Sara Snow's Fresh Living: The Essential Room-By-Room Guide to a Greener, Healthier Family and Home

Writer, speaker and Discovery Channel television host Snow sweeps through each room of the house (and the yard) in this overview of effective green living strategies new and old-Snow grew up a sustainable lifestyle, so has deep roots in eating healthy, composting and recycling. In the kitchen, Snow reviews choices that protect health and the environment, from ingredients and labeling to water conservation and responsible shopping. In the living room, she advocates houseplants for clean air and energy conservation; outside, issues include green transportation options like bicycles, nontoxic lawn care and gardening. Snow tips off readers to products, like particleboard furniture, that release volatile organic compounds within the home, reviews an easy-to-assemble housecleaning tool kit and even touches on green funerals, but never gives readers specific brands to seek out or avoid-meaning they'll still need to research their own options (no websites are recommended either, aside from Snow's own). Though a thorough overview, Snow's guide offers little new, especially compared to similar offerings such as National Geographic's Green Guide; Neophytes may find this a good starting point, with plenty of easy-to-digest information, but a lack of specificity may frustrate.