While the idea to "start small" when changing your lifestyle is good in theory, this book missed the mark for me. First of all, there is a lot of waste generated in this approach - a lot of tossing things out and replacing them with some less toxic alternative...well, what happens to the toxic item you just tossed out? Also, there's a lot of information put forth without attribution in the text, which makes it difficult to know the source and if it is trustworthy (there is a listing at the back of the book, but would be nice to not have to flip back and forth). Finally, while it's important to choose non-toxic products for your own home and body, it's also important to work towards making those products affordable and available for everyone - in other words, working to make them the "standard" and to eliminate the toxic products/ingredients all together. That piece of looking outside your own bubble to the greater good is missing here.

I thought this book was going to be about the environment and how to be greener eg recycling, reusing, home hacks but it was all about 'toxins'. The author by their own admission states that there is a difference between toxins and toxicants but then states they will refer to toxins as toxicants sounds too scientific and isn't widely referred to.

Did not finish.

This is a great book about being conscious of your impact on the world around you and how we can all do our part with our everyday item choices.

Harris takes a practical approach to a "slightly greener" lifestyle. Rather than cutting out all chemicals, toxins, processed foods, etc., she advocates for using/eating in moderation, and looking for safer alternatives. An approachable guide to help get started.

I was not thrilled to see her point out a correlation between chemicals and increased rates of autism and ADHD. She is careful to say it's not necessarily a causation, but worth noting. But on the next page, she describes how she changed her son's diet and reduced his ADHD-like symptoms. This skirts right along the edge of pseudoscience, and makes me reluctant to purchase this book for my public library collection.

I definitely liked the approach that this book used. It was all about finding a way to be greener, without letting it over take your happiness, I appreciated that it came from a point of pick what is important to you and do it. But don’t let it consume your life. I didn’t like the part about chemicals causing ADHD. As someone who has ADHD and children with ADHD, it is genetic not caused by chemicals. Now I do agree that certain chemicals and dyes make ours more difficult to manage and we try to avoid as many chemicals as possible.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook! I loved loved this book! I will be going back and reading it again and again. It is just filled jam packed with information! I love cleaning naturally as possible. Sometimes it is hard as a lot of natural cleaning products just don't do a good job. But I learned a lot! Truly informative. Thank you!

Terms and keywords explained. Good for wanting facts and ideas to have. Knowing it won't be an easy transition - can be helpful.

Can you remove both natural and manmade toxins from your and your family’s life? Yes! With The Slightly Greener Method, a relatively painless and stress-free process, you can eliminate the worst toxins while still enjoying hot dogs and mascara.

“The good news is that there are a lot of safer brands out there. You just need to know what to look for, and that’s what this book will help you do. Because Cheetos taste even more delicious after a day of tossing phthalates in the trash.”

The book has a bunch of useful information. Who knew there are four different levels of “organic”? The best idea is to look for the USDA Organic seal or labeling stating the product is 100% organic. However, the process of acquiring the seal is tough and takes years so expect a much higher price. Whereas if a product is labeled simply organic, only a minimum of 70% of its ingredients must be organic. Plus, the words “natural”, “GRAS” and “pesticide-free” on products are completely unregulated making them meaningless.

Obviously, fresh fruit and vegetables only have one ingredient so either are, or are not, organic. If you look on the tiny label (SKU) on fresh produce, organic codes begin with a 9 and non-organic begin with a 4. Easy peasy, right?

Okay, while this book scared the daylights out of me, I’m happy that the author encourages readers not to take on too much detoxing at one time. Be a turtle—not a soon-to-be exhausted hare. I already know that I’m not giving up processed food or making my own lotion. That is just not my style. But I can look for nitrate-free hot dogs and organic produce—even at the 99 Cent Store.

The Slightly Greener Method gives me a few cogent ideas for small changes. I can always make additional changes later. The changes I selected will probably not match the ones you select. That’s the beauty of this book, you have options.

If a few changes can make your home healthier, why wouldn’t you go for it? The extensive appendices have cheat sheets on what ingredients to avoid and list brands that are acceptable. Overall, The Slightly Greener Method is clear and concise about how to live heathier one step at a time. 5 stars!

Thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, Sourcebooks, NetGalley, and Tonya Harris for the opportunity to read this book. It releases August 3rd, 2021

When I first picked up The Slightly Greener Method by Tonya Harris I thought it would be discussing more environmental greener methods. This book actually focuses on toxins or actually toxicants in our homes, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, and food. Tonya Harris has an MSHN and a BCHN so she is pretty knowledgeable in holistic living. When she was a child she was diagnosed with leukemia and because of that, she became more aware of what she put near or in her body. The book is split up into sections and offers statistics, studies, and alternatives to everyday things that do more harm than good.

