Good Together: Ethical, Eco-Friendly, Sustainable Living

Many of us would initially assume online shopping is a worse offender than brick-and-mortar when it comes to waste and carbon emissions, but the truth might surprise you. In this episode, Laura and Liza chat about its environmental impact from a shipping, packaging, and brand perspective. For show notes, visit https://brightly.eco/is-online-shopping-bad-for-environment/ Advertising Inquiries: http...

The coffee industry is booming: There are more than 37,000 coffee shops in the U.S. alone. But as coffee sales continue to rise, it begs the question: Just how sustainable are these popular chains? In this episode, our team ranked some of the most popular chains—including Starbucks and Dunkin'—on how eco-friendly they are. That way, you can be more informed about the impact of your daily latte...

Spooky Season is almost upon us! Aka it's time to bring out the pumpkins, cobwebs, and creativity. With Halloween right around the corner, you're probably thinking about your costume, festive decor, and treats—and we're here to help you celebrate the eco-friendly way. For show notes, visit https://brightly.eco/how-to-have-an-eco-friendly-halloween/. Advertising Inquiries: https://redci...

In the latest episode of Good Together, Brightly co-founders Laura and Liza spotlighted some eco-friendly products we can’t wait for you to discover this month. From our favorite kitchen essentials to beauty items we can't live without, you're sure to find something you love. To see the products, visit https://brightly.eco/october-shop-picks/. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/b...

Every month, we anticipate which companies will be in the news for their sustainability efforts, and every month we always find ourselves with plenty to celebrate. Because when a big company makes a move that has the planet in mind, there are always others that follow in their footsteps. Here are some wins to celebrate, from McDonald's trialing reusable cups to Allbirds launching eco-friendly...

Last year on Earth Day, Laura and Liza spoke with Kamea Chayne, one of the OG sustainability podcasters with her interview-based show, Green Dreamer. During the interview, Kamea shared actionable ways we can all combat climate change. We felt like this was a great time to reshare such an inspirational message and hope it leaves you feeling optimistic about the future of our planet. For show notes,...

Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity's demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what our planet can regenerate for that entire year. This year, it fell on July 29, which means that humans currently use 74 percent more resources than what the planet can regenerate. In this episode, Laura speaks with Sarah Baillie, the population and sustainability organiz...

Think of your go-to chain stores. You know them, you love them—but do you know if their sustainable values go beyond strategic marketing? We ranked some of America’s most popular picks—including Walmart, Costco, Target, and Trader Joe's—to find out how sustainable they are. Here's which ones came out on top, and which still have work to do. For the full report, visit https://brightly.eco/m...

In today’s episode, Laura and Liza highlight their favorite sustainable products from Brightly's upcoming September Product Drop, only available for a limited time from September 6-12. From clean beauty to home goods, discover some of the standout picks we can’t wait for you to get your hands on. To see the products, visit https://brightly.eco/september-shop-picks. Advertising Inquiries: https...

With takeout sales at an all-time high as a result of the global pandemic, sustainable packaging is more important than ever. As sales rise, so do concerns about the environmental toll of all the extra packaging waste being sent straight to landfills—which are already almost at full capacity. In this episode, Laura talks with Lauren Olson, the Zero Waste Manager at World Centric, about how busines...

We all understand how important it is to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle, but there are a lot of popular eco hacks out there that might not be as sustainable as you think. In this episode, Brightly co-founders Laura and Liza dive into some of the most common—like is washing dishes by hand really better than using the dishwasher? Keep listening to find out. For show notes, visit https://brightly...

So many of us have made it a goal to build a sustainable skincare routine. In today's episode, Liza talks to Lorraine Dallmeier, a biologist, chartered environmentalist, and the CEO of Formula Botanica, about what "green" beauty really is, the good (and bad) beauty trends out there right now, how to develop your own green skincare routine, and more. For show notes, visit https://bright...

