I feel like I'm caught up in a maelstrom of green, green, green! After spending thirty years slogging through the environmental trenches, we've had an "overnight success." Protecting the planet is all anyone seems to be talking about these days. In fact, as someone who used to be leading the pack, it's now hard to keep up! Companies are frantically setting up recycling programs. Organizations are issuing reports hand over fist. Entrepreneurs are churning out new green gear and gadgets faster than a mouse breeds babies.

All of which makes for a very exciting time to have a new environmental book out - especially one that aims to make sense of what's "green" versus what's being "greenwashed." That's the question I've been asked most frequently, especially during the dozens of radio interviews I've done since the book's pub date March 1. Everyone wants to do something to make a difference. Not everyone knows where to start, or what purchases are really worth the money. Words like "natural," "biodegradable," and "eco-friendly" throw people for a loop. Do they really mean the product or service deserves Mother Nature's green star? Not necessarily, and a big part of my job right now involves directing shoppers to certified goods that actually live up to their mark! eting claims.

I've been impressed that so many people have turned out to my book signings - given that another big concern for people who want to go green is lack of time! Most people don't realize that living an eco-life can actually simplify your life - sometimes I need to roll out the light bulb example to prove my point (a compact fluorescent light bulb lasts ten times as long as an incandescent, so put one in and forget about it for seven years...).