TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER THE BOOKWORM SEZ Advertisement

The last time you stopped at the store, there were just a few things you needed.

You were almost out of diapers for the baby. You grabbed a box of those anti-bacterial wipes you've seen on TV. And the kids are screaming for some fruity thing advertised by their favorite cartoon. You didn't need much.

But you got more than you paid for.

According to author Leslie Garrett, you might have put toxins, some known carcinogens and lots of nasty chemicals in your shopping cart. In the new book, "The Virtuous Consumer," you'll find out how you can shop better, be healthier and make your family safer.

First, let's look at the labels on the products you use most. The unpronounceable ingredients listed there may be allowable by government standards but could mean illness for you and your family.

Regulation doesn't mean a complete absence of disease-causing chemicals, and "all-natural" and "organic" don't necessarily mean what you hope they mean.

Furthermore, if the product was tested, rabbits or guinea pigs may have been... well, guinea pigs in the lab.

Garrett says to check labels carefully and take them with a grain of sodium lauryl sulfate.

But before you throw up your hands and exclaim that "everything these days causes cancer," take a deep (fresh) breath. There is a way you can be sure your family consumes and uses safe products. It's going to take some before-thought, but the good news is that it's going to make you healthier and it will "be green."

Start with the things you put on your table.

Garrett says if you shop organically, that's great, but it's best if you buy direct from the farmer (think: farmer's market). Eat less meat or go completely vegetarian. Do away with processed foods in your diet.

And those cleaning products under your sink? Garrett says you don't need them. Some common household products (vinegar, baking soda, water) work just fine to keep things spiffy. The kids don't need all those plastic toys, either, particularly the ones foreign-made. And imagine how smug you'll feel when you trade in the Hummer for a vehicle that's good for the planet.

Ready to take a step toward making your eco-"footprint" faint? "The Virtuous Consumer" is a great place to start.

Using humor, good examples and suggestions with varying degrees of difficulty, author Garrett offers ways to leave the planet better than it was when you got here.

While most of her ideas are infinitely do-able (buy local, safely toss toxic cleaners) and can be started today, I think some of them are going to require real dedication and conscious effort (buy products made or grown within 100 miles or kilometers of home, buy only organic cotton clothing). Still, this is a good manual for a beginner and a good reminder for experienced eco-thinking consumers.

If you're ready for a better world and want to be healthier while you're doing it, grab a copy of this book.

"The Virtuous Consumer" will show you that it's quite easy being green.

"The Virtuous Consumer" by Leslie Garrett, New World Library, $15.95, 213 pages, includes index.