Gorgeously Green: Every Girl's Guide to an Earth-Friendly Life

by Sophie Uliano

book data

321 ratings, 3.99 average rating, 130 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		34%
4		37%
3		22%
2		5%
1		0%

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published

April 1st 2008 by Collins

binding

Paperback, 256 pages

isbn

0061575569 (isbn13: 9780061575563)

description

Are you confused by all the advice you hear and see daily on how to "go green"? Do you want to incorporate earth-friendly practices into yo

...more

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07/07/08

Barbara rated it:

bookshelves: 2008

The other day, I went to Target, going to my usual Target Aisles: bedding, cosmetics, skin care, and books. I bought a makeup bag to corral my lipgloss, blotting papers and brush in my work totebag and Gorgeously Green.

I almost didn’t buy it because I saw it in one of those health food store advertorial magazines and I generally think those are full of nonsense.

Let me tell you: half the book is highlighted with Things I Must Remember. I’m sure it will take me a whi...more The other day, I went to Target, going to my usual Target Aisles: bedding, cosmetics, skin care, and books. I bought a makeup bag to corral my lipgloss, blotting papers and brush in my work totebag and Gorgeously Green.

I almost didn’t buy it because I saw it in one of those health food store advertorial magazines and I generally think those are full of nonsense.

Let me tell you: half the book is highlighted with Things I Must Remember. I’m sure it will take me a while to incorporate them all – or even half of them – in to my daily life but I will. There were also a lot of websites where you can buy things and we all know how much I love an internet shopping “trip.”

The thing about Uliano is that she isn’t preachy and she isn’t “all or nothing.” For example, while I agree that using plastic or glass dishes is better than Styrofoam, I am not taking my Tupperware to D & W and asking them to put my sandwich in that. Maybe someday I will but not now. I’m also not going to stop flying to cool places for vacations and I’m not quite ready to give up my plan to go on a cruise with my sister. Uliano understands that we aren’t all going to Go Granola. Of course, now I also have a new vacation destination, entirely thanks to Uliano: an Eco-Spa!

There were other things that thrilled me that I had no idea existed. For example, Woman’s Wonder Bar, which are chocolate candy bars that are supposed to help with PMS and menopause. I am so going to that website and buying some. Eco-friendly poop bags since I must clean up the presents Peggy Sue leaves for the world. There are free ringtones you can download that sound like nature: the mating call of a whale, an owl hooting, various birds. All kinds of things. There is a nonprofit who will take your partially used antibiotics, antifungals, etc and distribute them to developing countries. That’s pretty cool.

There are 8 chapters, each covering a different area of life. The chapters are:
1. Becoming Aware (just what it says.)
2. Green Goddess (all about beauty.)
3. Your Green Temple (all about a healthy body. Yoga and weight training routines are included)
4. Soulful Shopping (self-explanatory, I think!)
5. Your Palace (about your home and garden.)
6. Every Last Bite (not surprisingly, all about food.)
7. Out and About Having Fun (transportation, entertainment and travel.)
8. Go Supergreen (activism and maintenance.)

I bet you’ll find some ways that you can live a more eco-friendly life without driving yourself nuts or becoming one of the Granola Brigade. (Though there *is* a recipe for granola that looks yummy!) You’ll likely find some things you never considered and each small change adds up to a big difference.
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01/17/08

Bess rated it:

Read in April, 2008

This book virtually transformed my medicine cabinet -- not to mention household, which is shared with a lifelong bachelor who purchases twelve-packs of Ivory bar soap and uses (nay, used!) rubbing alcohol as aftershave -- from the standard Oil Of Olay / Neutrogena / occasional Aveda lineup to serious non-paraben/fragrance-less organic and/or green products that might actually prevent my children from being born with gills and ADHD.

