Sustainable Minimalists

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 Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
• Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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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. 

Andrea Olson is the voice behind the über popular method of bathroom training called elimination communication. On today's show Andrea explains the ways in which diaper companies play on our fears of being bad parents to push their single-use products; she also breaks down the steps she took to get her children out of diapers in half the time.

Here's a preview:

[4:45] Thoughts on intentionality in potty training as being better for both our children and the planet they will inherit

[9:00] A history of potty training: What did humans do before disposable diapers?

[16:00] Addressing common criticisms: Does elimination communication have adverse effects on a child's development?

[24:00] So how does it work, exactly?

Resources mentioned:

• Go Diaper Free podcast
• Andrea on Instagram
• Commons app

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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'

• Join our (free!) community here.
• Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
• Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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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 a preview:

[2:00] A carbon capture primer: What it is, why we need it, and why trees are simply no longer enough 

[5:00] 2 examples of small-scale carbon solutions

[11:00] The main differences between post combustion capture and direct air capture

[18:00] What on earth should we do with the carbon we end up capturing? 

[21:00] Let's not put all our eggs in the carbon capture basket! Here's why

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Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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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 and motivated when confronting the climate crisis – and why optimism is key when it comes to rethinking how we live in this world.

Welcome to Climate Optimism Week! Today’s show is the first in a two-part series outlining reasons to be hopeful in the climate fight.

Here's a preview: 

[5:00] How can we be climate optimists when the planet’s future looks so dire?

[11:30] 2 benefits to toning down the urgency 

[20:00] Can capitalism be our ally in the climate fight?

[25:00] What it really means to maximize your positive footprint

Resources mentioned: 

• What We Think About When We Try Not To Think About Global Warming: Toward a New Psychology of Climate Action by Per Espen Stoknes
• Upchoose

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Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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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
• Join our (free!) community here.
• Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
• Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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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 series about creating a marketplace that puts consumers — not mega corporations! — first, and I'm speaking with podcaster Jessica Brennan about her transition from quiet-but-crunchy parent to loud-and-proud advocate. Jessica was pivotal in the passing of the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA) which is the first substantial update to cosmetic laws since 1938. 

Here's a preview: 

[5:00] How to know when you're ready to take your frustration and do something with it outside of your home

[12:00] The surprising benefits associated with advocacy work

[18:00] Want to be an advocate but don't want to picket? Here's how

[24:00] Thoughts on using your voice for change even when it's scary

Resources mentioned: 

• Jessica on Instagram

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Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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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 our health at risk, America's laws often help manufacturers avoid accountability.

Today's show is the first in a two part series about creating a marketplace that puts consumers — not mega corporations! — first. 

Here's a preview:

[1:30] Mascara and blindness

[6:00] Antibiotics, antifreeze and over 100 deaths

[11:00] The link between Johnson & Johnson's baby powder and ovarian cancer; plus: the mega-corp's attempts to protect itself at the expense of 34,000+ victims

Resources mentioned:

• Johnson & Johnson Reaches Deal for $8.9 Billion Talc Settlement (via NY Times)
• US Judge Halts Most Talc Lawsuits Against J&J, Stops Trials (via Reuters)
• Talcum Powder Lawsuit Update June 2023 (via Forbes)

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Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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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 on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
• Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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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-esteem to smithereens. 

On today's show we flip and reverse these 6 unhelpful thought patterns for greater well-being:

[8:00] Overgeneralizations ("Everyone else is doing so much better than me!")

[10:00] Negative predictions ("I'm trapped!")

[15:00] Jumping to conclusions ("No one loves me as much as I love them!")

[19:00] All-or-nothing thinking ("If only I had ...")

[25:00] Misplaced self-doubt ("I'm an imposter!")

[28:00] Polarized thinking ("My life is a mess!")

Resources mentioned/Further reading:

• 5 Distorted Thought Patterns and How to Change Them (via Psychology Today)
• 6 Thought Patterns That Increase Anxiety (via Psychology Today)
• A New Earth by Eclhart Tolle

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Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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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 shopaholic-turned-minimalist Mary Simpson about the ways in which she empowers her children to make difficult decisions about their stuff.

