Sustainable Minimalists

Prime Week has come and gone ... for now. And while there are countless questionable items you can indeed purchase on Amazon ( a mini hand squirrel, anyone? ), there are 6 very specific intangibles that simply cannot be bought. Not now, not ever. On today's show we apply the 6-Factor Model For Psychological Wellbeing to our lives for greater clarity around what actually sparks joy. Here's a previe...

Have a summer trip planned? You're not alone. For many, traveling has become more lifestyle than luxury: in the time it takes you to read this blurb over 2,000 people will have arrived in a foreign country and a quarter of a million dollars will have been spent by Americans abroad. Staycations are emerging in popularity as a hassle-free and environmentally friendly way to holiday. And if you need...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday July 14, 2023: [00:30] Flash floods 101 [3:30] An alternative to single-use plastic packaging is (almost) here! [9:00] 12 years later, Fukushima has an awful lot of wastewater. What should be done with it? [13:00] Introducing the Devil's Hole Pupfish   Join our (free!) community  here . Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on  Facebook,   Instagr...

Spending time in nature is recreation; it's also restorative and preventative medicine. Enter forest bathing which, like yoga, has been around for centuries and is now gaining newfound popularity amongst those of us who are overexposed, overworked, and overscheduled. On today's show author  Ben Page  invites us to connect with nature - and ourselves - in a new way. Here's a preview: [5:00] Japan a...

When it comes to reducing cell phone use, we've all heard the advice. Turn off notifications. Unfollow and unfriend. But this advice? It's stale. Shallow, even, because it does little to *actually* reduce time spent on screens. We often discuss gatekeeping our homes and the responsibility that comes with deciding what gets granted admittance. On today's show we identify what it means to be the gat...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday July 7, 2023: [00:45] The rise of livestream e-commerce in China [5:00] Is passive cooling the way of the future? [10:00] Are insects wildlife? Well, it depends on where you live [12:00] Wealth matters. So does population density   Resources mentioned:  Dow Cool Roof Energy Calculator Join our (free!) community  here . Find your tribe. Sustainable Minima...

Spoiler alert: Disposable diapers are terrible for the planet. They account for about 2% of all landfill waste in the US; worse – because they're made of plastics – they decompose very, very slowly. Before their arrival on the commercial scene in the 1960s babies were fully potty trained by 18 months. But thanks to this "convenient" option, these days the average potty training age is 3 years.  An...

The (positive!) enviro-news you need to know for Friday June 30, 2023: [00:30] The latest re: nature's healing effects on human health & wellness [2:45] The planet gets a big win in Switzerland [4:00] 400 Panamanian golden frogs, 6 black-footed ferries, and a western lowland gorilla [9:00] What's living at the bottom of the ocean? (We don't know!) [12:00] The climate denying tide, it is a-changin'...

The world has a big fat carbon problem. There’s already too much of it in the atmosphere and – thanks to both our lifestyles and corporations' polluting, business-as-usual practices – we're emitting even more carbon into the atmosphere each and every second. Enter carbon capturing. Today in honor of Climate Optimism Week we are outlining the latest and greatest in the carbon capture game.  Here's...

When the climate narrative is all doom and gloom, many of us find it difficult to rally. It's the Snooze Button Effect in real-time: the barrage of "climate apocalypse" headlines lose their urgency, their potency. If you're desensitized to environmental news, know that you're not alone. Today I speak with angry-activist-turned-climate optimist  Anne Therese Gennari  about becoming more resilient a...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday June 13, 2023: [00:45] It's here my friends. We're living in the Fire Age [05:00] Cutting edge fire detection measures happening now [9:00] 5 steps to improving your indoor air quality [11:00] Air conditioners of the future   Resources mentioned: The Best Home Air Quality Monitor  (via NY Times) AirNow app Episode #312: 12 Practical Energy Saving Tips Jo...

There comes a time when we're simultaneously sick of all the greenwashing and angry at the snail's pace in which change tends to occur. Because while doing our best within our homes is indeed impactful, it does little to create large-scale change. If you're dedicated to leaving the world a better place than you found it, you're ready to become an advocate. Today's show is the second in a two part...

