Easy Green Guides!

As I have pointed out many, many times I love things that make my life easier. And often this trying to be green/natural/organic thing makes my life more complicated. (Not all the time mind you, but sometimes.) To truly appease the eco-gods you've got to be on top of your game and constantly checking the news for the latest on corporate environmental policies, product regulations and social responsibility. The other day I told friends how we don't buy Juicy Juice because of the whole Nestle Boycott thing (while I don't full-out boycott I try not to support them whenever I can) and I'm pretty sure my friends thought I was a total crazy person. Ugh. Half the time I think I'm too crunchy and the other half I think I'm not crunchy enough. Thankfully, I recently found two online resources that make environmentally-friendly decision-making a whole lot easier.

National Geographic magazine has launched a new online Green Guide. The program is designed to provide people with quick, easy ways to reduce their environmental impact. The site features green news and tips on how to reduce emissions, conserve water and save power.

Two of the biggest features on the site are the Green Buying Guide and the Great Energy Challenge. The Buying Guide provides information on how to make your home purchases, including appliances, as environmentally friendly as possible. The Great Energy Challenge includes environmental news, quizzes and lifestyle challenges meant to raise awareness of our current energy situation. Participants can keep track of the energy they use in day-to-day life and the impact of what they waste.

I also LOVE my subscription to The Daily Green. It's the consumer's guide to the green revolution. It's filled with product suggestions, recipes and advice. They also do green-centric feature pieces on current issues. For example, this week the site had an article on organic, free-trade chocolate. Did you know Africa's Ivory Coast is the largest importer of cocoa in the world? I'd heard of conflict diamonds, but never conflict chocolate! The Daily Green helps you navigate through the world of eco-friendly and socially responsible products with tips straight to your inbox.