ecofabulous

Keepin' It Squeaky Green!

I admit it, I'm a fanatic about keeping my home sparkling clean - but just looking clean isn't enough. The always charismatic Method boys, Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan, just released their coffee table cool book on eco-friendly, safe approaches to cleaning. On Wednesday evening they signed their tongue-in-cheek books for swooning fans at Spring home store in San Francisco (one of my favorite spots to find green products). Cleanophiles lined up to get personal notes memorialized on their new guide, Squeaky Green: the method guide to detoxing your home. True  to the Method spirit, this book is fun, witty and smart. I was  hoping to catch a few people dancing on the reclaimed tables at this late afternoon event where the Veev was flowing, but everyone behaved and indeed... kept it pretty clean!

Looking for Green Living in NYC?

The ever popular "Guide to Green Living" (SF and LA) has just landed on the East Coast. Unveiled on Earth Day, this Greenopia will no doubt establish itself as the go-to guide for New York City's eco-inclined. With over 1,300 listings for local, eco-friendly businesses, services and organizations, living or vacationing in New York has never looked greener. Squeezing into tiny apartments isn't the only eco-friendly thing you can do! And Greenopia is printed on FSC-certified, recycled and chlorine-free paper with soy inks in facilities that have been awarded an FSC chain-of-custody certification. Denver, Chicago, Seattle and Portland Greenopia's will follow,  so no matter where you are or where you go, soon there will be a local guide to help you navigate what is important to you.

Purple on Green - No Bruises

Move over Yellow Pages, thepurplebook 's in town. The original creators of numerous guides for online shopping have launched the 2008 green guide. Purple has scoured the world wide web and procured the most comprehensive handbook on how to navigate cyberspace for living the eco-friendly, e-commerce lifestyle. Each site is listed (in alphabetical order) with an objective review from the book's authors and is accompanied by icons that denote all the relevant info you might be interested in - such as why they're green and what their shipping options are. Thepurplebook green should be an online guide but if you find yourself needing a physical reference, order up a little assistance.

Little Green Books

Turn your bedtime stories into eco-education with Simon & Schuster's new book line, to be released this fall. Little Green Books, made from recycled materials and printed with soy ink, will instill eco-awareness and supply kids and parents with tips on saving the planet. The series will debut with two cloth books, Little Monkey and Little Panda, and two storybooks, I Can Save the Earth! One Little Monster Learns to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and The Polar Bear's Home: A Story About Global Warming. The line will extend with board books, storybooks, and, in 2009, activity books. Keeping with the theme of Little Green Books, the marketing initiatives will follow and be eco-minded as well.

Book an Experience of a Lifetime

The Lonely Planet guides get around. With all of that travel and knowledge under their belt, it  shouldn't be a surprise that  these intrepid trekkers have expanded their mission beyond the basics to include ethical journeys and how to travel responsibly. Code Green: Experiences of a Lifetime includes 82 trips across the globe that range from revisiting old American favorites, such as the Grand Canyon, to researching turtles in Australia.  This Lonely Planet “inspirebook” isn’t just for the shoestring backpacker (or the cruise-going countess) - it targets travelers all along the spending spectrum who are interested in positively contributing to the destination’s economy and respecting the local culture while expanding their own minds. Code Green also includes relevant facts and websites about each of the locales and doesn’t shy away from controversial topics such as how to best respond to beggars, how to tread lightly while wandering in the great outdoors, and how to find the true eco-gems among all the greenwashed imposters.Speaking of treading lightly, Code Green is printed on 100% recycled paper with non-GMO soy-based inks. I'm feeling a little less lonely already.

Big Green Purse

Women account for $.85 of every dollar spent (ladies, wazzup?), so how you spend your money dictates what's in demand. If you are a regular ecofabulous reader, you already know your purchases have a profound impact! In Big Green Purse, author Diane MacEachern explains how you can inspire manufacturers to change by spending your dollars on eco-friendly and socially responsible products. MacEachern explores 25 areas where your purchases can make the biggest difference and gives recommendations on products, as well as shows you how to avoid companies that use greenwashing as a way to make a profit. The Big Green Purse Web site offers Purse Alerts and a blog so that you can stay up-to-date on where to allocate your cash. It's time to start putting your money where your mouth is and vote with your pocketbook.

Healthy Child, Healthy World

As a board member of Healthy Child Healthy World, and contributor to their upcoming book, I cannot stress enough how important it is to be active in creating healthy environments for our children to thrive in (just think of the chronic diseases and ailments that kids are afflicted with more and more every year: autism, asthma and allergies - and we are just touching the A's). I confidently recommend this as a must-read for any parent interested in Creating A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home for their family. Leading medical experts and scientists have teamed up with celebrity activists to give parents easy, practical steps and solutions to detoxify their spaces without cutting too far into their undoubtedly packed schedule - or too far into their wallet. With a forward by Meryl Streep, mother of four, this most applicable of reads teaches and inspires us to provide a healthy world for healthy children. Available for pre-order; save your copy here.

Living Like Ed

Star of hit medical drama from the 1980s St. Elsewhere, Ed Begley, Jr. was an environmental activist long before celebrities started driving around in hybrids. Living in his native Los Angeles, in a self-sufficient home powered by solar energy, Begley, Jr. is a tireless leader in many ecological causes, from recycling to forest preservation. Following the success of the HGTV show "Living with Ed," his hot-off-the-presses paperback, Living Like Ed brings practical green-living tips to eco-newbies and green converts, alike. His step-by-step approach to better living is 100% devoted to reducing our impact on the planet. With wife Rachelle by his side, Begley also makes sure that we don't compromise quality or style. Sounds pretty ecofabulous to us.

Compai!

Compai, a crafty green design studio in Brooklyn, is the collaboration of a sister-team that has been making waves since 2002, in Florence, Italy. “99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Tie And Rock Your Scarf” is a DIY treat. Those interested in recycling their scarves by turning tired treasures into ascot masterpieces will love "99 Ways." Their first two books in the DIY trilogy convey the same philosophy using t-shirts (their first publication) and denim (their second publication). Each page is decorated with clever drawings matched with a photo of the project, and detailed instructions with sketches and a glossary of terms, to make following along simple. Each project also gives you a heads up on the approximate amount of time it will take (and level of difficulty), so if you don’t have 45 minutes to dedicate, find a design that fits your schedule! "99 Ways" may sound like a lot of twists on a simple subject, but you might be as pleasantly surprised as we were. Amazon has copies for only $13.57, so click here to get your hands on your own book.

It's Easy Being Green?

Forget what Kermit said and listen to author Crissy Trask. With her book, It's Easy Being Green, Task breaks down various areas of everyday life and shows readers how to lead more environmentally conscious lifestyles. Chock full of eco-tips, this book is a must-have for those newly committed to a greener way of life, and  is also very handy for even the most seasoned and eco-aware audiences. If you've already heard all of the DIY tips, pick up this book for the extensive resources. Trask provides readers with entire chapters on buying green and lists of Web sites carrying Earth-friendly products.