writing a paper and ended up on the anti-straw side of the internet. I read everything I could dig up on plastic straws in about two hours, and have since been attempting to follow My Plastic Free Life’s Guide to reducing/eliminating the amount of plastic I use in my daily life. One of the things I now do (although I need to become more consistent in doing it) is use a titanium straw. Unfortunately, I forget it sometimes, which means I have to use the proffered plastic straw (which is dumb because I spent $7 on a titanium straw that I use only about 60% of the time). I also use reusable grocery bags as much as possible, and I am packing my own lunches with glass containers (no plastic leeching!) to not only save money but to save packaging waste.

The “chic” in Green Chic almost put me off, because I’m not what you would call a girly-girl. I’m not fashion-conscious in the least and I don’t wear makeup except for special events. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to relate to anything in this guide, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I did.

To me, the best part of this book is that it’s divided into several chapters with each of these focusing on a specific part of your life that you can “green.” The first few chapters deal with slowly reducing your carbon footprint and it goes from there. The author warns you that nothing is going to be “extreme” in this book, and nothing is. There are suggestions for reducing your time in the shower and how to shop for eco-friendly clothing and cosmetics/personal care products (although I’m surprised they don’t mention LUSH products, but that could be because the book was published in 2008 and I don’t know when LUSH became big in the States).

Matheson even includes a bibliography of where all of her information came from in the back of the book as well as a (relatively long and thorough) list of all the products/companies mentioned over the course of her book. The index is also quite extensive.

Overall, I feel like there’s nothing in this book that you couldn’t find on the internet (or even just in a quick Buzzfeed “eco-friendly” search!), but again, this was written in 2008. Literally one of the sentences reads “or a tiny new cell phone,” when we all know that phones are getting bigger and bigger with things like Phablets taking hold in our daily lives. This was right after the launch of the first smartphone, so while some of Matheson’s advice is timeless, other bits of it is a little dated. There are many more eco-friendly companies out there now aside from the ones she lists, and eco-friendly aka “green” items are getting cheaper and easier to procure.

Overall, I would say if you want to read this book, check it out from the library. That way you’re not only saving paper (borrowing books and buying them secondhand is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and the amount of energy required to make a new book), but you’re also saving money. It’s a nifty little reference guide, but as I said before, it’s nothing you can’t find in a quick Google search.

Originally published at https://booksareonlythebeginning.word...

[McKenzie Richardson · Rating 2 out of 5]

For more reviews, check out my blog: Craft-Cycle

This book was fine. The main issue with it is that it was published over 10 years ago so understandably, much of the information is out of date. There are many eco-friendly options that are not discussed such as bidets, LED lightbulbs, package-free products, refillable products, etc. Can be a good place to start for some ideas but with so many innovations between then and now, may be better to opt for a more recent publication.

Overall, the book was well-written. It is broken down roughly by topic such as travel, parties, personal care, clothing, and food. There are certainly still helpful tips and information that may be useful in educating oneself on everyday environmental impacts.

I am not necessarily interested in being "chic", but am always looking for ways to be a little more green. I found this in a Little Free Library so I picked it up to see if I found any useful suggestions.

One thing I did dislike was the author's tone. Her version of "chic" seems to really be judgmental, which I did not care for. It's fine to not like something, but her stance on certain things was off-putting. Calling spider plants tacky, thrift stores skeevy, and people who save ribbons and bows creepy is not a great way to connect to your reader. She clearly has certain preferences, but she came off as kind of rude in expressing some of them. She also comes off as anti-fat with her oversimplified segments of "green women don't get fat" (because they walk more, etc.)

I also felt she was overly negative about products she wasn't interested in. She completely writes off reusable menstrual products and just says to use organic tampons. It's fine if it's not for her, but if people are okay with that option and it helps reduce waste, does it really matter? Shooting down such things is not a great way to expose people to various options in order to let them choose what works for them. This felt more like a book of what she does, rather than really offering options to the reader to become more informed to make their own choices.

Finally, there are tons of statistics in the book, many of which felt extremely overwhelming. At times I felt anxious about all of the negativity. I think more recent books are often more positive in focusing on how same changes can make an impacts This just felt like too much at time. Also, there is no reference section (just a list of suggested books), which makes it hard to compare updated stats from the same sources.

Overall, it was fine, but again, it's rather old. May be good for someone trying to make some small changes, but much of the information seems pretty obvious at this point (choose local or organic, bring your own bag, try reusable products, etc.). More recent books like 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste may be more helpful for those looking to reduce their negative impact on the environment and find a variety of options to do so.

With all that said, I did love that the book was printed on 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper and used vegetable-based ink. Also half of royalties went to environmental organizations such as Alliance for Climate Protection, Roots & Shoots, and the Central Park Conservancy.

[Tina B · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the book is over 10 years old at this point and there have certainly been updates to ecofriendly choices when it comes to clothes, food, utilities, cars, etc. it's a great place to get started. Going green doesn't mean giving up on the things you love. It means making smarter choices and being more aware of what's in the products you buy and how they are made.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was okay.

Some things I didn't feel like she went very in-depth with. She just sort of mentioned there was a greener option, but since she wasn't going to take that option herself she was only going to inform you about the one she chose was right for her. The two examples that stuck out the most for me were deodorant and feminine hygiene products. She talked about how she tried two (only two) natural deodorants that "just didn't work for her" and gave up. She didn't mention how there is a detox period you have to go through before natural deodorants will work or give resources to find out more information about trying this option. For feminine products, she mentioned that cups were "ew gross!" as well as reusable cloth products then talked on about organic tampons. Again, not giving any sort of information or resources for anyone who didn't want to try it her way.

