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Green Goes with Everything: Simple Steps to a Healthier Life and a Cleaner Planet
Imagine if your best friend gave you vital information that could protect you and your family, and save you money, and help the planet. Imagine if you were given clear, simple choices, small changes that could have a big impact on your life. And you could still wear leather shoes and deodorant. You'd listen, right?
Well, think of Today show contributor Sloan Barnett as that friend. A mother of three, a dedicated consumer advocate, Sloan gives us a fast, simple, down-toearth primer on the ways our homes are making us sick, and what we can all do to transform them into the safe sanctuaries we want and need them to be.
Sloan exposes the toxic truth behind the household products we use every day -- from laundry detergent to toothpaste to lipstick. She explains how these and other seemingly benign stuff can harm us and our children. She offers an array of alternatives, and inspires us to see that we're never helpless: Every day, we have the power to make better, smarter, safer choices.
Packed with common sense and sass, product picks and practical tips, Green Goes With Everything is for everyone who wants to live a healthier life.
306 pages, Hardcover
First published September 23, 2008
5 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
About the author
Sloan Barnett
9 books2 followersSloan Barnett is a lawyer, journalist, and the New York Times bestselling author of Green Goes with Everything: Simple Steps to a Healthier Life and a Cleaner Planet. Barnett chairs the California Pacific Medical Center Foundation Board and is a member of the Leadership Council of the Harvard School of Public Health. She is also a member of the board of her alma mater, the New York University School of Law. Barnett lives with her husband and three children in San Francisco. Her children have had their allergies reversed through Dr. Nadeau's program.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
October 8, 2008
I picked this book up so I could learn more about what I can do to "green" up my life. I did learn a bit, but I did not really enjoy this book. I was hopeful at first - the author writes like she is having a conversation with me. Somewhere around the third chapter she began shamelessly promoting her husbands green cleaning product line, and that's where I lost interest.
She presents proof that this product line is better than other green cleaning products, but she doesn't give fair reviews of the other products. Since I am not going to mail-order my cleaning supplies, this information was nice, but not useful to me. The later chapters gave better recommendations for products I can purchase at my natural grocery store, but only because her husband isn't the competition. I am not saying that her products aren't great (or that they aren't the best!), but I didn't buy the book so I could read an advertisement.
Furthermore, I would have liked to see more tables. I want something I can copy and take with me to the store, with a list of recommended brands for different products. Instead, the recommendations are listed throughout the book so you have to skip back and forth to view the info.
All that being said, I appreciate the effort on the author's part. This is a topic that needs more coverage, and she does an excellent job of citing her facts.
She presents proof that this product line is better than other green cleaning products, but she doesn't give fair reviews of the other products. Since I am not going to mail-order my cleaning supplies, this information was nice, but not useful to me. The later chapters gave better recommendations for products I can purchase at my natural grocery store, but only because her husband isn't the competition. I am not saying that her products aren't great (or that they aren't the best!), but I didn't buy the book so I could read an advertisement.
Furthermore, I would have liked to see more tables. I want something I can copy and take with me to the store, with a list of recommended brands for different products. Instead, the recommendations are listed throughout the book so you have to skip back and forth to view the info.
All that being said, I appreciate the effort on the author's part. This is a topic that needs more coverage, and she does an excellent job of citing her facts.
July 13, 2010
This book was good, with some good ideas and recipes for homemade cleaners, but basically it is a book promoting Shaklee products. I like Shaklee products alot, but I didn't know this is what this book would be discussing and promoting throughout. I expected a little more.
June 20, 2009
We got this free with a year-end contribution to the EWG. I think I have seen the author on Oprah.
If I'd paid for this book I'd be mad. Entire sections were her promoting Shaklee products (and her husband is the chairman of the company or something like that).
I did learn a few things, which is starting to be less and less frequent with the number of green books I've read. It's a good book for a newbie to green living, although at times a little on the overkill with repeating the bad chemical names. And it might just turn you into a Shaklee junkie ;)
If I'd paid for this book I'd be mad. Entire sections were her promoting Shaklee products (and her husband is the chairman of the company or something like that).
