The Green Year: 365 Small Things You Can Do to Make a Big Difference [Paperback]

Jodi Helmer (Author)

Book Description

Release date: December 2, 2008

Go green one day at a time.

Do something every day.

Most of us want to do the right thing for the environment, but making the commitment to change our fast-paced, convenience-oriented lifestyles can be more than a little daunting. What?s the answer? Take that giant commitment and cut it up into 365 little commitments that get met one day at a time. The Green Year does just that. More than a calendar, it offers simple, practical, affordable, and engaging activities that make going green a blessing rather than a burden. In addition to these easy green suggestions, readers will find in The Green Year,/I>:

?The ?why? behind each activity?what makes it good for the environment and the reader?
?A quick ?how-to? for any activity that requires it
?Room for readers to write in their own creative Alternatives
?Helpful illustrations

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jodi Helmer is a freelance writer who specializes in writing about eco-friendly topics. Her work has appeared in Plenty, Yoga Journal, Women’s Health, Woman’s Day, American Fitness, Women’s Health and Fitness, Oxygen, Hemispheres, Parents, US Airways Magazine, Modern Bride, Parenting, Christian Science Monitor, USA Weekend, Better Nutrition and the Portland Tribune,/I>. Helmer is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) and is moderating the panel, Environmental Journalism: Writing Green at the 2008 ASJA conference in New York.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Alpha (December 2, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592578292
• ISBN-13: 978-1592578290
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 1 x 7.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,345,438 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Going Green, One Day at a Time December 30, 2008

By J. Ketteler

Format:Paperback

I've been trying to be more green this year by doing all kinds of little things, but I'm always looking for more ideas. My husband got me this book for Christmas, and I'm pretty jazzed looking through all the suggestions. There are tons of great ideas (365 to be exact!) for being more green. Helmer also blasts a bunch of myths. For example, I always thought it was better to roll down the windows while driving instead of relying on AC. It turns out that your car is more aerodynamic with the windows rolled up and the AC on. Or it's better to put your computer to sleep than to have a screensaver. I love that her tips are very down to earth--they really are things you can do right now that don't require spending a bunch of money.
This book is perfect for someone who is into being green, but also for someone who is just thinking about being green, but doesn't know where to start.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Manageable tips for greener living April 13, 2009

By R. Ragain

Format:Paperback

I got this book for my friend for Christmas. Months later, she's still happily progressing through it, enjoying the satisfaction of marking the "done" check boxes next to each tip. The book suggests truly manageable changes, like tightening your car's gas cap. Many changes are fun to implement, such as ordering draft beer instead of bottled (less packaging) or starting an indoor herb garden. Even people who already try to live lightly will probably find new---or forgotten---steps to take.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Bite-size bits of info for green living January 26, 2009

By M. Warnick

Format:Paperback

What's best about this book is the format: just one simple, easy-to-digest thing you can do every day for a year to help protect the planet. Some of them are obvious -- recycle! -- but lots were things I had never thought about before, like opting out of ATM receipts, cooking with a cast-iron skillet (it's healthier for you and the environment), and filling your freezer so it runs more efficiently. There are tips here to help both eco-friendly newbies and green gurus. Highly recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I thought i knew about recycling. March 16, 2009

By J. Eric Eckard

Format:Paperback

Before reading The Green Year, I recycled cans, bottles and newspapers, and I figured I was doing a lot for the environment. But this book provides so many more tips and advice on what we all can do to "go green." And many of them are as simple as donating athletic shoes so the rubber can be reused or cleaning your refrigerator coils. The book's format makes it an easy read, but it's packed full of important information.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great guide December 15, 2008

By Rosie Molinary

Format:Paperback

What I love about The Green Year is that everything is easily accomplishable on the day that the suggestion is shared (even when you have the busiest of schedules) and every suggestion is really affordable while creating savings for you. Helmer makes lessening one's carbon footprint practical and accessible while offering a good, succinct education on why these things matter. The book is great for an individual, but it also offers a neat opportunity for a family to tackle lightening their load on the environment together.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Knows little about fireworks, yet asserts authority! February 14, 2012

By Anonymous Reviewer

Format:Paperback

Take this woman's suggestions about fireworks with many grains of salt.

"Fireworks wreak havoc on the environment. The fallout from fireworks
displays causes toxic pollution that infiltrates soil and groundwater. Fireworks are also filled with heavy metals like cadmium, lithium, and lead. Barium, a chemical used to produce brilliant green color in fireworks, is both poisonous and radioactive, copper, an element used to make blue fireworks, contains dioxin, which has been been linked to cancer. "

Briefly:

1) Cadmium and lead are not used in modern fireworks.

2) Lithium has only very limited use.

3) Copper does not contain dioxin.

4) Barium is not radioactive.

Do your homework before publishing, lady. You assertions are largely unfounded and sensational.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book Full of New Ideas May 7, 2010

By Kerri S. Campbell

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've been "green" for well over 20 years, so I didn't think there was anything this book could teach me. I was wrong. Jodi Helmer comes up with a lot of great ideas I had never thought about. Good for the person who is just beginning their green journey or the green expert!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical and inspiring December 12, 2008

By K. Hanley

Format:Paperback

I love this book. These aren't big, take-all-weekend projects. These are easy peasy things you can do every day to make the world a greener place. Love the format too. It helps make the whole 'going greener' thing a lot less daunting. This book would make a great gift!