Outdoor Minimalist

In episode 45 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we get to talk about another exciting initiative! If you listened to last week’s episode, then you know we discussed the 30x30 initiative among several other national and California specific initiatives. Anyway, in this episode we are chatting about the Zero Landfill Initiative that has been going on for a few years in select National Parks. I hadn’...

In episode 44 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we discuss the 30x30 Initiative introduced by the Biden Administration. This initiative is essentially a national goal to conserve at least 30% of the US lands and freshwater and 30% of the US ocean areas by 2030.  We aren’t only talking about that, though. We will discuss the Recreate Responsibly Campaign and many other amazing initiatives in...

Within this podcast episode, we discuss topics that may be upsetting or triggering to some listeners. Topics such as abortion, maternal mortality rate, racism, sexism, white supremacy, and white nationalism will be mentioned. Featuring Kia Guarino (she/her), the executive director at Pro-Choice Washington; the lead organization focused on political and legislative advocacy for reproductive freedom...

In episode 42 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we discuss the pros and cons of buying used outdoor equipment. In a few of my earlier episodes, including renting vs buying gear and saving money living sustainably, we chat briefly about used gear and the benefits they provide both financially and for the environment. There are countless benefits of buying used gear, and to help me discuss how to d...

In episode 41 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we get to talk about plants. More specifically, we do a deep dive into plants within a desert ecosystem and how to recreate in a way that respects the native flora and fauna. To educate us on this important topic, I had the pleasure of hosting a dear friend of mine, Jessica Esplin. Born in the heart of Southern Utah. Her family instilled a sense of...

In episode 40 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we discuss the process of becoming minimalist. Minimalism is very much an individual journey, but many people will experience overlapping challenges and hurdles along the way.  Although I’ve talked about this in previous episodes to some extent, to share her story and give some practical advice on sustaining a minimalist lifestyle, I had the pl...

In episode 39 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we get to talk about eating insects. While I’d love to do an episode on insect proteins in a human diet, today we are going to focus on insect proteins, our pets, and the planet. There is a lot to be said about dog nutrition and the impact our pet’s diets have on the environment. To help make this topic a bit more palatable, I had the pleasure of ch...

In episode 38 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we do a deep dive into a topic that I’ve been wanting to learn more about for quite some time but wasn’t sure where to look.  We are discussing solvent-based coatings. These are the waterproof and abrasion resistant coatings that we apply on a lot of our outdoor textiles from tents to backpacks, pants, and more. Solvent-based coatings have quit...

Is a zero-waste backpacking trip possible? What about a zero-waste thru-hike? Well, you are about to find out. In episode 37 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we get to hear tips on how to have a low-waste thru-hike from someone that has done it: Ana Lucía Valencia Ana Lucía (aka Eco) is a hiker from Mexico who in 2021 set out to complete a zero-waste thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. Her lov...

In episode 36 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we discuss how you can start building outdoor time into your daily life and how spending more time outdoors could be good for you and the planet. To help me do that, I had the pleasure of hosting Amy Bushatz. Amy Bushatz is the host of the Humans Outside podcast, a project inspired by her ongoing personal experiment to test what happens if you spend...

In episode 35 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we discuss what constitutes an ethical gear purchase and how consumers can make those decisions easier. One of my earliest episodes featured Mary Swanson of Lava Linens, and she shed light on identifying sustainable product materials. Although this is a stand-alone episode, I recommend listening to episode 3: how to identify sustainable product mate...

In episode 34 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we are talking about dogs once again! Usually, when we are on the trail, we are used to seeing large or medium-sized dogs, but dogs of all sizes enjoy hiking and playing outside. If you are someone with a small dog and you want to integrate them into your outdoor activities, this is the episode for you. As you know, I am a very proud dog mom to thre...

In episode 33 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we are talking about shoes. This episode was actually born from a listener question! I had someone message me and ask: “Can you do a post or an episode about shoes? Specifically tennis shoes for people who are on their feet a lot, like runners or nurses. I find that I want new shoes every 3-6 months as a nurse. Is that the normal lifetime for shoes?...

In episode 32 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we are talking about sustainable adventure tourism. Now, this is a fairly broad topic, so in this episode, we are mostly focusing on how guides and guiding companies can best equip themselves to teach and advocate for best practices when recreating outdoors. To help me do that, I’d like to introduce Xenia Brundin. Xenia is the co-founder of SUMMIT A...

In episode 31 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we are tackling the topic of recycling. This isn’t necessarily niched to the outdoor industry, but it is a topic that I get a lot of questions about so it felt fitting to discuss how recycling works in many areas and how you can learn more about what is and isn’t recyclable where you live. We did chat a bit about things like fuel canisters and other...

In episode 30 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we are talking about reforestation projects! This is a really interesting and important topic because how reforestation is done and how companies claim these types of projects are carried out can vary. To help explain the importance of reforestation and how more outdoor industry companies can get involved, I’d like to introduce Mindy Crowell. Mindy...

In episode 29 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we are talking about regulation in the outdoor industry and what that looks like. Now, this is a topic that has always interested me but I didn’t know a ton about. It could arguably be the 8th R of Outdoor Minimalism (and maybe I will add it one day), but because regulation plays such a big role in environmental policy and how we play outside, it wa...

In episode 28 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we talk about the all important topic of pooping in the woods. If you’re a backpacker, in particular, my guess is you’ve had countless discussions about poop, and to be honest, same. While poop stories are always entertaining, our main focus in this episode is about how to poop outside the right way, the environmental impacts of it, and various opti...

In episode 27 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we explore the idea of using pee rags in the backcountry in a bit more detail. If you are a person with a vulva, and you squat when you pee, a pee rag can be an excellent low waste option. If you want more information about pee rags, menstrual cups, and more, go back and check out episode 17 where we explore all things menses and peeing in the woods...

Have you ever wished you could get a doctor’s note to go take a hike? Well, in episode 26 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we discuss parkscriptions– your prescription to get outside. It is no secret that we often feel better after just spending 20 minutes outside, whether we are sitting and forest bathing or on a walk in the park. The physical and mental benefits are astounding. There are sever...

In episode 25 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we are discussing lead-free fishing. I’ve done a few fishing-specific episodes, mostly fly fishing, and I was excited to host an epsiode that focuses on lead-free fishing. Since I am the furthest thing from an angler, I was glad when John King of Glasswater angling reached out to help guide the conversation. John King who with his wife Kathy founded...

In episode 24 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we discuss needs. More specifically personal needs when it comes to adventures, outdoor gear, and safety. During COVID-19, we saw a dramatic influx of new outdoor enthusiasts. This is great for many reasons, but it also means there are a lot more people entering outdoor spaces sometimes with very little knowledge of how to interact with the landscap...

In episode 23 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, I had the pleasure of learning the ins and outs of carbon and climate neutral certifications from the CEO of Climate Neutral Certified, Austin Whitman. Austin Whitman is the CEO and a co-founder of Climate Neutral, a nonprofit that provides a trusted certification for carbon neutrality. Since its launch three years ago, Climate Neutral has worked wi...

In episode 22 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we discuss how to perform a waste audit in your home. Now, this same concept can be applied on a larger scale in businesses, but we are going to focus on how to do this as an individual consumer. In the Outdoor Minimalist book, set to be released Sept 1, 2022, I also discuss a waste audit to move towards low waste backpacking. So if you are someone...

Are we loving the land to death? This question comes up time and time again with folks I talk to on and off the podcast, and many professionals in the outdoor industry wonder the same thing. In episode 21 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we are going to explore this topic through the lens of conservation and political engagement. To help guide me through this discussion, I’m excited to introduce...