Green and Glamorous: 5 Famous Eco-Chic Moms

“Eco-chic” is the new black (or should we say “green”)? It seems that everyone is looking towards solutions for a greener, cleaner planet, including lots of your favorite celebrity moms. Still, there’s a clear distinction between moms who dabble in green living and those who actually practice what they preach. Here are five green moms we love, and how you can follow their eco-chic examples.  

 

Julia Roberts

Pretty woman’s pretty green, too! The 44-year-old mom of 3 lives in a “green” home made out of sustainable woods (sourced from responsibly managed forests) and complete with solar power technology and an organic vegetable garden in the backyard! In an effort to reduce the amount of waste her household creates, Roberts uses eco-friendly diapers from Seventh Generation (which are non-toxic and chlorine-free), and eventually, the plastic-free, flushable gDiapers. She also uses reusable canvas bags when she goes to shopping excursions, and makes sure that only organic household cleaners are used in her home. But perhaps what makes her most happy about her eco-conscious lifestyle is that her kids actually like to eat their veggies, which come straight from their organic vegetable garden.

Green it like Julia: If you want your kids to eat their veggies, try growing your own vegetables at home. Kids love the idea of eating something that they have grown! If you don’t have outdoor space to create a vegetable patch, try your hand at container gardening and grow a variety of vegetables such as tomatoes, spinach, bell peppers, leaf lettuce, eggplants, squash, green beans, and all kinds of herbs.

 

Gwyneth Paltrow

She’s Hollywood’s reigning domestic goddess among the stars, especially after the success of her lifestyle website Goop.com. But did you know that it was the feeling of sluggishness from a regular diet that made Gwyneth Paltrow flip the switch off processed and fast food? Today, Gwyneth and her family follow a regimented macrobiotic diet. Ever since she became a mom, she’s made sure that in her household, only natural and organic food choices are made available to her children. She also only uses pure and chemical-free bath products for her children.

Green it like Gwyneth: Making the switch to a whole food, organic food or natural food diet might take a bit of adjustment for your kids, but the fact is, eating whole and organic foods gives your body the best chance of having all the nutrients your liver needs to eliminate toxins.

 

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Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba hopes to see a cleaner world for her child by doing her part to lessen her carbon footprint, so she makes sure her convictions translate to her personal life. In her eco-chic home with husband Cash Warren and daughter Honor, you won’t find high-ticket designer furniture. Instead, expect to see rugs made from old tennis balls and garbage bins made from potato chip wrappers! Her daughter’s nursery is likewise designed using non-toxic paint and materials and is sustainably decorated. Her dogs—all of whom were rescued either off the streets or from kennels—sleep on dog beds made from recycled fabrics with fillings made from recycled plastic.

Green it like Jessica: At home, find ways to use recyclables or “upcycle” an item. Looking for innovative decorations? Don’t throw out old photo frames; instead, paint them over in the same color using non-toxic paint and hang them up creatively on a blank wall. Don’t know what to do with those empty water bottles? Make sound shakers for your kids by filling empty bottles with dried monggo beans.

 

Nadya Hutagalung

We grew up knowing her as the face of MTV Asia, and undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful people in Asia. Today, Nadya Hutagalung has retired from the fast-paced life in the limelight and focuses her attention on conservation work and awareness, as well as on her talent for eco-friendly jewelry design through her sustainable jewelry line OSEL. As a mother and eco-activist, Nadya is committed to championing the green cause through Greenkampong.com, her website that is an informative platform for environmental awareness and conservation education. Her “green home,” one of a few in Singapore, relies on solar-powered water heating, LED lighting, and uses a gas-operated clothes drier. For Nadya, her home reflects her choices about being “green.” From her prominent environmental advocacies to her simple joy of cooking organic, vegetarian meals for her family, Nadya believes that living consciously is all about making choices that “think past today,” all of which should aim at making the world a cleaner, better place for her children’s future.

Green it like Nadya: Nadya recommends starting slowly when approaching an eco-friendly lifestyle. Since switching to a vegetarian diet might be too stringent for some, she recommends revolutionizing things slowly, starting with bath and body products and cosmetics. Look for the eco-friendly variety.

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Alicia Silverstone

She has given birth to her firstborn only last May 5, but she’s as green as any Hollywood celeb can get. Together with her husband, the 34 year-old actress, vegan spokesperson and new mom lives in an eco-friendly house in Los Angeles that has its own organic veggie garden. She also makes sure to reuse old clothes, and doesn’t wear or tote anything leather, be it shoes or bags. In fact, throughout her pregnancy, Alicia only wore secondhand maternity clothes! She constantly practices a sustainable lifestyle at home, whether it’s by using old scripts as fax machine paper or sterilizing her own water so that she doesn’t buy bottled water when she’s out of the house. As an entrepreneur, Alicia also has her own line of natural cosmetics. You’ll find her on The Kind Life, her vegan lifestyle blog, which is an extension of her best-selling book The Kind Diet, a primer and recipe book all about veganism.

Green it like Alicia: Re-use, re-use, re-use is Ms. Silverstone’s mantra. If you want to lessen your load on the earth, avoid “fast fashion” and instead try shopping for bargains on eBay or other clothing sites for secondhand or “pre-loved” items. You’ll find there’s also a lot of pre-loved stuff for your kids, such as shoes, unused toys, even baby gear like strollers or car seats. The best thing about buying thrift or secondhand (other than saving the world in your own little way): bigger savings, of course!

 

Photos : Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Alba, Nadya Hutagalung, Alicia Silverstone