Here's a preview:

[6:30] First things first: We respect our children by respecting their stuff

[9:30] Drowning in artwork and school papers? Here's what to do

[15:00] How many childhood mementos should you keep?

[26:00] Containers are your friend!

Resources mentioned:

• Mary on Instagram
• Want more episodes like this one? Check out #302: Raising Non-Materialistic Kids

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Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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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 + Youtube.
• Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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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 preview:

[2:30] Are you stressed, or are you in a stress cycle? Here's how to know

[5:30] The warning signs and symptoms of the mess-stress cycle

[13:00] 5 steps to getting your home back to functioning in under 20 minutes

Resources mentioned:

• How To Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach To Cleaning And Organizing by K.C. Davis
• Caught in a Stress Cycle (via Psychology Today)
• Episode #076: The Shoebox Method
• Episode #152: How To Organize For Your Personality

Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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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 preview:

[5:30] Don't forget utility!

[7:30] Thoughts on the connection between upgrade culture and performative wealth

[9:00] Why we don't buy stuff for our daughters "just because"

[15:00] Tech-free homes as a sneaky anti-upgrade power move

[18:00] The quiet power embedded within simply saying nothing

[23:00] Why and how to steer clear of the parenting path of least resistance, plus: How to teach your kids to care for their stuff

Resources Mentioned:

• National Crayon Recycling Program

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Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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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 Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
• Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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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 and ask the singular question: Do we *really* need to swap out these items with newer models?

Here's a preview: 

[3:00] Should we actually replace our toilet bowl brushes on the regular (or is a simple cleaning enough)?

[7:00] What's the truth when it comes to replacing personal care products?

[16:00] Hold up: do surge protecters need replacing?

[22:00] Let's talk cutting boards

[26:00] All-things mattresses ... again

[29;00] Everything you need to know about the efficacy of your smoke alarms

Resources mentioned:

• Sorry, but It’s Probably Time to Replace These 17 Household Essentials (via Wirecutter from NY Times)
• Tushy toilet brush with replaceable coconut husk cleaning pads
• Berkey water filters
• Izzy Zero Waste mascara
• How to Clean and Care for Wood Cutting Boards (via NY Times)
• Episode: #208: How to protect yourself from EMFs at home
• Episode #256: The Best Things In Life Are Free: Sleep

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Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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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 their needs and wants first feel fully fulfilled.

Self-centeredness has a universal benefit: planetary wellness *always* starts with personal wellness. On today's show Brienne Derosier introduces her concept of the Wellness Onion as a means of explaining how caring for ourselves is a smart and sneaky means of learning to care for all things everywhere.

Here's a preview:

[5:30] Layer One: What are you consuming?

[10:00] It's less about how you look and more about how you feel. Here's why

[12:00] Layer Two: What are you putting on your body?

[22:00] Layer Three: What are you putting in your home?

[32:00] Layer Four: What is your long-term legacy?

Resources mentioned:

• The International Living Future Institute

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Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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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 hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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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; it's about control

[9:00] Getting to the root of the trigger, plus: shame and guilt's consequences

[21:00] Exactly how to process our big adult feelings without grabbing the trash bag

[27:00] Getting out of the house to refresh your perspective (Srsly, just leave!)

[32:00] The antidote to periodic rage declutters? The quarantine box

Resources mentioned:

• Leslie on Instagram
• Join our (free!) community here.
• Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
• Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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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 Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
• Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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Maintaining a balanced life isn’t effortless. It takes constant adjustment and re-adjustment to remain steady.

The good news? When our health, wellness, or happiness feels a little off, the solution is often as simple as a few tweaks to our mostly-working routines.

It pays to take time to re-focus on the basics, and that's what we're doing today.

Here's a preview:

[6:30] Are you a Toyota, or are you a Lamborghini? (hint: you're a Lamborghini.)

[10:30] The 30-second daily practice that promises to transform your life

[16:00] Meaningful connections with other humans are worth the effort. Here's why

[21:00] Why it's important to be bored

Resources mentioned:

• Episode #365: Old Fashioned On Purpose
• Episode #300: The Golden Triangle
• Episode #369: The Commercialization Of Kids
• David's toothpaste

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Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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Big tech trains kids to become consumers from ... well, birth.

