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| Diane MacEachern |
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Local author opens her Big Green Purse
Diane MacEachern’s new book and website guide readers toward Green living
April 2008
by Samantha Ager
Green has gone Hollywood, and green author Diane MacEachern of Takoma Park went to the Sundance in March. She hosted a three-day Big Green Purse sustainability suite for celebrities, filmmakers and industry folks at the annual film festival in Park City, Utah.
But Diane is no bandwagon jumper. She was an advocate for Green living before it was trendy, working with organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund and the Environmental Protection Agency.
At Sundance she offered festival-goers samples of Green products for the home as well as a chance to pick up her new book, Big Green Purse.
Her book describes how the spending power of women can persuade manufactures of clothing, food, electronics and the other basics of modern consumerism to adopt a Greener business plan. She asks women to use their monetary influence by buying Green or buying less.
“While it’s been difficult to pass environmental legislation in recent years, the marketplace is always active,” she says. Her theory is that consumerism, which arguably has caused more ecological problems than solutions, could be the basis for a new revolution.
Diane notes, “We should not be passive consumers. Instead of buying what corporate commercials tell us to buy, we ought to reverse that dynamic and make it clear to companies what products we want.”
For those who argue that buying Green is expensive, Diane reminds the readers of the simple principle of supply and demand -- the more consumers buy the less it will cost. In the case of compact fluorescent light bulb she recalls her first one cost about $25, but now the price is comparable to standard bulbs.
One question arises, though. Why does she focus only on women? The facts are that women spend about 85 cents out of every dollar in retail sales. Be it for personal, family or business spending, women power America’s economic engine, she notes, so it’s logical they can make the greatest impact.
The book is like a personal shopper for Green living, listing a number of eco-friendly products and companies in a variety of categories for consumers to use. This crash course in Green covers everything from electronics and cars to personal hygiene and home cleaners. Her definition of Green is not only to buy from the environmentally conscious but also to choose local products when available. The tea she found at a grocery store was organic but it was from California. She points out that the waste created by packing and shipping the organic tea creates an unnecessary carbon footprint, something that doesn’t always cross the mind of consumers when they see the organic label.
Essentially, she wants the reader to understand that the state of the environment affects the health not only of the planet but of people. If plants and animals are being affected by chemical residues, she argues, we are surely next. Making changes in personal spending habits can be good for everyone’s personal future, too.
Diane’s story begins in Michigan where she spent time in the great outdoors. Her passion for environmental issues is rooted to childhood memories. She recalls a childhood trip to a beach that was quarantined because hundreds of dead fish had washed up on shore. The sight and smell was horrendous. Later, in her teen years, much of the Michigan milk supply was contaminated when dairy cows were accidentally fed a fire retardant. Diane went on to earn a master’s degree from the School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan.
As a precursor to the book, Diane launched the web site www.biggreenpurse.com, where she offers tips on Green living and Green products. She also keeps a blog she updates with Green news.
Besides pitching Green to Sundance celebrities, Diane finds herself busy as a sought-after public speaker. When not on the road, she is at home on Tulip Avenue with her husband Dick Munson in a house she helped design 20 years ago. It was built on stilts so few standing trees would be disturbed. “It has a small carbon footprint,” she proudly states. She maintains a garden full of native plants that require little expensive maintenance.
Much of Diane’s own personal experience in how to live an eco-friendly lifestyle is shared in her book under the “in my house” heading. It is her blueprint for the future. In her words, “Everybody worries that it’s too late, but I’m optimistic.”
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