I'd read quite a few articles online and in print about how to be more environmentally conscious, but The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time tied it all together for me. It's organized in easily digestible chapters, with tangible tips and their relative impact clearly explained. I really appreciate that the book breaks the alphabetized suggestions into a section titled "The Little Things" for each chapter, which immediately follows an overview section titled "The Big Picture." The big picture overwhelmed me, but the little things are just my speed ("Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is going. An open damper can let 8 percent of the heat in your home escape. In the summer, cool air escapes. That can add up to about $100 a year -- up the chimney." How easy is that?).
I read the book for a few minutes every night and I finished it in about a week. I made a list on the inside cover of things I wanted to try doing, and I've crossed a few off already (like getting off junk mail lists and switching to paperless bill statements). I can't say that I've noticed a huge reduction in junk mail (www.dmachoice.org says it takes a few months to see a change since labels are pre-printed in advance) but I'm looking forward to having less recycling to take to the curb every Friday.
