Sustainable Minimalists

When faced with information that challenges our long-held beliefs, we humans do one of two things. Either we think hard about our values and adapt our lifestyles to reflect this new data, or we cling to willful blindness so that we may continue to think and act in the ways we've always thought and acted. In honor of  Veganuary  I bring you a conversation with  Colleen Patrick-Goudreau  about chang...

Wisdom is the cumulation of valuable lessons we pick up along our journeys through this messy thing called life, and pearls of wisdom are guideposts to help us navigate the complexities of living in an uncertain world in an uncertain time. On today's show: A conversation with author  Dr. Elizabeth Kagan Arleo  about trusting the wisdom of the experts — both modern and ancient — so as to better ove...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, January 19 2024: [00:30] Updates from the Greenland ice sheet [5:00] Staggering losses to North American bird populations, plus: outlining their (human-made) threats [10:00] Gross! Our favorite foods have an awful lot of microplastics within [14:00] "Plastic-free" laundry sheets aren't actually plastic-free   This show is listener-supported.  Thank you...

Over 200 million Americans subscribe to Prime, and estimates suggest that Amazon delivers 3.4 million packages per day in the US alone. Quitters, unite! I'm quitting Amazon Prime, and perhaps it's time for you to consider quitting too.   Here's a preview:  [7:30] How on earth is Amazon able to selling items at such low prices? It ain't pretty ... [12:00] Amazon is only the cheapest option if you'r...

Did you know? Ikea beds, Wayfair desks, and other fast furniture items are designed to last about five years. Fast furniture is mass-produced and relatively inexpensive; it's easy, then, to obtain and abandon. And fast decor? Low price points essentially render disposable those trendy but cheap pillows, artwork, and trinkets. There's a better way, and it always starts with slowing down. Slow Style...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, January 12 2024: [00:45] Want to eat and drink less plastic? Don't drink bottled water ...  [5:00] Vroom vroom! Clean yellow school buses are a-comin' nationwide [10:00] Say it ain't so: Right now the US is producing more oil than any other country ... ever [14:00] Help halt the fossil fuel industry's Liquified Natural Gas export expansion! Here's how  ...

You've likely been there. That moment when you look at your credit card statement and your heart sinks. Sometimes logic gives way to desire, and nothing's worse than realizing you overshopped on impulses. A lot. It’s time to take a look at what happens in the moments *before* we impulse buy. On today's show: honing in our 5 shopping triggers so we can insert that crucial pause before buying. Here'...

In some ways, our preponderance toward tech disposability is systemic. We consumers in the US are denied the right to repair: fixing a broken smartphone, then, is costly. It's simply more convenient to replace our broken item for the newest model. When your device is broken you should have more options than a high-priced service or the landfill, and New York agrees. The Digital Fair Repair Act sho...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, January 5 2024: [00:45] Is drinking toilet water in our future? (Answer: Yes.) [3:45] Some flowers are evolving to pollinate themselves, and this is not good news [7:15] Got climate trauma? Good luck finding professional support [15:00] A lack of EPA oversight in Cancer Alley This show is listener-supported.  Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) F...

Over the holidays my family and I staycationed for 9 glorious days. During this time of introspection I re-learned these 4 universally applicable lessons which we are discussing today: [2:45] Appearance is EVERYthing (when shopping, at least). [10:00] Explanations are unnecessary. [18:00] No ones need to eat like royalty *every* night. [27:00] Habit forming? Remember dosage. Repetition too!    Res...

Whether you boast a small windowsill herb garden, a thriving hydroponic system or something in between, growing your own food is great for your well-being. And when you grow what you eat? You also reduce the environmental harm that's incurred by industrial agricultural methods; you eliminate food miles, too. Kevin Espiritu built a modern homestead on a very modest urban lot; he also happens to hel...

The holidays are all about overabundance. We buy too much, consume too much and despite our best efforts spend far too much money. But there is a solution, and it’s happening on January 1: A No Spend Reset.  A practical first step toward adopting a lifestyle rooted in sustainable minimalism is to hop off the consumerist bandwagon, at least for a little while, and January is the perfect right time...

