Green Mama: The Guilt-Free Guide to Helping You and Your Kids Save the Planet
April 16, 2010
There are a lot of green books out there. Even a lot of green books by moms, for moms. I have not read many. I pick them up, scan through them and often find that there is not much I haven’t already heard or read and am not compelled to read past the first couple pages.
So, when I picked up Green Mama: The Guilt-Free Guide to Helping You and Your Kids Save the Planet, I wasn’t confident that I’d be spending much time reading it. But after reading the Introduction, just nine pages, I immediately emailed the author, Tracey Bianchi, and told her that her story resonated with me! It is my story. One mom where one moment forever changed her view of the environment and with hope that it may change your view, too.
While I can’t share with you every line of the book that I nodded my head in firm agreement, laughed or learned something new, there are two concepts that define this book that you will find interwoven throughout.
GUILT-FREE
“All of us will create our own unique version of a more sustainable life. The exact details largely depend on how committed we are to this movement, the time and energy we have to implement changes, where we live, and what is most important for our own family. Every mom can create her own unique definition of green.” I love this because it truly gives each person the freedom to make the changes in their life that they are able to based on their current lifestyle and needs. What matters is that you do something.
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT
Tracey heard a sermon at her church where a pastor spoke about all the little ways we steal every day. “He defined steal as simply taking more than your share of the resources. There are a limited number of resources in the world, and when we take more than we need, simply put, we are stealing from others. We can do this in a variety of ways – financially, socially, and environmentally. By pillaging the earth for more than our share, we break the eighth commandment.” This point generates a whole new conversation about the Creator and caring for creation – Tracey calls it ‘stewardship’.
If you are looking for some great suggestions on becoming a green mama – and including your kids in the process – this is the book to get. No guilt, just an honest trip down “Green Mama Lane”.
WIN IT!
We are giving 3 readers the book, Green Mama: The Guilt-Free Guide to Helping You and Your Kids Save the Planet ! You can enter to win in any of the following ways:
- Leave a comment telling us how you create your own unique definition of green.
- Follow us on twitter @mommygoesgreen.
- Retweet this contest.
- Become a Facebook fan.
- Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link.
Leave your comment by Sunday, April 25, 2010 at 11:59pm PST. Contest open to all U.S. and Canadian residents, ages 18+. We will choose 3 winners, at random, and notify them by email. Privacy Policy.
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Comments
def.of green in our family treating animals and plants around us with respect
Our definition of Green is Every Little Thing counts!! We bottle our own water (less bottle ending up in landfills) turn off and unplug electronics we’re not using, bring our own bags when we’re shopping just help in any way we can to lessen out carbon print.
I just became a Facebook Fan
I follow you on twitter @Maybelline_V
just twitted using the share button: @Maybelline_V Green Mama: The Guilt-Free Guide to Helping You and Your Kids Save the Planet http://shar.es/mvp5I
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I have stopped wasting with regard to food. I used to make several trips to the grocery store and would buy too much or buy things that we ended up throwing out. Now, I make a menu from my Natural Health, Vegetarian Times and Body and Soul magazines on Saturday. I look in the kitchen to see which ingredients I am lacking and I make a list of those. On Sunday, I make the trip to the grocery store and get those items and stick to the menu. It has eliminated too many trips and wasting good foods. We have also stopped eating out and with the money I am saving from that and from streamlining the grocery buying, we can eat all organic and still have more money left in the bank!
My definition of GREEN is: Small consistent steps makes a tidalwave of change. We live by “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” and believe in that statement with everything we are.
We do quite a bit, but I want to do more. We cloth diapered when the kids were little, recycle, compost our food & yard waste, use reusable bags, cloth for cleaning, make our own cleaners & detergents, grow our own veggies & herbs, I make alot of our clothing or shop at thrift stores for “big things” we may need. I really want to make a chicken ark so we can have our own eggs this year as well.
Just became a facebook fan as well, can’t wait to start following your posts!
facebook fan and twitter follower
basic things to stay green – reusable shopping bags for every shopping trip, recycle and compost everything possible, walk to work when i can, etc.
i follow you on twitter @michsuz and am a fan on facebook as well
We contribute to the world around us in many ways, but one is that our neighborhood does not have a recycling pick up, so we bring our recycling to work to put out with the office recycling. Another way is that we plant a garden at my parent’s house in order to have fresh, pesticide free veggies and fruits to enjoy.
I am a vegetarian, use reusable shopping bags at the grocery store, do not buy bottled water, buy only e-friendly cleaning supplies, products not tested on animals, and organic body products – every little bit helps!
Hi Tracie, I just became a fan on FB & I go green by re-using all of those crazy bags my son’s toys come in.. plastic, fabric, etc. Thanks!
I always bring my own bags when shopping, recycle everything I can, filter water rather than buy bottled, buy all produce and dairy organic and try to buy all green paper and cleaning products.
Dif. is helping to save the plant. I use reusable bags when I go shopping, make my own or buy cleaning products. Use the bottles again for cleaning prducts.
My definition of green? Well, like the book says, it’s stewardship. I try to make the wisest use of everything I have. Whether it is composting leftover vegetable scraps, starting my own organic garden, buying good quality second-hand clothing or donating my old clothing I try to make sure that I am using everything to it’s fullest potential, not merely tossing it away when I’m tired of it.
just became a fan on facebook.
I love the word stewardship because it really does encompass a way of living. The thing we are working on right now is teach our kids about gardening, growing our own food and trying things. We talk about how the food scraps we compost help fertilize our ground, plants need sun and water (reused) to grow, etc. Just small part of a bigger picture!
My idea of green is to teach respect for all living things and minimize our impact on the planet.
My boys and I are trying to go green by doing quite a few things. We have switched to BPA free water bottles and use them daily using the tap! We also try to do crafts that would better our environment and my pocket…lol! I try to reuse products that I use everyday to make potted plants or things he would enjoy making. I hope this is what you mean by the questions, because I have no other way to answer lol
We look for new ways to be “green” every day. Little things like buying reusable covers for the swiffer we bought 6 years ago instead of looking for something new, rarely buying a bottle of water (only when traveling long distance, or in toddler emergencies
using cloth diapers, and using detergents/soaps that are earth friendly and the list grows constantly. We are so lucky that it has become “trendy” to be green so items are becoming more affordable!
For our family, being green means making strides to provide a beautiful earth for our son to grow up loving and respecting.
Just became a facebook fan! I am so glad to have found your site
I blogged about it!
http://perpetualtourists.blogspot.com/2010/04/sucker-for-sweepstakes.html
Every day, little steps toward the green….every year a big one. Love and respect for the planet and all life on it makes it easier.
I’m not very green savy but would love to follow this revolution. And what better way to start than by a book!
In our household, green living is VERY important. However, we also realize that it’s not always possible to make the green choice in every decision. Because we are conscious of the way our choices can impact our health and the planet, we are a lot more careful about the things we say and do, and bring into or take out of our home. For example, if we want a new TV, but the old one still works, we weigh the pros and cons of keeping the one we have for a while longer or giving away the old one and buying a refurbished, but newer TV.
These days, there is a greener choice for any decision if we just stop long enough to think about it. And we don’t beat ourselves up when we make a decision that’s not very green. We just learn from it and try to make a better decision next time.
My idea of green is respect for everything around you and give back more than you take
i follow on twitter @mrstinareynolds
I am a facebook fan (mrstinareynolds)
I won a copy of “Green Mama: The Guilt-Free Guide to Helping You and Your Kids Save the Planet.” – thanks Mommy Goes Green!!!