I did learn a few things, which is starting to be less and less frequent with the number of green books I've read. It's a good book for a newbie to green living, although at times a little on the overkill with repeating the bad chemical names. And it might just turn you into a Shaklee junkie ;)
June 20, 2009
Okay - there was too much promoting of her/her husbands products - she is a little over the top but had some good info - glad i didn't pay for the book
June 13, 2018
I have read a lot of these books and since I learned a little something new I give it good reviews, she had some good recipes for body care and cleaners, I want to try the sunscreen out of curiosity but it is still probably easier to buy a natural one on the market that lasts longer
January 30, 2021
Generic 'our stuff is killing us' introduction to 'greening' your life by paying more attention to the products we bring in our homes, and using less chemicals. Primary focus on cleaning, bath and body, and baby.
March 11, 2023
Excellent, well researched, and offering great resources on how to go green in practical ways. The author, gives facts about toxins in our life and offers simple, practical solutions to make better choices to protect our families and our planet.
October 17, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed the author’s “green journey” due to the severe asthma of her son. However, due to her husband’s position at Shaklee, she tended to push those products. She does freely admit her bias.
October 13, 2020
Treat it like reference book, not exactly a page turner.
Read
October 18, 2022She lives 2 houses down from where I work.
December 22, 2008
When many people think of living green, they think of one's impact on the environment. Yet living a greener lifestyle, including choosing personal care products without harmful chemicals and using nontoxic cleaning products actually has a lot to do with your personal health and wellness. In explaining this, at times Barnett seems over the top, and living a safer, more practical lifestyle seems overwhelming because of the myriad of dangers in popular materials. However, she makes a point that you don't have to have a huge revolution. You can change just a few things that make sense for you and fit into your budget.
The baby chapter was especially disturbing for me because she talks about many shockingly disturbing dangers and how babies and children are much more susceptible to them than adults. For instance, one study in 2004 revealed 287 chemicals in the cord blood of newborn infants, 180 of which are known carcinogens and 217 known to affect the brain and nervous system. Another disgusting statistic is that 10-30% of the weight of a conventional crib mattress comes from the toxic flame retardant in which it's doused. What are some possible side effects of the chemicals on which your baby so often sleeps? Neurobehavioral problems, hyperactivity, and liver and thyroid damage. In fact, numerous ingredients found in personal care and cleaning products in the US have been outlawed in other countries.
Overall, I found the author's tone a bit annoying, and this book should have been better edited as it contains blatant grammar mistakes. (You will find a "Resouce Guide" in the back!) At the same time, the information it contains is invaluable and I believe that everyone should read it. Even if you are not that interested in protecting the planet, you may at least care about guarding yourself against ingredients that make you sick and make the indoor air quality of your home five times worse than the air quality outside.
As fun as it is to use any brand or kind of cosmetics, for a while now, I have made a sincere effort to switch over to the more natural, safer products, as so many chemicals in personal care products are unregulated or known to be unsafe. Conventional cleaning products are one of the biggest chemical sources of danger for our bodies and the earth. It seems like a no brainer to stop "cleaning" with chemicals that require special disposal procedures and use time-tested, less expensive things like vinegar and baking soda. Changing my household practices for the safety of my family and the planet has become a major core value of mine, and this book taught me a lot about how to do it even better.
If the thought of using personal care products that can harm your fertility or giving your baby a plastic bottle with chemicals that may contribute to ADHD disturbs you too, I strongly encourage you to read this book. You will learn about many known risks associated with certain ingredients and how you can truly have a clean house and healthier body. I am very glad to have learned this information and definitely plan to implement and maintain lifestyle changes as a result of it.
Merged review:
This book is actually called Green Goes with Everything. Get Clean must have been its original title. My review is under the Green Goes with Everything listing, but I'm leaving this one on my list because it has a better, more thorough description of the book from Goodreads.
In a nutshell, I do believe this book is full of important information of which everyone should be aware. It's not just about how to help protect the planet as one might infer. It's largely about keeping toxic chemicals out of your body by using safer personal care, baby, and cleaning products. Once you read about disgusting toxins like flame retardants finding their way into breast milk and cord blood, you will probably be very motivated to change some things!
