NEWS RELEASE
Diane MacEachern’s message is simple but revolutionary. If women change the way they spend their money, they can help solve the environmental crisis – and protect themselves and their families, too. Why women? Because women spend $.85 of every dollar in the marketplace. “Women have a whole planetful of power in their purses,” says Diane in her new book Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World (Avery/PenguinGroup USA, 978-1-58333-303-7, 03/2008, $16.95). “When they use it to buy green, they force manufacturers to make products that reduce pollution, slow global warming, and eliminate dangerous chemicals.”
With cosmetic companies free of federal regulations, pharmaceutical bi-products polluting our drinking water, and the polar ice caps melting, solutions have stymied citizens and lawmakers alike. Big Green Purse empowers mothers, home owners, business owners, young professionals, teenagers and more in two ways: The book provides targeted information women often don’t have time to track down or verify on their own. It also enables women to use their undeniable consumer clout to create safeguards that have eluded legislation and regulation.
Whether readers want to start with small changes or are ready to make bigger lifestyle and budget commitments, Big Green Purse offers sensible, time-saving ways to “go green” now. Big Green Purse:
targets 25 commodities where women’s dollars can have the greatest impact, including food, clothing, cars, computers, coffee, cleansers, furniture and flooring
provides easy-to-follow guidelines, checklists and reference materials so readers can prioritize their purchasing and “make the shift” to green products, companies and services
includes instructions on how to read ingredient lists and look for “third party verification” of eco-friendly claims
demystifies current green labeling systems to help consumers identify an eco-bargain from a rip-off
highlights “eco-cheap” strategies to save money but still live and shop green
gives “thumbs up” and “thumbs down” recommendations on hundreds of eco-options
suggests simple and quick lifestyle changes women can make to benefit the environment regardless of how much money they spend.
“Women have more economic clout than the country of Japan,” says Diane. “Why not use it to pressure companies to save energy, keep our air and water clean, protect forests, and use safer ingredients?” Consumer demand has already led industry to reformulate nail polish without harmful chemical phthalates. Diane argues that women can similarly use their purse to protect songbirds on cocoa plantations, increase the availability of organic cotton, eliminate toxins in lipstick and body lotion, and promote more fuel-efficient vehicles and appliances.
While it is a fun and entertaining read, at its core Big Green Purse is a call to action. Women can make the difference in the race to save the planet, but only if they make their money matter. Diane’s award-winning website, www.biggreenpurse.com, offers further information, ongoing updates, and sample letters so readers can contact legislators and companies. The website also encourages women to join the “One in a Million” campaign by pledging to shift $1,000 of their household budgets to green products and services.
Big Green Purse Urges Women to Use Their Consumer Clout to Protect the Environment – and Themselves