As we set out to create the most sustainable shopping experience possible, we knew it would look a little different than your average big box online store. In this episode, Laura and Liza discuss why they launched the Brightly Shop, how it works, and what our community thinks so far. For show notes, go to https://brightly.eco/why-we-launched-the-brightly-shop/.  Advertising Inquiries: https://redc...

Have you ever wondered what happens to your recyclables once they're picked up from the curb? What happens to those mattresses or old TVs we throw away? Or where all those clothes you put in a donation bin end up? Adam Minter knows the answer. Adam is a journalist and author who has been covering the global recycling trade for almost 20 years. In this episode, Laura chats with Adam about where...

In this very special episode, Brightly co-founders Laura and Liza dive into some burning questions from the Brightly community, including how they got started on their own sustainability journeys, the "why" behind the Brightly Shop, and more. For show notes, visit https://brightly.eco/community-questions/.  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redc...

If you've seen the news lately, you may be feeling angry, worried, and helpless about the current state of our planet. But you aren't alone. These feelings, coined as "eco-anxiety" and "climate anxiety," have been affecting all of us in different ways. In this episode of Good Together, Brightly co-founder Laura talks to Dr. Renee Lertzman—a researcher, educator, and eco-eng...

Whether it's for a day trip or a week-long camping adventure, National Parks make the perfect backdrop for your summertime adventure. But with annual visitation increasing by over 40 million people between 2009 and 2019, the park system and the animals that live within it are really starting to feel the impact of the human footprint. In this episode, Liza talks with Kasey Morrissey, president...

Plastic Free July is global movement that encourages people to decrease their plastic consumption throughout the month of July. Are you up for the challenge? If you need some plastic-free inspiration, be sure to tune into this episode. Laura and Liza share their favorite ways to reduce plastic waste, in addition to discussing why plastic pollution is an issue and how it became so problematic. For...

Purchasing fair trade products can be a great way to go about living a more sustainable and ethical life. Someone who knows this just about better than anyone is Paul Rice, the president, CEO, and founder of Fair Trade USA. In this episode, Liza and Paul take a deep-dive into fair trade and how it intersects with global events. They touch on the recent farmer protests in India, how fair trade arti...

There are plenty of misconceptions about sustainable living. Sometimes, they can prevent people from entering the world of eco-friendly living altogether. But don't believe everything you hear. In this episode, Laura and Liza chat about some of these common myths and misconceptions, from the idea that sustainable living is always more expensive to the notion that you have to be vegan in order...

You may know Alicia Silverstone as the star of the cult-classic film, Clueless, but what you may not know is that she's also a dedicated activist in the health and wellness space. Not only does Alicia run her own healthy living blog called The Kind Life, but she has also been vegan for many years and even released a book in 2011 called The Kind Diet, which tells the story of her own journey to...

Have you ever been curious about starting a garden or growing your own food, but always assumed you didn't have adequate space or time? Turns out there's a solution to that: hydroponic gardening. In this episode, Laura chats with Jacob Pechenik, the co-founder of Lettuce Grow—a company that makes self-watering, self-fertilizing hydroponic Farmstands that make it super simple to grow your o...

Summer is right around the corner, which means sunshine, beach days, camping, hiking—basically all things outdoors. But while we're enjoying everything Mother Earth has to offer, it's also important to keep our eco-footprints as small as possible. In this episode, Laura and Liza share some of their favorite eco-friendly products that are sure to make for a fun and sustainable summer. For s...

We're all about celebrating imperfect eco-friendly living, and it turns out actress and environmentalist Nikki Reed is, too. Nikki is widely known for her role in the Twilight series, but she also has a passion for the planet. In 2017, she launched a line of ethical and sustainable jewelry, skin-care, and apparel, and now she has a line of sustainable sneakers with LOCI. During the episode, we...

Leather doesn't have the best rap when it comes to the environment. Luckily, there are more sustainable alternatives than ever before, and that's exactly what we discuss in this episode. Laura chats with Inder Bedi, the founder of Matt & Nat, who has gone on to launch 457 ANEW—a slow fashion line that creates handbags, clothing, and more out of landfill-destined materials. Together, th...