Sustainable Minimalists

Americans spend about 21 hours per day inside. On the whole, we are also more depressed and anxious than ever before. Many of us have been trained to seek out commodified services to unwind (I'm looking at you, #selfcare!). But what if a potential solution cost zero dollars and offered zero risk? On today's show: An invitation to welcome nature back into your life, with 5.5 novel suggestions that...

Hyper-capitalism — also called late-stage capitalism — is what happens when material resources, lifestyle activities, and everything in between becomes both commodified and consumable. In hyper-capitalistic economies, products get invented that no one needs or wants. Celebrities are revered like gods. Inequity is everywhere, and citizens internalize the idea that their worth is measured by some my...

There's plenty of distressing research into what smartphones are doing to adults' attention spans, focus, and memory. And on child/teen development? Emerging research is even more alarming.  We are change makers, and change making means making difficult decisions, having difficult conversations, and going against the grain. On today's show: Why we need to (yet again!) rethink our approach to techn...

Want to feel calmer and happier? You don't have to shell out hundreds of dollars for the newest wellness product or service. In fact, the solution doesn't cost a cent: simply get in touch with your breathing. Breath is an amazing and responsive teacher. That's because if we breathe as we live — take in and let go — we can't go wrong. On today's show: An invitation to meet yourself with author Jean...

From phone calls to blind dates to punctuation to civil discourse, the internet has changed every aspect of human life. While some losses are insignificant, the rise of the internet has also resulted in larger repercussions, like shorter attention spans, a collective inability to sit in solitude, and the the utter demolition of personal privacy. On today's show: A conversation with author and New...

I received an email last month from two Dutchmen who have been sailing around the world for 8 years in search of climate solutions. They asked to visit my home and chat. I obliged, and I'm so happy I did. On today's show: an in-person interview with Floris van Hees and Ivar Smits — also affectionately known as  Sailors For Sustainability  — about the wisdom they've gained from their adventure. Her...

Before aluminum coated in Teflon, there was cast iron. Our great-grandparents revered cast iron in the kitchen because it lasts *forever*. And with proper care? It's naturally non-stick, no PFAS necessary. These days cast iron is experiencing a renaissance of sorts, and for many good reasons. On today's show cast iron historian  Kyle Seip  answers our burning questions about how to cook on and car...

Is the glass half empty, or is it half full? According to Tony Robbins, trading your expectations for appreciation instantly changes everything. Psychological research agrees: Gratitude has the power to improve every single aspect of your life. On today's show: how to truly feel gratitude for your stuff and people.  Here's a preview: [3:00] Want to be 18% happier? It's as easy as putting on a new...

Packaged foods (obviously) have ingredients lists. Our favorite beauty products have ingredients lists. And those cleaning products under the kitchen sink? Yup, they've got ingredients lists, too. Ever wonder why our clothes don't have ingredients lists? While we'd *like* to think our favorite garments are made of woven fibers and nothing more, the sad truth is there are countless unregulated chem...

Modern life panders to our innate desire to be sedentary, and never has it been more difficult to resist the alluring convenience of screens. Yet walking matters. On today's show author  Annabel Abbs-Streets  suggests tangible ways to attain the full range of benefits that walking has to offer — physical, emotional, and spiritual — that's backed by latest research.   Here's a preview: [7:00] A lau...

The environmental news headlines you need to know for Friday, May 10 2024: [00:30] Fish are shrinking around the world and no one knows why [4:00] Have a gas stove? Here's another thing to worry about  [7:00] Exactly how green initiatives push some voters to the far right  [11:30]  A Sriracha shortage has climate change to blame [15:00] Climate change raises the risks of another pandemic, and here...

While fresh fruits and vegetables are irreplaceable parts of a healthy diet, pesticides aren't benign. Sadly, many of our favorite produce items carry unhealthy levels of pesticides, and each one comes with its own unique risk profile. On today's show: A comprehensive review of the most recent research into pesticides in produce. Here's a preview: [5:00] Not all pesticides are the same, and differ...

We know climate change is expensive, but how expensive is it really? A new analysis finds that beyond its effects on the broader economy, rising temperatures seriously hurt our personal finances. On today's show: A conversation with  Alexandra Grose  about what happens when climate change reduces lifetime income and simultaneously raises prices on ... well, everything.   Resource mentioned: Climat...

