Green Living Consultant

They say blonds have more fun, but as a green living consultant, I'd have to argue, greenies do!  Greenies?  What's a greenie?  Greenies are those living a sustainable lifestyle or living green.  As described in our sustainability consulting practice, living green or sustainable living is a primary focus on eco awareness with actions towards reducing ones carbon footprint, managing waste, and embracing sustainability concepts in decision making.  You may ask: So what's fun about living a sustainable lifestyle?
 
Well, for one, greenies excel at eco math; greenies demonstrate exemplary qualities of kindness, generosity and willingness; and, they have a discerning eye for saving green.    The fun is the approach to life.  It's an innovative lifestyle: one that dictates awareness for new and efficient ways of doing things.  It's discovery of eco awareness in its many facets.  It's sharing.  It's connecting.  That is fun!
 
If you think about it, everything we do every day has an impact on our planet.  As a green living consultant, I know not everyone was raised with eco awareness, so why do it?  Speaking from experience in our sustainability consulting, some of the general answers received include:
 

• Families go green for their children
• It saves money
• Living with eco awareness protects the planet for future generations
• Because it's the right thing to do
• Participation in neighborhood or community eco awareness
• It feels good
• Living a sustainable lifestyle is healthier-investing in your body is less toxins and less illness
• It's an opportunity to reconnect with local community
• It's easy to go green now: more options and alternatives available

 
You don't have to be a fanatic to live green.  In fact, if you think about your life now, there are probably many eco actions that you are already taking.  A sustainable lifestyle is not an all or nothing approach.  Creating your own sustainable lifestyle is where the fun is.  Uniquely expressing yourself through sustainability concepts applied in your life, the way you like it and making a difference- is fun. 

How do you connect with nature?   Does it matter?  Actually it does.  According to Richard Ryan, professor of psychology at the University of Rochester, paying attention to the natural world not only makes you feel better, it makes you behave better. 
 
As a green living consultant, it's interesting to note that while the salubrious effects of nature are well documented, from increasing happiness and physical health to lowering stress, this study shows that the benefits extend to a person's values and actions.  Exposure to natural as opposed to man-made environments leads people to value community and close relationships. 
 
For those living a sustainable lifestyle, the message is meaningful.   Lead author Netta Weinstein says the take home message from the research is clear: "We are influenced by our environment in ways that we are not aware of," she says. Because of the hidden benefits of connecting with nature, people should take advantage of opportunities to get away from built environments and, when inside, they should surround themselves with plants, natural objects, and images of the natural world. "The more you appreciate nature, the more you can benefit," she says.
 
The question I ask as a sustainable living consultant is: How do you connect with nature? What do you appreciate about it?  Eco awareness is an attitude; while it's easiest to appreciate our natural environment in scenic settings, even city dwellers can appreciate the natural world.  Perhaps it's the cardinal that chirps outside your window or the wind that caresses your face as you bike commute.  Or, maybe it’s the budding leaves on the trees as spring approaches. 
 
Connect with nature, invite eco awareness to your thoughts and enjoy feeling better and connecting with all that is. 

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be on reality TV?  Is it even possible to act normal with a television crew taping your every action?  As a sustainability consultant, I've often reflected on what a reality TV show communicates about the choices, lifestyles, and habits of its characters. 
 
In fact, if a reality show were taken of your life, what would it reflect?  It's sort of like listening to your voice on a recording or watching yourself in a video.  What appears isn't always how you think it's projected. 
 
As a green living consultant, the idea of a reality TV show is a fun way to engage clients to look at their habits differently.  Habits are routines of behavior that are repeated regularly and tend to occur subconsciously, without one's directly thinking consciously about them. The pretense of a reality show raises awareness of personal habits and shines light on potential areas for eco action.  In the world of sustainability, this unconscious display of habits is a fertile ground of opportunity offering low hanging fruit for eco action.
 
Discovering hidden treasures in your daily habits begins by becoming conscious of your routines as well as your approach to the actions you take.  Look for clues in your life. What is in your garbage?  Do you leave the water on while brushing your teeth?  Idle the car? Pay bills by mail?  The value is in the questions.  To ask, inherently means there is sparked eco awareness within the questioner.  From there, options are available to replace traditional habits with those of eco actions.
 
What is your external world telling you about yourself?  Where is the low hanging fruit for eco awareness in your life?   

It seems in recent years being busy has become the rule rather than the exception.  With busy comes conveniences and sometimes conveniences means having to compromise on values.  Fortunately, that's no longer the case.  With growing eco awareness sprouting more and more environmentally friendly options, those living a busy and sustainable lifestyle can take their green on the go.  Enjoy some of the tips shared in our eco friendly consulting practice.

Do you have an iPhone?  Take eco action now and check out these top green apps:

• Carbon Tracker: This GPS-enabled carbon footprint application allows users to calculate their carbon footprint from daily commuting, business trips or vacations.
• iRecycle, makes it easy to find recycling locations anywhere in the U.S. Find places to drop-off your old cell phone or other items, get directions and find out what else they accept.
• GoodGuide:  Use this app to find out what’s in 75,000 common household products.  Reviewers praise the level of detail in the GoodGuide database as well as its ease of use.  Especially handy while shopping.
• Greenpeace Tissue Guide: Research brands of consumer paper products to find the greenest tissues, paper towels, and toilet paper.

