Outdoor Minimalist

In episode 128 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, I chatted with Katie Houston about Sawyer's clean water projects. Sawyer is a pioneering water filtration company with a rich history spanning over three decades, dedicated to providing innovative solutions for clean water access worldwide. Established in 1984, Sawyer has continuously evolved its product line, offering a range of advanced filtr...

The goal of this series is to provide useful information for consumers regarding PFAS, specifically within the outdoor industry, but also for those of us working in the industry. I learned from every single person that I interviewed and talked to about the topic of PFAS, and one of the patterns I noticed during production was that most of the European brands like Jack Wolfskin, Fjallraven, and Hou...

Episode 127 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast is an open letter to the outdoor industry—a call to action to do more and make less. If you’ve followed this podcast for a while, you know we are all about environmental action. While I believe individuals can make a difference to achieve more significant impacts, we need the industry to lead the way and decide to do better for the future of our planet...

As more regulations come into play, many outdoor brands have moved the needle and promised to phase PFAS out of their products and apparel by 2025.  While this is great news, what’s curious as a consumer is that alternative chemistry has existed for quite some time. Brands like Nikwax never needed to use harmful chemicals to achieve waterproof capabilities, and now Nikwax is one brand leading the...

Regulatory efforts across the globe have been pushing for removing certain types of PFAS in specific product categories. Still, there are many limitations, and regulators often receive pushback from chemical companies. In episode four of the Forever Chemicals ten-part podcast series, we break down the increase of PFAS regulation in the US and the EU, along with the limitations we face in the pursu...

In episode three of the Forever Chemicals ten-part podcast series, we give an overview of how PFAS is used in modern-day production, and get an inside look at why it became a performance chemistry in the outdoor industry. Subscribe to the Forever Chemicals Podcast to hear the full series: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/forever-chemicals/id1724693010⁠ Guests featured in this episode: - Mike...

PFAS are a large class of chemicals that have been used since the late 1930s. What makes them particularly hazardous is that they are persistent and difficult to break down. That means all the PFAS that have even been created still exist today. In the first episode of this ten-part series, we learned the history of how PFAS was created. In episode two, we get a better understanding of just how dan...

In the first episode of this ten-part series, we explore where PFAS came from and how it became a prevalent part of our consumer products. While the innovation of this class of chemicals has been astoundingly effective in applications like firefighting foams, waterproof rain jackets, and Teflon pans, our appetite for convenience created a toxic chemistry we may have to live with forever. In the ne...

In episode 126 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we look at using recycled polyester as insulation. While polyester has its fair share of problems, we explore if there are ways that we can use it sustainably, like removing ocean-bound plastics from the environment and making them into something new. To break down the ins and outs of developing recycled insulation, I had the pleasure of hosting Jo...

In episode 125 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we return to the world of epic parenting. At least that's what I call it because outdoor parents are badass, and I have to say it. I've only had one other episode dedicated to bringing kids outside and on outdoor adventures, and actually, that came out just a few weeks ago: episode 121– how having a baby changed the way I play outside with...

In this new ten-part series, we sat down with countless experts from brands like Fjallraven and Outdoor Research along with scientists, lawyers, and law makers that all have a stake in how PFAS is used, and how it is now being eliminated. Over the course of ten episodes, we’ll investigate the origins, rise, and now phase out of the forever chemicals PFAS (previously known as PFCs). With more compa...

In episode 124 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we explore what it means to be an activist and environmental advocate and how to build a community around conservation.  To me, being an activist and environmentalist is simply a part of life. They're not a hobby or second thought because I've always had a strong sense of justice no matter where I lived or the community present in my life....

Episode 123 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast is brought to you courtesy of Fish Nerds. The Fish Nerds Podcast is the fishing podcast for anyone who wants to fish better, laugh more, and learn a little. We talk about fish, fishing and eating fish. With a focus on conservation and sustainability. The show is usually funny, always interesting, and mostly true! Before we get to my Fish Nerds intervie...

In episode 122 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we’re going ultralight. We haven’t explored ultralight backpacking on this show for several reasons before, and one of those reasons is that I don’t know much about it! It is a topic that many listeners are interested in learning more about, so I was excited to invite an experienced ultralight hiker and entrepreneur onto the show to share about her...

In episode 121 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, I sat down to talk to an entrepreneur, world traveler, and devoted mother about how, throughout her life, the way she gets outside has changed. We all enter new seasons of life, and our circumstances greatly influence how we spend time outdoors. Having children is always a significant change, and as someone who does not have children, I was so exci...

In episode 120 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we’re exploring a topic that has been on my mind throughout 2023 and now as we enter 2024. I’ve been reading the book Reclaiming Body Trust, and it has made me rethink and evaluate my relationship with food and my body on a deeper level. Especially entering the season of New Year's resolutions, I think it is essential to consider how we can bui...

In episode 119 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we enter the biking world. I am an avid cyclist, mostly with gravel biking, so when I learned about electric adventure bikes, I raised my eyebrows a bit. First of all, I didn’t know what they were. Were they like e-bikes? Are they electric motorcycles? And they weren’t going to be good for the environments they’re used in, right? Well, I was pleasa...

For the year's final episode, episode 118, we've picked out our top-ranking episodes of 2023 to recap and return to some of our listener's favorite conversations. We release an episode every Monday, so many other amazing episodes are available beyond these five, but if this is your first time listening, this is an excellent place to start.  Looking back on 2023, I want to thank all our...

In episode 117 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we set out to answer the question: what does circularity look like when designing products? To provide real-life examples and experiences of how they’ve implemented more sustainable operations and moved towards a more circular product design, I had the pleasure of hosting Alicia Chin and Sue Jesch from Smartwool.  Alicia Chin  is the Director of Su...

In episode 116 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, I was introduced to an innovative app perfect for life on and off the trail. GOES is an award-winning outdoor safety app co-founded by wilderness medicine expert Dr. Grant Lipman and healthcare tech innovator Camilo Barcenas. Dr. Lipman is a former professor of emergency medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine and was director of its wil...

In episode 115 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, I sat down to chat with Emme Hayes, the founder of Articles in Common. During our conversation, we learned a lot about one another and just how much we actually had in common, including our thoughts on buying used gear and keeping products in circulation for as long as possible. Since buying used is a topic I’ve explored with other guests in the pa...

In episode 114 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, I am answering some listener questions. I sometimes get questions from listeners via DMs on Instagram; they’ll comment on a post or submit a question to my website contact box, or, more recently, I sent a form in the weekly newsletter asking what some listener questions may be. If you ever have a question related to the show, please contact me! Som...

In episode 113 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, I interview author Elizabeth Hilborn, about her new book Restoring Eden. The book is at once a riveting environmental detective story, an inspiring account of citizen advocacy, and a gorgeous ode to the fragile ecosystems that nourish us, both physically and spiritually. Dr. Elizabeth Hilborn is a veterinarian who specializes in honey bee medicine....

In episode 112 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we will be talking a whole lot of shit. Our focus today is on a topic that I care deeply about, and I spend a lot of time thinking about it because I have three large dogs: dog poop. More specifically, we discuss the reasons why we all should be picking up our dog’s poop and the best ways to dispose of it once we do. To help lead this conversation,...

In episode 111 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we introduce the highly requested topic of PFAS. You’ll get an inside look into how and why companies have chosen to use PFAS in the past and how one company has phased out the chemical to better align their products with their commitment to a better outdoor experience and a more sustainable future.  There’s much to be said about this subject, and...