“READ=
R-Replace plastic around food and beverages
E-Eat organic and whole foods
A-Avoid artificial fragrance
D-Destroy Dust”

THE SLIGHTLY GREENER METHOD
This year I have been determined to live more sustainably for the environment, which led to cutting out a lot of things that are also listed in this book. I think we can all agree PLASTIC IS THE DEVIL. I am not being facetious. It is true, plastic is harmful to the environment and to our bodies. Reducing single-use plastic is a great beginning but it was really interesting reading about the toxins that are in all plastics and cooking ware, even if it is reusable. She also provides tips if you absolutely must use plastic to avoid harmful toxicants.

“Greenwashing is when companies design their packaging so a product looks like it’s good for you (or for the environment.)”

THE SLIGHTLY GREENER METHOD
What I really appreciated is how she wants her readers to focus on reading the labels and researching the ingredients. Just because it says, “all-natural” or “non-toxic” doesn’t mean it is. Companies are very good at disguising ingredients on their labels. I did learn a lot in the cosmetics section but that also maybe because I don’t wear makeup! If I do, then it is an ultra-rare occasion. But her section on fragrance is so important. I use essential oils instead of fragrance but I have a friend that has a severe allergy to most fragrances. So if someone has a lot spritzed all over them in the grocery store she could have a reaction just by walking by them.

“The takeaway here: tap water while not 100% perfect, is more regulated. (Than bottled water)”

THE SLIGHTLY GREENER METHOD
The section on water discusses clean water and water regulation. She even discusses the issues that are plaguing Flint, Michigan. However, she also brings up some excellent points about bottled water and how it isn’t as great as it is made out to be. Now, I actually know a water scientist so I would go to her for verification, but I do think she made some excellent points.

Overall, I found this book to be very informative! I do love how she insists that this book is a guide and not meant to make anyone feel guilty or make them feel anxious. It takes baby steps. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read an arc version of this book!

I respect this author’s approach so much. The word “toxin” incites fear to the point that I feel almost desensitized to it. The author recognizes that this is a familiar feeling and focuses on reducing exposure toxins over time, constantly reiterating that small changes matter and have a huge impact on health and wellness.

She said no guilt allowed, and I was still like, “Oh my gosh, I nearly bought a pack of Microban at Costco--not knowing that it is banned in hospitals and only harmless in small amounts.” She treads carefully in connecting the impact of toxins/chemicals to childhood wellness and the rise in ADHD and autism diagnoses, which I respected. She talks about the connection between what we ingest/use and the impact on ourselves while emphasizing that medical advice is individualized and she is not a spokesperson.

Overall, this book was very approachable and enjoyable, while still leaving the reader with questions to continue exploring independently before making major changes.

This is a book I think everyone needs to read. I will be buying a copy to mark up and dog ear for my self. It has great insight into why we need to make greener choices towards our food, personal care products, cleaning supplies, etc. She understands it's not always easy or economical to make big changes, so she shows you how to take baby steps to be greener, and how you can continue to work towards making better choices. This book is a great book for people new to "living green" or for those who already live green and want more! Highly recommend!

The Slightly Greener Method is a book filled with ways to reduce your use of toxic chemicals in food, personal care, makeup, home and cleaning products. As a nutritionist I have taught my clients to do much of this, but never had a one-stop resource to suggest to them. This book definitely fills the bill. Harris gives the reader a lot of ideas about how to make healthier changes on an incremental basis in each area. She clearly explains what ingredients to look for, why they are problematic, and suggests alternatives to use. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to clean up their home products, but is confused about how to go about it.
I received a complementary copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There are some good ideas in this book, although some are too complicated for use in everyday life. I have read other books on this subject, and this was definitely the most enjoyable.

The Slightly Greener Method is a very good informative book on detoxifying your home and using greener less damaging products. It encourages you to start small and build up good habits. Lots of really good tips and a wealth of information is offered for you to use and build on. A lot of books like this leave you feeling overwhelmed and that the task is so big it is impossible, but this one encourages you to make small manageable changes and gradually do what you can.

“Do the best you can do until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” Maya Angelou

That’s the quote the author uses to start her book. It’s the greatest quote for the authors concept. It’s not about perfection. It’s about doing the best you can do. The author gives you small steps to make significant changes in getting the toxins out of your house and body. It’s easy to make changes and lots of information.