I am taking the opportunity to reiterate why I created Big Green Purse, a campaign to motivate women especially to channel their spending power into social and environmental change.

It is because I believe…

*  the fastest, most effective way to stop polluters is by pressuring them in the marketplace

*  women can be the world’s most powerful economic and environmental force if we intentionally shift our spending to the best green products and services

* women have the power right now to solve many of our most serious environmental problems by using our green purses to make a difference

* women must act – intentionally, collectively, and with the full force of our purse power behind us – if we hope to leave our children and grandchildren a better world.

Women spend $.85 of every dollar in the marketplace. I believe we should tell manufacturers what to make; they should not be telling us what to buy.

I believe we only have as much power as we exercise. I also believe exercising our power gives us more.

I believe it is not too late … but it will be soon.

As the saying goes, if not us, who? If not now, when?

I believe it is up to us, and we must act now.

See what more green moms and friends believe on Monday, February, 9, when The Smart Mama hosts the next Green Moms Carnival.

The post Why I Believe in the Power of the Purse appeared first on Big Green Purse.

This “One in a Million” grandmother of two has found that shifting her spending to products and services that offer the greatest environmental benefit actually saves her money – especially when it comes to energy.

The One in a Million campaign inspires consumers to shift at least $1,000 of their existing household budgets to greener goods. The idea isn’t to spend more money, just to make “green” a priority when you do shop. In many cases, the new purchases are not only better for the planet. They’re great for your pocketbook, too.

Here’s how Sue shifted her spending:

04/’07:  Bought an ’07 Honda Civic                     $17,500
04/’07  Bought a front loading washer                 $  1,000
’06 thru ’08:  cfl bulbs, 50                                  $     200
01/’07:  Installed water htr blanket                      $      20
01/’08:  Put up weather stripping                        $      10
01/’08:  Hung 8 pr. thermal drapes                      $    500
05/’08:  Bamboo flooring in bathroom                  $    400

Total:                                                              $19,130

Sue says she’s “pretty much a typical 60ish woman” with three grown children, two grown step-children, and seven grandchildren. Retired, she sews, does some crafting, reads and gardens. When I asked Sue what inspired her, here’s what she said.

“The green thing?  It really began for me in the 70’s when we planted our first garden.  I started getting “Organic Gardening” and that got me even more interested.  Then there were a number of years when I really let stuff slide.  I was divorced in 1979, with two kids, and working for the first time in my life. 

I’ve gotten more interested and active in our environment over the years since I had to retire.  It began with supporting various charities that espouse what I think is important.  I’ve browbeaten most of my family about it.  My mother, who lives with my older sister, began recycling about 3 months ago.  Same deal with my daughter and her family.  My husband has been hard to persuade, too, and I frequently go through the “trash” can in the kitchen to fish out stuff that goes in the recycle can.  But, we’re getting there.  In the last few years, I’ve even convinced him to give up the 10-10-10 fertilizer we’d been using on the garden.  We’ve gone organic with that, as well as using Neem oil for the bad bugs instead of Sevin spray.

The hardest part for me has been to actually DO it instead of just bitching about how Earth is changing, and placing blame with politicos and big business and the oil companies.  Oh, they are culprits, but so am I.  The easiest was the cfl bulbs.  That’s something that anyone can do.  Do it one at the time or one room at the time.  By the way, my monthly budget electric bill has come down from $152 to $116.  That’s over $400 a year.  For some people, that’s the final shot in the arm.  That money thing will get people nearly every time.

I know I can’t do much, but I truly believe if everyone would do just ONE thing, the world we live in would get better pdq! 

P.S.  I’ve gotten my two four & 1/2 year old granddaughters each a copy of “Michael Recycle” for Christmas this year.”

If Sue can do it, so can you! Shifting your spending not only saves you money – it gives manufacturers an incentive to reduce pollution, keep air and water clean, and protect our world for our kids and grandkids. Why don’t you join us today? It couldn’t be easier!

Meet more One in a Million women.

The post GrandMa Shifts Almost $20,000 to Green Goods; Saves $400/yr just on lighting appeared first on Big Green Purse.

  A recent story in the New York Times focused on the work the EcoMom Alliance is doing to build a membership base of mothers who are looking, not for the answers to “why” as much as the answers to “how”? Through their workshops, houseparties and web outreach, they’ve helped educate 9,000 moms about ways they can reduce the size of their environmental footprint and help protect themselves and their kids from environmental threats.

“EcoMommy Blogs” have been making a similar contribution for years. Some of my favorites are listed in my “Purse Strings” blogroll. They include Nature Moms, Moms Go Green, EnviroMom, Mindful Momma, and Healthy Child.

I’ve always said, women are the CEOs – chief environmental officers – of their households. This is true in spades for moms, whose green purchasing decisions now have the potential to accelerate the transition to a green economy – and safer planet – like never before. It’s exciting to see moms coming together to be green at a time when their involvement in and enthusiasm for the environment couldn’t be more valuable.

The post EcoMoms Are Everywhere! appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Just how does Crest slip a little Nature into its tubes?  Mostly, by the power of suggestion.

The company claims pure peppermint oil gives Crest “a natural peppermint twist.”

The mint and green tea version seems designed to appeal to the millions of people who drink green tea for its many natural healing properties. (Thanks, but I’d rather drink my green tea than brush my teeth with it.)

The lemon and mint option wins the prize for bragging it’s “natural” the most times: “Introducing a toothpaste with the fresh, clean sensation of natural lemon extract. With a natural twist of citrus, Citrus Clean Mint gives you a natural clean feeling all day and all night.” All those natural claims seem a little unnatural to me.

Here’s the topper: Crest’s Nature’s Expressions web site provides 13 tips to help you “Add a little Nature to your life.” But out of the 13, none of them encourages visitors to go outside and actually experience the natural world.

Tip #10 suggests you “hang a picture of your favorite elements from nature – sea, trees, flowers, animals – where your eyes frequently go. For instance, over the telephone.”

Tip #12 encourages you to put your pillows outside in the sun to freshen up. Hmmm… what about brushing your teeth outside? At least, you’d be getting outdoors.

The only thing that’s natural – from an advertising point of view — about Crest’s new toothpaste is the way the company is trying to capitalize on the green marketing frenzy that’s driving commerce these days.

Actually…in my circles, we don’t call that natural. We call that greenwashing.

Thumbs down, Crest.

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