 
Get personal with green.  Carry your reusable mug, reusable water bottle, and PeopleTowels.  PeopleTowels are 100% organic cotton, reusable personal hand towels that are portable and preserve environmental resources.
 
Synch your life green with Evernote.   As a green living consultant, I find it to be an environmentally friendly tool to use to minimize paper use.   Because Evernote has the ability to collect all the notes you create, clips from Web pages and emails you want to recall, in a synchronized repository, it makes it easy to be productive and green on the go. 
 
Get mobile updates on sustainable lifestyle choices and businesses going green from twitter and Facebook.
 
Green your quick meals:  Chipotle’s  is one of the fast food restaurants recognized for tasty food but also as a leader in building business sustainability.  Quiznos just launched its new sustainable packaging which includes compostable wax-coated paper cups, pulp salad bowls made from renewable sugarcane, napkins made from 100 percent recycled material and fibers, and "team members" wearing uniforms made 100 percent from recycled soda pop bottles. 
 
A primary aspect of a sustainable lifestyle is the recognition that every action is part of a larger whole and even the smallest change can make a difference.  Taking eco action on the go keeps your values in line and contributes to everyone’s efforts towards the greater environmental good. 

Is it living off the grid? Living in a green house? Working at a green job?  What exactly does it mean to be green?
 
At its essence, a sustainable lifestyle, or living green, refers to a lifestyle and set of choices that minimizes a person's environmental impact.  While living green embraces sustainability concepts of efficiency, organics, waste management, and so forth, the mindset is more important than the eco actions.  Why?  Because life is dynamic.    As expressed in our eco friendly training, applying sustainability concepts one way today may not be the sustainable solution of tomorrow.  Your life circumstances change so it's in your approach to life that matters.
 
Being green is a continuous improvement process that challenges us to expand our own personal eco awareness and experiment with new ideas and sustainability concepts in our lives as they unfold.   The essence of a sustainability mindset reflects one of wholeness and appreciation for natural resources, communities, and the gifts our planet gives to us.   A personal sustainability plan is a journey: you never get it done. 
 
Green homes, eco gadgets, living off the grid, and all of the many "demonstrations" of a sustainable lifestyle are the results of a mindset framed with eco awareness.   From the perspective of a green living consultant, what is considered to be green is continuing to evolve.  Our personal consulting practice encourages all to keep up with evolution by embracing a sustainability mindset.  

You're driving to work, listening to your favorite radio station, when on comes Miley Cyrus' "Party in the U.S.A."   By the time you pull into your office parking lot, you have, "It's a party in the U.S.A" running through your head. You hum it at your desk. You sing it on your way to the restroom. You tap it out on the conference table during your morning meeting. When five o'clock finally rolls around, your coworkers are shooting you the evil eye and you're ready to pull your hair out. 
 
As a sustainability consultant, I have no clue as to why songs get stuck in our heads.  However, it is fascinating that a catchy tune can stay with us the entire day.  Is it possible that music can be a means to raise eco awareness in our day to day habits?  Image if you heard Jack Johnson's "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" song.  As that echoed in your thoughts, do you think it would inspire you to eco action?
 
Integrating sustainability concepts into daily living can be easy and fun.   As a green living consultant, I approach living green using an inspirational mindset.  Music is moving and inspirational.   So is living a sustainable lifestyle.  Living green addresses the complex issues of our time on an individual level.  Issues like climate change, pollution, resource preservation, and global inequity are generally left for our leaders and big business to solve; however, it is also our own personal responsibility to make the conscious choice and commitment to take eco action and be accountable for it.
 
Through our daily living, we are presented with opportunities to expand our eco awareness and make informed choices.  Being conscious of sustainability concepts contributes to living a more sustainable lifestyle.   As you discover sustainable alternatives to your daily routine, share the information to inspire sustainable action in others.  Or, just hum along.....

Forward thinking designers around the world are merging fashion with eco awareness.  Hence the term,  “eco-fashion.”  It refers to stylized clothing that uses environmentally sensitive fabrics and responsible production techniques.  
 
As a green living consultant introducing sustainability concepts to living a green/ sustainable lifestyle, it makes sense to look for different ways to integrate eco awareness into your life.  The most impactful areas of our lives are those that we do by habit.  We dress daily, so why not add eco awareness to our fashion? 
 
With eco awareness on the rise, more and more sustainable options are becoming available.  Even traditional brands like Levi's, American apparel, and Nike are offering eco friendly apparel.  While it's always fun to purchase new clothes, it's best to use what you've got and sprinkle in new eco fashion items as you need them. 
 