Child-targeted marketing is cringe-worthy at best and unethical at worst. It also undermines our children's healthy development because it robs them of opportunities to play, imagine, and learn freely without manipulation.

Today I speak with Dr. Susan Linn about the ways in which technology exploits children (and what we can do about it at home). 

Here's a preview:

[3:30] Brand loyalty? How media corporations exploit our children for profit

[6:30] Societal implications associated with perpetually up-selling to kids

[11:30] The ways in which big tech manipulates children into bonding with their devices

[17:00] A good, hard look: Addressing our collective preoccupation with technology

[28:00] Thoughts on breaking an older child’s screen addiction

Resources mentioned:

• Episode #337: Minimalist Screen Time and Slow TV 
• Who’s Raising the Kids? Big Tech, Big Business, and the Lives of Children
• Fair play

* Join our (free!) community here.

* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

* Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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The enviro-news you need to know for Friday May 12, 2023:

[00:30] An Alberta wildfires update

[2:00] Unplugged and offshore: The risks associated with 14,000 unplugged oil and gas wells in the Gulf

[6:30] Renewable energy and 266,410 square miles

[13:00] A sneak peek into our electric vehicle future

• Join our (free!) community here.
• Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
• Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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Are you consuming the news, or is the news consuming you?

While it's certainly important to be informed, there's a line in the sand between being adequately informed and over-informed. For many of us, regularly crossing that line leads to negative health and wellness effects.

On today's show: how to protect your headspace while also staying informed.

Here's a preview:

[3:00] 5 reasons why it's so darn easy to get caught up in the news cycle

[15:00] Headline stress disorder's effect of excessive new consumption on our physical and mental health

[18:00] The dopamine loop: 2 reasons why overconsumption of stuff is similar to overconsumption of news

[27:00] 3 tips and a final word

Resources mentioned:

• 1440
• The Skimm
• The Dopamine Seeking-Reward Loop (via Psychology Today)
• How the news changes the way we think and behave (via BBC)
• Join our (free!) community here.
• Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
• Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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From an early age we’re taught that personal fulfillment is dependent on both our accomplishments and our possessions. Yet despite advancing in our careers and overflowing our homes, many of us remain unsatisfied.

What's missing? According to today's guest, we are far too concerned with living from the outside-in when we should be doing the opposite. 

There is indeed a reality in which yearning for the bigger house and the better job takes a backseat to the whispers of our inner selves. On today's show: Shirin Etessam on true fulfillment as a byproduct of silencing our mental and emotional clutter. 

Here's a preview:

[6:00] What do our souls have to do with sustainable minimalism?

[9:00] The work is hard, but is the struggle worth it?

[17:00] The real reason we must address the mental clutter (and how to do it)

[30:00] Exactly how to heal your heart

[33:00] The importance of play, creativity, and curiosity in the lives of adults

Resources mentioned:

• Pre-order Free To Be: A Six-Week Guide to Reclaiming Your Soul

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Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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The enviro-news you need to know for Friday May 5, 2023:

[00:30] Dear gas stoves, Buh-bye! Love, New York

[2:00] Move over, Arabica: Why Liberica excelsa coffee may soon be in your mug

[5:00] Harnessing the knowledge of indigenous communities to curb global warming

[11:00] The world's leaders are looking to solar geo-engineering for quick, easy warming wins. Here's why

Resources mentioned: 

• Episode #230: A Better Cup Of (Ethical) Coffee
• Join our (free!) community here.
• Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
• Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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Nonprofit organizations work tirelessly for the better good and they depend on donations from you and me to fund their programs. But giving is not equally distributed: in 2021, just 3% of all donation dollars went to environmental and animal welfare organizations (source).

While we do indeed have the power to use every dollar we earn for change, giving can be confusing. There’s a massive difference between a worthy cause and a solid nonprofit and so on today's show I'm giving you the tools you need to find a quality charity that speaks to your heart. I'm also suggesting 7 environmental charities worthy of our hard-earned donations.

