The Tea on Sustainable Living

How do you reinvent your style while trying to do your best for people and planet? How can you navigate your desire to buy new clothes, the pressure to consume from the world around us, and your values around sustainability? In this episode, we talk about Brandee’s exploration of personal style and how she has approached clothes shopping so far. We also chat about consumerism, how even buying seco...

Hey y’all! It's been a while, but we’re happy to be back. We’ve come back with a broader understanding of what we mean by sustainability - and what we want it to mean for our show! We want our habits and lifestyles to support and align with our sustainability values, whether that’s getting in more movement or reducing our clothing waste. Hannah kicks off our new experiment by sharing a habit...

AKA the stuff Hannah’s “not very good at.”  In today’s episode, we’re rounding out our sustainable travel series with the third and final episode all about what to do after your trip. We try and answer questions like, what should we keep in mind for the future?  How can we plan our future trips better? How can we bring travel into our everyday lives?  We also chat about trip-specific clothing, lea...

Do you like to travel like a local or a tourist? Or a good mix of both?? In today’s episode, we’re continuing our sustainable travel series by chatting about what to do while you’re actually on your trip. (And if you haven’t already, go back and listen to episode #28 first!) Join us as we discuss traveling like a local versus a tourist (and what that even means), tourist traps, David of Michelange...

Are you planning a trip this summer?? (And if not, still read and listen for future you!) With the summer holidays just around the corner, we thought taking a deeper dive into sustainable travel would be fun (and hopefully helpful). We’re breaking it down into stages, and in this first episode of our three-part mini-series, we’re talking about the planning stage. As in, what can we do in this stag...

In this episode, we go beyond the immediate impact of our daily purchases to talk about the impact of the money we have in our savings, investments, and pensions. While banks have traditionally been part of the problem by financing fossil fuel projects and not prioritizing sustainable investments, this is beginning to change. Banking investments can have a significant impact on promoting sustainab...

Were you taught about climate change in school? Are you feeling a bit worried about the state of the climate crisis now? Is there a connection between those two questions? We don’t know; we’re not psychologists or mental health experts. But, according to a 2001 report, 84% of 16-25-year-olds feel worried about climate change, with 45% saying that their feelings negatively affect their daily life a...

Did you know that 11 people in 1 company made decisions that were responsible for 0.45% of all carbon emissions in 2020*? Sure, that doesn’t sound like much - except when you realize that the entirety of Africa only contributed 3.8% of global carbon emissions in 2020**. In this episode, we talk about the difference between individual vs. corporate impact and action and the mindset shift needed to...

Feeling a bit uncomfortable after seeing the word “shame” in the episode title? You’re not alone. In this episode, we try and work through some difficult emotions as we explore our own shame, guilt, frustration, and anger when it comes to climate action. We also discuss the role wealth plays in climate change, holding yourself accountable, and why it’s hard to make changes despite having so much i...

It’s time to feel the love! This Valentine’s day, we chat about all the things we love about our planet. From people to bacteria to planes, we share some of the things we find awe-inspiring about the world we call home. We believe that finding our love for the earth can help us find the why behind our climate activism and conservation. We also hear from a few of our listeners, who’ve shared the th...

Feeling overwhelmed by the accumulation of another year's worth of stuff? You're not alone! January is the time for fresh starts, but there's nothing fresh about that pile of bags that’s been hanging around since last year's New Year's resolution. We discuss how we can recycle or reuse old items in our houses, where we can take different materials….and when to say fuck it...

What brings you joy? What is the climate work that needs doing? What are you good at? If you can answer all 3 of those questions (and find a common theme), you’ve just identified your unique climate action. Yay! In today’s episode, we’re taking a closer look at Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson’s Climate Action Venn Diagram to (try and) determine the climate action that makes the most sense for us. You’...

And just like that, 421 minutes later, we're at the end of 2022! We're pretty proud of managing to put out 16 episodes this year, and we can't wait to see what next year brings. Join us as we look at our stats for this year, update you on some of our key episodes, and share our hopes for next year. We also respond to our first-ever voice note (thanks, Allison!). We're still hop...