Guidelines to get you started:

• First, use what is in your closet!  If you don't wear it, donate it or recycle it in some way.
• When shopping, remember to keep sustainability concepts in mind.   Local shops are a great place to start.
• Some prefer natural fibers or organic clothing.
• Plan your purchases.  Is it possible to buy the desired item from fashion designer embracing business sustainability?   For instance, a line per se may be an eco friendly design. 
• Another option is to purchase an item that can be purchased from multiple stores, select to purchase it from a business that embeds sustainability programs in its core business:  Wal-Mart or JC Penny, for instance.
• Evaluate products on the full lifecycle.   That is, your own personal lifecycle.  Is this a trendy item or one that goes with only one outfit?  Opt for multi outfit items that will last through a couple of seasons.   How it will be discarded later?  Patagonia offers a take back program.
• Consider the care of the garment.  If it can be washed in cold water and hung dry, it's a winner.  Dry cleaning required?  Not such a great option.
• When applicable, buy Fair Trade.
• Buy products from sustainable sources like bamboo.

 
Not sure where to find fashionable eco clothing?  Following are some resources suggested in our eco friendly training to get you on your way:
 

• Modern Hippy Mag
• Focus Organic
• The green girls

For those on the path of living a sustainable lifestyle, there’s power in leveraging purchases to support credible and sustainable businesses.  With business sustainability permeating the fashion world, there are more and more options available to look and feel great while wearing fashionable eco wear. 

Everything you buy affects the Earth, but some choices have a lesser impact. Educating yourself about the products you buy can empower you to make a difference in protecting the planet. It's called "green purchasing," and it's easy to do. As a green living consultant, I've found the problem is, most people are simply not aware of the problems associated with purchasing less sustainable products, let alone the solutions
 
So if the problem is a lack of education who is responsible for fixing it? We are.  Individually, we have a responsibility to seek out information on sustainable products and companies.  The easiest way to promote a sustainable lifestyle is by living your values. Sustainable purchasing is one way to demonstrate that value.  In fact, getting others involved in your purchasing habits is a great way to spread eco awareness to friends, neighbors, and others in your community.  
 
Increased eco awareness has generated a wealth of information literally available at our fingertips: the internet.  Next time you are ready to buy, educate yourself with eco awareness.

How can I buy energy-efficient products?
Energy Star

How do I find the most fuel-efficient vehicle?
EPA’s Green Vehicle Guide
Greenercars

How do I find products and services that save water?
Find a Watersense product

How do I learn more about living green? 
TaigaCompany
Greenchoices
SustainLane
VividLife.me

How do I compare products based on environmental attributes?
EPEAT 

How do I find environmental information on food, cosmetics, and household items?
Environmental Working Group
Organic Consumers Association
Skin deep
GoodGuide

How do I compare or engage with companies on their commitment to combating climate change?
Climate Counts
SocialYell
Just Means
 
With a little education and pre-planning, it's easy to maintain eco awareness in your shopping- even during the most inconvenient times.  Sustainable purchasing  is important because it can help you make better choices.  Those choices expand eco awareness within your network of friends and family, positively impact your local economy, reduce your footprint on the environment, and may actually help you save money in the process.
 

Cool technology is one of the innovative solutions driven by sustainable business searching for solutions to climate change.  While not directly related to sustainable business strategies, a new, cool technological tool for going paperless is now available.  Are you familiar with Evernote?  As a green living consultant, I find it to be an environmentally friendly tool to use to minimize paper use.  Paperless is a sustainability concept that not only helps the environment, but decreases clutter, eliminates storage space and increases personal organization and productivity. 
 
If you are like many clients in our eco friendly consulting, you may find yourself jotting down websites, Facebook pages or blogs to visit later from your computer.  Additionally, lots of people move among multiple computers and devices as part of their daily routine. Evernote, a free web based service, helps to reduce paper reminders and assist with synchronization of information.
 
Evernote has the ability to collect, in one well-organized, searchable, private digital repository, all the notes you create, clips from Web pages and emails you want to recall, dictated audio memos, photos, key documents, and more.  It's also a repository that is constantly synchronized, and is accessible through a Web browser and through apps on your various computers and smart phones. 

If you are looking for ways to live a sustainable lifestyle, this is one step that can help you do just that. Incorporating sustainability concepts of reducing paper contributes to living a sustainable lifestyle that not only helps you become better organized and more productive, but also helps reduce the largest portion of our waste stream. 

As a green living consultant and an advocate for sustainable change in business, I enthusiastically express to clients, peers, and friends that everything we buy is an expression of consumer preference.  While some choices may have a lesser impact, each time we open our packet books or wallets to make a purchase, we are telling the business world that we approve of the product and service they are providing.  With many watchful eyes already focused on the ‘greenwashers’  critiquing what is not acceptable, I prefer to  address the greater value: focusing our attention on what we do want.

At Taiga Company, we have seen a shift in consumer preference over the past few years.  There seems to be a general trend of increasing eco awareness and a decreasing resistance for more sustainable products.  In fact, a recent survey indicates that 34 percent of American consumers are more likely to buy environmentally responsible products today, and another 44 percent indicate their environmental shopping habits have not changed as a result of the economy.  Specifically, younger consumers are expecting more from their green purchases and their consumer behavior is reflected in these desires.

Taking a lesson from that often self-focused teenager, an expression of personal ‘desired’ preference will ultimately place pressure on green products to meet these buyer needs.  So rather than focusing on what it is that we do not like about a product, focus attention and make purchases based upon what it is you do like:

•    I want a product that uses sustainable materials.
•    I want a product that is produced using environmentally responsible processes.
•    I want a product that is socially responsible  and uses fair trade practices.
•    I want a product that is energy efficient.
•    I want a product that is recyclable and has a minimal life-cycle footprint.

