Sleeping Naked is Green: How an Eco-Cynic Unplugged Her Fridge, Sold Her Car, and Found Love in 3...
No one likes listening to smug hippies bragging about how they don't use toilet paper, or worse yet, lecturing about the evils of plastic bags and ...
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Apr 15, 2011
Yvann
rated it: 
Summary: Vanessa, an Arts & Life reporter for the National Post in Toronto, undertakes one of those "every day for a year" challenges in which she makes a "green" change to her life. These range from the simple (switching to all-natural lip balm) to the extreme (unplugging her fridge).
I was sold on this the minute I read the word "Farch" - "the season that includes February and March, when it's not really winter any more but it's definitely not spring More...
I was sold on this the minute I read the word "Farch" - "the season that includes February and March, when it's not really winter any more but it's definitely not spring More...
Nov 20, 2009
Joy
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The author of this book is an arts reporter and film critic in Toronto.
She now writes a weekly column on the environment. This book details
her 366 ways to go green, practiced over the course of one year. Some of the ideas are expected: open the windows in the summer, lower the heat in the winter, no meat, indoor composting, etc. But she actually gave up her refrigerator, shopping often for perishables. One of the most interesting ideas was using a menstral cup. It can't be felt More...
She now writes a weekly column on the environment. This book details
her 366 ways to go green, practiced over the course of one year. Some of the ideas are expected: open the windows in the summer, lower the heat in the winter, no meat, indoor composting, etc. But she actually gave up her refrigerator, shopping often for perishables. One of the most interesting ideas was using a menstral cup. It can't be felt More...
Oct 18, 2009
Ciara
rated it: 
many things about this book were infuriating. let's start with the title. how the hell is sleeping naked "green"? in her entry on the subject, the author claims that eschewing pajamas means that she has fewer laundry items that need attention, thus saving water, i guess, when she does laundry. i find this really unconvincing. i mean, sleep naked if you want, & wear pajamas if you prefer, but the ludicrous/borderline salacious title was really just the tip of the iceberg for this extrem
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Aug 09, 2009
Eva
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I'm another one who wanted to love this book, but didn't. The concept (and the blog) are great - make 366 "green" changes over the course of a (leap) year and write about them as a "normal" person, i.e. what worked and what didn't.
The changes vary from switching to recycled paper towels to unplugging the fridge and getting rid of the car.
As a blog, the day to day changes and commentary works. As a book - we hear about day 30 and 35, but not the days More...
The changes vary from switching to recycled paper towels to unplugging the fridge and getting rid of the car.
As a blog, the day to day changes and commentary works. As a book - we hear about day 30 and 35, but not the days More...
Jan 29, 2011
Lianne
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This book was a slightly different variation on the Blog to Book path. Instead of a collection of blog postings, it's actually more of a behind the scenes of the time she writing the blog.
The author started a green blog, for reasons that sound more like a whim that a true vocation, in which she would do one green thing a day for a full year. Some of the tips are good ones (the brick in the toilet, thermos for coffee, eat local, turn down the thermostat), some are out of reach for man More...
The author started a green blog, for reasons that sound more like a whim that a true vocation, in which she would do one green thing a day for a full year. Some of the tips are good ones (the brick in the toilet, thermos for coffee, eat local, turn down the thermostat), some are out of reach for man More...
Jul 29, 2011
Mike
rated it: 
This is one of the funniest and most inspiring books I've read in a long time. Vanessa writes very openly about the trials and tribulations of making one new green change in her life every day for a year, and about some of the other things going on in her life at the same time, such as a residential move and looking for love. Some green changes are trivial, like taking lukewarm showers, sleeping naked, or not shaving her legs. Some are momentous, like selling her car. A significant part of the y
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Jul 31, 2010
Erin
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The title of this book is what originally caught my eye. It should really have dawned on me right then that if she calls herself an "eco-cynic" in the title, the book is probably going to include some snarky, disparaging comments about those of us who give a flying fig about this planet we're all on. Thankfully, the author does by and large grow in to becoming one of us over the course of her year of daily green changes.
My overall impression of this book is that the autho More...
My overall impression of this book is that the autho More...
Feb 13, 2010
treehugger
rated it:
OK, I really like this book. It reminds me of SO many things I've lost sight of in my haste to begin my professional career - slightly important things like the environment and my health.
There are lots of things in here that will never ever be ok in my book - a washcloth and water bottle will NOT replace TP for me. EVER (but I do try to only use recycled TP at home). I also don't know if I'll ever be able to do without a car, although I sincerely would love to. But other small cha More...
There are lots of things in here that will never ever be ok in my book - a washcloth and water bottle will NOT replace TP for me. EVER (but I do try to only use recycled TP at home). I also don't know if I'll ever be able to do without a car, although I sincerely would love to. But other small cha More...
