You may recognize Renée Loux as the host of Fine Living Network's It's Easy Being Green. I know Renée as the pretty redhead carrying a basket of flowers on the cover of one of my favorite green books. Oh and get ready to be jealous: Renée calls Maui home! Yes, she lives in a solar-powered house on that dream island with her husband Shep. Did I mention she's an organic chef? So what does a woman who's authored books on green living and organic cooking, hosted a show on being green at home, and acts as an eco-advisor for spas + hotels do in her everyday life? Renée was sweet enough to share more of her green ways here. She certainly adds a stylish edge to being green.

1. three simple ways you've gone greener in your life
+ I choose and use only nontoxic, plant-based, biodegradable household
cleaners ­ such as all purpose cleaning spray, glass and mirror cleaner,
surface scrub (for sinks, basins, and pot and pans), dish soap, laundry
detergent, oxygen bleach
+ I choose and use only recycled paper products (with as high of a PCW [post
consumer waste] recycled content as possible) that are whitened without
chlorine ­ for tissue, toilet paper, printing paper ­ and choose and use cloth
napkins and towels over disposable paper napkins and paper towels
+ I choose and use only natural, plant-based personal care and cosmetics,
avoiding products that contain synthetic/chemical ingredients, fragrances
and preservatives.
+ I purchase organic clothing and household goods such as towels and sheets
+ I buy locally grown, organic food as possible

2. last green purchase
Penguin Sparkling Water Maker ­ to make sparking water at home, which ­ curbs
waste of disposable bottles and energy from shipping around bottled water. It's ­
available at Williams-Sonoma (www.williams-sonoma.com/products/e196/index.cfm?pkey=cspecialty-el) and Soda Stream.

3. one green initiative you'd like to see enacted in your community
a municipal composting program that would pick up kitchen scraps along
with recyclables such as glass, aluminum, and plastic

4. best green gift you've given, received, or coveted
good question! There are a number of things that rally for priority
recognition:
+ most practical: Coyuchi organic cotton damask stripe sheet set and duvet
cover and bath towel set: the finest, most beautiful and durable I¹ve seen (www.coyuchi.com)
+ most romantic: Toby Pomeroy Mist Hoop earrings ­ made with 100 percent
recycled gold and conflict-free diamonds (www.tobypomeroy.com)
+ most coveted: Tesla Roadster ­ fast and foxy electric sports car; 0 to 60
in 3.9 seconds; 244 miles per charge (www.teslamotors.com)

5. hardest habit to break to be more eco-friendly
Curbing my appetite for new things, particularly clothing. When I do
purchase new garments, I seek out organic and sustainable fashions as often
as possible. I would estimate that 75 to 80 percent of my wardrobe is "eco."

6. three ways you want to be greener this year
+ I would like to take advantage of the amped-up federal tax incentives to
install more photovoltaic solar panels on my house (which offer 35 percent
tax credits on the cost of the panels and installation, coupled with the 35
percent tax credit offered by the state I live in.) ­ We currently have 40
panels on our property. I would like to add an additional 20, which would
reduce our electric bill by an additional 20 percent.
+ Make my garden larger! And plant more food.
+ Install a grey water system to make use of water that drains from sinks,
showers and washing machine for the yard and garden. [If you missed Michelle's q+a, check it out to find out how a grey water system works.]

A big thank you to Renée for participating in Green Swap! Next week I'll be sharing some great green tips from her book, Easy Green Living. 

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