We all need to feel like we can make smart purchasing decisions, but it’s hard to know where to put our trust. Researchers have found dangerous levels of mercury in anti-aging creams; they’ve linked chemicals in hair dye to cancer; they’ve traced fragrances in soaps and shampoos to fertility issues.  And while it has become more confusing than ever to know whether our buying choices are putting ou...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday June 16, 2023: [00:30] German homeowners and financial sacrifice (heat pumps are expensive!) [04:00] Should we sacrifice the Great American landscape in the name of clean energy?  [11:00] Here's how South Koreans are making eco-sacrifices in real time   Resources mentioned: Join our (free!) community  here . Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are o...

Our brains are really darn busy. They're continually processing lots of information; they're also working overtime to keep us out of harm's way. And because they're overworked and underpaid, our brains seek out shortcuts. Sometimes these shortcuts are helpful but often they cause more harm than good. Enter cognitive distortions, which make us anxious, create excessive suffering, and blow our self-...

Our kids have big feelings about their stuff. In many homes, the mere suggestion of a toy and treasure decluttering sesh initiates a gargantuan cleanup battle.  Are your kiddos running out of space to store their special things? If so, it may be time to teach them the important skill of discerning their favorites from the minutia. Drama-free decluttering with kids is possible! Today I speak with s...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday June 9, 2023: [01:00] Promising developments re: PFAS legislation [4:00] Eco-conscious breweries? [8:00] Bad news for arctic sea ice [10:00] Sinking US cities and rising sea levels = trouble   Resources mentioned: Episode #264: Forever Chemicals Join our (free!) community  here . Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on  Facebook,   Instagram  + ...

When the clutter in your immediate physical environment becomes just another major stressor that bombards your autonomic nervous system, you may be stuck in the mess-stress cycle.  My children are almost on summer break and this means extra messes and excess stresses. On today's show: 5 steps to bare-bones home maintenance that will get your home back to functioning in 20 minutes or less. Here's a...

It's 2023 and upgrade culture is fierce. For many of us, wanting something is as good a reason as any to go out and buy it. And wanting a newer model of an item you already have? Just another excuse to splurge. Today's show is less of an interview and more of a conversation with the anti-upgrade king (a.k.a. my husband) about how we attempt to keep upgrade culture at bay in our own home. Here's a...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday June 2, 2023: [00:30] Angry environmentalists and the US debt deal  [4:00] Recycling centers create lots of microplastics (and lots of problems) [8:00] What you need to know about a gigantic log pile in Canada [11:00] "Rapidly growing catastrophic exposure" and home insurance changes   Join our (free!) community  here . Find your tribe. Sustainable Minim...

Countless online articles jammed with affiliate links entice readers to modernize. To swap what's working with something better. To stay relevant with the sleekest and newest. Some such guides even amplify the health and safety benefits associated with upgrading certain home items. But is replacement our only option? How can consumers truly know? On today's show we take 8 common household items an...

Sustainability chatter often centers around the importance of being selfless: Do better for waterways and ecosystems. Do better for endangered animals and, of course, do better for future generations, won't you? But humans tend to be self-centered as a species, and expert marketing has trained us to prioritize our personal whims over the collective. The result? Many tend to help others only if the...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday May 25, 2023: [00:30] The future of plastic [3:00] The relationship between heat and a poor night's sleep [5:00] Yay or nay: Should we relocate species endangered by climate change? [10:00] The Colorado River's woes   Join our (free!) community  here . Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on  Facebook,   Instagram  +  Youtube . Email me and say h...

It's almost always advisable to refrain from rash actions when emotionally charged, and rage decluttering is no exception. While filling that trash bag may feel great in the moment, enter guilt and shame shortly after. Often feel the impulse to rage clean and declutter? Today I speak with coach  Leslie Alder  about what to do instead.   Here's a preview: [3:00] Rage decluttering isn't about stuff;...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday May 18, 2023: [00:30] Indonesia's sinking problem [4:00] Trees can't walk but they're still moving north [7:00] Prepare yo'self! Extreme heat's a-coming in the next 5 years [13:00] Updates from beloved Yellowstone   Resources mentioned:  Donate to the Greater Yellowstone Commission Join our (free!) community  here . Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalis...