I received a copy of “Green Enough” in exchange for my honest opinion.
I have been following Leah Segedie online for a while now, and she gets it. Being green is about everything – our world, our health, our kids, the future. It’s not just a trend – it is thinking about every choice we make on a daily basis.
I was so excited to hear that Leah had a book coming out, and even more excited when it landed on my doorstep. “Green Enough” is about everything in life and making the steps to clean up your life and detoxify.
This book is the result of a two year project comprising of hundreds of product investigations, interviews with dozens of scientists, doctors, and public health professionals, and an approach to communicating the information that leaves you laughing instead of crying. Reading most detox books are typically boring enough to make your eyes bleed, but not Green Enough. This joyride through the basic tenets of how to protect your family from endocrine disrupting chemicals is a first. Rodale allowed me to be myself, explain things in a way that will be entertaining instead of scary, and leave you in stitches as I explain the science-based approach to avoiding harmful chemicals.
Being green is about so many things. I remember when I first started “going green”, I was focusing on eating healthier and choosing safer products for my skin. Over the years, I have been increasingly careful, especially as a new mom, trying to avoid as many toxic things as possible. But it feels like every time you turn a corner, there is something else to worry about, and so the book is a great resource.
I love Leah’s approach to greening up your life. This book is your resource to make decisions in your life – to “do what you can and just chill out.” She reminds readers, this book is not written to make you feel bad about yourself, or for the reader to make others feel badly about their choices either. This book is meant as a positive tool to help you make decisions, and to (hopefully!) make the world a better place.
Reading through “Green Enough”, it is easy to get scared and overwhelmed about the bad stuff. BUT — as overwhelming as it is to realize that a lot of stuff in our homes is junk — Leah takes away my anxiety by providing really great resources. For example, she discusses how even though canned food may say “BPA free”, there are still toxins in linings, or how MSG is snuck into foods using verbiage other than “MSG”. It is easy to panic and wonder what to do, but Green Enough provides the solutions, like lists of foods and companies that are safe and safest. Not only is the book easy to read, but it really breaks everything down for you so it is understandable.
I get overwhelmed by the concept of all these foods containing chemicals, but at least I can just have a go-to list to choose from.
Consider where I am coming from. I get the kids on the bus in the morning, and I’m lucky if I have enough time to choke down a cup of tea and a banana before heading off to work. I roll back in the driveway about 5 minutes before the bus gets home. Then it is off to Girl Scouts / swim team / music lessons / play dates, or whatever else we have going on. This book has a) forced me to sit down for a little bit and absorb some of the changes I need to make, and b) offered up suggestions for change in a way that is as easy as it gets. I would love to say that I have time to research chemicals and brands and scrutinize the products we use, but the reality is that I just don’t have the time.
Another thing is that “green washing” is such a big concern now. Companies make it sound like their products are perfectly safe and healthy for your family, and that is often not the case. But being busy and buying things on the fly, some of these products slip through the cracks. Having these lists just makes the transition so much easier, especially in this day and age when you can just hop online and order the things you need if you can’t find them in the store.
The way I feel about detoxifying your life is the same in the book: being greener has to do with everything in your life. Leah covers all kinds of sources of toxins, from foods to skincare, food packaging to cookware. Then she also has a recipe section to offer up some great ideas and inspirations for eating healthier.
I love this book and how it empowers you to detoxify your life! I feel like I have the motivation to start getting rid of the things that aren’t good for us and make a lot of changes.
“Green Enough” is available March 20, 2018 at a variety of retailers including Amazon.com and Target.com.
Visit Leah Segedie at https://www.mamavation.com/
I need to check this book out! I’ve been really trying to be a little “greener”.
This book sounds incredibly thorough and like a really awesome resource. I need to look into it!
Oh wow! I need to get this book. I had no idea that there were still toxic things lurking inside foods that seem green and perfectly safe.
That sounds like a great book. I think too often “green” books and campaigns make people feel bad about their choices and run from the concept rather than towards it. I love that this book isn’t written like that and instead is written as a resource to guide you
This book sounds like a great educational tool for going greener. The less toxic things we can ingest the better we’ll feel.
Not gunna lie – my big vice is chewing gum!! I just need something in my mouth all the time! 😮
Reading helps me make the changes. As long as I’m reading about what I can do to improve or change I can make it happen. If I hear a story on the news I never implement it even if I want to. A book will constantly remind me.
Indeed being “green” is not just a fad or something we should do to seem hip, cool, whatever. It is a lifestyle, it is a daily CHOICE to make the best choice we can!
I will have to check out this book. From the glimpses you shared it something I would enjoy reading.
Wow! I was looking for some new books. I am just going to start at the top and work my way down the list.
I’ve been looking into making my kids’ lives a little greener. I wasn’t sure how to go about it but this book sounds perfect to help me get some ideas.
I have been working to clean up our diet too. We got tired of eating overly processed foods. Cooking requires a bit more work but it is worth it. I love her approach.
I have been trying to get rid of all of the extra chemicals in my home as well as eat better foods. This sounds perfect for that!
This sounds exactly like what I need. I could really use a book like this to read through. I’ve been wanting to go completely green, and this would be really helpful.
Ok, I know I’d like this woman: “when you see SUGAR FREE, think chemical SHITSTORM.” YES. I am always trying to find new ways to go green. I am purchasing cloth “paper towels” that can be reused over and over. I am eager to get them.
I really think I need to check this book out. We’re trying so hard to start going green – to help our health and the earths health as well.
I will need to check this book out. We try to be green but there is always more we can do