This book sort of pandered to people who want to go green because it is 'cool' which just wasn't for me (although idc what reason you decide to start going green - good for you either way).

That being said, there were several good parts. For example: the section about energy efficient light bulbs and how to pick wattage and temperature for specific rooms was very helpful. I haven't made the switch yet and will keep this for reference for when I do so that my bathrooms are bright enough to see everything I need while I don't blind myself in my living room.

Overall a good quick read for the *absolute* beginner.

[Jake Rideout · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really cool book. It's a girl's guide to easing yourself into a green lifestyle without giving up your hotness factor. One of the first things she says is, "Don't go out and change everything at once. When you run out of a product, replace it with something more environmentally friendly," or something to that effect. I think that, a lot of times, people are intimidated by the prospect of completely changing the way they do everything, so they don't change anything. Christie says that if you start by changing one light bulb, or air-drying your hair for 5 minutes after every shower, you can cut x number of emissions per year. It really adds up, and some things are really easy but maybe not so obvious. I know that, just this week, I replaced my dish soap with Seventh Generation and did all my laundry on the Cold setting. Totally easy.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was great for a long car ride and a lazy day at the beach. Especially because I could look up every 3 pages and announce to my travel companions some new earth-shattering fact that should immediately change the way we live our lives. I was sometimes irritated by the author's 'Seventeen Magazine' tone, but she really did get in to some great issues on chemical awareness.
That's why it's on my Scenic Art bookshelf, by the way- she gets into the basics of things that Rossol and McCann can sometimes glide past.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and easy to read. Lots of factoids on how one green action saves XX number of trees, or reduces your carbon footprint by XX tons, etc. I like that the book is made accessible to readers who might not necessarily think that "going green" is easy or chic. The book explains all different aspects of being green in your home, and in the consumer purchases we make. It's all about the baby steps and the book is not at all preachy.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not revolutionary, but it does have a bunch of solidly researched information. Not super preachy, but definitely great ideas for how to integrate greener practices in the home, shopping, etc.

The narrative voice is a bit vapid and annoying at times, but I found it a very quick read (three metro rides?). I will definitely use some of her ideas, but as she herself admits, nobody can be perfect.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is for anyone who wants to try to do things a little greener. Written in a friendly girlfriend type tone it was and extremely and informative read. There is information about everything we do wrong and how to do things right to be green. I think everyone should read this book and try to take some steps to a greener life.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was cute, pretty entertaining. not a super informative book if you're eco-aware as it is, but it was an easy read and a great resource. for example, the CFL lighting guide tells you what wattage/voltage gives you the kind of light you might want in each room. i photocopied this before returning the book to my friend. the index in the back is also very helpful.

[Amelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great, easy, fun read which introduces you to small changes you can make in your life to "go green" (without living in a house made out of recycled bottles, as I think the author puts it). There are points where I disagree with her, but her writing is honest, fun, well-researched, and there are tons of great links to where you can get green products!

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learned so much from this book. This book shows you how to directly apply things to YOUR own lifestyle to help the environment. Being green isn't the hippie image anymore...It's a responsibility we all have and it can be done tastefully!

[Tiffany Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main theme of this book is "buy less" which is a lesson that I really need to learn. It's a thin book that shares the basics of being green and gives lots of practical advice on changes, products, etc. There are also lots of websites listed to look at for more info./products.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy and informative read. I'm a pretty "green" person and consider myself well informed on the subject but I learned a few things from this book. Definitely worth reading if you are concerned about the environment or the chemicals found in products you use everyday.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I began planning my eco chic wedding this was the perfect complement. Matheson gives great real life suggestions on how to reduce our footprint. She gives permission to continue to live while being green.
This is a great read for a novice or expect green gal.

[Mariah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was initially a little turned off by the tone of the book, but it had some good ideas. The information was clearly presented and easy to digest. It would be a good introduction for someone just beginning to "green" their lifestyle.

[Dianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book not only told you some great ways to be more environmentally conscience, but it also to you the reasoning behind the methods. I like that she offered more that one alternative and had lots and lots of product suggestions and how to get them. The links have been most helpful so far :)

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book didn't do much for me. I did not like the generalized facts with no citations. (typical science nerd right??) All the numbers (co2 lbs) she used overstimulated me a little bit. It was an easy read though and a good intro into green practices and improving our carbon imprint.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read plenty of books on going green and although I didn't learn much more in this book, I'm glad I checked it out from the library. Christie does a nice job of keeping it light and reiterating less is more and to not throw everything away right away to switch to greener alternatives.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fun to read. A lot of stuff we all already know with perhaps a bit too many company plugs but tons of fun helpful tips to motivate change from small starts to big modifications. Very enjoyable!

[Tray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book delivers what it promises: realistic ways to promote a greener, more eco-friendly lifestyle for the everyday person who isn't ready to live in the extremes (yet). A quick and easy read, though definitely geared toward female readers.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

read this book!!!

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's ok.. not my favourite book. It has good tips but I find it a bit "airhead" for me. On bonus for this book, it has good websites if you want to buy things that are "green". Soo..

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great advice, thoroughly researched, lots of references provided, and she's really funny!

[Danielle Head · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was okay... her book was more on being green when it is convenient and fashionable rather than all the time...
A lot of the ideas were stuff I'd heard before so I was dissapointed.

[Jami · Rating 5 out of 5]

RECOMNENDED BY MY FRIEND KRISTIN! THIS IS SUCH A GOOD BOOK ON EASY STEPS OF BECOMING GREEN! HIGHLY RECOMNENDED!

[cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

kept a list of "My favorite green things", learned how to minimize my closet of clothes and shoes to quality instead of quantity. How to shop and buy quality green items.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this as a fun, goofy guide to green. Kinda like something I would write.