Consulting

Green Living Expert

Having entered the green living arena in the early 80s because of personal experience with toxic chemical exposure, I have been one of the early voices of the green movement. I’ve also been one of the first to define green to include toxics, and to write for the green consumer, both light and dark. I wrote my first book, Clean & Green, and edited my first green publication, “Greenkeeping” (soon after called “Green Alternatives”) in 1989. No, I am not a grandmother—yet– but I have a hands-on expertise of how to go green in many of life’s stages, especially as a parent.

Chronology of my Development as a Green Living Expert
1989–Author, Clean & Green (Ceres Press). Chemically sensitive because of a pesticide poisoning and having to learn to live in our world without toxics, in writing Clean & Green I passed on the wisdom of several years of living without everyday chemicals. After getting well enough to have my daughter I wanted to protect her and the rest of the world from being harmed by chemicals.
Skills
— Research, networking, working with product companies, organization; how-to, do-it-yourself (DIY) content development.
— Ability to package complex information into accessible information for the consumer.
Green Expertise
— I became an expert in the old folk formulas for cleaning and living that have died out in the face of the industrial age.
— The book filled a need for those wanting to go green, given there weren’t a wide range of green products on the market.
— I worked extensively with a chemist to insure that the science was right.
— Using kitchen cupboard ingredients for cleaning was a radical step outside of the mainstream arena, but because kitchen cupboard ingredients are normal household items, the approach wasn’t threatening. I’ve used this successful non-threatening approach in my work every since.

1989-1994—Founder and editor-in-chief of “Green Alternatives for Health and the Environment.” This small magazine (a newsletter in the early years) launched in 1989 and existed until 1994.
— I gravitated naturally and intuitively to a networking, collaborate management style.
–Became an expert in direct mail and subscription development.
— Developed advertising policies.
— Oversight of article development, writers, design, and finances.
Green Expertise
–The magazine covered everything from non-toxic personal care and cleaning products to recycling, green bedding and building supplies.
— I tapped into the mainstream needs and the aspirations of the new green businesses sprouting up around the U.S. and Canada, all coming to a height around Earth Day 1990 and lasting a few years after.
— I began networking with writers and business leaders in the field, and integrated their work into the newsletter.

1994-1996–Editor, “The Green Guide.” At the time, “The Green Guide” was published by Mothers & Others for a Livable Planet. Now owned by National Geographic, the newsletter has received many awards.
–The development of helpful content for young families was key to our success. Our readers were 94 percent new moms who were entering the green product arena to protect the health of their families.
–Research expertise, with the ability to successfully pass my work past a rigorous oversight board of doctors and professionals.
–Deadline perfection!
— I produced a (pre-Internet) monthly newsletter. Each cover story involved an in-depth look at subjects as complex (at the time) as rbgH, a hormone injected into dairy cows to increase their milk production, and toxic carpets.

1997—Author, The Green Kitchen Handbook, with Mothers & Others; Meryl Streep wrote the Foreword (HarperCollins). Considered way ahead of its time, the book elaborated upon “the new green diet,” looking at issues such as how many miles food is shipped, heirloom seeds and livestock, plastic food packaging, and the green pantry. The book is now being updated for a new edition.
Green Expertise
–Developed new connections to and insight into the progressive food movement

1996-1999—Public Service, the Rhinebeck School’s Health & Safety Committee. Organized and implemented a pragmatic and straightforward audit and assessment of the environmental health of the school system, and implemented corrections when necessary. I worked closely with the superintendant and others in the school’s administration.
–Diplomatic, practical, and amenable approach to controversial subjects.
Green Expertise
–Indoor air quality issues, integrated pest management, cleaning product procurement, building supplies for renovating, and cleaning procedures.

1999—Author, Better Basics for the Home. My interest in non-toxic formulas for the products of everyday life spilled over into this definitive book on the subject. Considered the classic, the book offers thousands of ways to live using simple ingredients. It covers everything from milk paint to tile grout to diaper rash cream to drain cleaner.
— As above, expertise in research and content packaging for the consumer.
Green Expertise
— Adding to my knowledge base of cleaning products, I included to my green DIY repertoire chapters on personal care, pet care, gardening, and building supplies.

2000-2008—Executive Editor of Green Living, Care2.com a site with 9+ million members.
Green Expertise
— Developed seven newsletters for the site, “The Healthy Home,” “Spa Secrets,” “The Natural Lifestyle,” “Eat Well Naturally,” “Green Cuisine,” “Body, Mind, & Spirit,” and “Soular Energy Daily” with Deepak Chopra. After the model changed in April of 2008, learned WordPress and the blogger model.
— Personal authorship of around 4,000 green living articles.

Annie B. Bond, Bondify Media, 72 Old Farm Road, Rhinebeck, NY 12572; 845-876-4252 ; anniebbond @ gmail.com.