Would Amazon and convenience exist in your utopia? What would that look like? We surprise ourselves as we delve deeper into the Amazon problem. At first, it seems clear that Amazon is definitely in the naughty corner, but maybe there is more to it than meets the eye. Today we’re exploring the need to add friction to our purchases, whether Amazon’s efficiency is commendable, and even taking a look...

Would YOU throw soup at a Van Gogh painting? In today’s episode, we discuss some recent examples of climate activism, how we feel about them, and what our climate activism barriers are. Because there’s no one right way to tackle this climate crisis, but does that mean we can’t contribute a bit more to these organizations? Even if it’s just starting conversations? Are we getting too caught up in th...

When was the last time you had an amazing night's sleep? You probably woke up the next day feeling much more energized and ready to face the day. Yet, with rising temperatures making sleep harder to come by, sleep is fast becoming a precious resource. In today’s episode, we discuss the link between a good night’s sleep and sustainable action. Links : Article | National Geographic - Climate ch...

Have you ever bought something simply because you wanted it? Yeah, we thought so. (Well, we’re assuming so.) Or maybe you’re like Brandee and occasionally go on spending sprees. In this week’s episode, we’re diving into the wave of guilt her recent spree has brought on, what makes us want to consume in the first place, and whether there’s a way to consume that is more ethical. So grab some tea, ge...

Today, we’re diving back in after the summer break with our opinions on two big pieces of environmental news: Nespresso’s recent B Corp Certification and Patagonia’s founder donating the company to fight the climate crisis. Links and resources : B Corp - Nespresso Global Certified B Corporation Nespresso - Nespresso B Corp Fair World Project - Nespresso: Known for human rights violations, now B Co...

That’s a wrap on season 1! Can you believe we’re still here recording podcast episodes? Because we can’t… (Well, one of us more than the other.) Join us in our season 1 wrap-up episode as we take time to reflect, celebrate, review some stats, and talk about what the future of this podcast (and our Instagram) looks like. Basically, it’s a producer meeting turned podcast episode. Whether this is you...

Are you a “set it and forget it” environmentalist, or do you need to know the details behind each action you take? In this week's episode, we take a look at some of the broader issues that intersect with sustainable practices and advocating against climate change. When so much is interconnected, how do we take action? We have a conversation that many of you will be familiar with. Do we focus...

Because even though it doesn’t always feel like it, water is a limited resource. In today’s episode, we are taking a deep dive into (wasting) water and how we can start treating it more like the limited resource that it is. We chat about Brandee’s love of long hot showers (and what’s even considered long), the proper way to wash dishes, and some of our more intimate bathroom secrets (like how ofte...

Today, we are spilling the tea on moving (house) and living with roommates. We get it; it can be very tempting to simply leave all of your old crap behind (or throw it away) and buy all new stuff in your new apartment/flat/whatever you call it. But that’s probably not the most environmentally friendly way to move. In today’s episode, we struggle (slightly) to get back into the groove of podcasting...

Welcome to part 2 of my chat with longtime friend and #1 fan of this podcast, Kelly Pucillo! If you haven't listened to part 1 yet, episode #9 , go back and listen to that now. Or after. Your choice! I’m so excited to finally talk about the sustainability of motherhood with Kelly, as I am not a mom (unless you count cats as children??). In today’s episode, Kelly spills the tea on motherhood a...

Today, we have a very special episode for you with our #1 fan. (And please pardon the hammering that would not stop in time for the start of this episode. Construction on the weekends should not be allowed.) Sadly, Hannah could not join us for this one, so I (Brandee) am flying solo. Well, not quite. In today’s episode, I have a very impromptu chat with Kelly Pucillo, one of my closest friends, ab...

What is Fairtrade? How do we cope with sticker shock when in the shops? Is it possible to have environmental justice without justice for workers? We tackle these questions and more as we return to one of our favourite topics - yes, you guessed it, food! In today’s episode, we use the UK-based Fairtrade Fortnight (yes, that means two weeks, Brandee) as a jumping-off point to discuss Fairtrade label...