Monday, February 28

Greening Your Cleaning Book Review

So, this is my first ever book review here on the ol' blog. I ordered this book from Amazon after it was recommended on my essential oils email group.  Prepare to be amazed.  Just kidding.  I only have 2 paragraphs of review!  :)

What I did not like:  I had really hoped to find a chapter of recipes for creating your own cleaning products at home, but since she owns a foundation that sells such products, I'm assuming that's why there was no chapter like that.  In fact, for most of the products she says not to use, the alternatives are to buy green cleaners from a list of companies (she does give other suggestions as well though).  I'm not saying that's not helpful; on the contrary, if you aren't interested in making your own cleaners, that can be very helpful.  It just wasn't what I expected.
What I liked:  It was an easy read.  While she had to use some scientific info (it is, after all, about the ramifications of chemicals in the home), it was written so that it is very approachable, easy to understand, even for the non-scientifically minded among us (me!)  She included Spotlight On... sections where she talked about a specific chemical or cleaner (ex. chlorine, oven cleaner, etc.) and why that product or chemical is bad for your body and the environment.  Again, this part was very easy to understand. 

I also really appreciated that Imus was not at all condescending in her approach.  So much of what I read in the green movement tends to come across as, "How stupid of you, that you're not doing XYZ yet!" But not Imus!  Instead of making me feel condemned, her approach left me with a better understanding of WHY going green is the best choice for our family and some simple steps to start the process.

I'm keeping the book because I think it will be good to reference when I consider buying any new product.  Some chemicals have multiple names, none of which I can remember, so to have a book that lists the most common names is great!  And if, in the future, I decide I'd like to purchase some green products, I'll have a quick reference for some brands to look for.

Are you amazed at this book review?  Yeah, me neither...but hopefully it'll help you figure out if you should buy the book.  I vote yes...when I ordered mine it was only 1 cent plus shipping ($3.99).  That's a great bargain, even if you just read it once.

Happy Greening!

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2 comments:

Cami said...

Sounds like a worth while book to read. Hate to admit it but those swiffer covers are probably the "greenest" thing I've ever done :) Probably should read that book. Thanks for the awesome comment! Glad I could spark some interest in you.
Cami

April@MySacredSojourn said...

Thanks for stopping by Cami! The thing about going green is that it's definitely a process! The swiffer covers might be a good starting point for you. :) I'm hoping to have time during the next week to make my covers using your tutorial. It definitely looks like something I can handle! :)