For the most part, markets tend to respond much more quickly to meet desires than respond to resistance.  When you find a product or service that meets your preferences, confirm your approval by purchase and promotion. 

As a sustainability consultant, I am enthusiastic about the shifting preferences of consumers.  Raising eco awareness and everyday purchases of more sustainable products and services is transforming business actions.  It is motivating companies to incorporate true business sustainability into their product offerings.

It’s no secret that going green is all the rage these days.  In fact, being eco-friendly is more popular and well accepted now than ever before in history. The thing is, eco awareness is gaining momentum, but not everybody knows exactly how to take the concept of going green and break it down into their day to day habits. 
 
To help you do just that, following are ways to go green each day of the week.  As a green living consultant, I suggest starting off with ideas in each area that are of most interest to you and build from there.  Each week can be a new platform to launch new eco actions.  Have fun with it and know that every eco action you take adds up and makes a difference.
 
Paperless Mondays:
Within our business sustainability consulting, we explain that when it comes to paper, producing paper from virgin fiber is both energy and water intensive.  It releases significant amounts of greenhouse gases into our atmosphere.  By choosing to use less paper and paper with recycled content you are making the choice to save wood, water and energy, and cut pollution and solid waste.   The costs savings add up and the environmental impact goes down.   Need ideas?  Check out 19 Tips to go Paperless at Home.

Turn Tuesdays Green at Work:
Keep in mind, every job is a green job: it's all in how you do it.  One approach is to increase your participation in the sustainability programs offered within your organization.  This offers a broader perspective of potential green projects and areas of improvement.  Another approach is to green your physical environment.  If you work at home, check out Green your Home Office 101 for ideas or 10 Ways to Green Your Cubicle.  Both offer ideas to embrace sustainability concepts in your work environment. 
 
Water Wednesdays:
Clean, fresh water is no longer just an issue for developing countries.  It has become more and more a global issue.   Water is linked to every facet of life on our planet and directly interacts with a myriad of other sustainability concepts.  Learn water wise habits to Reduce your Water Footprint.
 
Adventurous Thursdays:
Explore different modes of transportation .  The benefits of alternative transportation include conserving energy, preserving resources, reduced commuter traffic, cost savings (gas and parking), and reduced carbon emissions.  Fun ideas include: carpool, bus, train, cycling or telecommuting/ coworking options for work environments. 
 
Friday Fun: Slay Energy Vampires with energy efficiency practices:
The U.S. Department of Energy tells us that not only do appliances continue to draw electricity while the products are turned off, but in the average home nearly 75% of all electricity used to power electronics is consumed by products that are switched off.  Explore energy efficiency eco actions to use less energy. 

Saturday Waste Management/ Recycling:
When you avoid making garbage in the first place, you eliminate the disposing of waste or recycling it later.  It's the first component of the sustainability concept of the three R's: reduce, reuse, recycle.  Clues to how to reduce waste can be found by visiting what's in your garbage. 
 
Sparkle Sunday with Green Cleaning:
Conventional cleaning supplies contain ingredients that are toxic or hazardous. By replacing them with eco-friendly products, you're providing improved indoor air quality, as well as reducing the 5 billion pounds of chemicals consumed by cleaning industry each year.  Get started using non toxic products and breath easier.

Have you heard someone say they are going green because it's the "right” thing to do?  When you ask them what exactly the “right” thing is, they mention because "it's good for the environment".  As a green living consultant, I'm all for being good to the environment; however, what I've noticed in our sustainability consulting is that "being good for the environment" doesn’t translate well into tangible, practical pieces of information that people can use in their daily lives.  The statement, "it's good for the environment" is just too big, too conceptual, it means different things to different people and it lacks personalization. 
 
So, what does being good to the environment really mean? Within our personal sustainability programs, we break it down to a personal level.  In doing so, it's easier to connect the dots between an eco action and the associated environmental benefit.  The result?  Clear knowledge of how and why that action is good for the environment versus a blank, overarching statement.
 
Let's take the holidays as an example.  How can we be good to the environment during the holidays? Following are holiday eco actions associated with the environmental drivers.       
 
 
Eco actions of party planning:
There are great free online party invitation services that conscious party planners can use like the popular Socializr. It lets users customize their invite with music or video. Socializr also has options to send invites to social networking profiles, directly to cell phones, and through email. Pingg is an event management site that offers similar services.  If you prefer a more traditional approach consider using party invitations made from recycled paper.
 
Why it's good for the environment: While using computers and the internet for party planning does utilize energy, it is a more sustainable option compared to the traditional practice of purchasing virgin paper invitations, mailing them, and recipients throwing them out.  The traditional practice is more energy, carbon, and resource intensive than the act of sending invitations electronically.  Both Socializr and Pingg are great ways to integrate the sustainability concept of paperless into your holiday party planning.
 
