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HoneyLynn, a soon-to-be-mother who joined the Big Green Purse campaign back in March, has shifted almost $2,000 of her household spending to products and services that benefit the environment as part of her commitment to live a greener life. Here's her story:

"Over the last 4-5 years, I have really become committed to environmentally conscious living, but have realized that it doesn't and can't on a practical level, happen overnight. So, slowly I have shifted our household's spending to more environmentally conscious products. Whenever I need to replace or or buy something new, I take the time to seek out environmentally friendly alternatives, and if it costs a little more than I thought and we don't need it right away, then I save up to make the purchase (no credit card purchases here).

"The idea of seeing exactly how much of our household spending was directed to environmentally friendly products, was what inspired me to get involved in the One in a Million campaign. Regarding the biggest lesson, like I mentioned above, is that sometimes it takes a little research (thank goodness for the Internet) to find environmentally friendly alternatives, but it is worth it. ...

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I celebrated the very first Earth Day as a high school senior in 1970. As students across the U.S. buried polluting automobiles, decried oil spills that were fouling pristine beaches, and protested nuclear power plants, I thought it would be only a matter of months before Americans would come to their senses and adopt an ethic focused on protecting both people and the planet.

Instead, it's taken almost 40 years for citizens, companies, and elected officials to consider environmental destruction seriously. The delay has cost us all. The climate has changed, with deadly consequences worldwide. Risks to human health from environmental pollutants are growing, threatening children and adults alike. Plants and animals are approaching extinction levels at alarming rates, giving rise to concerns about the collapse of the global food chain and loss of the creatures that add a rich dimension to our lives.

Scientists intone that we have only ten years to "turn things around." A grim forecast? Yes. And yet, after all these years, I have hope. ...

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You can save almost $4,000 every year if you live a greener life.

Here's how:

1. Take lunch to work and stop tossing disposable takeout waste
   Annual cost savings: $1,560

2. Sell your gas-guzzler and invest in a fuel-efficient model
   Annual cost savings: $884

3. Drive smart to improve fuel economy
   Annual cost savings: $600

4. Buy a reusable water bottle and stop buying bottled water
   Annual cost savings: $500 ...

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One thing the Marketing to Women conference definitely was not about was reducing consumption.

Virtually every presentation given during the two-day confab of manufacturers, marketers and advertising mavens focused on how to get women to buy more ... and more ... and more. Stephanie Ouyoumjian, Director of Strategy at Publicis, encouraged companies to "have a conversation" with women to build market share. "Every 1% of getting her to talk leads to additional millions in sales," she reported. Laura Keely, Director of Consumer Promotion Marketing for Kimberly-Clark, said the key was "relevance." Women will buy more products if they feel they're relevant emotionally, psychologically, and practically. Gigi Carroll, Senior Vice President of advertising agency Draft FCB, reported on the "millenial" woman - the one younger than 30 for whom having abundant choice is a critical marketplace motivator.

My perspective was substantially different. I took the stage with three basic recommendations I urged marketers and manufacturers to seriously consider. ...

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Lest anyone doubt that marketing to women is a fast-track way to protect the environment, just review the presentations made at last week's M2W (Marketing to Women) conference in Chicago by Frito-Lay, Motorola, Glam Media (the fastest growing women-oriented site on the Web) and more. Women have the clout to put companies on notice: when it comes to reducing climate change, restoring our air and water, and protecting the health of our kids and families, we can – and will – use our purse to pull manufacturers in a cleaner, greener direction.

Let's do the numbers:

Women account for 85% of all consumer purchases, and we're buying more than cheese doodles and diapers:

91% of New Homes
66% PCs
92% Vacations
80% Healthcare
65% New Cars
89% Bank Accounts
93% Food
93 % OTC Pharmaceuticals ...

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