Here's a preview:

[5:00] Stay away from these shell non-profits, PACs, and misinformation funnels

[7:45] It's a minefield out there! How to vet a nonprofit like a boss

[19:00] Environmental catch-all orgs do an awful lot. Here are two of the best

[21:00] Care about animals? I've got you! 

[24:00] Want to remove carbon from the atmosphere? 2 nonprofit recs

Resources mentioned:

• GuideStar
• BBB Wise Giving Alliance
• Charity Navigator
• Environmental Defense Fund
• Natural Resources Defense Council 
• World Wildlife Fund
• The National Audubon Society
• Rainforest Alliance
• Clean Air Task Force
• Carbon180
• Episode #289: The Convenience Tax
• Episode #353: Are Carbon Offsets Worth It?

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Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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In the name of convenience, manufacturers sold us the promise that their products make life easier. And while such gadgets, appliances, and electronics have indeed taken over much of the physical labor associated with living, they have also eliminated many of the core competencies that once grounded us, connected us, and made us whole.

It's no surprise that many of us feel like something's missing.

It's a time of unprecedented technology and ease, sure, but still: many of us find ourselves craving a simpler way. If you've ever wondered whether you're working far too hard at all the wrong endeavors, today's conversation with podcaster Jill Winger is here to help.

Here's a preview: 

[8:00] Uncovering our collective 'modern malaise'

[12:00] The good, bag, and ugly: 3 ways in which industrialization has impacted our quality of life

[18:00] Want to be very slightly more self-sufficient? Here are some suggestions for where to start

[25:00] 2 steps to adopting an old-fashioned mindset right where you are

Resources mentioned:

Jill on Instagram

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The enviro-news you need to know for Friday April 28, 2023:

[00:30] Allergies, pollen, and climate change

[3:00] Fellow wine lovers, unite! Benefits to lighter bottles

[5:00] Enviro-implications re: SpaceX's Starship launch

[11:00] Everything you didn't know you wanted to know about nuclear energy

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Low waste living sounds great in theory, but in practice? Thanks to life's obstacles, it's much harder to commit for the long-haul. Add children into the equation and intentionally creating less trash can feel like a daily, uphill slog.

On today's show I speak with blogger and life coach Rebekah Lara about recommitting to your low waste goals despite waning motivation.

Here's a preview:

[3:30] An excuse, or a legitimate barrier?

[10:30] Imperfection vs. perfection in the low-waste community

[17:30] Intermediate low-wasters unite! Why you should take a second (and third) look at the contents of your trashcan

[25:00] It's not about the mason jar filled with trash: How to re-center your efforts around the big picture

Resources mentioned:

• Going Green And Living Green Workbook

Want more episodes like this one? Check out the following:

•  #306: Low-Waste Lunchboxes
• #177: Becoming A Zero Waste Chef
• #093: How (Exactly) To Cook Zero Waste Meals

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We all have habits we’d like to banish, and often we believe our success or failure comes down to discipline and willpower. But discipline and willpower don't tell the whole story, and that's because the brain doesn’t make changes easily.

Breaking a bad habit CAN be done, and today's show is here to help.

Today's content is specifically framed around a listener's question re: buying on impulse, but please know the suggestions offered are rooted in neuroscience and can be applied to any (and every!) habit you’d like to break.

Here's a preview:

[4:30] How to use the Feedback Loop to ask yourself the right whys 

[15:00] The importance of removing and/or inserting visual cues when breaking a bad habit

[27:00] Reign in your expectations! Here's why it takes lots of time to rewire your brain

[33:00] Everything you need to know about compulsive shopping disorder

Resources mentioned:

• Episode #362: Living On Purpose
• 5 Ways to Break Your Bad Habit Now (via Psychology Today)
• Compulsive Shopping: A Guide to Causes and Treatment (via Psychology Today)

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Welcome to Living On Purpose week!

Living on purpose isn't about changing who you are; it's about rising up and becoming the best version of you. But amidst the chaotic rush of our days it's easy to get caught up in the “doing”. And when we hyper-focus on doing, we often neglect the important and intentional act of reflection.