Eco action in party decorations:

• Rent or borrow decorative items instead of buying new ones.   If you purchase new decorative items, focus purchases made from recycled materials such as paper, plastic, rubber and glass. 
• Purchase reusable decorations that can be used year after year.
• Decorate with plants.  Plants improve air quality as well as offer lively decoration.    Do you prefer flowers?    Check out organic flowers.  
• Consider opting for soy candles and LED lights to brighten and cheer a room.  LED lights use 80-90% less energy than traditional lights and are more energy efficient than CFLs.  
• Offer party favors and decorations made by local artisans, fair trade companies and/ or from recycled materials.

Why it's good for the environment:  Integrating sustainability concepts of organic, local, fair trade, and energy efficiency can help   in a multiple of ways.  Organic reduces the toxic load by keeping chemicals out of the air, water, soil, and our bodies.  Fair trade provides consumers with options to purchase ethically sound and higher integrity products that benefit communities as well as the environment.  And, energy efficiency reduces the demand for raw materials, reduces emissions of carbon dioxide, and helps to save money.
   
Eco Actions in menu planning:

• When throwing a green holiday party the menu should be eco-friendly as well. The main objective when setting the menu is to avoid being wasteful.
• When entertaining your guests, use glassware. If that's not an option, extend eco awareness into your party by using compostable plates and utensils.
• Set up convenient recycling bins for glass and paper.
• Serve seasonal foods and offer organic and locally grown food.
• Holiday toast with organic beer and wines.

Why it's good for the environment:
Serving organic food and spirits support sustainable farming practices.  The benefits of serving what you need, reduces waste. The importance of using reusable serving wear can't be underestimated.   Waste is not just created when consumers throw items away. Waste  is generated throughout the life cycle of a product, from extraction of raw materials, to transportation to processing and manufacturing facilities, to manufacture and use. Reusing items or making them with less material decrease waste dramatically. Ultimately, less material will need to be recycled or sent to landfills or waste-combustion facilities.    
 
By hosting your holiday party with eco awareness, not only do you reduce your impact on the planet, but you extend that generosity by gifting your guest with ideas to living green.  Demonstrating your values and articulating specifically the benefits of your eco actions helps others to make the link between eco actions and how it is benefiting the environment.

Spending more time indoors during winter means more exposure to dust, pet dander, mold, and other allergens.  The holidays present even more opportunities for spreading germs with parties and more social contact.  While each person may be affected differently, raising eco awareness and taking eco action on indoor air quality issues can directly contribute to health and a more sustainable lifestyle; not to mention a more pleasant experience for holiday guests. 
 
As a green living consultant, I share with clients a list of potential concerns: carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, household chemicals, pesticides, formaldehyde, dust mites, and mold.  The solution?  Whether in your home or business, follow these easy steps to improving your indoor air quality during the holidays
 

1. Like candles? Opt for soy candles.  One of the most famous benefits of soy candles is how clean they burn. Soy wax doesn't not produce the black soot like paraffin does.
2. Don't allow smoking indoors.  Set aside an area outside for guests to smoke.
3. Keep the house clean. Dust mites, pollens, animal dander, and other allergy-causing agents can be reduced, although not eliminated, through regular cleaning.
4. Clean with non toxic cleaners.
5. Ditch the air fresheners. They may cover embarrassing bathroom smells, but they do a number on your air quality.
6. Avoid indoor use of unvented kerosene and gas space heaters, wood stoves, fireplaces, and gas stoves.
7. Have central air handling systems, including furnaces, flues, and chimneys, inspected.
8. Operate a dehumidifier in the basement if needed to keep relative humidity levels between 30-50 percent.
9. Throw away partially full containers of old or unneeded chemicals and pesticides safely at your local environmental recycling center.
10. Buy environmentally friendly or limited quantities of traditional cleaning products.
11. Keep exposure to perchloroethylene emissions from newly dry-cleaned materials to a minimum by airing out your dry-cleaning before bringing it into the house.
12. Avoid the use of pressed wood products and other formaldehyde-emitting goods.
13. If you have to use traditional pesticides, ventilate the area well after pesticide use.
14. Use non-chemical methods of pest control when possible.
15. Keep exposure to moth repellents to a minimum.
16. Keep exposure to dryer sheets to a minimum.
17. Run ceiling fans to keep air circulating.
18. Regularly replace your central system air filters (1-3 months) with a HEPA rated filter.
19. Consider purchasing an additional air filtration device.
20. Open you windows to let fresh air in.
21. Bring plants into the house that absorb toxins.
22. Painting?  Remember to use eco friendly paints with low VOCs.
23. Install and use exhaust fans that are vented to the outdoors in kitchens and bathrooms.
24. Ventilate the attic and crawl spaces to prevent moisture build-up.
25. Decorate with nature (pine cones, nuts) and natural fibers and avoid off gassing associated with plastic holiday decorations. 

 
 
Indoor air quality is an important sustainability concept to consider for general health or the pursuit of a sustainable lifestyle.  With a few small changes, you will feel an immediate change in your home.  Have fun with it and enjoy your holidays!

Maybe it's a Texas thing, but I've heard of people decorating their entire home, Christmas tree, gifts, and parties in a single theme.  Some all silver with tensile everywhere and yes, I've even seen cowboy boots and Texas flair as the central theme.
 
With the holiday spirit in full swing, many "eco curious" clients have expressed confusion as to what it means to live green during the holidays.  As described in our sustainability consulting practice, living green or sustainable living is a primary focus on eco awareness with actions towards reducing ones carbon footprint, managing waste, and embracing sustainability concepts in decision making.
 
