Eco Chick Guide to Life

Introduction Why You Should Be an Eco ChickNobody can ignore the fact that there's an environmental crisis going on. Between wacky weather courtesy of global warming; environmental toxins showing up in our food, water, and, ultimately, our bodies; widespread ecosystem destruction; and the extinction of thousands of plants and animals every year, it seems that all of us are finally getting the message that we are creating some serious problems.The time to deal with these issues is now, and change starts with each one of us taking action in our own lives. But before you get out the sackcloth and banana-leaf moccasins, understand that just because we are facing a coming crisis with serious repercussions for us and for future generations doesn't mean that we can't still enjoy ourselves, look good, dress well, and even have a great time! That is the mission of the Eco Chick; if we throw a big green fiesta, and invite everyone to come, they'llwantto make the cool, positive changes that need to be made. If that sounds too good to be true, you'll be (pleasantly) surprised by what you find inside this book.Being an Eco Chick means doing good while having a good time doing it: it is NOT about depriving yourself, but about rethinking how we live our lives, and living bettermore creatively, more passionately, and more consciously. And don't worry, just because it's good for Earth doesn't always mean it will take a chunk out of your paycheck. Plenty of the ideas in this book will actuallysaveyou money! Eco Chicks not only cultivate exciting and joyful lives for themselves, but they also always have their minds on how their choices are affecting the rest of the world.Back in the day, all women were Eco Chicks; they couldn't help it, because to survive, one had to be savvy with resources. That meant using, reusing, and rereusing. Food wasn't wasted, and what ever couldn't be eaten would be recycled as fertilizer. Clothes were made by hand, and tropical fruit was an unheard-of treat (unless you lived in the tropics!). While this may have been a very planet-friendly way to live, it was hard work day in and day out, which led both women and men to figure out ways to make all that toil a little easier.Fast-forward to today, and we don't have to live the tough lives our ancestors did. But in order to maintain these life-styles, we use huge amounts of energy, depend on adults and children in third-world countries to do the work that we won't (and then pay them poorly for it), and throw a lot of junk into ever-growing landfills. The depressing truth is this: our lifestyles, right now, depend on being wasteful, taking advantage of less-fortunate people, and consuming in a way that cannot be sustained in the future. We are polluting our air and water, using up oil and other nonrenewable resources, destroying everything from five-hundred-year-old forests to five-thousand-year-old ecosystems, and literally living as if there were no tomorrow. We are living at the expense of humanity'sand the planet'sfuture. The legacy we're leaving behind could be very grim, but we have the power to transform that legacy, from doomy, gloomy desperation to a bright, green future that benefits all life on Earth.The choice is ours.Some people say the answer to this problem is going back and living like we did in times past. I don't agree. While living the simple life might be great for some people, I love the modern world I live in, and I expect many other women do as well. Women are now able to run for office, hold top jobs, and travel the world freely, all thanks to the hard work of those smart, tough ladies who came before us. But however much I enjoy being a modern woman, I don'tVartan, Starre is the author of 'Eco Chick Guide to Life' with ISBN 9780312378943 and ISBN 0312378947.