Today best-selling author Tanya Dalton brings us both cutting-edge research and practical inspiration to help you find the unhurried purpose that's hidden in your days.

Stay tuned for Thursday's related episode in which we discuss how to break a bad habit, for good.

Here's a preview:

[4:00] Why we absolutely must look backwards for clues before planning ahead

[18:00] We tend to choose instant gratification over pursuing our long-term goals. Here's why, according to neuroscience

[20:00] How to use Cathedral Thinking to visualize your purpose

[32:00] It's not 'unstuck'! The real opposite of being stuck, plus tangible ways to get out of a rut

[37:00] Exactly why discipline and willpower are overrated

[41:00] Habit stacking beats multitasking Every. Darn. Time. (with practical ways to try your hand at stacking good habits)

Resources mentioned:

• The Joy Of Missing Out
• On Purpose: The Busy Woman's Guide to an Extraordinary Life of Meaning & Success
• Want more episodes like this one? Check out #354: Edit Your Life

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The enviro-news you need to know for Friday April 14, 2023:

[00:30] From 7% to 67%: The EPA's proposed new EV standards

[3:30] The dirty electricity turning point is here

[5:30] Buh-bye, lithium? The rise of sodium batteries

[12:00] 22K gallons for your swimming pool

Resources mentioned:

• Episode #260: The White Gold Rush
• Episode #131: 5 Fact About The Global Water Crisis

Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

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We Americans are notorious for making our unwanted stuff someone else's problem. Part of the reason has to do with our desire to be altruistic: We tell ourselves we're helping the less fortunate when we pass on our perfectly decent items.

But the reality is much bleaker: Both our recently-decluttered donations and our down-and-dirty trash create problems for the people and places that get stuck with our stuff.

Here's a preview of what we're discussing today:

[3:00] The literal mountain of clothes in West Africa

[7:00] Swirling, soupy, and more than one: Here's what you likely didn't know about the Pacific trash vortex

[14:00] Alabama's recent landfill fire

[18:00] What's the reality re: America's plastic recyclables?

[22:00] You - yes you! - can help. Here's how

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Our culture's messaging angles household labor as unimportant and uninspiring. And while work within the home is largely undervalued, the sad reality is that the chores, cooking, laundry, and everything else simply must get done. 

Here's something that's not often discussed: there's a quiet joy to be found in tending to the home. Today I speak with podcaster and homemaker extraordinaire Lisa Bass about the underappreciated value an excellent homemaker brings to their family. 

Here's a preview:

[6:00] Societal messaging around homemaking versus the importance of learning by doing

[15:00] How to find the time and motivation to cook in a culture that glorifies convenience

[25:00] Conducting a ruthless self-assessment of your cooking skills (and how to improve!)

[30:00] The essential mindset shift re: all-things homemaking

[35:00] Using "the sauce of hunger" as a tool for managing picky eaters

Resources mentioned:

• Episode Episode #357: Recycling The Unrecyclable
• Simple Farmhouse Life podcast
• Lisa on Instagram

Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

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The enviro-news you need to know for Friday April 7, 2023:

[00:30] Changing tornados and tornado seasons

[4:00] Amazon.com and the problem with climate "pledges"

[5:30] Paris's electric scooters problem

[10:00] Big Oil in the Niger Delta

Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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Chances are we've all been influenced to buy something at least once before. But the rise of influencer marketing is a different beast that has fundamentally altered the way brands sell to consumers. 

On today's show I suggest 5 ways to be influenced less. 

Here's a preview of the tips we're discussing today:

[13:00] Think of influencers not as friends but as salespeople

[15:00] Look for these FTC disclosures

[18:00] Know thyself by decluttering

[21:00] Raise the buying bar

[25:00] It's not a deal if you don't need it

Join our (free!) community here.

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After losing a loved one, deciding what to do with their possessions is a complicated process. We humans tend to attach sentiment to physical things; it's no surprise, then, that many of us find ourselves suffering over not just the loss of life but also over the perceived loss of memories embedded within their belongings.