Holidays are can be a great kick off or focal point for going green.    As a green living consultant, I think of it as a softened approach to assist clients to ease the transition from "eco curious” to "eco living". It's a graceful way of learning that a sustainable lifestyle is not an all or nothing approach.  And yet, each eco action you take on behalf of the environment does make a difference.
 
As a sustainability consultant, I can't resist making the connection of being kind to others during this time to also being kind to our planet.    The holiday spirit is contagious.  It uplifts others and offers a means to be generous in ways we are not during the year.
 
With that in mind, explore ways to include sustainability concepts into your holiday celebrations.  Here are a few tips to get you started.  Happy Eco Holidays!
 

• Ways to go paperless this holiday season
• Trim Waste this holiday season 
• Holiday travel guide
• Creating new family traditions

According to the EPA, from Thanksgiving to New Years Day, household waste increases by more than 25%. Added food waste, shopping bags, packaging, wrapping paper, bows and ribbons - it all adds up to an additional 1 million tons a week to our landfills.  The one thing we touch every day is paper and this is especially so during the holiday season.
 
Fortunately, this holiday season more and more people are expanding eco awareness in their holiday celebrations in an entirely different way. That's because more people are going green this holiday season, choosing to make their holiday as eco-friendly as possible.  One way is to reduce paper.
 
Why go paperless?   As a green living consultant in the area of creating sustainable lifestyles, I share some of the benefits:
 

• Increase organization and productivity
• Eliminate storage space
• Reduce costs
• Improve disaster recovery protection for legal documents
• Reduces your environmental impact

 
We offer paperless suggestions in our eco friendly consulting; see how many you can incorporate this holiday season.  Better yet, encourage your friends and family to go paperless too! 
 

1. Planning a Holiday Party?  Try sending an e-card or using an online party planning tool to invite guest; remember to share your party photos online.
2. Another option:  Send recycled-content greeting cards to reduce the amount of virgin paper used during the holidays. Remember to recycle any paper cards you receive.
3. Eliminate paper in your holiday celebrations by using only reusable dishes, utensils, and glasses; replace paper napkins with cloth napkins; replace paper towels, use kitchen towels or at least use recyclable paper towels.
4. Sport canvass or reusable bags for shopping and eliminate paper bags.
5. Skip the wrapping paper.  Creative ideas for great wrapping paper alternatives include gift bags, boxes or fabric, or if you just can't give up the wrap, upcycle old paper products such as newspapers, magazines and even maps as "wrapping paper."
6. Buy gifts that don't require wrap. Donations and volunteering are just some ideas.
7. Gifting a new cell phone?  Recycle cell phones that are no longer used.  Environmentally responsible choices include Charitable and Environmental Solutions for e-waste.
8. Replace your paper planner with an electronic one. PDA's: Blackberry and smart phones all have contact management capabilities.  Take it a step further and close the reuse/recycle loop and purchase a used one from eBay or Craig’s list.
9. Use your iPhone to live green: take eco action now and check out these top 5 green apps: 
10. •    Carbon Tracker: This GPS-enabled carbon footprint application allows users to calculate their carbon footprint from daily commuting, business trips or vacations. Users can also create goals for maximum emissions in a month, then monitors progress. Great for expanding eco awareness in your daily life.
11. •    iRecycle, makes it easy to find recycling locations anywhere in the U.S. Find places to drop-off your old cell phone or other items, get directions and find out what else they accept.
12. •    GoodGuide:  Use this app to find out what’s in 75,000 common household products.  Reviewers praise the level of detail in the GoodGuide database as well as its ease of use.
13. •    Greenpeace Tissue Guide: Research brands of consumer paper products to find the greenest tissues, paper towels, and toilet paper.
14. Read your books online: subscribe to e-books.
15. Online e-zines, blogs, and PDF versions of printed magazines are becoming more and more popular, both as a replacement for and a supplement to printed publications.
16. Utilize social media tools (Facebook, digg, StumbleUpon) to share information: favorite websites, cool videos, and even gift ideas.
17. Learn 50 new ways to use your iPod for more than music.
18. Get a zoombox!   Zumbox is the first all-digital online alternative to the traditional paper postal service, and if you have a street address, you can already start using it.   Note, Zumbox is not email.  It is based on permanent street addresses.
19. Commit to all online banking:  statements, bill, and payments.
20. Reduce junk mail (just think of the numerous catalogs received during the holidays).

 
Incorporating sustainability concepts of reducing paper contributes to living a sustainable lifestyle that not only helps you become better organized and more productive, but also helps reduce the largest portion of our waste stream.  

Attention Holiday Shoppers!  The holidays are about giving, so this year give a little something back to the planet while you are shopping for your holiday gifts.  As a green living consultant, I explain that everything you buy affects the Earth, but some choices have a lesser impact.  Cost and quality are important factors, but there are other factors to consider when making purchasing decisions this holiday season. 
 
The problem?  It's not always so easy to spot a green product.  The unique differences in green choices are often not visual, but hidden in parts of interconnected processes that most of us take for granted or are simply not interested in (production, packaging, distribution, etc.)  
 