The environmental news headlines you need to know for Friday, May 3 2024: [1:30] Newly released documents and Big Oil's secret climate strategy [7:00] Here's what Patagonia's doing with all its profits [13:00] Therapists are trading the couch for the great outdoors, and here's why [16:00] Sea levels are rising in the US coastal South faster than anywhere else on Earth   Resource mentioned: Tell DO...

Something semi-sad happens as we age: We lose our nimbleness. So many of us white-knuckle grip long-held habits and beliefs and thus fail to question whether such routines and ideas are working in our best interests. Worse, such rigidity goes directly against our "factory settings" as human beings: As a species, we fully live when we prioritize resilience, light-footedness, and fearlessness. (Don'...

Many corporations are hopping on the sustainability bandwagon these days, but it's not for altruistic reasons. It's likely due to the green premium: because eco-friendly products cost more, business owners see an opportunity for increased revenue.  The result? Greenwashed products abound (And guess what? You're likely paying *extra* for a product that isn't at all eco-conscious!).  On today's show...

The environmental news headlines you need to know for Friday, April 26 2024: [00:30] The world's biggest plastic polluters revealed [2:30] Biden limits oil drilling in the Alaskan arctic (it's also an election year) [5:00] One of the worst coral bleaching events happening right now in the Great Barrier Reef [8:00] Nearly 2 in 5 Americans live in a place with unhealthy or hazardous air. Are you one...

We Homo Sapiens are notorious for avoiding pain and seeking pleasure. In fact, we have transformed the planet from a place of scarcity to a place of overwhelming abundance, with ample opportunities to flood our brains with dopamine at every turn. But over-consuming has consequences: Exposure to prolonged and repeated pleasurable stimuli decreases our capacity to tolerate pain and increases our thr...

Last year was the hottest year on record, so it's safe to say that Earth Day as we traditionally celebrate isn't working. On today's show I suggest what I believe is the antidote to the climate crisis (and I'm willing to bet you won't be able to guess what it is!).   Here's a preview: [3:45] The Big 5: We know what we should do environment-wise, so why aren't we doing it? [7:15] Communal care is a...

Reminder! Our hands can do more than type and text. In fact, they can grow things. On today's show — and in honor of National Gardening Day! — permaculture expert  Kareen Erbe  lists countless tangible and intangible benefits associated with active participation in your local growing community; she also offers practical suggestions for getting off our screens and reengaging with the natural world....

Identifying 5 expensive and downright impractical geoengineering ideas designed to curb global warming: [5:30] 2 direct carbon capture projects (one of which plans to drill more oil) [8:30] A gigantic umbrella in space? [10:00] Adding iron to the ocean in hopes of spurring algae blooms [13:00] Sending sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere in weather balloons, oh my   Resources mentioned: This show is...

Take stealth wealth and reverse it: Stealth frugality is what happens when a person lives big without spending lots of money.  On today's show: A laundry list of the ways in which we can each live a rich life but do so frugally.  *A note from Stephanie: I mention a ridiculous amount of companies in today's show. None of them are sponsored!   Here's a preview: [6:00] Home is where the heart is, so...

Work emails. Social media notifications. Weather alerts. The constant news cycle. In the hustle and bustle of modern life, it's easy to get lost in the chaos of endless distractions. Yet research has shown that information overload can lead to mental exhaustion, reduced cognitive function, and an inability to make sound decisions. On the other hand, intentional disconnection has the power to enhan...

Can a white couch and a toddler coexist?  Research finds that environment impacts well-being, and we shouldn't have to wait 18 years to enjoy our homes.  On today's show we address the age-old question: Can we have kids and nice things? The answer is yes; here's how.   Here's a preview: [6:00] Hey you. (Yes, you!) You don't have to wait 18 years to enjoy your home [21:00] Don't invest in expensive...

Living the low-tox life can seem expensive and out of reach. But it doesn’t have to be. On today's show podcaster  Regan Nelson  suggests 7 research-backed ways to reduce your exposure to toxins that just so happen to *also* be free.  Here's a preview: [10:00] Lead! Pesticides! Here's what's on the bottom of your shoes  [14:00] Sure, this household staple is convenient (but it's also bisphenol- an...