Today's conversation offers insight into decluttering through grief. Krista St. Germain is a Post-Traumatic Growth and grief expert; she's also a widow who believes that pain is inevitable but whether or not we suffer is entirely within our control.

Here's a preview:

[6:00] How to know when the time is right to sort through your deceased loved one's belongings (and where to start)

[9:45] Here's how facing sentimental clutter head-on fits within the grieving process

[22:00] Where to start and how to keep going: Krista's best tips

[27:00] Practical ways to steer clear of indecision drama

[30:00] How to best memorialize a loved one without keeping every single thing

Resources mentioned:

• The Widowed Mom Podcast
• Join our (free!) community here.
• Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
• Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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The enviro-news you need to know for Friday March 31, 2023:

[00:30] iPhone's new eco-feature

[4:00] Bee brains

[7:30] Kids v. Montana

[12:00] Why is Duluth, Minnesota suddenly popular? 

Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

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"I wish you would do an episode on TerraCycle. They have been in the news about not truly recycling the items they collect [and] their boxes are expensive. Am I wasting my money?" 

Here's a preview:

[3:30] The Number One difference between TerraCycle's sponsored waste program and zero waste boxes

[7:00] Have you seen the that cool infinity logo on products? Here's what it means

[13:30] What happened to Loop?

[19:00] Two 'gotcha' moments and a lawsuit

Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

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Furniture and decor trends can be tempting. But trends peak then inevitably decline; after just a few years, our choices re: side lamps, accent chairs and everything in between often become (gasp!) outdated.

It's true: hopping on and off the trend bandwagon can leave us broke and wasteful. On today's show interior designer Betsy Helmuth first offers this spring's biggest decor trends, then together we make them eco-conscious.

Here's a preview of the spring decor trends we're tweaking today:

[4:30] Moody maximalist wall colors

[9:00] Large-scale natural stone

[14:00] Embellished window treatments

[22:00] Doorknobs, pulls, and other metal finishes

[30:00] Statement lamps

Resources mentioned:

• Van Deusen Blue paint by Benjamin Moore
• Rub and Buff
• CoolKnobsAndPulls.com
• Episode #239: How To Find Your Home Decor Style
• Annie Sloan chalk paint
• Join our (free!) Facebook community here
• Affordable Interior Design podcast

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, March 24, 2023:

[00:30] Potential PFAS regulation?

[3:30] The planet's enduring fever

[8:30] 'Slow burn' television

[12:00] We want what we want when we want it: Our love of off-season produce

Resource mentioned: 

• Episode #264: Forever Chemicals

Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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Goody bags, Easter baskets, and other junk culture opportunities: Revisiting the cheap plastic toys conundrum.

Here's a preview:

[3:00] Everybody hates goody bags, so why are we still giving them?

[8:00] The history of gifting: 4 reasons why humans are wired to give gifts

[20:00] Words of encouragement for listeners reluctant to go against the grain

[27:00] 5 things to consider re: hosting a no-present birthday 

Resources mentioned:

• Episode #253: Everything Eco-Minimalist Birthdays
• Episode #8: How To Host a No-Presents Birthday
• Email me your best junk-culture free birthday hacks! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Join our (free!) community here.

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Life is noisier, messier, and more complicated than ever. In our quest to keep up, we can try to do it all—with mixed results.

Instead of life passively happening TO us, we each have the power to create the life we want to live. On today's show: A conversation with author Elisabeth Sharp McKetta about figuring out what matters most and hitting delete on what doesn’t.

Here's a preview:

[7:00] Before we edit, we must first examine: 3 questions to regularly ask when seeking a life of intention

[9:30] The paradox of choice, plus: Why many of us rarely go after our first choice

[16:00] Words of encouragement for listeners who examine their life and don't like what they see

[21:00] Using your unique "core competencies" as organizing principles when editing your life

[27:00] Editing for generosity: How to edit your narrative to benefit the collective

[33:00] Elisabeth and Stephanie's thoughts on enjoying life despite the world's messiness

Resources mentioned:

• Edit Your Life: A Handbook For Living With Intention In A Messy World
• The Mother-Daughter Puzzle by Rosjke Hasseldine
• Join our (free!) community here.
• Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
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The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, March 17, 2023:

[00:30] Lab-to-table dairy

[4:00] Norfolk Southern's dioxin problem

[7:45] A failed levee and aging infrastructure

[12:00] Bumpy flights and climate change

[14:30] Cooking oil jet fuel?

Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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Should you pay a bit more for carbon-neutral shipping? (Answer: It's complicated.) How do you best offset your next flight? (Answer: Pay much more than you think.)  On today's show we break down all-things carbon offsets. 

Here's a preview:

[4:00] Are carbon offsets a greenwashing gimmick?

[6:00] How to calculate the equity weighted social cost of carbon of your next flight

[15:30] Guilt-free shopping? Here's what carbon neutral shipping really means

[19:30] Breaking down the Climate Neutral Certified logo 

Resources mentioned/Further reading:

• Revealed: more than 90% of rainforest carbon offsets by biggest certifier are worthless, analysis shows (via The Guardian)
• Calculate your flight emissions with MyClimate

Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

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The answer to a happier, more connected life may be as simple as connecting with nature. Enter houseplants, a.k.a. an easy and accessible way to bring the outside in. Although caring for plants has been shown to reduce stress, increase joy, and cultivate connections with ourselves, others and the earth, many of us are epic plant killers. What then?

On today's show author and podcaster Maria Failla teaches a crash course on houseplant care for novice and intermediate listeners so that we (fingers crossed!) never kill a houseplant again.

Here's a preview:

[4:30] Why do plants make us feel so good? Here's what science says

[10:45] How to create your plant collection for under $20

[19:00] How to successfully grow houseplants in cold, dark, and drafty homes

[23:00] Exactly when and how to "pot up"

[28:00] Brown leaves, yellow leaves, plants with "legs", pests, orchids that won't re-bloom, and other common plant woes

Resources mentioned:

• Maria's Plant Parent Personality Test
• Espoma Organic
• Hand Me Up
• Young Planet

Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

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The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, March 10, 2023:

[2:00] #StopWillow

[4:30] 'Zombie' forests

[7:30] The UN's (historic) High Seas Treaty

[11:30] Poland Spring's unquenchable thirst

Further learning:

• Episode #137: 5 Facts About The Global Water Crisis

Join our (free!) community here.

Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.

Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

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Corporations make money when consumers perseverate over what they don't have. And personal development? If you want to grow into the best person you can be, Step One is to abandon a mindset that's focused on scarcity.

On this episode: how to radically transform your cognitive patterns from ruminating on what you lack to appreciating what you have in under 5 minutes a day.

Here's a preview:

[3:30] Do you suffer from a scarcity mindset? Find out in this quick, 6-question quiz

[8:00] Exactly how a scarcity mindset impacts your brain and behavior, according to psychology

[20:00] The multitudinous benefits associated with an abundance mindset, plus 3 steps to get you there

Resources mentioned:

• Episode #343: The Distorted Mirror
• Episode #299: Future-Conscious Thinking
• Join our (free!) community here
• Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube
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When it comes to sustainable action, we tend to label behaviors as either/or: Either we're acting in a way that's "eco-friendly" or ..., well, not. But some lifestyle tweaks are greener than others: When time, energy, and funds are finite, where's the best place to focus our efforts?

On today's show: A conversation with Sam Schreiner about the 4 categories of sustainable action - with a hefty dose of data-driven analysis to boot.

Here's a preview:

[7:00] 0.1 versus 1.0 makes a big difference! 5 examples of high impact efforts

[20:00] The privilege problem: Why are high impact behaviors also often high cost?

[27:00] Let's chat about low impact efforts. Do they matter?

[31:00] Gateway drugs and ripple effects: Here's why its impossible to quantify a lifetime's-worth of intention

Resources mentioned:

• University of California Berkeley CoolClimate Calculator
• Project Sunroof
• Episode #330: The Big Fix
• Episode #253: Everything Eco-Minimalist Birthdays
• Ecosia
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