The Green Year – Live Green for a Year

Part 2: An Interview with The Green Year author Jodi Helmer

Hello again! I’m ready to hear more of what author Jodi Helmer had to say. This real-life GirlMogul is the author of the book The Green Year, a book that gives a green tip for every single day of the year! This time, I asked her questions about her inspirations for the book, and how she came with so many cool and easy eco-friendly ideas! Read on to find out more about Jodi.

1. GM: How did you discover so many ways to live an eco-friendly lifestyle? Did these ideas come from different inspirations?
JH: That was just how you lived in Oregon and it was very much the lifestyle. I think any situation you’re in where you are in a new surrounding you kind of watch what everyone is doing, and just by observing other people you sort of adapt your habits. I very quickly realized that everyone took their own bags to the grocery store and that’s what I did. I found it easier to take the train than drive your car in pay for parking.
I moved to North Carolina in 2007 and very quickly realized that Portland was very unique in its environmental consciousness. There aren’t very many farmers’ markets here, and I realized that many of the fruits and veggies at the farmers’ markets are imported which is ridiculous to me! And I started talking to people about and I got the same reaction over and over again, which is “It’s so difficult and expensive to be environmentally friendly.” That’s where the idea of the book came from.

2. GM: I read The Green Year, and saw that the content of the book really makes sense with the date it is given on. For instance, for Thanksgiving, you suggest making Turkey stock instead of just disposing of the leftover turkey bones. Was that a family tradition or something you thought of for the book?
JH: It was something I thought of specifically for the book. So when the publisher decided they wanted to do the 365 day format, my initial reaction was like “Oh.” But then I thought, how am I going to come up with 365 different tips? First, I made a list of the obvious things, like turning the lights off when you leave the room. But, I wanted it to be researched based. I emailed everyone I knew and asked what are some things you do in your family that are environmentally friendly? One of my friends in Philly said that she uses a hand me down menorah from her grandparents so it’s special but she’s not buying something new.
I think people think going green on holidays means abandoning those traditional holiday activities. You can have a Christmas that feels and looks and smells and tastes like every other Christmas you’ve had, but while making just a few little changes. People don’t want to compromise the authenticity of their celebrations and they don’t have to!

3. GM: Do you have any favorite “green” tips in the book?
JH: There were a couple of tips that I really liked. One tip was to unplug your appliances when they are not in use: when you’re finished making your toast in the morning, just unplug those appliances because those outlets suck out a huge amount of energy.
Turning your gas cap until it clicks 3 times is also a good one. I always thought you didn’t want to turn it until it clicks and I found out that not turning it that far didn’t let it seal and that gas actually evaporates into the environment. In the US, 147 million gallons of gas evaporate every year because of gas caps leaking or missing or not sealed. I was really surprised and it costs nothing to do!

4. GM: What was one of the first things you changed about your life to make it more “green”?
JH: It was probably one of two things because I love food; one was taking canvas bags to the grocery store and the other is shopping at a farmer’s markets.
And the other thing that is a huge part of my lifestyle is walking wherever I can. We have a very car culture and you have to make a point to walk places. But, it’s still important to do.
Thanks Jodi! That was some great insight into changes you’ve made in your own life. Also, I loved how you talked about your inspirations in the book. It’s nice that the book includes researched statistics as well as ideas from friends and family. Everyone, make sure you stay tuned for the final installment of this exclusive interview! In the last part, Jodi Helmer discusses her favorite tips for you, GirlMoguls!