Dec 31, 2010
Eileen
rated it: 
This book rubbed me the wrong way consistently, and on multiple levels. On the surface, it's an ideal blog-to-book deal: the author makes one "green change" (she never puts it in quotes, but it's just too perfectly calculated not to be informed by marketing) per day for a full year, thus raising awareness and illustrating how You Too can save the planet. In theory, this is fine. The writing is not bad either, though her bubbly, semi-thoughtless tone could use some work. However.
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Jan 29, 2012
Lara
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I decided to read this book after reading the blurb that it was a 20 something women trying to be a little bit more eco friendly. As a 20 something year old struggling to be a bit more greener without getting too many rolled eyes from family and friends, I decided that I could relate to this book. I can say that it was a frank and light hearted approach to this topic. She talks honestly about the internal and social struggles of making such changes and that its okay to make un-green decisions ev
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Jun 01, 2009
Stephanie / seenonflickr
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I really wanted to love this, and I liked it - and would recommend it, or at least the Green as a Thistle blog - but I didn't love it. I'd give it a 3.5 if I could.
I kept getting irritated at Vanessa ... it took her how many months to give up paper napkins? At the same time, she unplugged her fridge and sold her car really early in the challenge, so maybe it all evens out.
Some offhand things drove me nuts - like that she rarely seemed to take public transportation and wou More...
I kept getting irritated at Vanessa ... it took her how many months to give up paper napkins? At the same time, she unplugged her fridge and sold her car really early in the challenge, so maybe it all evens out.
Some offhand things drove me nuts - like that she rarely seemed to take public transportation and wou More...
May 22, 2009
devra
rated it:
this book is what "julie and julia" could have been...although the writing in this book does not match J&J at its best, it is more consistently humorous and coherent and does not veer off into useless tangents. the author approaches her subject matter with a healthy sense of humor and irony and it is very easy to relate to her day-to-day changes.
my one complaint is that the "found love" portion of this book occasionally comes off as too heavy, especially in the e More...
my one complaint is that the "found love" portion of this book occasionally comes off as too heavy, especially in the e More...
Mar 25, 2011
Sharon
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Haven't been to the author's blog yet, but get the feeling that most of the information could have been found there. All in all, she has some good ideas for ways to go greener with a bit of romance thrown in. One thing that struck my eye just a few pages into the book was her description of carob chips as "dairy free chocolate chips". Not correct. Carob is a totally different thing. Recommend the book if you are looking for ideas for being greener and a bit of light hearted anecdotes a
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Aug 27, 2011
Danielle
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I really liked how she jumped through each of her days, so that the self-explanatory challenges were just mentioned and the reader can just jump to the interesting bits. Despite being anecdotes about her separate challenges, she still managed to connect a few themes here and there, with the help of reoccurring characters in her life and the same feeling of stress over the year. Her witty writing, reflection over her website's comments, and candidness helped the book avoid being another how-to-gr
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Jun 29, 2009
Liseuse
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I just read this amazing book called Sleeping Naked is Green: How an Eco-Cynic Unplugged Her Fridge, Sold Her Car, and Found Love in 366 Days. This is not your typical how to save the earth book. It is really a story about a woman who just wanted to do the right thing. She wasn’t into being a smug hippie. She did it from the purest of intentions, because the earth needs her and everyone else to help it. She doesn’t go on and on about WHY we need to save the earth, she assumes you can find that i
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Mar 09, 2011
Ana
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Sleeping Naked is Green / 978-0-547-07328-6
Vanessa is an average woman in a big city - having recently seen "An Inconvenient Truth", she feels compelled to do *something* to help the environment, but she has no idea where to start. She decides that she will make one "green" change a day, for a whole year, and then decide which changes she can keep and which she can't. And, to keep her motivated, she'll keep a daily online blog so that she won't be able to drop out of the chal More...
Vanessa is an average woman in a big city - having recently seen "An Inconvenient Truth", she feels compelled to do *something* to help the environment, but she has no idea where to start. She decides that she will make one "green" change a day, for a whole year, and then decide which changes she can keep and which she can't. And, to keep her motivated, she'll keep a daily online blog so that she won't be able to drop out of the chal More...
Nov 10, 2009
Scott
rated it:
It's hard to know what to do when it comes to the enviroment. I mean, what works? What doesn't? What if "An Inconvinent Truth" isn't all that truthful? What if what we're doing is just fine? Etc.
Well, Vanessa Farquharson was having the same thoughts. She was feeling guilty about harming her enviroment, but didn't know where to turn or if she could even help. So she took on a challenge, a green challenge, to make 366 (Leap Year) green changes, finding out what changes were actuall More...
Well, Vanessa Farquharson was having the same thoughts. She was feeling guilty about harming her enviroment, but didn't know where to turn or if she could even help. So she took on a challenge, a green challenge, to make 366 (Leap Year) green changes, finding out what changes were actuall More...
