Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home

I love this book, but I am mostly a novice at DIY stuff, pretty much, so keep that in mind... I know one review said this stuff is pretty basic and it is, really, but that doesn't detract from the validity of what she says or the recipes and she does give listings of products that one could buy instead of making it oneself, which is a nice option, too. But I like being able to make my own cleaning spray, every time I use it, I know that 1- it's not loaded with unpronounceable chemicals and I have to open windows so I don't pass out from the fumes and 2- I made it, yay! I can make it and I know exactly what is going in it, I choose what I want or don't want, I can research alternatives if I don't like something, and I'm not always just being a complacent consumer. I am a huge book addict and this was a great first stepping stone to the world of DIY and (ps, I hate this phrase, it's used sooooo often, however) "greener living." There is a lot I didn't know, a lot I knew but ignored and a lot of just straight up good advice and information in this book. She backs up her claims with lots and lots of references, and gives great information on the hazards of so many common chemicals and chemical soups that make up so much of everything we use, consume, ingest, put on ourselves and into the environment. I've since done more research and obtained a few more books for some different recipes, but I haven't found many that differ very much from the ones in this book. I do not regret buying this book at all! I find myself referring to it for one reason or another almost everyday, I would recommend this book to anyone, novice or not.

Loux's Easy Green Living is a great guide for anyone looking to live as free from manufactured chemicals as possible. The nice thing about this book is that anyone at any level of "green" living can use it. There are great, easy beginner steps and there are also wonderful product guides and chemical information that are helpful for those that adopted this lifestyle long ago.Loux speaks to her audience in a clear and concise manner that is respectful and encouraging; one does not feel preached to while reading her suggestions. The information is organized well and each chapter follows the same pattern which make it much easier to find information when needed in the future. The endnotes are well documented and the index is a phenominal reference for the book.On a personal note, I used to keep to myself about my "green" choices. This book really inspired me to share what I know with friends and family. Like so many, I always hate to feel like I'm preaching so I give this book as a gift. I put no more than three sticky notes on pages that I think the recipient will like. I include the book in a basket (or cleaning bucket) with a bottle of  Dr. Bronner - Organic Castile Soap Unscented Baby-Mild, 32 fl oz liquid , a box of baking soda, a recipe card for the cleaner I use, a couple of reusable wash rags, and a spray bottle with pre-made cleaner so my giftee can try it out. Everyone looks at it funny at first, but after a couple of weeks I start to hear how much they love the book!I used to have to reference all of this information in the binder I've collected it in through the years, but I finally have an easy to reference book and I love it!!

... on holistic and natural living. I thought I was pretty knowledgeable about green living but I learned a huge amount from this book, including some amazing and very scary facts about all the dangerous chemicals that manufacturers put into things that we eat, breathe and live in.These are chemicals like formaldehyde, chlorine and many, many, more that respected household names consistently include in everyday products. I was totally blown away - almost ANY product in your typical supermarket will contain these harmful chemicals.What's even more amazing is that there are plenty of natural options that already exist, and have existed for decades, and in some cases, centuries, that do the job at least as well, in some cases much better, with no environmental fallout. The price of these options (always a practical consideration for most of us) are sometimes cheaper, sometimes more expensive but definitely worth considering given the benefits.If you haven't read this book please buy it, or at least get if from your local library. That's what I did - I picked up a whole slew of books from the library, of which this is the only one that I really, really liked.I like it so much in fact, that I had to buy a copy for myself and it's one of two books that I'm going to be giving as Christmas presents; the other one is  In Fitness And In Health . Check it out, it changed my life and I guarantee it will change yours!

With all the five star ratings previously, I had high expectations for this book. Sadly, it did not live up to those expectations and for one reason only: this book includes way too much information about chemicals and the harm they cause. Don't get me wrong, I want to know 'generally' about these things such as parabens, etc. but I don't need a complete list of every chemical manufactured on the planet and what they do. I did not find that positive or motivating. Having said that, YOU may want to know! And, I would actually buy this book again. It is a great reference book that you could go back to over and over again. And, because it is so detailed, it would really help you find anything you could possible ever need. For example, later today I will be checking a website that she mentioned that sells eco-friendly lightbulbs that can be used with a dimmer switch! And I may take a look at a company that sells reclaimed wood for replacing my floors...It really is a great book, I just felt that I was skipping over the parts which I didn't have such an interest in.

I'm a bit disappointed with this book. It talks about a lot of argument: home cleaning products, personal care products, laudry and bedding, and there are some usefull informations, but for the most I find it to be redundant.It does have some good tips and recipes, but you can condense these in about 50 pages, the remaining are product listings -so it is like you are reading ads- and there are not so usefull tips. For example it is told to do washing up biginning from the less greasy items, otherwise you will grease everything... sorry, but this is just common sense, I don't need a book to tell me something so obvious.Don't get me wrong, you can learn something good from this book, and maybe you are interested in product listings (whereas I'm not), just depend what are you looking for: if you are looking for recipes and practical informations, avoid; if you are looking for more general informations, this can fit the bill.

I like that she not only talks about the topics and specifically what ingredients are bad, but she also lists the green items available on the market and looks closer at them. Just because a label says it is green, doesn't mean it's good for you. Check labels for yourself. This book helps you make informed decisions about the things you use.

The book was received in perfect condition!An excellent book especially for those new to living GREEN. there is information about all kinds of products available to use that will not harm the environment or yourself.