The solution?  Increase eco awareness, educate, and learn how to shop green.  Within our sustainability plans, we define a green product as one that performs as good as or better than the standard product, has less of an environmental impact, and is cost competitive.   We encourage clients to exercise discernment in evaluating products and services.  Evaluate the company: does it demonstrate sustainability values in the core business as well as in the products and services that it is offering?   Ideally, sustainable businesses communicates which eco action(s) it is taking, which areas are improving and by how much while also publishing areas for improvement and the business sustainability strategies implemented to address them.
 
There is power in leveraging purchases to support credible and sustainable businesses.   As a personal consultant, I offer a few suggestions to make the distinction. 
 

• Research before you buy.  For larger more infrequent items, set aside time to research your options.  Evaluate products on the full lifecycle.  How much energy was used in producing the product?   What is the energy consumption of your intended use?  How it will be discarded later? Compare products with eco awareness in mind.
• Look for eco-labels.  An eco-label is a logo indicating a product or company that has met an environmentally preferable standard.
• Buy local and buy in bulk.  Supporting local businesses eliminates the need for products to be transported far distances. 
• Buy organic.  Purchasing merchandise certified with organic labeling is another way to bring eco awareness to your lifestyle.   Buying organic means less pesticides in our ground water and better health for your family.
• Buy Fair Trade.  Buying Fair Trade helps to end abuses such as child and slave labor.
• Buy products from sustainable sources like bamboo.  Purchase products not tested on animals, made from renewable sources and packaged with recyclable and minimal packaging.
• Electronic purchases: Consider buying "Pre-Owned" goods.  Purchasing previously owned products is a great way to implement the sustainability concept of recycling.  Ebay and Craig’s list are two good sources.  Also ask your electronics store about recycling options for older models.
• Get product information and updates via email and the internet instead of paper and direct mail.
• Speak up!  Manufacturers are listening! Use social media to connect with business to communicate your preferences and experiences.  Consumers are the biggest drivers of sustainability changes.

 
Sustainable purchasing  is important because it can help you make better choices.  Those choices expand eco awareness within your network of friends and family, positively impact your local economy, reduce your footprint on the environment, and may actually help you save money  in the process.

According to the EPA, household waste jumps an astounding 25 percent between Thanksgiving and the New Year.  For those living a sustainable lifestyle, the trick to a successful holiday season is knowing how to enjoy the holidays while also minimizing waste.
 
As a green living consultant, I'm often asked, “What does reducing waste mean?"  When you avoid making garbage in the first place, you eliminate the disposing of waste or recycling it later.  It's the first component of the sustainability concept of the three R's: reduce, reuse, and recycle. 
 
To help you enjoy the holidays and trim your waste, following are eco actions we suggest in our personal sustainability programs:

Reduce Food Waste:
Pre plan your meals, buy in bulk, and prepare what you need.
Compost and turn your old food into healthy soil.

Reduce with eco decorations:
Recycle your Christmas tree! Contact your local recycling office to find out how to recycle your Christmas tree.
Reduce the number of lights on your tree as well as those decorating your home. Try to avoid leaving lights on all day. Use them only at night for maximum effect.  
Consider replacing standard holiday lights with strings of LED lights. The benefits of LED lights include energy efficiency, safety, sturdiness and a long life span.

Reduce when you shop and shop with the environment in mind:
Purchase products that are returnable, reusable or refillable.  Use reusable and refillable containers in your home instead of disposable items.
Purchase products with the least amount of packaging.
Get the most out of what you buy by comparing warranties and cost to repair or replace the item.
Look for products designed with the environment in mind: Organic clothing, sustainable furnishings, and solar powered products are just a few examples.

Reduce with eco gift giving:
Reduce paper consumption: Skip the wrapping paper.  Creative ideas for great wrapping paper alternatives include gift bags, boxes or fabric, or if you just can't give up the wrap, upcycle old paper products such as newspapers, magazines and even maps as "wrapping paper."
Use last year’s holiday cards as gift tags.
Buy recyclable batteries. Get a simple recharger for under $20 and save money as well as our landfills.
Give organic home-baked goodies in reusable holiday tins.
 
By thinking of ways to reduce waste when you shop, work and play this holiday season, it raises the level of eco awareness in your day and contributes to living a sustainable lifestyle.   There are fun and creative ways to reduce waste and also be good to the Earth at the same time.  Happy Holidays!

Are you lost in a sea of green?  Without a guide book to navigate the way, the growth in public eco awareness has been largely through personal experience and situational application.  While general concepts can be used to describe the broad topic of living green, many of our clients approach us with confusion as to where to start in living a sustainable lifestyle.   
 
Sustainable living refers to a lifestyle and set of choices that minimizes a person's environmental impact.  Why is living a sustainable lifestyle appealing?  A sustainable lifestyle is chosen for a host of reasons.  Some clients are inspired to protect natural resources while others are called to ensure healthier living.  There are those that embrace a sustainable lifestyle because it makes sense financially.  Regardless of the source of inspiration, many of our clients have found success in our eco friendly consulting to get them started in the direction of living green.
 
