Going green, living a more holistic lifestyle, and getting back to basics is about making a choice, opting for what is best for the environment over what is easiest for you. Everyone knows – going green is good for you, for your family and for the world. But can you survive without your Windex, disposable plates, or the other conveniences you are accustomed to?

There are many simple ways to go green. For some it is recycling or carrying a reusable bag to the grocery store. For others – especially moms – going green means changing the way we clean our homes. And, it is a good thing because the products we have been using in our homes for years can be toxic, says Lynn Lawson, author of Staying Well in a Toxic World. Lawson says the list is endless and the products are right under our noses. In fact, she adds, more than 85,000 new chemicals have been added to our economy since World War II.

Many air fresheners contain formaldehyde, a carcinogen. Some contain phenol – small amounts of which can cause cold sweats, convulsions, circulatory collapse, coma, and in extreme cases, death. Some carpet and upholstery shampoos contain perchloroethyene, also a known carcinogen that can damage the liver and kidneys. Many brands of furniture polish contain nitrobenzene, a chemical that is easily absorbed through the skin and repeated exposure to it is believed to have the potential to cause genetic changes, birth defects, cancer, liver, kidney, heart and central nervous system damage.

If that hasn’t sent you packing up your cleaners and opting for greener choices ... Lawson says that most products with “acceptable amounts” of toxins refer to acceptable adult levels, leaving our children exposed to what could be unacceptable amounts. What’s the alternative? Leave your house dirty and germ-ridden?

No, says Polyanna Wolf, owner of Eco Conscious, a Chicago based eco-friendly cleaning service. Wolf says that cleaning with less toxic products can be just as effective, but will require the right mix of knowing what to use, how to use it, and having the patience for it.

Wolf suggests using a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water in a spray bottle to replace your Windex or to clean your tile floors. For bleaching or disinfecting, use hydrogen peroxide. Just replace the lid with a spray top and you are ready to go. Baking soda makes a great scrub, especially for tough soap scum. And Borax instead of bleach in the toilet will do the job if you let it sit for thirty minutes before scrubbing. “These products will take longer,” says Wolf, “but will work just as good if you use them properly. If it says wait 20 minutes, you really do have to wait 20 minutes.”

Others choose to go green in the way they take care of their families. Karen Signore of Homer Glen, Ill., and Beth Bustos of Orland Hills, Ill., have been going green and living holistically for years in ways such as breast feeding and using home remedies for minor ailments. They also carefully choose the toys their children play with, focusing on imagination and role play, and they cook with organic foods, much of which they grow themselves. Even though Signore does not live on a farm, she has her own chickens to provide her family with fresh eggs. But, finding healthy alternatives has become more than a way of life for these two moms, it has become a mission.

Two years ago, Signore and Bustos joined Holistic Moms Network and started a Chicago south/southwest suburban chapter in Homer Glen. The group meets at The Betty Woods Activity Center (14718 Founders Circle) to discuss holistic living, trade tips and to listen to speakers on a variety of topics from home remedies to holistic dentistry. Other local Holistic Moms Network chapters can be found meeting in Chicago, Naperville, Northbrook, Rolling Meadows, and Rockford. For details, go to Holisticmoms.org.

To many old-timers, going green is nothing more than plain common sense. Turn off the lights and TV when you leave a room. Don’t crank the air conditioning in the summer or the heat in the winter. Opt for kid toys and games that are kid powered, not battery powered. Car pool or walk whenever possible. Buy organic. Buy only what you will use. Don’t waste food, eat leftovers. Use reusable lunch boxes instead of paper bags and wax paper or butcher paper instead of plastic wrap for sandwiches. Replace plastic bottles and food containers with stainless steel or glass.

For all of us, going green should mean doing the little things that add up to making a big difference. Bring a coffee mug to the gas station or to work instead of grabbing for the Styrofoam cup. Americans throw away 25 billion Styrofoam coffee cups every year. Recycle all the time, not just when it is convenient. They say that if every American recycled just one-tenth of their newspapers, we would save about 25 million trees a year. And, check your tires before you drive. If all the cars on U.S. roads had properly inflated tires, an estimated 2 billion gallons of gasoline could be saved a year.

How you go green is up to you. There is no one size fits all. But every little change helps.