Think of three common denominators to describe Jeffrey Hollender and Lexy Zissu? The words creative, passionate, and thorough come to mind. So it’s no surprise that their brand-new book, Planet Home, is a must for those who desire change-making inspiration and practical advice on making “Conscious Choices for Cleaning and Greening the World You Care About Most.” We’ll have excerpts and insights from Planet Home in the weeks to come — and we know you’ll come to Practically Green for follow-through motivation to make these positive changes for yourself and your family!

PG: What made you want to do *this* book — on this subject, with this approach?

Jeffrey: We live in a world where many people are passionate about living more sustainable and responsible lives for the health of the planet and the safety of their families – but often don’t know who to trust, what will really make a difference, and how to connect the dots between all the issues they face. Planet Home aspires to be the best solution to these challenges. It’s clear and concise, helps in every room of the house and almost every part of your life.

Search Google for “green living tips” and you’ll find 134,000 entries, search just “green living” and the number jumps up to 31 million. There’s no shortage of information. The challenge we all face is what actions really matter? … If I can only do 5 things, which 5 should I do?

Over 25 years ago I wrote How to Make the World a Better Place: A Beginners Guide, and 23 years ago I started Seventh Generation. I’ve spent most of my life helping to educate millions of Americans make tens of millions of green-product choices. I’ve analyzed thousands of products and hundreds of chemicals. Planet Home is the first time I’ve gathered all that information and insight into one place.

Lexy: I had spent about six years prior to meeting Jeffrey greening my own life (beyond food) and writing books about this process. As I progressed I realized that suggesting individuals green their own lives and create green bubbles wasn’t quite enough. Jeffrey says there is no such thing as a green bubble. And I was trying to figure out how to broaden my message and to simply explain that exact sentiment: we share air, we share water; in urban apartment buildings we share hallways and boilers! We. Are. Not. Alone. Jeffrey’s easy, comprehensive way of describing to me what I was already feeling and having trouble explaining in my own work was like a (LED) lightbulb. His words throughout our interviews unstuck me, and I hope they will unstick many others as they attempt to green their lives in a more systematic way, to see how a household is part of a much larger system. There are many thoughtful tips on ways to green and clean your home throughout the book, and they’re all described through this lens of understanding that even in our own homes, our everyday actions have far-reaching impacts…. My favorite chapter is 11 — The Big Picture: Protecting Your Home and Your Planet, which is all about effecting broad change outside your home once you’ve greened it.

PG: Why is Now the right time for the book?

Jeffrey: Well actually yesterday was the best day to get started. The planet needs us now more than ever. While we’ve been raising our children, looking for work, trying to figure out who to vote for and getting ready for the next holiday – the planet has been crying out for our help. As the planet slowly heats up, fresh water gets polluted, forests are cut down and we lose species diversity – everything that ails the planet comes to ail us too…. We’re all part of one giant home, we all share the same planet, breathe the same air and ultimately drink the same water. Highly carcinogenic chemicals like dioxin that escape into the air and water when we bleach paper with chlorine, burn plastic, or manufacture PVC circle the globe, ending up in the fatty tissue of polar bears, whales in the Antarctic, fish off the coast of Finland and in the breast milk of mothers all over the planet. There is no “away.” We all in the same home and it’s time to stop throwing our garbage out the window because it will always end up in our own back yard.

Lexy: There are many people, like me, who have been slowly progressing in their journey to green. This is the logical next step. But if you’re just going green, to incorporate this big picture from the get-go is a true gift and gives a great sense of purpose and motivation. I wish I had seen the bigger picture more clearly when I began six years ago. It would have made the process faster. I also think for people who have been reluctant to go green, who might be naturally broader thinkers, Planet Home will be just what they need. In order for true change to happen, we need an army of educated conscious consumers. And this doesn’t only mean people who buy organic milk or bathroom cleaner (though those are great first steps), but people who take a more comprehensive approach. Planet Home will get them up to speed…. I’ve noticed there’s often a divide between people who go green for the environment and people who go green for personal health. I appreciate how Planet Home manages to address and attempt to marry these two. The time feels long overdue for that.

PG: The design is wonderful — how did it develop? Tell us about the concept and the resulting functionality.

Jeffrey: It’s often been said that I am a man of many words. Usually that’s way too many words. One of the best parts of working with Lexy is her amazing ability to take all those words and ideas and pare them down to their essence. With ideas, suggestions and tips crystallized. We worked with Melcher Media who created the design for the book. They used design to improve what we were working to communicate. The result is a book that will engage you, help you find exactly what you’re looking for – quickly — and gives you both the simple ideas and the larger systems context.

Lexy: I’m the word girl. And I love the design too! I think it’s functional and draws people in and that it makes it easier to read about the hazards of mold when the (sometimes scary) text is sitting on a drawing of mold. It’s less off-putting and very accessible. I had read the manuscript many times, but when they laid it out with the art, it really flew for me.

PG: Making healthy green changes in one’s personal life can be overwhelming. How does Planet Home help?

Lexy: It has it all. Big, small, broad, narrow. It’s a reference book with a heart — it’s dotted with conscious rituals: it can help you set up a nursery, clean your attic, or become a community activist. Along the way, there’s even advice on kids’ allowance. There’s something for everyone here no matter where they are on their journey to green and clean their own planet homes. There’s no judgment, only a constant invitation to join in. And it has a personality – if you read the cleaning time lines, they’re pretty laid back. Which is a relief. Germs aren’t the enemy (on page 195 we help people come to terms with germs…); harsh unnecessary chemicals are.

PG: What’s your advice to people who are just beginning to take eco-friendly actions in their personal lives? What are the first steps? How to keep going? What motivates people?

Lexy: What motivates people really varies. There are a lot of people who feel motivated by pregnancy (that’s when I got hooked), or by meeting their babies. Others feel motivated by hormone-disrupting chemicals feminizing wild male fish in our waterways, or by oil spills, or by joining forces with organizations working to protect our environment. It’s all good. Focusing on what motivates you personally will help keep you going. I find making small changes empowering, but think spreading the word — to neighbors, friends, schools — feels even more empowering. Small changes done by large amounts of people add up. So does getting politically active. Obviously some things have greater impact than others. Make changes that make sense to you and don’t feel overwhelming, and it ripples from there. Change your cleaning products to greener versions to drastically reduce air pollution indoor and out. Take off your shoes before you walk in your home; it’s the public health equivalent of washing your hands, and you won’t be tracking in pesticide residue or car exhaust. How hard are either of these things? Not very. Then keep going. Jeffrey has broader suggestions. I’m still stuck in home minutiae!

Jeffrey: Well let me try and complement Lexy here…. We all get stuck in the minutiae, and yet it is critical to try and maintain a holistic, systems-level perspective. First we need to believe that we can make a difference. As Margaret Mead said, “Never underestimate the power of a few committed people to change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Fear and cynicism that what we do won’t matter is often the greatest enemy we face…. When choosing something to do, start with what you’re already passionate about. If you love food, start by exploring the locally grown, organic options at your local farmers market. If you’re into travel, check out the options for eco-vacations. There is no “right” place to begin, but starting with the things you care about the most will generate the types of positive experiences that are most likely to propel you to do more.