The baby chapter was especially disturbing for me because she talks about many shockingly disturbing dangers and how babies and children are much more susceptible to them than adults. For instance, one study in 2004 revealed 287 chemicals in the cord blood of newborn infants, 180 of which are known carcinogens and 217 known to affect the brain and nervous system. Another disgusting statistic is that 10-30% of the weight of a conventional crib mattress comes from the toxic flame retardant in which it's doused. What are some possible side effects of the chemicals on which your baby so often sleeps? Neurobehavioral problems, hyperactivity, and liver and thyroid damage. In fact, numerous ingredients found in personal care and cleaning products in the US have been outlawed in other countries.
Overall, I found the author's tone a bit annoying, and this book should have been better edited as it contains blatant grammar mistakes. (You will find a "Resouce Guide" in the back!) At the same time, the information it contains is invaluable and I believe that everyone should read it. Even if you are not that interested in protecting the planet, you may at least care about guarding yourself against ingredients that make you sick and make the indoor air quality of your home five times worse than the air quality outside.
As fun as it is to use any brand or kind of cosmetics, for a while now, I have made a sincere effort to switch over to the more natural, safer products, as so many chemicals in personal care products are unregulated or known to be unsafe. Conventional cleaning products are one of the biggest chemical sources of danger for our bodies and the earth. It seems like a no brainer to stop "cleaning" with chemicals that require special disposal procedures and use time-tested, less expensive things like vinegar and baking soda. Changing my household practices for the safety of my family and the planet has become a major core value of mine, and this book taught me a lot about how to do it even better.
If the thought of using personal care products that can harm your fertility or giving your baby a plastic bottle with chemicals that may contribute to ADHD disturbs you too, I strongly encourage you to read this book. You will learn about many known risks associated with certain ingredients and how you can truly have a clean house and healthier body. I am very glad to have learned this information and definitely plan to implement and maintain lifestyle changes as a result of it.
Merged review:
This book is actually called Green Goes with Everything. Get Clean must have been its original title. My review is under the Green Goes with Everything listing, but I'm leaving this one on my list because it has a better, more thorough description of the book from Goodreads.
In a nutshell, I do believe this book is full of important information of which everyone should be aware. It's not just about how to help protect the planet as one might infer. It's largely about keeping toxic chemicals out of your body by using safer personal care, baby, and cleaning products. Once you read about disgusting toxins like flame retardants finding their way into breast milk and cord blood, you will probably be very motivated to change some things!
June 2, 2010
Excellent book, would have gotten 5 stars if it were not for the fact that some of it seems like a Shaklee catalog! Not a book about saving energy or reducing your carbon footprint, although there is a bit of that at the end. Most of it is about all the toxic chemicals we are using in our daily lives!
I found it very difficult to read, in that, it talks about all the carcinogens we are all using on a daily basis. I already knew some of the stuff, but was totally freaked out by most of the rest of it!
No one really knows just how dangerous all these chemicals are as most of the 80,000 of them registered with the EPA have not been tested for safety, the government has no control over their usage and does not even require them to be listed in the ingredients, as they are trade secrets. Anything that says "fragrance" on the label can be hiding many toxic chemicals! One of those will most certainly be phthalates, which have recently been in the news for being used a plastic softeners, used in baby bottles and toys, in addition to many other items! The FDA regulates personal-care and beauty products, but corporations are essentially free to combine any ingredients they want, without proving they are safe! Most of these chemicals have been banned in other countries, including the EU.
BPA (bisphenol A) is another baby bottle no-no! You can tell if any plastic container has this if the recycling label is a 7. They say 7's account fo 95% of the market, look for 1,2,4 or 5's for safer products if you use plastic instead of glass. The 3's aren't good for anyone either as they contain PVC (polyvinyl chloride).
This book covers just about every product that we use, from bedding to clothing, cleaners, food, carpets, paint, etc. It is really frightening and makes me wonder about the US government and why they are letting these toxins be consumed! The author gives lots of alternatives, from buying safe products to making your own. GreenGoesWithEverything.com is supposed to be kept up to date with all the latest info.
Scared the $()#& out of me! Would definitely recommend this one to anyone concerned with what they are using, eating and breathing!