A New Year's resolution is a tool that helps us become the best possible versions of ourselves. And yet research finds most people abandon their resolutions by February.  Many New Year's resolutions fail because they're too broad, too lofty, and not at all time-sensitive. On today's show we set ourselves up for resolution success by applying the 5 components of SMART goals to our 2024 aspirations....

The (only positive!) enviro-news you need to know for Friday, December 22 2023: [3:30] Can microorganisms help in our plastics fight? [6:00] Exactly how plants communicate with other plants (and why it's important in climate change conversations) [9:00] 'Sustainable' Aviation Fuels: Is climate-friendly flying an oxymoron?   This show is listener-supported.  Thank you for supporting! Join our (free...

We are taught from an early age that contentment is found in possessions. But lasting peace comes from within, and meditation is a powerful (and free!) way to find what so many of us seek.  Yet thanks to All. The. Distractions, modern life has engineered out opportunities to go inward. And at the same time? Meditation has never been more needed or necessary. On today's show, a conversation with  B...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, December 15 2023: [00:30] COP28: The good, the bad, and the ugly [9:15] Who gets the (limited) water in California? [13:30] Extreme weather and the cost of sugar   This show is listener-supported.  Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community  here . Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on  Facebook,   Instagram  +  Youtube  @su...

The human endocrine system is delicate and complex. While scientists first discovered endocrine disrupting chemicals in 1991, obesogens - a subset of endocrine disruptors in personal care products that cause weight gain - were discovered only within the last two decades. Our cosmetics can cause us to develop more and bigger fat cells; they may also make it harder to stay at a healthy weight. On to...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, December 8 2023: [00:30] An update on how companies are doing on their environmental "pledges" [4:30] Lego-like bricks? A carbon capture breakthrough [7:30] Would you pay a monthly fee to not see ads on Facebook and Instagram?  [9:30] Quick check-ins from COP28 and Wednesday's Republican presidential debate   This show is listener-supported.  Thank you...

Research finds that by and large happiness is a learned and cultivated behavior. Even better? Decades of psychological research lay the foundation for a handy-dandy formula that helps us *increase* the amount of happiness we experience in our daily lives. On today's show: abandoning cultural expectations in favor of a happiness formula that's both practical and empirically-based.  Here's a preview...

Sustainability has the reputation of being, well, expensive. When money's tight, how do modern families decide what to prioritize with their dollars?  Today I chat with  Whitney Leigh Morris  about the space where eco-consciousness and finances collide. Here's a preview: [3:30] Think you can't afford to be eco-friendly? Think again [6:00] $8 leggings from Target or a $35 pair from an ethical brand...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, December 1 2023: [00:30] Frustration and skepticism surrounding the latest climate summit happening now [5:30] A plane just flew across the Atlantic without fossil fuels, but let's reign in our excitement [10:00] Lead pipes, be gone [14:00] The plight of the wolverine   This show is listener-supported.  Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Faceboo...

Like wine? Me too! On today's show: Everything you need to know about selecting wine that's aligned with your values.  Here's a preview: [3:00] Why, oh why aren't there ingredients labels on alcohol? [8:00] Your favorite wine may have up to 6 dozen additives within. Let's chat about a few of them [13:00] Do sulfites deserve their bad rap? (hey there, red wine headaches!) [20:00] Grapes are listed...

Many of us have a complicated relationship with our stuff. And while no one wants their possessions to possess their lives, our stuff often has fascinating stories to tell. On today's show: A conversation with psychotherapist and professional organizer  Helen Sanderson  about what the state of our homes reveal about our psychology.   Here's a preview: [3:45] Pack rat, minimalist, or somewhere in b...

It’s crazy but it’s true: Only in America do we trample each other for sales exactly ONE day after being thankful for what we already have. Corporations want us to believe that happiness lies in stuff, but research consistently suggests otherwise. On today's re-air: A conversation with blogger Barbara Alfeo about making the most of the day after Thanksgiving in ways that have nothing to do with sh...

Is that Christmas in the air, or is it capitalism? There's no doubt about it: overconsumption degrades the planet. Enter Secondhand Sunday, a new-ish shopping holiday that's nestled between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It's dedicated to all-things thrifted and redirects shoppers away from mass consumption and toward pre-loved items instead.  On today's show  Poshmark 's Kelly Mason inspires us t...