Aug 02, 2011
Teresa (Read All Over Reviews)
rated it:
Review as seen on Read All Over Reviews --
Sleeping Naked Is Green is a blog-turned-book much like Julie & Julia but instead of dealing with a woman's trials through cooking, this tackles an eco-cynic's journey into green living. It chronicles 366 consecutive days in the life of Canadian film critic, Vanessa Farquharson.
Reading as an anecdotal memoir meets handy tip guide, Sleeping Naked Is Green has the friendly conversational tone one expects from blogs. Each chapter is More...
Sleeping Naked Is Green is a blog-turned-book much like Julie & Julia but instead of dealing with a woman's trials through cooking, this tackles an eco-cynic's journey into green living. It chronicles 366 consecutive days in the life of Canadian film critic, Vanessa Farquharson.
Reading as an anecdotal memoir meets handy tip guide, Sleeping Naked Is Green has the friendly conversational tone one expects from blogs. Each chapter is More...
Oct 02, 2011
Melissa
rated it:
I LOVE this book. It has been two days and I anticipate finishing it up tonight - that's how good it is - I can't put it down. True tome of a journalist who takes the ultimate challenge to go green - changing one thing a day for an entire year - everything from no more car, to no more shampoo, to no more paper towels, to yes, even switching feminine products. We travel along with her own learning curve through her blog, thus making the journey ever more real and possible for all. The last few da
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Jul 11, 2011
Mona
rated it:
For the most part, I found Farquharson's book enjoyable. I have read several environmental memoirs written by men, so it was nice to read one written by a woman, that addresses issues that women face. While some of the green changes were better than others, I was very glad that Farquharson addressed the issue of greening one's menstrual cycle. I am sure this book will inspire some readers to make their own green changes, just as Farquharson's blog did. Overall a good read.
Jul 19, 2010
Courtney
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Though I was initially turned off of this book because of the negativity she has toward "hippies" and people who are making changes to help the environment, I was pulled in and read it rather quickly. I enjoyed reading about all of the little changes she makes for the environment, and was inspired to make some of the changes myself. The book flows well and is a fun read.
Jan 08, 2010
Trish
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I really enjoyed this book. It's great to get some green tips and inspiration from someone as irreverent as I am. This book helped in in two ways - it showed me more simple ways I could be green while also helping me to lighten up a bit about it all. We can all be a little greener without getting uptight about it - and the world will be a better, and happier place for it.
May 09, 2011
Amber
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I really did not know what to expect from the book. The premise sounded interesting and who doesn't want to do at least one thing "green". What I liked was the list at the beginning of each month. Other than that I was not real impressed. I did read about a few things I had not heard about but other than that the book did not call me to action or move me at all.
May 07, 2010
Kneazle
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Farquharson writes very conversationally and is great for all of those greenies who really don't want to stop washing and start growing our own wheat. Lots of great ideas for changing lives, plus a fun look into the author's life. Look out for the second apartment-sitting story - laugh out loud funny, so reading it on the train was a bad idea.
Mar 04, 2010
Stephanie
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I'm not an 'eco' person. When I started this book I was cynical about saving the environment. I only bought it because the first 5 pages made me laugh out loud. It was an awesome read Farquharson really makes one year of saving the planet highly entertaining. I recommend this book, it made me, an eco cynic, want to go green.
Jun 26, 2009
Jen
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In this light look at a year of challenging herself to be greener, Farquharson has selected and edited blog posts into a book. While I tired of her "hipster cool" pretension, her challenge has raised eco-awareness for many, and, as she has a regular column, continues to touch readers. Not great, but not half bad, either.
Jun 23, 2009
Joan
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I like to think I'm green, but I guess I'm really not because obviously this lady tried to be as green as possible, but did she really succeed? I think not, because she kind of forced herself to do it, and didn't really do it out of the goodness of her heart. Well meaning, but didn't quite "get it".
Dec 09, 2009
Cathy
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20-something journalist goes green for a year, ends up unplugging her fridge, and writes a book about it. Mainly, she decides that X isn’t green and then goes out and buys a newer, greener version of X, rather than waiting for X to run our or wear out. Too much shopping
Aug 19, 2009
Hollis
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File this one under "The Lighter Side". It's a little bit Bridget Jones, a little bit Gorgeously Green, a little bit Save Karyn (who i loathed, so for me to include her in a positive review really says something)...and a very easy read. I had a few negative preconceived notions about the book (and the author) when i picked it up but wound up sincerely enjoying it.
Jan 11, 2010
Karen
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This was a fun book to read! I like her sense of humor even if I don't agree with some of her views on life. The one complaint: it seems geared almost entirely to people who have read her freely-accessible blog. So, you buy the book which pushes you to read the blog?