I found it very difficult to read, in that, it talks about all the carcinogens we are all using on a daily basis. I already knew some of the stuff, but was totally freaked out by most of the rest of it!
No one really knows just how dangerous all these chemicals are as most of the 80,000 of them registered with the EPA have not been tested for safety, the government has no control over their usage and does not even require them to be listed in the ingredients, as they are trade secrets. Anything that says "fragrance" on the label can be hiding many toxic chemicals! One of those will most certainly be phthalates, which have recently been in the news for being used a plastic softeners, used in baby bottles and toys, in addition to many other items! The FDA regulates personal-care and beauty products, but corporations are essentially free to combine any ingredients they want, without proving they are safe! Most of these chemicals have been banned in other countries, including the EU.
BPA (bisphenol A) is another baby bottle no-no! You can tell if any plastic container has this if the recycling label is a 7. They say 7's account fo 95% of the market, look for 1,2,4 or 5's for safer products if you use plastic instead of glass. The 3's aren't good for anyone either as they contain PVC (polyvinyl chloride).
This book covers just about every product that we use, from bedding to clothing, cleaners, food, carpets, paint, etc. It is really frightening and makes me wonder about the US government and why they are letting these toxins be consumed! The author gives lots of alternatives, from buying safe products to making your own. GreenGoesWithEverything.com is supposed to be kept up to date with all the latest info.
Scared the $()#& out of me! Would definitely recommend this one to anyone concerned with what they are using, eating and breathing!
February 19, 2017
Gave extremely practical ideas that inspired me to change several habits immediately, and brainstorm the changes I want to move toward. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who feels overwhelmed by our environmental problems. I was particularly interested in the chapters about our cleaning supplies and cosmetic products.
June 20, 2009
For those aren't familiar with this book, it is about going "green" , easy solutions to help you and your family have a healthier, cleaner life while helping the environment. I feel noble just picking up the book. The thing is, I just don't know if I can drink the koolaid on this one. Mainly because it's too much work, not to mention expensive and how about... unrealistic??? Let's take the koolaid, for example. The koolaid would have to be organic koolaid mix (inorganic=toxic), with filtered tap water (tap water=toxic, bottled water=toxic), in a glass cup (plastic=toxic). Plus where would I drink it? Outside=toxic, Inside=toxic! I have to say since I've read this book I've been walking around in a state of paranoia. I hear the word "chemical" and instantly I smell toxic fumes that could be killing my brain cells. For me, it just went to extremes with things like if you are having a baby shower you need to put on your invitation that you will only accept organic cotton clothing...super practical... Or you should only get furniture that is organic-based and of course, put absolutely no stain protectants on it and when your kid spills on it, you should only use a Shaklee stain remover (which, just so happens to be her husband's company. Yes, shameless pluggings occur throughout the book but at least she acknowledges they are shameless.) That being said, there were some good take-home points for me, such as switching to non-toxic cleaners--I'm all over that and increasing the use of organic food, when possible. Great! I might even be willing to change some of our personal products, like lotions and soaps. it gave me quite a bit to think about and if you can wade through the impractical and find a few changes you can make, it will probably be worth your time to read this book.
August 14, 2013
I am not a green zealot, but the small things do irritate me. Things like rinsing dishes before placing them in the dishwasher, bottled water, and not recycling are like nails on a chalkboard, and yet I am terribly remiss is turning the TV off (I like the noise and constant stream of news). This book does a great job of pointing out some of the big things we miss in our lives that have an impact on our health and the environment.
The main problem with the book is a big one. Barnett is the wife of Shaklee’s CEO and she makes no apologies in recommending their products at every turn. The only times she does not recommend Shaklee products is when the company does not have a comparable product. She did provide studies showing the Shaklee products were best in some of these areas, but it was distracting, annoying, and made me question her judgement when she kept pushing Shaklee. It seemed odd for a book that wants you to make better choices to give you only one in many areas.
On the whole, I think this is a good book. I took 2 pages of notes and plan on checking out some of the websites mentioned. It also had tips for around the house that I plan on trying. Some of the things I already knew – buy organic, read labels, buy new pots and pans… – but it is always good to be reminded as I seem to get too busy to pay attention and fall back to some bad habits.
