podcast Archives - Sustainable Minimalists: Recent Episodes
Stephanie Seferian
We Americans may indeed be “rich” in material terms, but we suffer from what Mother Teresa calls a poverty of spirit. As we chased economic growth we closed ourselves off. We abandoned interconnectedness with other people, beings, and things. We also abandoned ourselves.Many of the problems in our world today are visual manifestations of such abandonment. If the world isn’t looking the way you want it to look right now, author Jeff Golden argues that solving our (numerous) issues starts by healing our culture-wide poverty of spirit.Here’s a preview:[4:00] Money doesn’t make us happy, and the extent to which we strive for stuff is a manifestation of how unhappy we actually are inside[8:00] How we feel about ourselves impacts how we show up in the world. How we treat others! Whether we regard other beings with love and respect![16:00] Exactly why healing our world (and ourselves) may indeed start by getting out of our heads[32:00] Debunking heady intellectual conversations about the importance of the economy, plus: a laundry list of the ways we use stuff as stand-ins for well-being[38:00] Tangible ways to “drop into yourself” (because you and others deserve it!)Resources mentioned:
- Episode #478: Charting A Rich Life
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Reclaiming the Sacred: Healing Our Relationships with Ourselves and the World
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Capitalism has transformed the world, sure. But at what cost? (Immense environmental ones, of course.)
Americans, it’s high-time we accept that the Golden Age of capitalism is long gone. On today’s show: A frank discussion with sustainable finance visionary Kara Perez about insulating ourselves from late-stage capitalism’s most damaging effects with individual and collective action.
Here’s a preview:
[6:00] Money is a tool for change, and yet it’s literally something we made up
[11:00] Can we be nickled and dimed even more than we already are? (Spoiler alert: Yes.)
[14:00] A few of the ways in which shareholder capitalism limits society’s ability to progress
[22:00] Tangible ways you and I can “change the flow of money”
Resources mentioned:
- Episode #395: Lifestyle Creep (with Kara Perez)
- Green Money: How to Reduce Waste, Build Wealth, and Create a Better Future for All
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How to Be an Anticapitalist in the Twenty-First Century (by Erik Olin Wright)
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This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! If you’re a financial supporter over on Apple Podcasts and want to join Book Club, please email me and let me know! For privacy reasons, Apple won’t share your contact info with me. Just email me and I’ll happily add you!
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Our culture is marked by both comparison and overconsumption, and we are constantly urged to hustle for something bigger, better, or more expensive because happiness (supposedly) lies within the next purchase or achievement. But what if the key to living a more satisfied life is to simply slow down and listen to your intuition?
On today’s show: A conversation with best-selling author Stephanie O’Dea about breaking free from hustle culture for increased fulfillment, reduced stress, and a stronger sense of purpose.
Here’s a preview:
[8:00] Doing things out of guilt, obligation, or acceptance versus Simply Looking Only Within (SLOW!)
[12:00] It’s a lot easier to sell things to people who are unhappy. Enter our preponderance for fast living
[20:00] Is conventional ‘success’ possible when we are living slow?
[25:00] What to do when you can’t hear the voice within because daily life is too fast and too noisy
[27:00] The more social media scrolling, the more disenchantment. And yet we are creatures of comparison …
Resources mentioned:
- Slow Living: Cultivating a Life of Purpose in a Hustle-Driven World
- The Slow Living Podcast
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
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The post A Life Of Purpose appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Water is a finite resource. Freshwater shortages are increasingly striking regions around the globe and, as demand for water rises while supply continues to drop, the price of water will likely skyrocket.
It’s more important than ever to be smart about water. On today’s show horticulturist Noelle Johnson offers easy ways to save water and have a beautiful yard — even amongst challenging climatic conditions.
Here’s a preview:
[5:00] Globally, less rain is falling, and simultaneously the planet is desertifying. What are the consequences?
[11:00] Exactly why rainwater is better for our plants than water from the hose, plus: 3 ways to effectively capture rainwater
[15:00] Did you know you can repurpose gray water in your yard? (I sure didn’t!)
[26:00] Musings on lawns
[32:00] 7 ways to use less water in your vegetable garden (hint: raised beds require more water!)
Resources mentioned:
- Episode #137: The Global Water Crisis
- Episode #500: Rebuilding Your Village
- The Water-Smart Garden: Techniques and Strategies for Conserving, Capturing, and Efficiently Using Water in Today’s Climate… and Tomorrow’s
- Noelle on Instagram
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
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The post Water Smarts appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
These days, dry cleaners press shirts, industrialized farms grow monocrops, and factories churn out single-use varieties of (nearly) everything. And when a possession looks a little worn or a little torn? Many Americans trash it and buy new without a second thought.
Life can be simpler, more affordable, and downright sweeter when you do things yourself and maintain what you already own. On today’s show: Calling on the timeless wisdom of our great grandparents to re-learn specific, self-sufficient skills for the long haul.
Here’s a preview of the skills we are re-learning today:
[5:30] How to season your cast iron skillet
[9:30] How to buy local food every week
[21:00] How to best care for your leather footwear
[24:00] No more dry cleaning! How to (properly) iron a shirt
[29:00] How to shop without credit
[34:00] How to use baking soda for nearly everything
Resources mentioned:
- Episode #468: Cooking With Cast Iron
- Episode #494: Streamlining Non-Negotiables
- localharvest.org
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Stuff You Should Know appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Clothing swaps (or toy swaps, or book swaps, or home goods swaps) are a low-stakes way to declutter your closet and acquire new-to-you clothes. These events also happen to be the epitome of of communal care and can fundamentally change how others view secondhand items.
Share resources with your neighbors, reduce waste, and get socializing without exchanging money! On today’s show 4-time clothing swap host Jess Schroeder divulges her pro secrets to hosting a successful swap party.
Here’s a preview:
[8:00] The price of clothes has dropped dramatically in the last 30 years. Are clothing swaps pointless amidst our cultural reverence for cheap goods?
[13:30] What is it about a swap that’s so darn fun?
[19:00] Your questions answered: Exactly how to host a killer clothing swap
[24:00] How to be size inclusive and other pro tips for hosts and guests alike
Resources mentioned:
- Sophie Strauss on Instagram
- Sign up for our newsletter!
- This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Head to betterhelp.com/minimal for 10% off your first month.
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- Join our (free!) Facebook community here.
- Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post How To Host A Clothing Swap appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Our To-Do lists are never-ending, sure. But it’s neither realistic nor fair to assume we can excel in every arena.
Enter selective mediocrity, a.k.a. that conscious choice to let some stuff go.
We simply can’t do it all, and selective mediocrity enables us to give our whole selves to the tasks and goals that really matter. On today’s show: A conversation with Dr. Whitney Casares about actually lowering our expectations (not just pretending we lowered them!) and preserving our precious time and energy.
Here’s a preview:
[3:30] Feel like you’re doing it all? Here are the 9 areas that take up the majority of a woman’s time
[9:30] We moms aren’t broken. The system is broken!
[15:00] Divide your responsibilities into these 4 categories to reduce perpetual overwhelm
[21:00] How do you decide when and where to be ‘selectively mediocre’?
[24:00] Anxiety loves perfection because anxiety loves control. Musings on being OK with letting some things go
[28:00] Women have been conditioned to put others’ needs ahead of their own. Time to enact self-boundaries!
[31:00] But what if we don’t do [insert random task]? Will it not get done?
Resources mentioned:
Doing It All: Stop Over-Functioning and Become the Mom and Person You’re Meant to Be
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Selective Mediocrity appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
A recent study finds Americans are spending notably more time at home, and it’s not wholly the pandemic’s fault. Thank technology: For the last 20 years Americans have slowly traded their social institutions — like churches and clubs — for isolation.
Have we forgotten how to be social creatures? On today’s show: A conversation with journalist Rosie Spinks about concrete ways to rebuild your proverbial village.
Here’s a preview:
[4:00] Counting the ways in which the pandemic hastened a cultural shift toward isolation already in progress
[9:00] You don’t need friends; you need 50 people
[16:00] Be the person who asks twice!
[24:00] The quiet genius of enacting place-based rituals
[31:00] Reminder! Canceling is not a form of self-care
[35:00] Are your social efforts rarely reciprocated? Enact this 3-second mindset shift
Resources mentioned:
- What Do We Do Now That We’re Here (via Substack)
- Kurt Vonnegut’s commencement speech
- Episode #498: Removing The Mask
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Rebuilding Your Village appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
The US hails consumption as a patriotic duty. But refraining from buying isn’t a punishment, and practicing a bit of self-control both resets our hedonistic baseline and re-centers our behaviors around moderation.
It’s paradoxical but true: Imposing temporary limits ultimately sets you free. On today’s show author John Oakes discusses the numerous benefits associated with fasting from food, from spending, and everything in between.
Here’s a preview:
[9:00] What do ancient philosophers have to say about self-control, holding back, and managing desires?
