When it comes to being green, even the savviest Angelenos have more questions than answers. What does "organic" really mean? Are there natural products that work as well as the "unnatural" ones we use now? Enter Renée Loux, a true pioneer in all things eco.

Loux was raised in upstate New York, after which she moved to Hawaii and opened the country's first raw-food restaurant in 1995. After a few years in the business, she sold her share and became a private chef for various celebrities, including Woody Harrelson, Alicia Silverstone and Red Hot Chili Pepper frontman Anthony Kedis. Fueled by a passion for organic ingredients and a commitment to protecting the environment, Loux found herself greening these stars' homes - swapping out bleached-paper products for recycled alternatives, bringing in house-plants to purify the air naturally, and replacing harsh soaps and detergents with their chemical-free counterparts.

She also began writing, and by 2008 had published two cookbooks - the raw-food bible Living Cuisine and The Balanced Plate: The Essential Elements of Whole Foods and Good Health. The latest contribution by the queen of green is Easy Green Living, a guide-book on everything from cleaning products , organic bedding, and eco-conscious light-bulbs to natural skincare, make-up and cooking tools. Loux examines the disturbing proliferation of toxic ingredients that make up many seemingly innocuous household products, breaks down the medical and environmental consequences, and outlines alternative choices, arguing that "what is safe for the planet and what is safe for humans are mostly the same."

Loux hasn't stopped there. She's also hosting her own show, It's Easy Being Green, on the Fine Living Channel and is launching a skincare line called GRN with Exhale Spas, where she serves as an eco-advisor on the board. Take it from her: Doing right by Mother Nature yields unexpected rewards, tenfold.