The main problem with the book is a big one. Barnett is the wife of Shaklee’s CEO and she makes no apologies in recommending their products at every turn. The only times she does not recommend Shaklee products is when the company does not have a comparable product. She did provide studies showing the Shaklee products were best in some of these areas, but it was distracting, annoying, and made me question her judgement when she kept pushing Shaklee. It seemed odd for a book that wants you to make better choices to give you only one in many areas.
On the whole, I think this is a good book. I took 2 pages of notes and plan on checking out some of the websites mentioned. It also had tips for around the house that I plan on trying. Some of the things I already knew – buy organic, read labels, buy new pots and pans… – but it is always good to be reminded as I seem to get too busy to pay attention and fall back to some bad habits.
July 29, 2016
I have some issues with this book but it is a masterpiece at the same time. I was hooked to learn how to live simpler and more sustainable. I take issue with her writing. The book raves that she is a journalist which is a paid writer. However, her writing is awful. It reads as if it were meant for elementary school kids with the kind of language she would use in face to face conversation. I was very put off sometimes by how bad her writing skills were. Jokes were very poorly executed and didn't make any sense.
Another issue I have with this book is that for 1/4 of the book she is talking like a ***** SALESMAN! I felt like I was being fed the same sell tactics repeatedly with no tact. While it is nice that she offers alternatives, some of which are her husband's products, she is trying waaay too hard.
I did a little digging on the author and found that she is filthy rich which is acceptable but she doesn't follow half the stuff she writes in her book which I feel is grounds for hypocrisy
. I would highly recommend this book to everyone because it is well researched and the points she made are thought provoking. People need to be educated about how they can positively impact the world and their families lives. She took information from every direction and tied it together nicely.
Another issue I have with this book is that for 1/4 of the book she is talking like a ***** SALESMAN! I felt like I was being fed the same sell tactics repeatedly with no tact. While it is nice that she offers alternatives, some of which are her husband's products, she is trying waaay too hard.
I did a little digging on the author and found that she is filthy rich which is acceptable but she doesn't follow half the stuff she writes in her book which I feel is grounds for hypocrisy
. I would highly recommend this book to everyone because it is well researched and the points she made are thought provoking. People need to be educated about how they can positively impact the world and their families lives. She took information from every direction and tied it together nicely.
March 8, 2009
The author makes a pitch to become greener by swapping out many of your everyday items that contain all sorts of bad toxins including cleaners, cosmetics, plastics, etc. The book is a fast and easy read, but it overwhelmed me with "scary stats" about how pretty much everything I touch from my clothes, to my tupperware to my mattress is basically going to cause me to get cancer and die. On top of that, the author makes a pitiful pitch to the reader that they need to stop using the cleaning agents and switch to organic ones. Her husband conveniently is the CEO of a company that makes these kinds of products and she shamelessly plugs them to no end.
The idea behind the book of eliminating chemicals and recylcing etc. etc. is good, I think everyone should appreciate the ideas behind the "green" movement, but this is not the book you should read to educate yourself.
The idea behind the book of eliminating chemicals and recylcing etc. etc. is good, I think everyone should appreciate the ideas behind the "green" movement, but this is not the book you should read to educate yourself.
June 20, 2009
The author is a bit alarmist but rescues the book from a full-on doom & gloom verdict. This is thanks to tons of factual data - from the Environmental Working Group's research, to FDA publications, European Union laws, petro-chemical company data and medical data. That makes it all more useful and believable. Everything is called by its technical, pharmaceutical, chemical or medical name then promptly balanced by practical advice. For example, phtalates are bad for you. Sloan gives you lists and lists of products you have in your home that contain phtalates. Be ready to know about an entirely different side of your favorite household cleaning, beauty, cosmetic, baby and hygiene products. Sloan includes tons of reference resources which are also available on her website.