[13:00] Musings on why it’s important to put limits on ourselves even though our economy thrives when we consume without limits
[25:00] We can do hard things! The personal benefits associated with embarking on a challenge and accomplishing it
[29:00] Is overconsumption contributing to our nationwide ‘modern malaise’?
Resources mentioned:
- The Fast: The History, Science, Philosophy, and Promise of Doing Without
- Episode #049: The Why, How, and When of a No-Spend Challenge
- The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post The Antidote To Hedonic Adaptation appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
The Japanese argue that we each have three faces. The first is your idealized, near-perfect version; it’s also the mask you present to the world. You reveal your second face selectively to very close friends and family, and you keep your third face — your true self — hidden from everyone (including, perhaps, yourself).
Our first mask conveys self-assuredness. Of being happy, put together, and in charge. But beneath our masks, we are messy creatures. We may even be living in deep emotional pain. On today’s show: A conversation with author Jarod K. Anderson about removing our masks, being vulnerable, and boldly accepting our authentic, messy selves.
Here’s a preview:
[6:00] Shoulds, musts, and our cultural love of billable productivity
[10:00] Jarod’s thoughts on why we tend to turn to external validation and societally-approved markers to enhance self-esteem
[13:00] The toxic myth that is ‘rugged individualism’
[18:00] Exactly why vulnerability is terrifying but essential
[25:00] How to view the natural world as a medicinal anchor that accepts us just as we are
Resources mentioned:
- Something in the Woods Loves You
- Jarod on Instagram
Resources mentioned:
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Removing The Mask appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Want to be “up to date” with your wardrobe choices? Fashion forwardness understands that the textile industry is incredibly polluting; having your finger on the fashion pulse, then, is about consciously choosing not to participate in trends.
And yet we somehow must dress ourselves. While fast fashion is quite literally made to fall apart, wearing what we wore decades ago isn’t a good look. So what on earth is a sustainable minimalist to do?
On today’s show: How to mindfully refresh your wardrobe with tips straight from experts.
* A note from Stephanie: The future of this show is uncertain, and it needs hundreds (hundreds!) more supporters to stay afloat. If you find yourself thinking about the world differently after listening, please consider supporting the show with $5 per month or $45 per year. Thank you for doing your part to keep Sustainable Minimalists in existence! https://sustainableminimalists.substack.com
Here’s a preview of the expert-backed techniques we are discussing today:
[8:30] All Killer, No Filler! Stop settling for garments that are “good enough”
[17:00] Adapt, Don’t Abandon: How to pair an outdated item with something that’s on trend
[24:00] Refine your style with The 3-Word Method
[26:00] Raise the dead! (A.K.A. bring back to life high-quality, foundational pieces)
[31:00] When all else fails, consider a uniform
Resources mentioned:
- Episode #217: Organized Entryway Ideas (with Shira Gill)
- Episode #397: What Organizers Do
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post A Mindful Wardrobe Refresh appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
More free time and less stress. Extra money in the bank. While minimalists often report such benefits of the lifestyle over and over, for many of us, it goes deeper. Indeed, a minimalist lifestyle may fundamentally change the way we interact with the world.
As this podcast approaches its 500th episode I find myself curious about the ways in which adopting a minimalist or minimal-ish outlook has altered the ways in which we as community act and think.
On today’s show: A conversation with minimalist Elaina Jindra about just some of the ways her life is different these days.
Here’s a preview of the minimalism-inspired habit changes we are discussing today:
[8:00] Watching less television and turning away from mass media
[14:00] Buying in bulk, no more
[19:00] Storing it at the store? Sure. Plus: Storing it at Goodwill!
[22:00] Eating healthier and drinking less alcohol
[25:00] Stepping into the role of ‘creator’ while losing the identity of ‘consumer’
Resources mentioned:
- Sign up for the Sustainable Minimalists newsletter (it’s free!) here
- Hobby Hour (via Substack)
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Ripple Effects appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Just because a product is marketed to babies or kids doesn’t mean it’s safe, and new research published just last week has alarming things to say about the presence of phthalates in personal care products for children.
While minimalists know that excess stuff harms our emotional well-being and mental loads, sustainable minimalists understand that products can and do harm our physical health. On today’s show: Applying the tenets of sustainable minimalism to the hair and skin products our children use each day.
Here’s a preview:
[7:00] If phthalates make plastics flexible and bendy, what on earth are they doing in personal care products?
[10:00] Don’t see the term ‘phthalate’ on a product’s ingredients list? That doesn’t mean it’s phthalate-free!
[13:00] Are phthalates the reason why our daughters are getting their periods younger and younger?
[19:00] No 10-step skincare regimen to see here: Here’s a 5-step cleanup regimen for your household
[25:00] Musings on the tween and teen skincare beauty craze
Resources mentioned:
- Impact of Skin Care Products on Phthalates and Phthalate Replacements in Children: the ECHO-FGS
- Ultra-Processed Foods And Cardiovascular Disease: Analysis Of Three Large US Prospective Cohorts And A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Prospective Cohort Studies
- Episode #425: The Obesogens
- Yuka App
Products mentioned on today’s show:
- Giovanni Eco Chic Golden Wheat Deep Cleanse Shampoo
- Attitude Baby Leaves Hair And Body Wash
- Attitude Super Leaves Conditioner
- Kinship SPF 32 Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide
- David’s Toothpaste
- Giovanni L.A. Hold Hair Spritz
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post The Problem With Products Marketed To Kids appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Meal planning and prepping, laundry, and taking out the trash: These non-negotiable household tasks are never truly “done”. And because it’s impossible to get ahead of these mundane chores, they are likely the reason you feel like you’re always busy but never accomplish anything.
The bad news? Non-negotiables are a part of adulting. The good news? Streamlining such chores with a reduces the time and mental load associated with getting them done.
On today’s show: How to streamline meal planning for the rest of your life in under an hour.
Here’s a preview:
[6:30] Breaking down exactly how much extra you’re paying for meal kits
[12:00] How to create a 28-day meal plan so you never have to meal plan again
[16:00] Take it a step further with one-and-done and done grocery lists
Resource mentioned:
- Episode #270: Desperation Dinners
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Streamlining Non-Negotiables appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
American culture is heavily influenced by a “rise and grind” reverence for hustling, and many of us have adopted the belief that sleep is a waste of time. When we dismiss the importance of sleep, we have more time to work harder and longer. And when we have more money in our pockets, what we are really doing is keeping our capitalist engines turning.
Contrary to what you’ve been told, sleep is not time wasted. On today’s show: The Number One way to improve your health, wellness, and quality of life without spending any money at all (ahem … prioritizing sleep).
Here’s a preview:
[3:00] Rise and grind culture promotes sleep deprivation!
[9:00] What happens when we sleep? Hop on a metaphorical submarine and explore the Sleep Sea
[15:00] A laundry list of bad sleep’s deleterious health and wellness effects
[21:00] In your 40s or 50s? You especially need to prioritize sleep, and here’s why
[29:00] 6 research-backed ways to prioritize sleep every darn night
Resources mentioned:
- Episode #472: Breath Awareness
- Episode #465: Optimizing Your Walks
- Outlive: The Science And Art Of Longevity (by Dr. Peter Attia)
- Why We Sleep: Unlocking The Power Of Sleep And Dreams (by Dr. Matthew Walker)
- The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Sleep Is Medicine appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
We humans are evolutionarily primed to live in concert with the natural world, but these days Americans spend over 92% of time either indoors or inside a vehicle. The result? Stress, inflammation and — for some of us — a pervasive sense of malaise.
American culture is designed to keep us indoors because capitalist engines make money when we are distracted, and yet cutting-edge science supports the reality that life on this planet is radically interconnected. On today’s show author Lyanda Lynn Haupt introduces the concept of rooted living to benefit of both humans and nature.
Here’s a preview:
[11:00] Nature provides connection, and yet 21st century life vilifies the outdoors
[16:00] Exactly why our capitalist engines benefit when we live indoors lives
[22:00] Musings on our collected extractive mindset, plus: how roots are the antidote
[28:00] Lyanda’s Number One tip for re-rooting yourself and your children (It’s a good one!)
Resources mentioned:
- Rooted: Life At The Crossroads Of Science, Nature, and Spirit
- Lyanda on Instagram
- Episode #384: Forest Bathing 101
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Roots appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
A product needs to fit into someone’s life seamlessly in order for it to be bought, and it’s the job of the advertiser to show exactly how the item in question will fit into a life. On today’s show: 5 crucial insights advertisers know about us (that we perhaps don’t know about ourselves).
Here’s a preview:
[1:00] Examining our clutter problem through metaphor (bathtub, baby!)
[9:00] Selling isn’t about emotion; it’s about seduction
[13:00] We humans are animals, and animals are evolutionarily primed to heed warnings
[15:00] Curiosity versus urgency: Both emotional states convert!
