34+ Years of Clean-Living Truth-Telling
Amy (Todisco) Hartshorn
Empowering women to detox their homes,
food & lives with confidence.
Mentor • Podcast Host • Speaker • Author • Retreat Leader
Amy Hartshorn is a nontoxic living educator, certified organic farmer, podcast host, and retreat leader based in Waitsfield, Vermont. She was the founding Executive Director of the Household Toxins Institute, created with the founder of Seventh Generation, and served as technical editor of Green Living for Dummies. With over 34 years of firsthand experience, Amy teaches health-conscious women to remove harmful synthetic chemicals from their homes, cut through corporate greenwashing (marketing copy that sounds healthy), and build holistic lifestyles that support long-term health.
"Amy’s commitment, dedication, and knowledge give her a big advantage in a profession .... Her early enthusiasm for ‘Green’ came from personal conviction and experience and as time has passed her reputation has been well-established. She has walked the walk. Her persuasive intelligence and practical applications make transitioning from un-sustainable lifestyles and business practices to a much better way, easy and enjoyable. She is very highly recommended.”
-Bill Purdin
My Mission
To teach health-conscious women how to see past industry deception and make confident, informed decisions about the food, products, and daily exposures that affect their health — combining a lasting decision-making framework and curated swaps from 34 years of personal research, with holistic health tools to prevent, and in some cases reverse, illness.
My Vision
A world where humans live consciously on this planet — aware of their role as stewards of the land, the water, the air, and all the creatures we share this earth with. Where toxins are reduced and ultimately eliminated. Where nature is treated with reverence, not as a resource to exploit.
About Amy Hartshorn: My Journey from Curiosity to Catalyst for a Nontoxic Life
Hello there!
I'm Amy Hartshorn, founder of Green Living Now, and I'm excited that you're here.
My path to becoming a passionate advocate for nontoxic, sustainable living is deeply personal, woven from early influences, profound discoveries, and some very challenging experiences.
The Seeds of a Lifelong Passion
My passion for health began early.
Growing up in New York City, my mom, a follower of nutrionist, Adele Davis, instilled in me the importance of healthy eating, while my stepfather, a chef, introduced me to diverse cuisines and the joy of cooking from scratch.
By 16, I was already working in a health food store—a testament to my early dedication to wellness.
I knew a lot about food, organic options, and supplements, but the full picture of toxic household products and holistic health was yet to unfold.
Trauma, Trust, and the "Sick Care" System
Before my current work truly crystallized, I had a series of deeply personal experiences that built a profound distrust of conventional Western medicine. It began early: at 22 months old, a terrifying ER visit left me tied down for stitches under my eye. Later, a creepy pediatrician left me, and my friends, feeling unsafe.
These experiences, however, paled in comparison to when my daughter nearly lost her life to a benign brain tumor. The care she received at our local Vermont hospital was frankly terrible. I fought like a "mother bear" to get her out of there and into Mass General, where one of the country's top neurosurgeons and a truly competent team saved her life.
This harrowing ordeal, coupled with my growing understanding of the "sick care" system in the U.S.—heavily influenced by big pharma—ignited an unshakeable resolve within me: to do everything in my power to stay healthy through my lifestyle choices, clean organic food, nontoxic products, and holistic health practices.
The Moment That Changed Everything
My commitment deepened significantly in 1992, during my first pregnancy. I stumbled upon a paperback called "The Nontoxic Baby." I was utterly shocked—and frankly, furious—to learn that everyday household products, even those marketed for babies, were legally allowed to contain toxic chemicals here in the U.S.
It became glaringly clear that no one was truly protecting us.
This discovery was a profound awakening: we have to advocate for ourselves.
That fury sparked a lifelong mission to protect myself, my family, and eventually, countless others. I dove headfirst down a research rabbit hole, consuming every available resource on how to live a nontoxic, eco-friendly life.
From Personal Discovery to Public Activism
In those early days of the 1990s, resources were scarce, but I devoured books by pioneers like Rachel Carson and Debra Lynn Dadd.
I joined the Northeast Organic Farming Association, attending—and later speaking at—their conferences.
