“Toronto-based arts reporter Farquharson decides to take the green plunge and live as ecologically as possible for a year while blogging about her daily efforts and conundrums. Young and single, she worries about losing her hipster cred by acting like a hippie, so she begins her greening with “baby steps” while imagining Al Gore looking over her shoulder. Writing anecdotally with friendly candor and blithe humor, Farquharson makes each of her carefully considered attempts at reducing waste, pollution, and her carbon footprint entertaining and informative. Many of her strategies for sustainable living involve shopping, whether it’s using tote bags or selecting phosphate-free soaps and organic produce, and the very ordinariness of her choices drives home the fact that every aspect of our daily lives has an environmental impact. After she unplugs her refrigerator and gives up pajamas to cut down on laundry, Farquharson’s green year ends, and she discovers that her eco-practices have become a natural part of her life. Lively and specific, Farquharson’s forthright chronicle of the ups and downs of green awareness is the perfect book for eco-skeptics.”