[21:00] How companies slowly but surely increase market share, plus: here’s what happens when a product differentiates itself on eco-friendliness
[26:00] Insider advertising works!
Resources mentioned:
The Hidden Clutter Creator Right Under Your Nose (via Your House Machine on Substack)
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post What Advertisers Know appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
One football field’s-worth of forest is lost every single second of every single day. Loss of forests means loss of species and loss of stored carbon; it also means an increased risk of pandemics.
On today’s show: Explaining the ways in which deforestation is linked to the pandemic prevalence, with tangible action steps for conscious consumers.
Here’s a preview:
[5:00] It’s not just about timber; it’s about livestock, soy, and palm oil too
[12:30] Exactly what happens when we raze forests and the generalists (ahem … the rats, the mosquitos) march in
[26:00] Breaking down the differences between the 3 Forest Stewardship Council certifications
[29:00] Revisiting the palm oil problem
[32:00] The industrialized food system is broken, and it pays to shorten your personal food chain
Resources mentioned:
- Episode #447: No Topsoils, No Food
- Episode #187: Why Is Palm Oil Bad?
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post If Trees Could Talk appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Parenthood is awash with immense pressure to do right by our kids. We are told that children need certain (expensive) experiences to ‘get ahead’, and many of us observe our parenting peers invest in countless extracurriculars. But children need downtime, and recent research suggests that children should experience twice as much unstructured time as structured enrichment.
On today’s show podcaster Kathryn Garland and I discuss how to find the structured, extracurricular sweet spot for your family.
Here’s a preview:
[4:30] Scheduling rule #1: Family First (not Kid First!)
[9:00] Boredom matters, and white space is vital
[15:00] When dabblers don’t fit into a world of specializers
[22:00] Musings on extracurriculars, the ‘rat race’ and getting ahead
[26:00] Start with the end in mind (and other tips for finding the extracurriculars sweet spot)
[31:00] Words of encouragement for leaning into the quiet and into the slow
Resources mentioned:
- Don’t Sign Your Child Up For That (Extra)Curricular
- Episode #478: Charting A Rich Life
- Homespun: Create The Life You Crave Podcast
- Kathryn on Instagram
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Extracurriculars Are Extra appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Welcome to Back To School Week 2024!
In many homes, back to school season means back to packing lunchboxes. It’s a stress-inducing chore, sure, as many parents find it difficult to think up new, creative lunch ideas that are actually healthy (and will actually get eaten!).
On today’s show registered dietician nutritionist Megan McNamee offers up her tried and true lunchbox formula; she also suggests simple lunch ideas that will make prepping lunches a breeze.
Stay tuned for Thursday’s Back To School episode about acquiring school supplies, clothes, and gear like a sustainable minimalist.
Here’s a preview:
[4:00] Is there anything “wrong” with school lunches?
[8:00] Pack when your kitchen is open! (And other practical ways to make lunchbox packing easier)
[13:00] Add balance and variety by following Megan’s Lunch Formula
[20:00] Lunchbox ideas you’ve never heard of before
[26:00] Must lunchboxes have a dessert?
[33:00] How to best use after school snack time as a sneaky way to supplement your child’s diet
Resources mentioned:
- Feeding Littles Lunches: 75+ No-Stress Lunches Everyone Will Love
- Episode #391: Predictors Of Back To School Success
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Feeding Littles Lunches appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Scientists have found unsettling details about the potential health risks of common household cleaning products. And yet Big Cleaning capitalizes on fear of germs, bacteria, and disease to sell us home cleansers with traditional chemical compounds on the regular.
It behooves us to ask ourselves whether the ways things have always been done align with our own values. On today’s show Zac Kieffer argues it’s high-time we redefine what it means to clean.
Here’s a preview:
[3:00] Three reasons why it’s important to perpetually question the way we clean and disinfect
[8:00] Are you disinfecting correctly? (Answer: Probably not.)
[16:00] Ammonia! 2-Butoxyethanol! BACs! Here’s what cleaning companies don’t want you to know about the (very powerful) chemical compounds in traditional cleansers
[21:00] Big Cleaning and fear-based marketing
[28:00] Does microfiber = microplastics?
Resources mentioned:
- Episode #417: How To Buy Soap
- E-Cloth (Minimalists15 for 15% off site-wide)
- Cleaning Products Emit Hundreds of Hazardous Chemicals, New Study Finds (via EWG)
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Big Cleaning appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
If you’re like me, you’re likely dealing with constant, low-grade clutter situations, and that’s because once a purchase is made, the item is ours to maintain, manage, and store. Sadly, consumerism never talks about the negative wellness effects of buying (I’m looking at you, cortisol!).
If clutter keeps piling up in your home despite your best efforts, my guest today argues that it’s time to dig deeper. Not deeper into the piles, of course. Deeper into yourSELF.
On today’s show professional organizer Jenny Albertini argues that decluttering is an act of self-care; it also enhances wellness. Put this episode on while you tackle an oft-forgotten space in your home and get to work!
Here’s a preview:
[4:00] Why do we clutter?
[5:30] Breaking down the bidirectional exchange between clutter and wellness
[12:00] Our personal thresholds for clutter tolerance ebb and flow throughout life (and that’s totally normal)
[24:00] Tangible ways to stop the many clutter streams coming into our homes
[27:00] Thoughts on right-sizing other people’s gifts and hand-me-downs with our own space confines
[31:30] The quiet genius of the “Someday Maybe” technique
Resources mentioned:
- Decluttered: Mindful Organizing for Health, Home, and Beyond
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Decluttering For Self-Care appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
In our hyper-capitalist society, it’s often implied that the only things worth savoring are the really fancy, really shiny, really new, and really exotic. Let’s push back against that narrative by finding the glimmers, also known as those simple moments of pleasure that pop up during our days.
We minimalists already know that it’s in the small things that beauty lies. On today’s show: Research-backed ways to spot the glimmers and reap the most joy possible from every instance.
Here’s a preview:
[8:00] Glimmers are all around us all the time. Are you paying attention?
[16:00] Savoring offers many wellness benefits. One of them? It’s an active way to fight back against our innate negativity bias
[26:00] Introducing savoring’s evil cousin, dampening (plus: how to stop it right this second)
[32:00] Add in some effort! Determine a glimmer in your life and get optimizing
[37:00] Downtime is a necessary part of life (it’s also a time when we are most available to catch the glimmers)
[42:00] Say it loud and say it proud! Verbalize the simple pleasures as a means of extending and expanding the pleasure
Resources mentioned:
- Episode #439: The Negativity Bias
-
Aro
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This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! If you’re a financial supporter over on Apple Podcasts and want to join book club, please email me and let me know! For privacy reasons, Apple won’t share your contact info with me. Just email me and I’ll happily add you!
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- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. The post Glimmers appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
We talk an awful lot about “climate science” and “what climate scientists predict” on this podcast. Today, I’m talking to one of them.
What exactly are the next 100 years likely going to look like for humans? What needs to happen for the US to mobilize for real? On today’s show: A conversation with Michael Barnard about climate solutions, with an emphasis on that pesky air conditioning problem.
Here’s a preview:
[9:00] When it comes to cooling the planet, here’s why my guest is “cautiously optimistic” despite the impending “ugly process”
[14:00] Why climate change must first become impossible to ignore
[20:00] The hotter it gets, the cooler we need our homes to be. And yet cooling our homes demands energy, which heats the planet more. Breaking down the air conditioning feedback loop in real time
[27:00] Do we need to worry about mass electric grid failures in summer months?
[32:00] Exactly why heat pumps are our collective heating and cooling future
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Climate Solutions appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
When it comes to environmental concerns, there’s certainly plenty to worry about at the moment. Whether you and your family is eating microplastics on the regular may not be your list of top concerns.
But it’s an important topic to cover. While the health effects of microplastics on humans are not fully understood, common sense measures that reduce our exposures to both the plastic itself and also the endocrine-disrupting chemicals that are on and in such particles are certainly prudent. On today’s show: How to eat, drink, and inhale fewer microplastics as you go about your days.
Here’s a preview:
[6:00] Synthesizing the latest research into the effects of microplastics on human health
[11:00] Stop eating microplastics! 3 practical action steps in the kitchen
[27:00] Inhalation and absorption matters: Why vacuuming and dusting helps
[35:00] 3 (super easy) ways to reduce your plastics exposure when you’re out and about
Resources mentioned:
- Episode #393: Single-Use Poison
- Episode #466: Toxic Fashion
- E-Cloth
- Numi Tea
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post How To Not Eat Microplastics appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
In 1901, American families spent 20% of their income on non-necessities. But 123 years later? These days that figure has risen to 50%. Many of us spend hard-earned money in hopes of acquiring things that money can’t buy, and the result? Nearly 3 and 4 of Americans identify finances as a top stressor in their lives.