April 27, 2011
Good but I had to put it down before I became too obsessive. I know that chemicals are bad and try and eliminate them from my daily life as much as possible. But there are some things I just can't change - wish I could put in hardwood floors in every room in the house and buy natural fiber throw rugs but I don't have the cash. So I stopped reading it because it made me feel bad about the things in my life I could not change. And I didn't appreciate the constant shilling for her husbands company - Shaklee. At the time I read the book - several years ago - the company did not disclose the ingredient list for their products.
June 20, 2009
OK, I love Shaklee products and this book was written by the wife of the owner of the company. But I tried to read it objectively and it's an informative read. Sloan is a consumer reporter for NBC and other media and did a good job of making the subject flow. She even endorses other companies when reviewing a few of the products that Shaklee offers. Showing objectivity on her part or are they going to discontinue those products? I don't know the answer to that, but I know the companies she endorses are good ones. I won't hesitate to give this book as a gift in the future, along with a sample of products, of course.
December 27, 2011
This book was loaned to me by a good friend who had a signed copy from the author, who is a San Francisco based author and also a mother at the same school my children attend so I wanted to read this book.
Very readable with a lot of very interesting information all of us as consumers should know, all broken down into very small snippets. The author is a unabashed supporter of all green cleaning products from from Shaklee Corporation and she states this at the beginning of the book which is a good thing since her husband is the owner and CEO of Shaklee.
Very readable with a lot of very interesting information all of us as consumers should know, all broken down into very small snippets. The author is a unabashed supporter of all green cleaning products from from Shaklee Corporation and she states this at the beginning of the book which is a good thing since her husband is the owner and CEO of Shaklee.
October 7, 2008
Awesome book on the simple steps to leading a helathier life with a cleaner planet.
Of course I am biased because she is the owners wife of Shaklee, a copmany that I grew up using their products and that my parents sell, but there is only one chapter on Shaklee cleaning products and the rest of the book has very valuable unbiased information.
If you read the book and are interested in Shaklee cleaning products you can order at www.shaklee.net/haveitall.
Of course I am biased because she is the owners wife of Shaklee, a copmany that I grew up using their products and that my parents sell, but there is only one chapter on Shaklee cleaning products and the rest of the book has very valuable unbiased information.
If you read the book and are interested in Shaklee cleaning products you can order at www.shaklee.net/haveitall.
June 20, 2009
At first I learned a lot from this book. But then when I went to check out the products she was promoting, I was completely turned off. Turns out they were Shaklee products, which is an Amway-like multi-level marketing company. No matter if these are the best products or not, the fact that her husband works for them makes her recommendations completely invalid to me. They are more expensive than other, equally safe alternatives.
November 12, 2011
I was really hoping to learn something new, but I didn't. This book is a good introduction to going green. It's good if you're starting from zero, but if you already live green, you probably won't get a lot new ideas. The author is a big promoter of Shaklee products. She is forthright about her interest in the company, but she appears a little zealous a times. Overall, it's a good read for someone starting out on the green path.
June 20, 2009
Blech. I had seen this gal on Oprah and I thought the book might give some good suggestions about changing your everyday living to become more green. Instead 30 pages in it turned into a total sales pitch for the authors company which makes, you guessed it, green products! Who knew.
Very annoying.
Very annoying.
October 9, 2008
Reading this book has given me OCD! I don't know how many times I've said "Did you know that's toxic?" in the past week! It was very informative and eye opening. I'll keep it around as a reference book.
June 20, 2009
though of course she promotes shaklee......she also gives the reader easy ways to be "green" w/o breaking your wallet. helps you to decide what your priorities should be when going green and suggests several ways to do so.
June 20, 2009
A great place to start when you don't know where to begin going green. There is a fantastic reference section in the back with all the companies/websites that provide green or less-toxic products. Great reference tool!
June 20, 2009
Quick read; interesting/scary information about toxic chemicals in the house. But - seemed like an advertisment for Shaklee products - author's husband's company. Makes you a little skeptical....
Note: most of the other reviews/info on Goodreads about this book are under the title Get Clean.
Note: most of the other reviews/info on Goodreads about this book are under the title Get Clean.
February 19, 2009
Way preachy on the Skaklee products, HOWEVER brings up really great points about the toxic chemicals we use in our house and expose ourselves to all the time. If you can ignore the gospel there is actually some great information in here.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews