Listen up, ladies. There is a huge misconception that being green means sacrificing yourself to the Hippie Gods. Going green doesn’t mean you have to stop shaving your pits and wear patchouli. In fact, I implore you to shave your armpits, legs and wherever else hair grows where hair should not be on a woman. I started The Green Stiletto Project as a way to spread the news about being eco-friendly while staying fabulous. Don’t sacrifice your beauty, fashion sense and overall sanity by going green. It doesn’t have to be hard, time consuming or smelly. Yeah, I said smelly. You understand. There are simple baby steps you can take to change your habits that will greatly impact our environment and your overall health. So, put on your “Green” Stilettos and let’s do this!

Baby Steps:

Let’s start with two simple changes that you’ve heard a million times, yet still aren’t listening to.

First thing first. I’m going to let Oprah tug on your heart strings. Watch this video.

1) Stop buying bottled water. It’s just water. Honestly, contrary to popular belief, bottled water is no healthier for you than tap water. In the U.S. more than 60 million plastic water bottles are thrown away each day. Where do most of those end up? You guessed it, the trash bog in the middle of the Pacific. There are many alternatives to bottled water that are just as convenient. Buy a water filter and a reusable metal water bottle and voila! Problem solved. You can still have filtered water and you still have a bottle to throw in your gym bag.

You can buy most water filters for less than $32 and they come in a variety of colors. Do it, you’ll be happy you did.

Reusable metal water bottles can be purchased online or local sporting goods stores and they also come in a variety of colors and designs. I really like the colorful ones, as they bring out the teenage girl in me.

2) Bring reusable bags when you go shopping. I never leave home without my reusable bags. I’ve collected several throughout the years and they rather resemble a group of mismatched socks at the bottom of the sock drawer. They’re not pretty but they get the job done. I’ve considered getting new bags to match but then I’m just refuting the purpose of ranting.

Most grocery stores sell reusable bags at the register for as little as a dollar. For the more stylish consumer you can also purchase designer bags online.

By making two simple changes you can make a huge impact on OUR environment, and you will make Oprah proud. I don’t know about you but that alone makes me want to change.

Make sure to check your SmartFem daily for updates on green living and being fabulous!