Customer Reviews

Green Chic: Saving the Earth in Style

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The title of this book almost makes it sound like you'll be buying $500 dresses from organic hemp. Actually, what Green Chic provides is an extremely useful primer on how to incorporate green living into your daily life in a way that balances usefulness and impact.

Christie Matheson goes over a variety of basics in an easy to understand fashion. She explains the differences between incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, why fluorescent is better, and how to manage the switch. She talks about how wasteful plastic bottled water is, why it causes a lot of harm to the environment to buy water in this fashion, and what your options are.

She goes over the small differences you can make in your daily routine that really add up. Cut your shower length by 2 minutes to save 400 pounds of carbon a year. Uncharge your cell phone charger when not in use for another 100 pounds a year. These are things that are better for you anyway - your skin does much better with short showers - but you might not have thought about them before.

Wash your clothes in cold water. The heat really doesn't do anything at all with modern detergents, and if anything it might set a stain rather than let it wash out. Use recycled paper in your paper towels - if everyone in the US did that just once we'd save 1/2 million trees. Eat local foods, to save on the shipping impact of exhaust and gas.

We live in a consumer society. We buy things without thinking about their impact on our world. If each of us just made small changes - buying recycled paper cards, getting "non-thing" gifts for people like massage gift certificates or restaurant gift certificates, turning off lights when we left rooms - the impact could be phenomenal. Christie points these things out in an engaging manner.

Highly recommended! Then donate your copy to your local library, so even more people can learn from the information, and your own house reduces on its clutter!

I had this book on order for a while and it finally came in and it is wonderful. So much of the other green living material I've read is so unrealistic - but this author seems to recognize this up front. She presents a variety of practical ideas (all of which she personally tested) for more eco-friendly living - and there are a lot that I'm going to try. I also like how she gives a lot of environmental detail and background - so I know why I should implement the changes she suggests. And she's made this subject actually fun to read about. I highly recommend it.

I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of this book and was SO pleasantly surprised. Unlike so many of the other "green" books out there, Green Chic extends simple examples of how you can make an impact without having to feel like you're compromising style--it's the best of both worlds. The tone is positive, as are the messages, and you don't walk away feeling reprimanded so much as inspired to make changes. Great read; great gift; and even pretty enough to keep out! Enjoy...

Green Chic is a well written and easily understood book for making green lifestyle choices in fashion, personal care products, food and wine, transportation and entertaining. Author Christie Matheson admits that it is impossible to cover all aspects of green living and she basically sticks to what she knows and is passionate about.

The tone is conversational and light; yet she addressed many reasons why beneath the "chic" the "green" is an extremely serious issue. I like that. Anyone who has read about the state of the environment understands how grave a situation the planet is in. Matheson presents the issues and moves on to discuss viable ways to live a green and stylish lifestyle--with energy and enthusiasm.

Author of award winning book, Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify and Energize Your Life, Your Home and Your Planet

I don't have an issue with "saving the earth in style," but I do take issue with Matheson's product recommendations. Some of the products she recommends as "greener" alternatives are not only pricey but have been found to be no better - sometimes even worse - for the environment (at least one "green" product she mentions has been deemed "not recommended" by the Environmental Working Group) than boring old store brands (eg, CVS Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide, SPF 45+ got the green light from EWG). The prose style is no help, either. If you like your eco advice served with wit and style, better check out [...] and their publications.

Just for starters im 23 yrs old, and am apart of the generation that is really catching on to green living. Im also a major "tree hugger" as my family would call me lol. I love to do anything i can to help our environment, and that includes getting family members to start doing it to. So i have over the past two years bought several books. This one is my absolute favorite! this is perfect for anyone around my age or younger who wants to start going green! In this book it felt like the author really got down to some honest things we do that are hurting our planet without realizing we are doing it! Her words are truly inspiring. I thought i had this whole green living completely figured out, The author points out some things that im even guilty of. This book gave easy, simple and effective soulutions to living green without huge efforts or spending alot of money. The author of this book did a amazing job. I am so Happy i found this, i have three friends who went out and bought it and are now doing their part to live green. I have given it to two friends as part of their birthday gifts and they got back to me and told me they had finished it in less than two days. Fair price for such a Great Book! buy this book! you wont be let down.

This book does a terrific job listing simple, practical eco-friendly practices that any household can adopt. Highly recommend!

This is a cute book with a great message. While many "green" books give you long list of dos and don't (mostly don'ts!), Green Chic goes further. Author Christie Matheson goes into great detail as to the why that making environmentally friendly choices makes a difference. She is not at all about appearances, but is definitely all about the change of mindset and attitude.

The best part of this book is that Matheson offers very doable tips to make small changes that almost anyone can handle that make a major impact in our world.
Go Green!

I read this book in a day or two. It was very informative, but very fun to read because she writes it in a user friendly way. I was thinking about buying a bunch of these and passing them out to my friends. She got me thinking about all the crazy pesticides and chemicals that are sprayed on everything we use from our mattresses to our clothes. This book made me want to change the way I live in all aspects. Get it!

Despite all of the progress the environmental movement has made, being both chic and sustainable is still often seen as a frivolous combination. Apparently, growing your own food and wearing stylish, eco-friendly fashions are two separate worlds that we shouldn't combine.

Not anymore!

Impressively experienced writer Christie Matheson just released her 5th book titled Green Chic: Saving The Earth In Style with Illinois-based Sourcebooks publishing company. Even with the ridiculous influx of eco-living books available in stores, it is safe to say that there is nothing like Green Chic on the shelves. Christie explains it best: "It's not about buying your way to being green - or just appearing green - it's about shifting your mindset, changing your attitude, and developing a personal style that is green."

This is quite a statement to make in a country of citizens who hate to change their personal habits. But if anyone can get through to the superficial yet sustainably curious masses, it's Christie and Green Chic. Always the thorough writer, Christie personally tried all of her own tips and openly explains the ins and outs of living sustainably and stylish at the same time. Not only is fashion and beauty covered their own chapters, but she also covers: dining, drinking, home, transportation, travel, parties, big and small changes.

It wouldn't be much of a green book if it wasn't printed on recycled paper, no? Green Chic's publisher, Sourcebooks, used 100% post-consumer recycled paper certified by the Forest Stewartship Council and vegetable-based inks to print the book. If that wasn't enough, the author herself is donating 50% of her royalties from the book to organizations like the Alliance for Climate Protection, Roots & Shoots, and the Central Park Conservancy among others.

Talking about green living without being preachy is a fine line that all of us journalists dance. Christie seems to have found the perfect balance, helping Green Chic to come off as more of a leisurely, informative chat with one of your girlfriends instead of a manual to transform your life. Her accessible writing style is what makes Green Chic one of my all-time favorite green living books - one that I believe will continue to draw in readers for at least the next 5 years.