Marketers have created consumer desire, sure, but it’s entirely possible to spend in alignment with your values. In a world of disposable incomes, global warming, and far too much cortisol, we need values-based spending now more than ever, because spending on your core values benefits your wallet, your sanity, and the planet all at once.
On today’s show author Jill Sirianni encourages us to drill down our core values so we spend less, save more, and recenter our lives around what’s actually important.
Here’s a preview:
[8:30] The Number One reason not to buy to solve your problems (It rarely works!)
[15:00] Faith, Family, Friends, and Fulfilling work: Identifying core values and the Four Fs
[18:00] It’s not deprivation, but it could be sacrifice … How does self-care fit into the values-based spending conversation?
[26:00] Nailing down your values and curb impulse spending for good
Resources mentioned:
- Buy What You Love Without Going Broke
- Frugal Friends Podcast
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Values-Based Spending appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Once upon a time (oh, about 175 years ago) we were epic creators. Human hands made things, grew things, built things, and even invented things on the regular. But these days? By and large, we identify as consumers, and our hands are mainly used for typing and swiping.
And yet, when we consume too much, many of us experience stress, anxiety, and depression. We know it because we’re living it: Our possessions can possess us.
If we create more, we may very likely consume less. On today’s show: Moving the needle of contentment away from over-consumption back to self-sufficiency by highlighting what research has to say about the wellness benefits associated with using our hands to create.
Here’s a preview:
[4:30] Exactly when and how did we lost our collective abilities to create (Here’s lookin’ at you, mail-order catalog)
[9:30] Our hands are marvels. Marvels, I say!
[15:00] Crafting is good for you, so pick up those knitting needles, woodworking tools, or art supplies
[20:00] In defense of active leisure (and I do mean active!)
[24:00] Puzzles, board games, and the wellness benefits associated with “supercharged socializing”
Resources mentioned:
- Book Club is August 5! 2 meetings this time around at 12pm EST and at 7pm EST. Join us!
- Working With Your Hands Is Good for Your Brain (via The New York Times)
-
Handmade (by Gary Rogowski)
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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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. The post Create More, Consume Less appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Tomatoes, green beans, peaches, and so much more: Our great-grandmas new a thing or two about food preservation, and yet these days few of us can. It’s a time- and labor-intensive practice, sure. But it’s also a self-sufficient life skill.
Whether you grow some or all of your own food or seek out bargains at the store and farmers’ market, canning the season’s bounty means you’ll be eating well all year round. You’ll also be participating in a nearly waste-free practice (no plastic to see here!).
Back to our great-grandmas for a hot minute: They infused love in every jar, and you can too. On today’s show author Sarah Thrush invites us to go back to food preservation basics with advice on how to integrate canning into a self-sufficient, money-saving, and sustainable lifestyle.
Here’s a preview:
[10:00] Say it loud, say it proud: There’s no self-sufficiency without community!
[15:00] The #1 Rule of canning, plus: why it’s super important to start small
[19:0o] The One Week, One Month, One Year principle: Here’s exactly how Sarah keeps enough food on hand to feed her family for an entire year
[25:00] Troubleshooting the most common canning conundrums
[33:00] Take it outside and make it a party! The benefits to canning outside with your family
Resources mentioned:
- Preserving With A Purpose: Next Generations Canning Recipes and Wisdom
- Sarah on TikTok @peeliesandpetals
-
Superb canning lids
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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 @sustainableminimalists
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The post Preserving With A Purpose appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Does it sometimes feel as though the passive act of being alive is too expensive and too difficult? You’re not alone: Many scholars argue that late stage capitalism is what happens when everything (literally everything!) is commodified. Existing feels unnecessarily hard, too.
There IS good news: Surviving (and perhaps even thriving!) in a late stage capitalist society is possible. On today’s show Laura Oldanie shows us exactly how to sur-thrive, with 6 actionable steps.
Here’s a preview of the strategies we’re discussing today:
[15:00] Pay attention to when and how you’re influenced
[17:00] Think of yourself less as a consumer and more as producer
[21:00] Use your attention capital wisely
[27:00] Embrace different forms of currency (free time, perhaps?)
[35:00] Reduce unnecessary consumption and get off that capitalist hamster wheel, for good
Resources mentioned:
- Join us for Book Club! We are super fun, I promise!
- Digital Minimalism (by Cal Newport)
- https://timebanks.org
- Episode #211 Redefining Wealth (with Shannon Hayes)
- Capitalism Survival Guide E-Book
- This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! If you’re a financial supporter over on Apple Podcasts and want to join book club, please email me and let me know! For privacy reasons, Apple won’t share your contact info with me. Just email me and I’ll happily add you!
- Join our (free!) Facebook community here.
- Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Your Late Stage Capitalism Survival Kit appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
The US pharmaceutical industry is unique in that it markets directly to consumers (hey there, Zoloft commercial!). Through such direct-to-consumer marketing we have been spoon-fed the notion that every hint of a symptom requires a drug.
The result? Americans take more prescription medications today than at any other time in recent history.
On today’s show we uncover the pharmaceutical industry’s influence over the FDA and over consumers.
Here’s a preview:
[2:30] Do Americans take more prescription drugs than citizens in other countries?
[5:00] Prescription medication and the implications of its direct-to-consumer marketing
[9:30] Big pharma, the FDA, and a great big conflict of interest
[12:00] The connection between a patient’s desire for a quick fix and a physician’s prescribing habits
[19:00] 3 action steps re: conscious consumerism and prescription drugs
Resources mentioned:
- Carbon Footprint Of The Global Pharmaceutical Industry And Relative Impact Of Its Major Players (via Journal Of Cleaner Production)
- Too Many Meds? America’s Love Affair With Prescription Medication (via Consumer Reports)
—
Join our (free!) community here.
Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Big Pharma appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Despite our massive financial and material gains, happiness in the US has been in a consistent state of decline since at least the 1940s.
The research is quite clear: Materialism is toxic to human happiness. On today’s show: Author Jeff Golden suggests practical ways to nourish in our lives the things that can help us live well (while simultaneously avoiding the hooks of money and stuff).
Here’s a preview:
[5:30] We live amidst unimaginable wealth, yet we are unhappier than ever before. Here’s why
[10:00] Materialism is toxic to happiness, and not for the reasons you think
[16:00] Exactly why you should choose your neighborhood wisely
[22:00] Want to be happier? Don’t put your effort into amassing stuff; put it here instead
[30:00] Are we so concerned about owning stuff so that we don’t have to face our internal lacks?
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Charting A Rich Life appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
For so many of us, day in and day out home maintenance feels like a gigantic weight on our shoulders. And because conventional gender roles pervade, matters of the home often continue to be one (wo)man’s burden.
Decluttering, tidying, organizing, and cleaning, oh my! On today’s show: A conversation with professional organizer Sona Avetisyan about getting our partners and our children to pitch in.
Here’s a preview:
[5:00] What is it about clutter that’s so triggering for women?
[10:00] Status quo fallback prevention 101
[13:00] Sick of nagging? Here’s what works when I need my kids to help the heck out
[18:00] Let’s talk partners! Musings on what to do when your partner can’t/won’t pitch in
[28:00] In defense of bringing playfulness back into our closest relationships (It’s not that deep!)
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Home Overwhelm appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
When we buy something, it’s not necessarily about the thing. Oftentimes we are buying into a story about ourselves; namely, what we simply must fix as we seek to get one step closer to our aspirational, perfect-world self.
Important truth time: You are not a perpetual self-improvement project, and no product can fix what was never broken in the first place. On today’s show: A conversation with author Cait Flanders about why she broke up with self-help content and flaws-first marketing messages (and why, too, she never looked back).
Here’s a preview:
[5:00] Buying stuff to escape feeling your feelings? (Me too.)
[10:00] The “there’s something wrong with you” messaging starts in childhood, my friends
[13:00] Where’s the line between prioritizing self-growth versus living in that perpetually sad place of ‘less than’?
[20:00] Here’s how your life may change if you stopped spending $$ on products to fix what you’ve been told is broken
[26:00] Musings on letting go of our aspirational selves once and for all
Powered by RedCircle
Resources mentioned:
- The Year Of Less
- The Mindful Consumer on Substack
- Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide To Reclaiming Yourself (by Nedra Glover Tawwab)
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post There’s Nothing Wrong With You appeared first on 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 are backed by science.
Here’s a preview:
[9:00] Walk barefoot! (Around your yard, at least)
[14:00] Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it, camping edition
[20:00] We don’t have to optimize every second. Here’s how to wander like a boss in a wild space
[26:00] Get your hands dirty
[34:00] 2 hours per week outdoors offers a laundry list of benefits, so move your favorite activities outside
Powered by RedCircle
Resources mentioned:
- Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit (by Lyanda Lynn Haupt)
- Why Gardening Is So Good for You (via The New York Times)
- Episode #465: Optimizing Your Walks (with Annabel Abbs)
- Cornell Lab bird app
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post The Great Outdoors appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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 mysterious combination of career success and amassed material goods.