Its cheery tone is a bit much at times (though I do u...more

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10/30/08

Kristin rated it:

This book changed my life! I have always been environmentally conscientious, but I was lacking some information and practical advice. I'm trying to incorporate as many of the ideas as possible. By going green, I find that I save money in some areas, but spend more in others. For example, I bought cloth napkins, which will save me money in the long run. However, I am now buying organic milk, which is over $2 more a gallon that the regular kind! (You'd think this wouldn't be the case in Wisconsin....more

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01/03/09

Dawnan rated it:

I was so excited to get this book as a gift for Christmas. I had seen the book at my friend's house and she had really enjoyed it. The author lives in Hollywood, teachs yoga, and is trying to live a green life.

I found the book to be a very good guide for the best home, beauty and personal products to buy that are green, organic, etc. The information on all of the horrible things that are in makeup was eye opening, to be sure! However, I had a difficult time with her section on ...more

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12/12/08

Amy rated it:

Read in December, 2008

I really liked how the author begins the book by suggesting that we just pick 1 thing from each step (i.e. chapter) of the book to implement in our lives to help us lead a greener life. I'm a firm believer that if everyone would take just a few simple steps our environment and our lives would be so much healthier. I get disappointed with attempts to encourage everyone to go totally green...I just think that's too overwhelming for most people and the end result is they do nothing. However, eve...more

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10/20/08

Nicol rated it:

bookshelves: harper-reviews

Has a copy to sell/swap

I know that I have already said this, but I am so excited to have the opportunity to review new books. Okay, Gorgeously Green is written by Sophie Uliano. From the back flap it says, "Sophie Uliano is a passionate environmentalist who has developed an earth-friendly lifestyle that appeals to women who don't want to compromise their glamour or style." (Not turning into a non-shaving hippie.)

My first reaction to this book was that I was really excited ...more

I know that I have already said this, but I am so excited to have the opportunity to review new books. Okay, Gorgeously Green is written by Sophie Uliano. From the back flap it says, "Sophie Uliano is a passionate environmentalist who has developed an earth-friendly lifestyle that appeals to women who don't want to compromise their glamour or style." (Not turning into a non-shaving hippie.)

My first reaction to this book was that I was really excited to read it. I have been thinking for some time about going green in my life and have slowly been making changes. In past posts I have declared that I was greening my clean. I have made huge improvements in that, but some products I am still having a hard time getting rid of. Namely bleach. I am required by state daycare law to sanitize/sterilize all toys once a week. What else can I use to get rid of the vast amounts of snot and saliva (read: germs) that are covering the toys? (I know it may sound gross, but any mother will tell you that kids are discussing little creatures and they do not know how to use a tissue and everything goes into their swollen teething mouths.)

This book is set up as a program to slowly make changes in your own life. It isn't pointing the pollution problem and the melting ice caps on me, but rather guiding me to make small changes, leading to large ones, in my life. You are supposed to do this over an 8 week period, each step representing a week. She encourages you to pick one thing from each chapter/step that you can change. I can handle that!

It goes over several different areas in our lives and how to make Earth-friendly changes. From learning what green is, the green goddess you (cosmetics, hair, feminine stuff), your green temple (exercise), Soulful shopping, your green palace, organic food, entertaining and the larger impact changes that you can make. She discusses fair trade, chemicals to avoid, and how to encourage your friends to become "Gorgeously Green." Also how to tell if the $3 free range eggs that I purchase are really free range. That is important information!
Overall, I found the book a good read. The websites listed in most chapters offers organic, green products for those that do not have access to an organic store or a store that carries limited products. I did find some of the prices a little out of my budgets comfort zone. $44 for a body scrub! And I did not like the multiple references to the authors money (she beat around the bush, but she declares her wealth through the expensive gifts she gives her friends and her housekeeper).
I do recommend this book for anyone who is looking to make environmentally good changes, but not willing to give up the glam lifestyle. (less)

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08/13/08

Teresa rated it:

Read in August, 2008

recommends it for: mostly those who are not yet "into" the green movement

I was worried this would be too fluffy given that I've read several books and countless non-profit organization newsletters on the topic. I was sort of right; it is pretty darned "fluffy", and she sounds almost Valley-girl-ish with all her "Hello!"s.

