The Sustainable Minimalists Podcast

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, March 29 2024:[00:30] Here's why Americans pay the most after a natural disaster[6:00] New laws against intentional methane release, plus: why this new law is a money maker [9:00] Throwing $$ at the industrial carbon emissions problem[12:00] Introducing radar gaps (a.k.a. another thing to worry about) Resources mentioned: Radar gaps threaten millions as severe weather season ramps up in U.S. (via WaPo) This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube. Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Fossil fuels power our modern lives, and yet fossil fuels are also powering global warming. Because many of us lack the self-sufficient skills necessary to survive an extended power outage event, we are one thing and one thing only: vulnerable.We have become over-reliant on the very thing that's destroying our planet. On today's show: Imagining the ways in which modern life, interpersonal connections, well-being and more would change in a hypothetical, fossil fuel-free world. Here's a preview:[6:00] We are so reliant on electricity that we are incapacitated without it. This is a problem![11:00] In the event of a 2-weeks plus outage, modernity would look a lot different[24:00] Is minimalism late stage capitalism personified?[28:00] Without fossil fuels, we'd be circular[30:00] What research says with regard to the wellness benefits of working with our hands Resources mentioned: Lights Out: A Cyberattack, A Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath (by Ted Koppel) Doomsday Prep for the Super-Rich (via The Ne

When it comes to furnishing and styling ours homes, we all deserve spaces that facilitate easeful living. But for those of us without an eye for design? Furniture and decor mistakes can happen (and they can be costly).On today's show best-selling author Myquillyn Smith reveals her signature house rules for homes of every size, style, and budget; she also shows us how to get the most amount of comfort from our space with the least amount of stuff.Here's a preview of the house rules we are discussing today:[16:30] Threes, please[21:00] Resourcefulness is the ultimate resource[25:00] Plan on the kids growing up [29:00] Timelessness is here to stay [34:00] The size of your house does not dictate the size of your hospitality Resources mentioned: Win Every Argument Episode #433: The Fast Furniture Trap  Climate Action Now Environmental Voter Project Postcards To Voters Vote Forward   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting its mission! Join our (free!) community here. Find your tribe. Sustainabl

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, March 22 2024:[00:30] What you need to know about "the most significant climate regulation in US history" announced this week[6:15] It has never been cheaper to purchase an EV, and here's why[9:00] ... Speaking of EVs: enter mega mining[12:00] Hi, TIM! How to book a flight like a conscious consumer  Resources mentioned: This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting!  Join our (free!) community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube. Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.  

Things are a-changin' around here. On today's show: Introducing new ways to support the show (with fun perks like ad-free shows, subscriber-only episodes and, yes, real life Book Club!)This is YOUR show. As always, thank you for your support! >> https://sustainableminimalists.substack.com/ --Join our (free!) community here.Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Eating meals together is the ultimate parenting cheat code, and that's because in just one hour you can improve your kids' academic performance, self-esteem, and cardiovascular health while simultaneously reducing their risks of substance misuse, depression, and obesity.On today's show: author Annette Thurmon on making the kitchen the heart of the home once again. Here's a preview:[7:30] A laundry list of the nutritional benefits of regular family dinners, plus the developmental and mental health benefits for kids and teens[10:00] We parents should be including our children in the cooking process, and here's why (plus: easy lift how-tos)[20:00] Remember: It's not about the food! It's about the face-to-face, tech-free time[23:00] Practical dinnertime promptsResource mentioned:Simple Country Living: Techniques, Recipes, and Wisdom for the Garden, Kitchen, and Beyond Creative alternatives to "How was your day?" What's one thing you learned today? What's one thing that made you smile today? If you could change so

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, March 15 2024:[00:30] The paradox that's holding back clean energy gains[7:15] You're not crazy: Spring is indeed arriving earlier[13:00] Breaking down the EU's new 'gold standard' deforestation law[12:00] A war on utes? Updates from Australia's emissions regulations Resources mentioned: Episode #187: Everything You Need To Know About Palm Oil Join our (free!) community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube. Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Today's show is a series of 3 very diverse updates straight from developments in my own life: The first is about self-sufficiency, the second is sustainability-focused, and the final act dedicates itself to intentional living.Here's a preview:[3:00] Act 1: The hydroponic growing hype. (Stephanie's good, bad, and ugly experiences with her new grow tower)[16:00] Act 2: Electrify Everything? (Our boiler is leaking. Here's where we are at with regard to heat pumps: costs, struggles, etc.)[28:00] Act 3: More intention, please! (Here's what I'm working on to avoid the busy trap) Resources mentioned: Episode #429: Get Growing (with Kevin Espiritu) Magic Puzzle Company The 'Busy' Trap (via NY Times) --Join our (free!) community here.Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