There, I connected with other dedicated individuals who shared my passion for healthy living, especially growing food. It's no accident that I later married a certified organic farmer, and for the past 17 years, we've poured our hearts into cultivating organic fruits and vegetables on our farm in Vermont, truly living the sustainable lifestyle I advocate.
My discoveries early on led to public advocacy. Once I learn something that could benefit others, I can't help but share it.
I wrote letters to the editor of the local newspaper, sparking conversations and awakening townspeople to these critical issues.
I founded the first Earth Day celebration in my town (at that time), Marblehead EarthFest, that showcased how to live a greener less toxic life.
When we discovered our town had three types of cancer above the state average with no clear explanation, I co-created the Marblehead Cancer Prevention Project.
My work with the Department of Health led to stricter rules around pesticide spraying on lawns and trees—efforts that earned me the nickname "The Velvet Hammer." I was diplomatic but persistent in driving change, always ensuring my own household reflected the very changes I advocated.
Building Expertise and Earning Recognition
My dedication didn't go unnoticed.
I was nearly featured on Oprah, became the tech editor for the "Green Living for Dummies" book, and was hired by the co-founder of Seventh Generation to lead a national nonprofit, the Household Toxins Institute.
HGTV even featured my unique farm tours, highlighting our sustainable organic farm and the unique experiences we offered.
Over the years, I've had the privilege of sharing my insights on healthy, sustainable living through numerous articles, podcasts, radio shows, and even TV segments.
My Mission Today: Empowering You
Eventually, I realized that my personal journey and expertise had a far broader purpose: to empower others.
I am driven by a vision of a world where everyone can live a nontoxic, eco-friendly life, eating sustainable, clean food, connecting with nature, and understanding that we are all deeply interconnected.
Today, my mission is to empower independent-thinking, health-conscious women who are done being confused, misled, and overwhelmed in the clean living space.
I provide clear, actionable strategies to help you create a truly nontoxic home, save time, avoid costly mistakes, and confidently nurture a healthier environment for your family. I've been where you are, and I've figured it out, making complex topics simple to understand.
Having grown up on Manhattan's Upper East Side and attending elite private schools, I intimately understand the world of resources. I believe that those of us with the desire and resources to make these changes can serve as a beacon, leading by example and paving the way for a more affordable and accessible path to health for everyone.
The Work That Changes Everything
Most educators in this space stay in one lane.
I work across all of them — household toxins, clean food, holistic and root-cause health, and organic gardening — because your body, your home, and your plate are not separate problems.
And for over eleven years, I've been leading women's restorative retreats that bring all of it together. These are not spa weekends.
At one early retreat, a veteran who had struggled with alcohol since her deployment got sober during the weekend.
She told me afterward it was a better experience than two months of inpatient treatment at a VA hospital.
A former military medic left feeling like herself again — so much so that her husband told her he was starting to see the woman he fell in love with.
A third participant said simply: "I don't want to be dramatic, but it was life changing."
That is what this work does at its core. It doesn't just inform women, it returns them to themselves.
What I Actually Do (And Who It's For)
I work with independent-thinking, health-conscious women who are done being confused, misled, and overwhelmed in the clean living space.
Women who are tired of squinting at ingredient labels and still not knowing what they're looking at. Women who want a home that isn't quietly working against their family's health. Women who are ready to trust themselves again.
What We Tackle Together
Think of this as a whole-life detox — not a panic spiral. We go room by room, habit by habit, until your home, food, and health are genuinely working for you instead of quietly against you.
Your home. I help you identify and eliminate the hidden toxins in your cleaning products, cookware, indoor air, and everyday items — room by room, without the overwhelm.
Your food. I teach you to shop smarter, read labels faster, spot greenwashing from a mile away, and eat clean without turning mealtimes into a research project.
Your health. I help you move beyond the sick-care model with holistic, root-cause tools that support your energy, hormones, immunity, and mental clarity — blending ancient wisdom with modern science.
Your garden. Whether you have a backyard or a sunny windowsill, I'll show you how to grow your own nutrient-dense, chemical-free food. Yes, you can do this.
