Applying mindfulness to how and what we buy just makes sense, says Daniel Goleman — by getting in touch with our true needs we will be driven less by our desires, and, in turn, have less impact on the environment. “But,” he says, “I think there is a level of mindfulness, or ecological intelligence, that goes beyond just decreasing our acquisitiveness.”

Consuming in a truly mindful way requires a more global way of thinking that may in fact reveal that what we tend to think of and call green is, as Goleman says, “often a mirage.” Read more in “Making the Right Choice,” his feature from our first annual Guide to Mindful Living issue. (And look for our second Guide to Mindful Living issue in a store near you next week, with features on mindfulness as it applies to business, science, working with children and teens, eating, education, health, and more.)