There's convenience, and then there's *excessive* convenience. While some modern conveniences are indeed necessary and needed, the excessive ones can be detrimental to ourselves and society as a whole.Items and services of convenience are often substitutes for supportive culture and connection. On today's show historian Jennifer Newton and I discuss how culture - and specifically excessively convenient, disposable culture - perpetuates itself; we also muse on what to do if the prevailing culture no longer "fits". Here's a preview:[5:00] How'd we get here? A brief history of the Convenience Industrial Complex in America[10:00] Weak ties, strong ties, and 3 ways convenience culture reduces social connection[23:00] The average American watches 4 hours of TV a day. What are the cultural implications?[35:00] Passive and active ways to fight back against excessive convenience Resources mentioned:Sustain Initiative Substack  This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook commun

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, March 8 2024:[00:30] SEC scales back its new pollution-disclosure rules[4:15] Apparently we're smuggling greenhouse gases now[9:00 It's no longer a debate! Our warm winter has human fingerprints all over it[12:00] Gray whales in the Atlantic? How is this possible? Resources mentioned:  Weirdly Warm Winter Has Climate Fingerprints All Over It, Study Says (via NY Times) Seasonal Attribution Report (via Climate Central) Join our (free!) community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube. Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Yoga pants, baby! Athleisure is a fashion trend that features comfortable, flattering, and aesthetically pleasing athletic clothing designed to be worn all day. And while many of us turned to athleisure during the pandemic and never went back, athleisure has a dirty little secret: petroleum-based fibers.On today's show former Athleta senior fashion designer Nancy Taylor outlines what needs to happen systemically to make the the fashion industry circular; she also introduces bio-based textile innovations in the athleisure space we all should be paying attention to.  Here's a preview:[6:00] From a fashion designer's perspective, here's why athleisure is so darn amazing[12:00] What's the fashion industry's biggest problem: is it that too many products are being produced, or is that consumers simply consuming too much?[18:00] Bio-based synthetics, oh my! Here are some exciting innovations happening right now in the textile space[23:00] Are items made from recycled materials of lesser quality?[28:00] Don't forget

Soil grows 95 percent of our food and sustains human life. But monocrops, pesticide reliance, and other modern farming methods have degraded soil health in lasting ways. Some scientists believe we have less than 60 harvests left. The way we are feeding ourselves is undermining the very ecology we’re dependent upon. The hope? Regenerative farming. On today's show Kiss The Ground's Chief Executive Officer Evan Harrison urges each of us to participate in the regenerative movement. Here's a preview:[6:00] A laundry list of all the consequences associated with degraded soil[10:00] The main reason why pesticides are a staple of the monocrop farming model, plus: what science says about degraded soil and a food's nutrient density[19:00] For people who buy and eat food (aka everyone), here's how you can support regenerative agriculture Resource mentioned:Kiss The Ground film--Join our (free!) community here.Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gm

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, March 1 2024:[2:30] Air pollution and Alzheimer’s [5:00] Won't you be my neighbor? Supreme Court seems poised to halt EPA's 'good neighbor' rule [9:00] 150 Canadian 'zombie fires' just won't die[12:00] A breakdown on how air quality is measured, plus: How to find the best air quality apps   Join our (free!) community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube. Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