As a green living consultant, I approach living green using an inspirational mindset.  First, follow that path that is most inspiring to you.  What gets you going? Excited? Wanting to take that eco action?  Then, momentum grows with eco awareness in the areas that interest you.  Remember, daily habits and those we do regularly have the most impact and add up. 
 
Here are 10 tips to get you started in living a sustainable lifestyle:

1. Organics: visit your local farmer's market for organic fruits and veggies and use organic personal care and clothing from natural fibers.
2. Recycling: recycle everything! Paper, materials, home items, and more!
3. Energy efficiency: purchase energy efficient appliances.  Buy and use renewable or wind energy and monitor your use of energy.
4. Water: get to know what is in your water and use it efficiently.
5. Indoor air quality: use chemical free cleaners, live plants, sustainable fabrics and paint in your home. Your indoor air quality will improve and you'll support sustainable businesses producing green products.
6. Green your home: Reduce your use of paper and eliminate junk mail.
7. Innovate and inspire your employer and coworkers and green your work.
8. Green your travel.
9. Make every day choices matter.
10. Explore which alternative transportation option is interesting to you. 

If any of these areas inspire you, take eco action today.  Need help in figuring out your eco inspiration?  Let us know: we're here to help. 

Living green is all the rage and women especially have taken to adopting eco awareness in their daily living.   As a sustainability consultant introducing sustainability concepts to living a green/ sustainable lifestyle, it makes sense to look for different ways to integrate eco awareness into your life.  The most impactful areas of our lives are those that we do by habit.  Take for instance, your clothes. 
 
A common question from our lady clients is how to live green and dress green?   Frequently expressed is a concern of how to dress with eco awareness yet not compromise on fashion, quality, or personal style.  As green living consultant and professional consultant in business, I can relate and offer some suggestions. 
 

• First, use what is in your closet!  If you don't wear it, donate it or recycle it in some way. 
• When shopping, remember to keep sustainability concepts in mind.   Local shops are a great place to start.
• Some prefer natural fibers or organic clothing.
• Plan your purchases.  Is it possible to buy the desired item from fashion designer embracing business sustainability?   For instance, a line per se may be an eco friendly design.  
• Another option is to purchase an item that can be purchased from multiple stores, select to purchase it from a business that embeds sustainability programs in its core business.  Wal-Mart.  JC Penny, for instance.
• Evaluate products on the full lifecycle.   That is, your own personal lifecycle.  Is this a trendy item or one that goes with only one outfit?  Opt for multi outfit items that will last through a couple of seasons.   How it will be discarded later?  Patagonia offers a take back program. 
• Consider the care of the garment.  If it can be washed in cold water and hung dry, it's a winner.  Dry cleaning required?  Not such a great option.
• When applicable, buy Fair Trade. 
• Buy products from sustainable sources like bamboo. 

 
As explained in our eco friendly training, there are more and more options becoming available.  Here are a few ideas for sprinkling some eco awareness into your wardrobe:
 
Handbags: a personal favorite for its vibrant colors,   Recycled CANDY-WRAPPER handbags
Gretchen and Grace: Dedicated to the environment, Gretchen and Grace Greenwear provide the absolute best in eco-friendly stationery, accessories, and clothing produced with recycled and sustainable materials.
GreenLoop: Greenloop began in 2004 as Aysia Wright's endeavor in market based environmental activism, with the dual goals of using fashion as a vehicle for environmental change and providing a fashion conscious eco apparel shopping resource.
 
For those on the path of living a sustainable lifestyle, there’s power in leveraging purchases to support credible and sustainable businesses.  With business sustainability permeating the fashion world, there are more and more options available to look and feel great while wearing fashionable eco wear. 

What exactly is "living green"?  As described in our sustainability consulting practice, living green or sustainable living is a primary focus on eco awareness with actions towards reducing ones carbon footprint, managing waste, and embracing sustainability concepts in decision making.  But, did you know that sustainable living can improve your health? 
 
Living a sustainable lifestyle and improving your heath is easier than you think.  Here are favorite eco actions our clients have taken in their personal sustainability programs that have helped them to live green and improve their health. 
 
Improve Indoor Air Quality:
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors.   Improved indoor air quality can directly contribute to good health, improved productivity and ability to sustain living a sustainable lifestyle.  Solutions recommended in our eco friendly training to improve indoor air quality include:

• Open your windows.
• Clean with natural, non toxic cleaners.
• More plants! Living, green and flowering plants can remove several toxic chemicals from the air in building interiors.  
• Use non toxin pest control.
• Paint with low VOC paints.

 
Go Organic:
What's organic?  Products labeled “100% Organic” and carrying the “USDA Organic” seal are just that – they contain all organically produced ingredients.  As a green living consultant, I explain that organic refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed.  It includes a system of production, processing, distribution and sales that assures consumers that the products maintain the organic integrity that begins on the farm.  Try these ideas for living green and improving health:

• Eat organic foods.  Organic foods have more nutrients and less pesticide residue. 
• Use organic skincare.
• Sleep on an organic mattress.
• Enjoy organic fabrics for linens, towels, and clothing. 

 
As a green living consultant, I encourage further exploration.  Consider learning what is in your water, bike commuting and reconnecting with nature as other eco actions to take to live green and improve your health.