Many argue that the United States has entered its hyper-capitalist era, as Americans report that the relentless demands of trying to keep up results in working longer hours, increasing loneliness, and lowered life satisfaction.
On today’s show: A conversation with New York Times bestselling author Kirsten Powers about the ways in which Americans are experiencing the effects of hyper-capitalism in real time.
Here’s a preview:
[5:00] A laundry list of hyper-capitalism’s consequences in 2024
[11:00] Europe doesn’t consume way America does. They’re not as lonely, either
[15:00] Taking a good, hard look at our disordered American beliefs
[19:00] Implications associated with our very American celebrity worship
[26:00] Pay for what you get? Not in this case! Debunking the privatized healthcare myth
[33:00] Musings on nationwide learned helplessness
Powered by RedCircle
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
Hyper-capitalism — also called late-stage capitalism — is what happens when material resources, lifestyle activities, and everything in between becomes both commodified and consumable. Many argue that the United States has entered its hyper-capitalist era, as Americans report that the relentless demands of trying to keep up results in working longer hours, increasing loneliness, and lowered life satisfaction. On this episode of the Sustainable Minimalists podcast: the ways in which Americans are experiencing the effects of hyper-capitalism in real time.The post Hyper-Capitalism appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
There’s plenty of distressing research into what smartphones are doing to adult 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 technology and delay the age at which we give our children access to smartphones.
Here’s a preview:
[8:30] 57% of Americans report being “addicted” to their smart phones. Are you one of them?
[11:30] Smart phone addiction isn’t your fault! Here’s exactly how social media keeps your attention so they make more $$
[17:30] How to declutter your cell phone like a boss
[26:00] What recent research says with regard to the impacts of smart phones on children’s/teens’ wellness
[37:00] 5 reasons parents say they’re pulled to give their child a smart phone, plus alternative solutions!
[43:00] Individual actions impact the collective. How to make delaying the smart phone a staple in your community
Powered by RedCircle
Resources mentioned:
- The Smart Phone Compulsion Test
- Wait Until 8th
- How To Break Up With Your Phone (by Catherine Price)
- The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness (by Jonathan Haidt)
- Investigation: How TikTok’s Algorithm Figures Out Your Deepest Desires (via The Wall Street Journal)
- Have Smart Phones Destroyed A Generation? (via The Atlantic)
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Are You Addicted To Your Smartphone? appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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 Hall.
Here’s a preview:
[5:00] The breath underpins everything we do in life, and yet we rarely bring awareness to it. Why not?
[10:00] 5 wellness benefits re: paying attention to your breathing patterns
[25:00] Exploring the pause changes everything
[29:00] Flowing with the breath is great practice for learning how to flow with life
Powered by RedCircle
Resources mentioned:
- Breathe: Simple Breathing Techniques For A Calmer, Happier Life
- Jean on Instagram
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Breath Awareness appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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 York Times columnist Pamela Paul about the ways in which the internet has fundamentally changed human existence.
Here’s a preview:
[8:00] Do humans need to experience boredom once in awhile? (Absolutely yes, and here’s why)
[14:00] Not-so-thanks to the internet, the past no longer stays in the past
[20:00] The hive mind and queen bees: Does the internet hamper independent thought?
[27:00] Parental implications associated with the loss of the kitchen landline
[35:00] Ruminating on the disappearance of the phone call
Powered by RedCircle
Resource mentioned:
- 100 Things We’ve Lost to the Internet
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Things We’ve Lost To The Internet appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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.
Here’s a preview of 4 pieces of wisdom we are discussing today:
[7:00] Leaving the “golden cage” is big risk, sure. But there’s also big reward
[16:00] America isn’t normal!
[22:00] Bad news sells, but there’s plenty of good going on in the world because humans are incredibly adaptable
[43:00] When the smoke in the global theater thickens, the exit signs will shine brighter
Powered by RedCircle
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Shared Solutions appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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 all our burning questions about how to cook on and care for our beloved cast iron cookware (it’s way easier than you think!).
Here’s a preview:
[6:00] Before aluminum, it was iron: A brief cast iron history
[11:00] What a price tag says about new and vintage cast iron pieces
[13:00] Getting to the bottom of the confusing health claims
[18:00] How do you clean cast iron? Is soap OK?
[22:00] When to use enamel-coated cast iron (hey there, Le Creuset!) versus when reach for traditional
[25:00] Everything you need to know about seasoning your cast iron (spoiler alert: you don’t need to do much!)
[27:00] Troubleshooting a rusty skillet
Powered by RedCircle
Resources mentioned:
- Smithey Cast Iron
- Kyle On Instagram @castiron_kyle
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Cooking With Cast Iron appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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 pair of glasses, metaphorically speaking
[10:00] HABITUATION! Our brains are primed to forget why certain stuff and people are important
[19:00] Say it with me: Stuff doesn’t create gratitude! 3 tips for feeling grateful for what you already own
[28:00] We expect way too much from our partners. Let’s fix that together
[35:00] Feeling less than grateful for the people in your life? That’s normal (there’s also a simple antidote)
Powered by RedCircle
Resources mentioned:
- Episode #460: Pleasure-Saturated
- The Gratitude Diaries: How A Year Looking On The Bright Side Can Transform Your Life (by Janice Kaplan)
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post An Attitude Of Gratitude appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Packaged food items (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 toxic chemicals in our closet go-tos (and these chemicals are likely harming our health).
On today’s show investigative journalist Alden Wicker explains why synthetic fashion and dyes made from fossil fuels are so deeply intertwined with the rise of autoimmune disease, infertility, asthma, eczema, and more; she also suggests concrete action steps for curating a clean(er) closet.
- The book we’re discussing today is our June Book Club selection. If you want in, please join us via Substack! https://sustainableminimalists.substack.com/
Here’s a preview:
[7:00] Uncovering the chemicals in our clothes and what they’re doing to our health
[10:30] Taking a special look at the especially problematic petrochemical-based azo dyes (often used on petrochemical-based fibers)
[17:00] If all this stuff is in our clothing, why don’t garments have ingredients lists?
[19:00] Carter’s, Victoria’s Secret, and victim body blaming
[31:00] Why ‘organic’ doesn’t mean much when it comes to clothing
[36:00] For subscribers! Action steps for curating a clean(er) closet
Powered by RedCircle
Resources mentioned:
- To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion Is Making Us Sick — And How We Can Fight Back
- Plastic-Free Activewear? Here are 15 Brands That Use Natural Instead of Synthetic Fibers (via Eco Cult)
- The Best Non-Toxic Fashion Brands For Chemically Sensitive People (via Eco Cult)
- Future Card
Resources mentioned:
- 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 @sustainableminimalists
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Toxic Fashion appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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 laundry list of all the physiological benefits of walking for movement (get ready to be blown away)
[11:00] Why it’s important to walk with our eyes, plus: the mental health benefits associated with panoramic vision
[16:00] Want more calm in your life? Research finds that these very specific nature sounds matter
[21:00] Terpenes, baby! Large trees offer us these psychological and physiological benefits
[25:00] Don’t shy away from that mud puddle. Soil microbes matter!
[30:00] How to best optimize your daily walk for health and wellness benefits
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- Want more episodes like this one? Check out #384: Forest Bathing 101
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The post Optimizing Your Walks appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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 different pesticides have different risk profiles
[10:00] DDT, bald eagles, Silent Spring, and America’s history with pesticides
[19:00] Stephanie’s thoughts on the EWG’s Clean 15 and the Dirty Dozen
[25:00] Are the EPA’s maximum residue limits too high?
[30:00] ** You need to know about these countries with organic reciprocity!
[34:00] Does peeling help? How should we best wash conventional produce?
[38:00] For subscribers! 6 concrete action steps for informed consumers
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Resources mentioned:
- EWG’s Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen
- Produce Without Pesticides (via Consumer Reports)
- This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting!
- Join our (free!) community here.
- Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Produce And Pesticides appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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:
Climate Change Could Cost Each American Born Today $500,000 (via Consumer Reports)
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The post The Cost Of Climate Change appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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, 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’t believe me? Just observe a child!)
On today’s show: embracing fresh starts, prioritizing roads less travelled, and unpacking pressures associated with cultural uniformity with author and podcaster Shannon Leyko.
Here’s a preview:
[14:00] How to lean into tension by taking “messy action”
[18:00] It’s not just about trying a new hobby; it’s about resiliency. Self-efficacy, too!
[23:00] Timelines are rarely linear, and “starting over” isn’t starting back at square one
[30:00] Common struggles associated with living unconventionally in a conventional world
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Resources mentioned:
- The Paring Down Podcast
- Shannon on Instagram
- You’re Completely Normal: Trading Where You Think You Should Be For Where You Want To Go
- This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting!
- Join our (free!) community here.
- Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Cultural Uniformity appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Many corporations are hopping on the sustainability bandwagon these days, but it’s not always 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 Aidan Riehl offers advanced tips for avoiding greenwashing in today’s ever-changing market.
Here’s a preview:
[6:30] Some questions: Is this eco-friendly product owned by a conglomerate? Is this one product the only eco-conscious product in their product line?
[9:30] Getting to the bottom of “biodegradable” claims once and for all
[16:30] Should we look for pre-consumer or post-consumer recycled plastics?
[19:00] Laundry sheets and dishwasher pods! Is polyvinyl alcohol actually benign?
[22:00] So many pledges, so little action
[25:00] Steph’s tips to spot greenwashing in influencer marketing
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Resources mentioned:
- Episode #106: Greenwashing 1.0
- Ecolabelindex.com
- EU bans ‘misleading’ environmental claims that rely on offsetting (via The Guardian)
- How We Avoid A Climate Disaster (by Bill Gates)
- The World Is Falling Short of Its Climate Goals. Four Big Emitters Show Why. (via NY Times)
- Good On You
- Think Dirty
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- Join our (free!) community here.
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The post Greenwashing 2.0 appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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 threshold for experiencing pleasure.
On today’s show: Resetting your neural set point to make dopamine work FOR you, not against you.
Here’s a preview:
[3:00] Here’s exactly why our brains aren’t designed to work optimally in our 2024 world of pleasure
[7:00] Measuring the dopamine-induced addictive potential of various foods, habits, and drugs
[10:00] What goes up must come down: Here’s what opponent process theory means for you and your brain
[14:00] Quantifying leisure time from the Civil War to present day
[24:00] Dopamine fasts work! Here’s how to recalibrate your brain
[28:00] How to best lean into a bit of pain (and why you may want to)
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Resources mentioned:
- Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance In The Age Of Indulgence (by Dr. Anna Lembke)
- Episode #316: Moderation In All Things
- Episode #299: Future-Conscious Thinking
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- Join our (free!) community here.
- Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Pleasure-Saturated appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Last year was the hottest 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 anti-capitalist, and that’s really darn important
[16:30] Here’s what research finds re: the relationship between collectivist culture and pro-environmental behaviors
[24:00] If the problem is disconnection, is the solution as simple as authentic reconnection?
[34:00] Transitioning from negative feedback loop we find ourselves currently in to a positive one
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Resources mentioned:
- This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting!
- Join our (free!) community here.
- Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Labors Of Love appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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.
Here’s a preview:
[8:00] Industrializing our food systems has benefits, sure. But in doing so, what have we sacrificed?
[19:00] Industrial agriculture is the problem, but agriculture is also the solution
[23:00] Don’t want to grow anything? You don’t have to! Here’s how to best invest in your local food systems
[27:00] It’s not that local, organic food is so expensive; it’s that corporate, industrialized food is too cheap
[31:00] The 5 S-es: Scalable tips for newbie growers
[35:00] Kids who grow kale eat kale!
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Resources mentioned:
- Episode #447: No Topsoils, No Food
- Kareen on Instagram
- This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting!
- Join our (free!) community here.
- Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post The Great Connector appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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 open up your home!
[10:30] Pizza? Cocktails? Manicures? Learn how make/do what you love, but better
[14:30] Let’s remember: #selfcare culture is a capitalist construct, and you should never have to pay to care for your SELF
[19:00] How to enjoy your hobbies without going all-in with the extras
[23:00] Want to eat like royalty? Learn how to cook
[30:00] Get yo’ hands on some great reading material (without spending lots of $$)
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Resources mentioned:
- Living The Good Life, Just Cheaper? (via The Frugal Girl)
- The Buffalo Wool Company
- Episode #194: Safer Nail Polish
- Dazzle Dry nail polish
- Lego Replay
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The post Stealthily Frugal appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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 enhance creativity and productivity. It improves overall well-being, too.
On today’s show podcaster Diane Boden and I discuss exactly why it’s so important to disconnect from modern distractions at least once in awhile; we also brainstorm how to best unplug.
Here’s a preview:
[12:00] Are we becoming a culture that can’t sit with negative emotions? With boredom?
[16:30] Blue laws once encouraged rest; these days stores are open 7 days a week (thanks, capitalism!)
[23:00] Stephanie’s Number One tip for mindfulness newbies
[26:00] Hurry culture, busy-ness, and setting professional boundaries
[30:00] Do you watch TV while scrolling on your phone? (Theres a name for that.) Outlining the (numerous) consequences associated with ‘continuous partial attention’
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Resources mentioned:
- Diane on Instagram
- 10% Happier: How I Tamed The Voice In My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, And Found Self-Help That Actually Works — A True Story (by Dan Harris)
- Waking Up App
- The Ruthless Elimination Of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World (by John Mark Comer)
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The post Disconnecting appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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 accents and accessories! Go big on the timeless staples, instead
[25:00] Making a case for proudly using and displaying heirlooms
[35:00] Exactly how to reframe accidents into teachable opportunities
Resources mentioned:
- The Magnolia Story
- Episode #452: House Rules
- Episode #454: The Low-Tox Life
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- Join our (free!) community here.
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The post Can We Have Kids And Nice Things? appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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- and phthalate-laden)
[19:00] Be wary of these “regrettable substitutions”
[26:00] Are you still using products with synthetic fragrance? (Stop!)
[34:00] Teens, tweens, and beauty products: How to best present the “less is more” message
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- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post The Low-Tox Life appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Fossil fuels power our modern lives, and yet fossil fuels are also powering global warming. Because many of us lack the self-sufficient skills necessary to survive an extended power outage event, we are one thing and one thing only: vulnerable.
We have become over-reliant on the very thing that’s destroying our planet and perhaps ourselves. On today’s show: Imagining the ways in which modern life, interpersonal connections, well-being and more would change in a hypothetical, fossil fuel-free world.
Here’s a preview:
[6:00] We are so reliant on electricity that we are incapacitated without it. This is a problem!
[11:00] In the event of a 2-weeks plus outage, modernity would look a lot different
[24:00] Is minimalism late stage capitalism personified?
[28:00] Without fossil fuels, we’d be circular
[30:00] What research says with regard to the wellness benefits of working with our hands
Resources mentioned:
- Lights Out: A Cyberattack, A Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath (by Ted Koppel)
- Doomsday Prep for the Super-Rich (via The New Yorker)
- Episode #096: Why Self-Sufficiency Matters (with Kelly Morris)
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- Join our (free!) community here.
- Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
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The post Lights Out appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
When it comes to furnishing and styling ours homes, we all deserve spaces that facilitate easeful living. But for those of us without an eye for design? Furniture and decor mistakes can happen (and they can be costly).
On today’s show best-selling author Myquillyn Smith reveals her signature house rules for homes of every size, style, and budget; she shows also shows us how to get the most amount of comfort from our space with the least amount of stuff.
Here’s a preview of the house rules we are discussing today:
[16:30] Threes, please
[21:00] Resourcefulness is the ultimate resource
[25:00] Plan on the kids growing up
[29:00] Timelessness is here to stay
[34:00] The size of your house does not dictate the size of your hospitality
Resources mentioned:
- Win Every Argument
- Episode #433: The Fast Furniture Trap
- Climate Action Now
- Environmental Voter Project
- Postcards To Voters
- Vote Forward
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- Join our (free!) community here.
- Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
- Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post House Rules appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Eating meals together is the ultimate parenting cheat code, and that’s because in just one hour you can improve your kids’ academic performance, self-esteem, and cardiovascular health while simultaneously reducing their risks of substance misuse, depression, and obesity.
On today’s show: author Annette Thurmon on making the kitchen the heart of the home once again.
Here’s a preview:
[7:30] A laundry list of the nutritional benefits of regular family dinners, plus the developmental and mental health benefits for kids and teens
[10:00] We parents should be including our children in the cooking process, and here’s why (plus: easy lift how-tos)
[20:00] Remember: It’s not about the food! It’s about the face-t0-face, tech-free time
[23:00] Practical dinnertime prompts
Resource mentioned:
- Simple Country Living: Techniques, Recipes, and Wisdom for the Garden, Kitchen, and Beyond
Creative alternatives to “How was your day?”
- What’s one thing you learned today?
- What’s one thing that made you smile today?
- If you could change something about your day, what would it be?
- What’s one thing you liked most about your day?
- What has made you feel loved recently?
- How did you help someone today? How did someone help you?
- What’s it like to be a kid? To be a parent?
- What was your last thought before falling asleep last night?
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Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
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The post Family Dinner appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
For many, weekends are for chores. They’re also for carting kids to sports games and getting caught up on errands. But amidst all that driving and laundering, where are the opportunities to rest, rejuvenate, and fully live our lives? Feeling rested is so much more than a good night’s sleep and on today’s show we discuss research-backed ways to reclaim your time and wellness by making weekends work for you. Here’s a preview: [3:00] Connections between work, busyness, and...