On the other hand, I did learn a few things, and I am a sucker for reviews and recommendations on the green products (everything from laundry, to kitchen, to body care, to make-up) out there.

There were...more I was worried this would be too fluffy given that I've read several books and countless non-profit organization newsletters on the topic. I was sort of right; it is pretty darned "fluffy", and she sounds almost Valley-girl-ish with all her "Hello!"s.

On the other hand, I did learn a few things, and I am a sucker for reviews and recommendations on the green products (everything from laundry, to kitchen, to body care, to make-up) out there.

There were only a couple of things that kind of irked me. One was her remark about her 6 year old daughter being a wannabe consumer and how she'd have to "home-school her and live in an Amish community" if she wanted to shield her daughter from all the ads bombarding her (p.93). I'm glad she said "and" instead of "or", but still, I cringe when people use the old erroneous stereotype of homeschoolers being a sheltered bunch.

The second thing that bothered me is that after extolling the virtues of air drying, she says that "I do have to iron a bit more now that I air-dry." (p. 149) First of all, that's not true. I find that the wrinkles work themselves out in the sun, and pretty much everything is wrinkle free when dried (except for bath towels, oddly enough, but who cares?). Dh, as current chair of his department, needs to look reasonable to meet with deans, provosts, etc., and his air-dried dress shirts are perfectly acceptable. Another thing, irons use huge amounts of electricity, so it's not much of a trade-off for not using the dryer if you have to iron.

Some things I liked a lot in the book are:
1) her use of "slow" food as an acronym - Seasonal, Local, Organic, Whole...very clever.
2) there is an excellent quote from David Steinman in the book, quoted from his book (Safe Trip to Eden): "If you worry about some of the added costs of purchasing organic foods, but you give to charity, think of organic food as giving to the most effective environmental charity today, more powerful even than the American Cancer Society."
3) specific recommendations on products and sites

I read it the day that I had to lie in bed to recuperate from a swollen leg from a yellow jacket sting and took copious notes. It made a lazy day a bit more fun, and lying in bed a bit more bearable. (less)

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08/05/08

Sariah rated it:

Even though I knew a lot of the things in this book already, it was still very informative. I was aware of all the horrible things in cleaning supplies, thanks to "Organic Housekeeping", and knew about the nasty stuff in nearly everything else in the terrifying "Natural Cures They Don't Want You to Know" The problem I had was finding alternatives to the beauty products. So conventional make-up is full of carcinogens and hormone disrupters. So what do I do now? This book ...more

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05/10/08

Jen rated it:

Read in May, 2008

Ok, this is SO SO much different and better than any other "ways to go green" guide or book that just drowns you in stats and makes you feel like everything is a lost cause and why bother. This woman was on Oprah with Julia ROberts a week or so ago and she said a few things that made me really interested in this book. Mainly, "Do what you can!" She is a girly girl who likes to look good and didn't want her life and family life overhauled in one night and realized that's impos...more

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04/25/08

Jillian Clemmons rated it:

bookshelves: fashion-beauty, favorites, green-living, self-help-how-to-s

Read in May, 2008

recommends it for: Brittany Bennett and Tracy Baptista

I absolutely LOVED this book!!

Ok-so saying that and acknowledging the fact that this book has changed how I buy things, use things and look at almost everything I have to say one thing that did alarm me was that sunscreen almost seemed discouraged...yikes. Also I didn't get the whole "ion" business-that was a little hippie-hokey to me. And I'm so sure of bornfree.org-the charity of choice of the author. I'm a huge animal lover, but if you read more about this organizati...more

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04/21/08

Danielle rated it:

bookshelves: nutrition, reference

Read in May, 2008

This book is divided into 8 sections where each section describes a large number of changes the average woman can make to reduce waste, toxins, and to be more environmentally aware. Sometimes reading through the sections, I became overwhelmed. I'd think that one or two things sounded easy, but then the author would just keep going with her wonderful information, and I'd start to feel a bit lost. Even though she kept reminding me, as the reader, that she's only asking for one little change--and...more

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04/04/09

Elicia rated it:

bookshelves: non-fiction

Read in April, 2009

Tons of information and although a lot of isn't practical for my family right now it is still good to be educated on all things "green". She even quotes one of my favorite books 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle'. Basically: don't drive your car to a hundred different stores, recycle everything, use reusable water bottles and shopping bags, buy local and organic, use organic/nontoxic cleaning and beauty products, lower your overall energy use. Etc. Etc.

