On my flight home from Los Angeles this past weekend I was looking for some new reading material when I remembered Jessica Alba's newly released book The Honest Life. I've always thought Jessica Alba to be incredibly beautiful and talented young woman, but in learning how dedicated she is to green living my admiration for her has grown exponentially.
What I really loved about this book is that it leaves room for flaw, with no judgement and no patronizing. We are all doing our best to create a greener, more ethical environment around us but a lot of times life gets in the way and we end up making not-so-great choices. This book isn't about being perfect. Rather, it's about the small steps we take in our day-to-day lives that over time add up to something big. It's about better educating ourselves on what types of products we're allowing into our homes, our family's lives, and our own bodies. Jessica has done an extensive amount of research on the harmful ingredients that make up much of everyday consumer products, and offers safe alternatives. Which makes our lives a whole lot easier- now all I need to do is whip out my Nook and refer to Jessica's helpful notes when I'm struggling between two different "natural" cleaning products (FYI- something that's labeled "natural" on its packaging isn't necessarily safe or environmentally friendly).
I highly recommend that anyone who's trying to lead a greener lifestyle pick up a copy of this book (or better yet, download a copy to your e-reader. Save a tree!). It's like the Green Living Bible for the fashion-conscious or simply for anyone who wants to make improvements in their daily life without drastically revamping their entire world. It's just like when you're starting a new diet to try and lose weight. You don't just go cold-turkey and completely eliminate entire food groups in hopes of a quick fix; you make gradual improvements and adjustments every day until you find a good, sustainable balance. I feel that green living is very much the same. If we try and do too much at once, eventually we get discouraged, give up, and go back to our old way of living. This all-or-nothing mentality rarely works in any new endeavor, and I really do discourage you from taking this approach.
In The Honest Life, Jessica Alba discusses several different topics including fashion, beauty, food, cleaning products, and for those mothers & mothers-to-be out there, how to create a safe environment for your little one. No matter where you're at in life, I assure you there is much to be taken out of this book. Now that I have it conveniently stored in my e-reader, I know that I will be referring back to it time and again.
