For Starre Vartan, popular blogger (http://eco-chick.com) who spoke during last year’s Good And Green™ Conference and author of the new book, The Eco Chick Guide to Life: How to Be Fabulously Green, caring about the future of our planet comes second nature. Filled with tips and tidbits that make it simple to get earth-friendly without sacrificing style, Vartan’s book is sure to strike a chord with those looking to build their green repertoire, as well as those sitting on the ecological fence. In an interview with Good And Green E-ssentials, Vartan talks candidly about the forces that drive her, finding real green in a sea of look-a-likes and gives some surprising advice regarding the best environmental changes to implement now.

GG: In your book, you mention the impact that your grandmother had on you growing up.  While writing, from where did you draw your inspiration?  Does being a fabulously green Eco Chick seem like an uphill battle at times?
Vartan: I draw inspiration directly from the natural world. I have always spent a fairly large portion of my time outside, beginning in the woods of the Hudson Valley my grandmother raised me in (in a house built on a rock ledge above a wetland). I've lived in other gorgeous places too: the Australian coast, Western Massachusetts, Berkeley, California and now on the Connecticut side of the Long Island Sound. I am an only child and am unabashed in admitting that I grew up thinking the trees, rocks, insects, animals, moss and streams and ponds surrounding my home were all alive and were all my 'friends' in a way. Of course, it is all the earth's bounty that feed, clothe, and make the world beautiful for all of us, so I don't think I was on the wrong track.

I feel like my life's work is to represent nature in all its beauty as well as protect ecosystems and help reconnect other people back to the fundamental “amazingness” of the earth. That being said, I'm a total people person, love cities and music and art and technology - I want to bring the natural world into all of those spaces and interactions and reduce our impact on the planet so human beings can continue to thrive. Really, all this 'Save the Planet' stuff is nonsense- having majored in geology in my undergrad studies, I can tell you that the earth will go on just fine pretty much no matter what we do - what we are engaged in now is more like a campaign to Save the People.

In 2008, it's easy to be green. When I first started my site, Eco Chick, it was a lot tougher than it is now to find green products (and my favorite indulgence, clothes!). Now they're everywhere, and it requires just a bit more thought and planning to be eco-friendly in a myriad of ways.

GG: How important do you think authenticity is in the green space?  Do you think that consumers are learning to make sure that brands walk the walk in addition to talking the talk?
Vartan: Authenticity is paramount, but it's also tough. Creating a sustainable product or service (and “sussing” out whether one is or not) brings together science, statistics, critical thinking, creativity, and a real commitment to use less and think outside the conventional parameters. It's kind of a random mix of left and right-brained thinking, combining real scientific data and creative solution making with a little bit of style thrown in to make whatever it is appealing. Plenty of companies have no idea how to get this mix down because it's not easy to categorize.

GG: For fabulous folks looking to green their lifestyle with ease, what are your top three suggestions for moving over to the greener side of life in style?
Vartan:
1. Embrace your inner beauty and accentuate your inherent positives. You will consume less of everything and leave a smaller footprint.

2. Buy less, and only buy what you love. I'm sick (and bored) with mass-produced, throwaway culture. I'd rather have five dresses I adore, that I wear all the time, that were made by people being paid fairly from materials that don't pollute the earth, than twenty so-so dresses. When I buy less, I can spend a bit more for well-made clothes that will last for a decade (or at least longer than a couple seasons). Never buy any clothes that don't flatter you and make you feel beautiful wearing them.

3. Swap to nontoxic and chemical-free bath and personal care products. You expose your body's largest organ to the chemical mélange that is in the body wash/shampoo/conditioner/shave cream aisle of the supermarket every time you shower. Not only are these products introducing more toxins into your system when you use them, but when they wash down the drain, all those artificial colors, scents, and other chemicals are added to the water supply. Also, natural products smell divine! Fake smells are gross.

GG: What books have you read recently?
Vartan:
Half of a Yellow Sun, by Chimamanda Adichie (amazing novel about the Biafran war)
East is East, by T.C. Boyle (novel about Asian race relations by the darkly comedic Boyle, who always includes a tremendous amount of natural imagery in his writing)
Fools of Fortune by William Trevor (heartbreaking story of an Irish family and a historic home)
Ecologique, by Kelly LaPlante (gorgeous eco interior design coffee table book)
In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan (he's my writing mentor- though I've never met him, so I read everything he writes! This is a great book for anyone who eats).