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08/03/08

Kelda rated it:

Read in August, 2008

Having been loaned this book by a friend, I made an effort to get through it(and failed) The author, a Californian yoga instructor, seeks to inspire and motivate towards a greener life style with out the sacrifice of vanity and "good housekeeping" Actually this is a noble premise and her lists of the toxic and harmful ingredients contained in our every day, even several times a day - products are useful. She counters these lists with suggestions for alternatives , like using white vine...more

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04/22/09

Kristen rated it:

So far this book is very good and entertaining! There are so many ideas and useful information about ways to live a greener life... I love the fact that she lists specific websites to visit and places to get certain items. Although there are many good ideas within this book, some are a little hard if you don't have the time or money to commit. Overall, a very enjoyable book and very useful information for all women to know.

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07/12/08

Shera rated it:

recommends it for: Moms

I liked this book. With a few simple steps we can see what it takes to create a greener home and lifestyle. Surprisingly, much of what is offered in this book is not overwhelmingly earth saving, it is reducing the impact on ourselves and our own family first.

The ideas presented are simple and take you one step at a time through the changes each and every one of us can make. The book tells us exactly what chemicals to avoid and the very first step to creating a healthier environme...more

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09/24/08

Natalie rated it:

Read in May, 2008

recommends it for: Any woman interested in becoming more eco-friendly

I loved this book!! I love the way Uliano writes and shares her ideas and knowledge with the reader. She doesn't preach to the reader. She doesn't make you feel like if you don't do every single thing she mentions in the book that you are a bad person...instead, she tells the reader that every small change they make does make a difference.
This book changed my life. I know that sounds corny, but it really did. I've changed my cleaning products, laundry products, bath products. I reuse ever...more

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04/22/08

Christy rated it:

i am really enjoying this book so far. i love that it's not one of those green books where everything is bad and you should live in a hole. i feel like can actually do some of these things (and want to), and that it's more than just trash and gardening. she also talks about beauty and health. i am really liking this book so far.

i love this book. i have really learned alot from it. it will be in currently reading list for a while. each chapter is a weekly goal so to speak, so a...more

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10/25/08

Marissa rated it:

Read in February, 2009

So, darn it all, this book has too much information. That is a good and a bad thing. Good, it is resourceful. Bad, I only checked it out from the library so I won't have the list of toxins always at my fingertips and I had to skim through a lot of it instead of going slowly to digest the info.

The book is a how-to guide for the over-consuming shopaholic fashion girl. It begins with a list of toxins found in makeup and the places you can go to find natural and organic make-up and...more

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05/14/08

ayesha rated it:

Read in July, 2008

recommends it for: live green: do you want to make small changes?

I liked her approach to the book. It's simple and straightforward. The information she presents is not entirely new for me, but I appreciated the effort she put into the organization and the research. It seems as though she has tried many many methods and has written about what finally works for her and her family. I like that we can all make small changes (and maybe some bigger ones!) to live a healthier, more eco-friendly lifestyle. I am definitely going to start with household cleaner, and ...more

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07/23/08

Lauren rated it:

Read in August, 2008

Despite an eyeroll-inducing title, and lines such as "women like me tend to be more interested in their compact than their compost", Gorgeously Green by Sophie Uliano should be read by all women who use skincare and hair products, cosmetics, household cleaners and appliances, and grocery store products - oh wait, that's practically EVERY woman! I checked this book out of the library, but after getting only 20 pages in, I've decided to buy it. Among the tidbits I've learned so far: a l...more

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