“From the cradle to the grave … the [wo]man of modern times struggles through a maze of endless complication.”Although Charles Wagner penned these words over 125 years ago, they are more true today than ever before. On today’s show author Suzanne Johnson modernizes Wagner’s tenets of simple living for twenty-first century existence. Here’s a preview of the Wagner-isms we are revisiting today:[7:30] We suffer the consequences of a too artificial life[11:30] The more goods a woman has, the more she wants[18:00] Pleasure cannot be bought or sold[24:00] Obscurity is not a sign of disgrace[30:00] The realm of silence is vaster than the realm of noise[41:00] Simplicity is a state of mindResources mentioned: Simplify Your Life: 100 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy the Things That Really Matter by Elaine St. James The Simple Life by Charles Wagner —Join our (free!) community here.Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Billions of people worldwide rely on seafood for nutrition and economic livelihood, but 90 percent of fish populations are currently overfished.Your seafood choices matter, and buying responsibly is one of the most important ways you can contribute to healthier oceans. On today's show: breaking down exactly how to be an informed seafood consumer.Here's a preview:[3:00] Everything you need to know about that wild-caught fish[14:00] Dirty little secrets from fish farms[21:00] ... But which is healthier: farmed or wild caught?[26:00] 6 ways to buy seafood like an informed and conscious consumer, plus: what it looks like to use a sustainable seafood guide IRL Resources mentioned: Episode #236: The Health Of Our Oceans with Dr. Sylvia Earle Salmon Wars: The Dark Underbelly Of Your Favorite Fish by Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins Seaspiracy Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch You May Not Be Getting The Fish You Paid For. Here’s How To Spot Seafood Fraud (via WaPo) This show is listener-supported. Thank y

Reminder to my fellow moms: You don't have to do it all. Studies have shown for decades that women in heterosexual partnerships are responsible for the "invisible labor" at home. Not surprisingly, carrying the lion's share of the burden has oversized impacts on women's mental health.The solution sounds simple: Divvying up domestic responsibilities decreases resentment and increases family cohesion. But how do we best encourage our partners and children to participate in the work of the home for the long haul?It's not gendered work; it's the work of the family and all should contribute. On today's show Lori Sugarman-Li encourages us to release the need to do everything; she also calls on our partners and children to step up and participate in the essential - yet sadly unpaid! - work of the home.Here's a preview:[6:30] Semi-disturbing stats re: impacts of inequitable unpaid labor on women's wellness[9:00] Defining family flow: How can we best change a family's flow if the flow isn't working for everyone?[17:00]

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, February 16 2024:[1:00] Are you a victim of seafood fraud? Probability says yes[6:30] What warm oceans mean for hurricane season here in the US [11:00] Why are Louisiana's coastal wetlands predicted to collapse, and what does this mean for storm protection?  This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Weekends *should be* for resting, exploring, and participating in beloved hobbies. Yet for so many of us, our weekends are bogged down with housework. Errands too.On today's show Tyler Moore explains his system for centering his weekends — and his life — around what's most important.Here's a preview:[6:00] Be efficient about it: The order in which you perform household tasks matters![9:00] Mondays are for bathrooms! 3 benefits to maintaining a weekday cleaning routine[18:00] Is it really as simple as lowering expectations, or is this terrible advice?[25:00] Surthrival = getting through a stressful time while simultaneously noticing moments of thriving[28:00] Home rhythms and routines can indeed secure space for more of what actually matters, and here's how Resources mentioned: Tyler on Instagram @tidydad Join our (free!) community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube. Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. This show is listener-supported. Thank you for suppo

It can often feel in our culture as though women aren’t allowed to age. If we do? The patriarchy will (gasp!) deem us irrelevant. Enter countless off-the-shelf products, monthly treatments, and medical procedures that claim to turn back the clock, albeit temporarily. And while hair dyeing, teeth whitening, and more are wildly popular amongst women (and men!) forty-plus, such habits often come with excessive exposure to cancer-causing agents and hormone disruptors.On today's show Sophia Ruan Gushee encourages us to diversify our risks as we consider which anti-aging products to try. Here's a preview:[6:00] "I never worried about toxins and I turned out fine." This logic is flawed, and here's why[11:00] Don't go straight to the permanent hair dye! And other hair dyeing considerations [17:00] Teeth no longer pearly white? Beware of the heavy metals [24:00] Take an inside-out approach (not a 10 step regimen) to glowing, radiant skin  Related episodes:  Episode #194: Safer Nail Polish Episode #203: 5 Non-Toxic Hai

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, February 9 2024:[1:00] Your plant-based meat could soon have animal fat[5:00] A hamburger that saves the planet? Hmm ...[10:00] Introducing Michael Mann, the hockey stick chart, and 2 climate change deniers[15:30] Let's talk about Taylor's private jet ... This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.