Your confidence. This is the real one. I help you go from confused and anxious to clear, grounded, and in control — in weeks, not years.
Ready to Create Your Healthier Home?
Your journey to a cleaner, healthier home starts now. Explore my resources, join my community, or connect with me directly. Let's create a vibrant, healthy future together!
The kitchen is ground zero.
It's where your family eats, gathers, and — without realizing it — absorbs more toxins than almost anywhere else in the home. It's also the single most powerful place to start reclaiming your health.
Your Nontoxic Kitchen Reimagined is my 5-day reset built to do exactly that. Each day, you'll receive a short video, clear action steps, and my personal recommendations — the same ones I've refined over 30+ years of research, advocacy, and real life on an organic farm.
No overwhelm. No rabbit holes. Just five focused days that permanently change how you see, and use, the most important room in your house.
If you've been waiting for a sign to finally start — this is it.
“I loved that you emphasized that you can have a nontoxic kitchen, but it does not make you exempt from health problems, it simply lowers the toxic burden which is significant but not the only thing.
I appreciate what you are doing, Amy because not only do I need some fine-tuning, I need to be clear about it for my patients. Your class is perfect for them because I don’t have the bandwidth to cover all the details and research. This course was completely doable in a week.”
- Dr. Cheryl Kasdorf
"Amy Hartshorn was an incredible host!
She is deeply passionate about healthy living and empowering people to take back control of their health in a system where so many feel unheard or overlooked.
What impressed me most was her balanced, thoughtful approach. Rather than pushing extremes, she genuinely seems committed to searching for truth and helping people make informed decisions for themselves. It was a pleasure speaking with her, and I sincerely hope I have the opportunity to work with her again in the future."
-Dr. Jess Armine
My Promise to You
I don't do fear-based detox or perfectionism. And I don't do trends.
What I do is truth — grounded in 30+ years of science, sustainability, and common sense, delivered by someone who's been in the trenches long enough to know what actually matters.
You don't need to do everything, just the right things — in the right order, with the right foundation under you.
That's what separates my work from the endless parade of swap lists and toxin checklists you'll find everywhere else online.
Anyone can tell you to throw out your Teflon pan.
What I give you is something far more valuable: a framework for thinking — so you know why you're making each change, where to start, and how to build a genuinely nontoxic life that sticks.
That's the difference between information and transformation.
I'll show you exactly how to get there.
Join Your Nontoxic Kitchen Reimagined
I help women go from overwhelmed and confused to clear, confident, and in control — in weeks, not years. Because here's the truth: women are the gatekeepers of the home — and when women wake up, families transform.
My online courses, the Green Living Now podcast, my writing, my speaking — including my upcoming TEDx talk, all share one aim: to make detoxing your life simple, joyful, and deeply empowering.
And currently in development: Green Living on the Menu, a docuseries bringing the farm-to-table story to life.
Ready to See What the Industry Hopes You Never Notice?
Join Notes from the Green Rebellion — my free weekly guide to outsmarting toxic systems, cutting through greenwashing, and building a safer, healthier home with confidence.
“Wow! Even at 75, Amy Hartshorn’s approach to evaluating everything in your kitchen freed me from needing to research each item. Each video took me to a different part of my kitchen, along with encouragement to evaluate that aspect. Clear, concise, and fun!”
-Dr. Christina Chambreau (Review for the Your Nontoxic Kitchen Reimagined Course)
I help women go from overwhelmed and confused to clear,
confident, and in control in weeks, not years.
Because here’s the truth:
Women are the gatekeepers of the home—
and when women wake up, families transform.
My online courses, the Green Living Now Podcast, my writing,
my speaking, including my upcoming TEDx talk, and upcoming docuseries
Green Living on the Menu, all share one aim:
To make detoxing your life simple, joyful, and deeply empowering.
Ready to See What the Industry Hopes You Never Notice?
Join Notes from the Green Rebellion — my free weekly guide to outsmarting toxic systems, cutting through greenwashing, and building a safer,
healthier home with confidence.