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The post Reclaiming Your Weekends appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
We live in a world that’s always trying to sell us more stuff, and much of it is junk. Enter environmental degradation, wasted money, unnecessary headaches, and clutter. Lots of clutter.
Today we continue this week’s Buy Just Once theme with BuyMeOnce.com founder Tara Button, who’s here to lay bare the tenets of what she terms ‘mindful curation’.
Here’s a preview:
[7:00] Exactly how our ultra-commercialized world leaves us broke and lonely
[12:00] Examining the discrepancy between the “poor premium” and consumer rights
[23:00] 4 fixability elements to look for when researching appliances and electronics
[28:00] Thoughts on trust and brand loyalty at a time when consumer confidence is at an all-time low
Resources mentioned:
- A Life Less Throwaway: The Lost Art of Buying for Life by Tara Button
- Citizens: Why the Key to Fixing Everything is All by John Alexander
- Blendtec blender
- Well Rigged
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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.
The post Buying For Life appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
These days, durable and long-lasting products often seem like elusive unicorns. But they do exist, and finding them is a 2-step process.
First, it’s imperative that we check our collective predisposition for disposability at the curb. Second, we must learn insider tricks for discerning the buy-for-life products from the cheap junk that lines store shelves. Enter Buy Just Once Week!
On today’s show sustainability educator Sophie Jungbauer suggests practical ways to adopt our grandmothers’ mindsets when it comes to sourcing and caring for must-have household items.
Here’s a preview:
[3:00] What exactly does ‘quality’ look like IRL?
[10:30] Musings on consumerism and its consequences
[14:00] Does “American Made” mean anything in terms of durability?
[25:00] Getting in the habit of asking yourself, “Did my grandma have this?”
[28:00] Quality over quantity! The #1 minimalist mindset shift that must first happen before conscious consumption can take place
[35:00] Pyrex, stainless steel, and more: 5 Buy Just Once items for your kitchen
Resources mentioned:
- Episode #222: Everything Faux Leather
- Episode #396: The C Word
- Griswold cast iron
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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.
The post Buy Just Once appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Yes, clutter is always going to accumulate. But there are ways to prevent at least some of it from entering our homes, and we’re chatting about 3 of those ways today.
Here’s a preview:
[2:00] Our decluttering challenge wrap-up
[10:00] Browse, don’t buy!
[16:30] Rocks, pebbles, and your personal Chuck It List
[25:30] Contentment is being satisfied with what you have. Enter the Don’t Want List
Resources mentioned:
- Episode #376: When Everything’s A Favorite
- Episode #397: What Organizers Do
- Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management For Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
- Expand Your Don’t Want List (via Becoming Minimalist)
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* Join our (free!) community here.
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Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
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Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
The post Keeping Clutter Out appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
People are naturally curious about the homes of professional organizers. On today’s show author Shira Gill divulges 5 high-impact organizing tips straight from the mouths of fellow professional organizers.
Here’s a preview of the insider tricks we’re discussing today:
[10:30] Don’t shop for a mansion if you live in a cottage!
[16:00] Display what’s beautiful; conceal what isn’t
[20:00] Ditch the product packaging for reduced visual clutter
[23:00] When in doubt, decant
[35:00] Elevate your neglected spaces
Resources mentioned:
- Episode #217: Organized Entryway Ideas
- Organized Living: Solutions and Inspiration for Your Home
- HGTV Is Making Our Homes Boring And Us Sad, One Study Says (via The Washington Post)
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The post What Organizers Do appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Since the dawn of the chemical era more than 300,000 chemicals have been invented, and many of which are made from oil and natural gas. While some manufactured chemicals have indeed provided benefit (disinfectants! antibiotics!), they have also caused great harm. Manufactured chemicals pollute every corner of the planet. They kill bees, fish, and mammals. They nearly destroyed the ozone and, yes, they give us cancer. Many types of cancer are on the rise in the US, and one explanation for...
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The post The C Word appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
We’re surrounded by plastics everywhere, all the time. And single-use plastics? They’re not only creating a pollution crisis; they are contributing to the climate crisis as well. Microplastics in particular are a cocktail of toxicity, containing at least 10,000 different chemicals, many of which are linked to diseases including diabetes and cancer. And yet more plastic waste is being produced than ever before. On today’s show journalist Matt Simon offers real, actionable solutions to combat the growing plastic crisis. Here’s a preview:...
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The post Single-Use Poison appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
‘Tis the season for back-to-school door busters, price slashes, and closeouts. On today’s show we’re discussing how to reduce clutter, save money, and help the planet by shopping for back-to-school with greater intention. Here’s a preview: [2:30] Let’s pull back the curtain on back-to-school marketing, shall we? [7:00] Here’s what it actually means (and what it actually looks like!) to shop your own home [12:30] Revisiting the kids’ capsule conversation [21:00] Thoughts on teacher wishlists (from a former teacher) Resources mentioned:...
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The post Back-To-School Shopping appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Welcome to Back To School Week! In 2023 the average American family will spend $597 per child in anticipation of the upcoming school year. And while new school supplies and fresh outfits can definitely get our children into the school spirit, it’s rest, nutrition, and predictable routines that actually predict success. On today’s show Dr. Rebecca Jackson offers research-backed ways to ensure our children head to school with the best possible foundation. Here’s a preview: [2:30] A challenge amplifier: The pandemic’s...
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The post Predictors Of Back To School Success appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
You love your pet; you also love the planet. Good news: How you feed, care for, and clean up after your dogs and cats have sizable impacts on our environment and ecosystems. On today’s show: answering listener questions about all-things eco-conscious pets. Here’s a preview of the pet-related questions we’re answering today: [2:45] Should we transition our cats and dogs to plant-based diets? [7:00] Is PFAS in pet food bags? [10:30] What are the advantages and disadvantages of making our own...
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The post The Pet Episode appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Brands are continuously making environmental and socially conscious claims. And while many consumers want to purchase from ethical brands, it’s hard to know which brands are legit versus which ones are faking. Enter the B Corp certification. You’ve likely seen the B-in-a-circle logo, and it turns out that that logo says an awful lot about a company’s values, as it’s the only 3rd-party certification that certifies a company’s social and environmental ethics. Yes, the logo is certainly helpful for those of us...
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The post B Corp Certified appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
A new month is nearly here, and this means it’s the perfect time to usher in the change of seasons with some legitimate decluttering. If you’re ready to get serious about the clutter you accumulated this summer – and if you’re motivated by a bit of healthy competition! – today’s episode outlines the objective, the setup, and the rules of play for the 30-day minimalism challenge I’ll be participating in starting August 1. I also offer up some tips to ensure...
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The post The 30-Day Mess-Stress Fix appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
How often do you think about the clothes your children wear? Have you ever wondered whether the implicit and explicit messaging on those tee-shirts influence their behavior? Their development? The gender neutral clothes movement is rapidly gaining steam because – while it used to be pink for girls and blue for boys – kids’ fashion now boasts sequins, frills, and plunging cuts for girls and angry action heroes with bulging muscles and moody color palettes for boys. Children’s fashion is...
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The post The Gender Neutral Clothes Movement appeared first on 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 brings us joy. Here’s a preview: [4:00] Connections between the fashion and beauty industries and bandaids when it...
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The post 6 Things You Can’t Buy On Amazon appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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 more convincing, today’s conversation with podcaster Chris Christou outlines why being a better...
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The post In Defense Of Staycations appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Spending time in nature is recreation, sure; 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 and shirin-yoku: The origins of modern forest bathing [9:00] Why bother? Here’s a laundry list...
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The post Forest Bathing 101 appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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 gatekeeper of our peace by once and for all getting intentional with our tech. ...
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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. Enter elimination communication. On today’s show Andrea Olson explains the ways in which...
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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...
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The post Our Carbon Problem appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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...
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The post Climate Optimism? appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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...
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The post From Green To Clean appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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...
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The post Buyer Beware appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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] Overgeneralization...
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The post From That To This appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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 are 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...
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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...
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The post Mess And Stress appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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: Teaching kids to care for their stuff
Resources Mentioned:
- National Crayon Recycling Program
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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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The post To Replace Or Not To Replace appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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.
My guest today argues that 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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The post Me, Myself, And I appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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 post Why Rage Decluttering Doesn’t Work appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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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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 addictionResources 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
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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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The post Opting Out appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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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The post Soul Work appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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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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 time of unprecedented technology and ease, sure, but still: many of us are 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
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The post Old Fashioned On Purpose appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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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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
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177: Becoming A Zero Waste Chef
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093: How (Exactly) To Cook Zero Waste Meals
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The post Slow Progress Is Still Progress appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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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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.
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The post In Defense Of Homemaking appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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
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The post De-Influenced appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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 while pain is inevitable, 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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“I wish you would do a podcast 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
Further reading:
- 9 Items You’re Recycling Wrong
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The post Terracycle: Recycling The Unrecyclable? appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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
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The post The Decor Trend Bandwagon appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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.
- Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
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The post Edit Your Life appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
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
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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
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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 multidinuous 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
- Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com
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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 the reality is 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
- 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 post The Impact-Effort Tradeoff appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
6 high-traffic, high-impact spaces to declutter that you can complete in 20 minutes or less.
Here’s a preview of the spaces we’re decluttering today:
[4:00] Your car console
[9:45] Your purse/backpack/baby bag
[16:00] Your linen closet
[25:00] Your medicine cabinet
[28:00] The surface of your desk
[33:00] Your spice cabinet
Resources mentioned:
- Episode #009: A Sustainable Minimalist’s Bathroom
- 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 it comes to skincare, loads of products line store shelves. Almost all of them make bold, anti-aging claims (fountain of youth, anyone?).
But buying All. The. Products. comes with hefty financial and environmental price tags: If we want to age gracefully, what’s the average woman to do?
On today’s show, board certified dermatologist Dr. Mary Alice Mina makes the case that using too many skincare products is unnecessary at best and potentially harmful at worst.
Here’s a preview:
[4:00] What we’re doing wrong when it comes to skincare from a dermatologist’s perspective
[7:00] Transitioning from reactive quick skin fixes to long-term, preventative care
[11:30] Holistic skincare means skin cancer prevention: Here are the latest sunscreen guidelines
[17:00] Products we actually need (versus products we can confidently eave on the shelf)
[30:00] When, where, and who re: toner, exfoliant, and other ancillary products
[32:00] A medical professional’s thoughts on Botox and fillers
Resources mentioned:
- Kinship Self-Reflect Sunscreen
- The Skin Real 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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We’re at it again: 4 listener questions in a rapid-fire format.
Here’s a preview of the questions I’m answering:
[1:30] What should conscious consumers consider when buying eco-conscious undergarments?
[13:30] What are some practical first steps for college students who want to practice sustainability?
[18:00] Oh what to do with baby bottles, car seats, breast pumps, and other one-and-done baby gear?
[23:00] Eco-home renovations 101: What should we keep in mind when embarking on a reno (with a limited budget to boot)?
Resources mentioned:
- ARQ
- Everlane
- Episode #326: Gift Boundaries with Whitney Leah Morris
- Clek
- Re:Wild Your Campus
- Bee Campus USA
- Medela’s breast pump recycling program
- Find an energy auditor at Energy.gov
- Habitat Restore
- Renovation Angel
- Big Reuse
- Episode #312: Practical Energy Saving Steps
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Inflation got you down? Chin up, friends! On today’s episode: 12 tangible grocery store hacks that save money and reduce food waste.
Here’s a preview:
[2:00] What it looks like in real life to sacrifice convenience for better prices
[7:30] Even more reasons why you should consider buying dried beans instead of canned
[13:00] Can you freeze cheese? (Answer: Yes! Here’s how)
[18:00] Where to get the best deals on milk, plus: the financial benefits associated with dairy-free alternatives
[24:00] What to do with produce you’ve bought on sale
Resources mentioned:
- Flipp App
- Egg Frittatas
—
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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88% of US and UK consumers want brands to help them be more sustainable in their daily lives and many are willing to pay a premium for plastic-free products. But despite consumer demand, plastic is everywhere and downright impossible to avoid. On today’s show: 9 places those pesky polymers lurk, plus hacks for avoiding them.
Here’s a preview:
[4:00] Here’s what you never knew about tires
[8:00] How to shop for tea like a conscious consumer
[15:00] Your dish sponge’s dirty little secret
[17:30] Are e-cigarettes any better than regular cigs from an environmental standpoint?
[25:00] The latest research into cloth versus disposable diapers
[28:00] Microplastics vs. liquid plastics in makeup
Resources mentioned:
- Customers Hate Plastic Packaging, So Why Do Companies Keep Using It? (via Forbes)
- Gaia Guy
- Etee
- Microplastics: Which Beauty Brands Are Safe To Use? (via The Guardian)
- Pukka
- Republic of Tea
- Numi Tea
- Wot Not
- Beat The MicroBead (The Plastic Soup Foundation’s free app)
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Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.
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Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.
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The typical American funeral boasts exotic flowers, a coffin made of fancy wood, and formaldehyde-based embalming. But a green burial requires fewer resources and skips a number of unnecessary steps; they also tend to be less expensive.
Today I speak with green mortician Elizabeth Fournier about alternatives to conventional burials and cremations that are easier on the planet.
Here’s a preview:
[5:00] Exactly what’s wrong from an environmental standpoint with standard burials and cremations
[12:30] A brief history of embalming: Is it actually necessary?
[19:00] Liner-free plots, conscious caskets, and more: The tenets of a green burial
[28:30] How exactly do eco-conscious burials compare in terms of cost?
[33:00] Everything you need to know about aqua cremation, burials at sea, and natural organic reduction
Resources mentioned/Further reading:
- The Green Burial Guidebook: Everything You Need to Plan an Affordable, Environmentally Friendly Burial
- Elizabeth on Instagram @elizabethgreenreaper
- Let Your Love Grow
- Eternal Reefs
—
- 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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Cyberpsychology is an emerging field that examines the ways in which technology influences human behavior. On today’s show we outline exactly what happens to our purchasing habits when psychology, sociology, and 21st century tech collide.
Here’s a preview:
[1:30] Who you think you are is influenced by others (hello, looking glass self!)
[8:30] It’s human nature to compare and compete: Here’s how and why we internalize social media messaging
[16:00] 3 reasons why shoppers feel better when they purchase items that contribute to self-repair
[20:00] Cyberpsychology 101: 2 ways dopamine and online algorithms work together and entice us to buy
Resources mentioned/Further reading:
- Join our (free!) community here
- Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube
- Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com
- The Digital Looking Glass Self (via Psychology Today)
- Buying: The Effect on Self-Worth Feelings and Consumer Well-Being
- Why TikTok Made Us Buy It (via Psychology Today)
- Stay Free App
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The post Cyberpsychology’s Distorted Mirror appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Quitting is aerobics for your brain; it’s also the counterintuitive secret to success. Today I bring you a conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Julia Keller about how to view quitting not as a pejorative but instead as a tool for swapping one destiny for another.
Here’s a preview:
[5:00] How the self-help movement created our culture’s anti-quit bias
[9:00] The similarities between honeybees and Simone Biles, with a nod toward strategic quitting
[17:00] How do you quit a high-stakes situation? (Answer: quasi-quitting!)
[23:00] Words of encouragement for listeners who are concerned they’ll regret it later
[27:00] How parents listening can best support their children when they want to quit
Resources mentioned:
- Pre-order Quitting: A Life Strategy (to release April 18)
- Orlo Nutrition
- 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 post How To Quit appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Organizing mega-influencer Marie Kondo made headlines this week when she admitted to “kind of giv(ing) up” on tidying after having her third child. If, like Marie, you’re feeling overwhelmed and disillusioned with minimalism, today’s episode is here to help.
Here’s a preview:
[6:00] Let’s first reign in our expectations: minimalism won’t solve EVERYthing (but it’ll certainly help)
[9:00] Simple organization strategies over complex ones, with real-life examples
[12:30] The Number One benefit to eating the biggest frog first
[17:00] If you find yourself with precious pockets of free time, utilize them this way
[21:00] Why decluttering, organizing, and tidying are acts of self-love
Resources mentioned:
- 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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The post When Minimalism Feels Overwhelming appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
When we return an unwanted gift to the manufacturer, they go back on the shelf to be resold, right? Wrong. Most returned gifts (5.8 billion tons, to be exact) end up in landfills each and every year.
The solution lies in responsible gifting because it alleviates the consequences associated with massive finite resource waste; it also saves shoppers time, money, and unnecessary stress.
Today author Tracey Lynch explains how to tweak your gifting philosophy to save our planet while also ensuring every gift you give is actually wanted and used.
Here’s a preview:
[5:00] Sad statistics alert: Exactly how the gift giving exchange impacts the planet
[9:00] Reverse logistics is similar to driving backwards, and here’s why
[18:00] Exactly how to give gifts that provide 100% satisfaction to the recipient
[32:00] Stephanie’s 5 Rules for responsible gifting
[35:00] The why and how behind aiming not for surprise, but for delight
Resources mentioned:
- Donum: Creating A Sustainable Gifting Experience
- Qwant
- Neeva
- Episode #313: Thousands Of Data Points
- 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 getting all you can from your library? Libraries are quiet pillars of our communities that often get overlooked. And that’s unfortunate because libraries are one of the few places that you can truly get something for nothing. On today’s show I’m outlining 7 goods and services you likely never knew you could get for free from your library. Here’s a preview: [9:00] Exactly how much you’re paying for multiple video streaming services (plus, how much the library...
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The post Something For Nothing appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Success is often accomplished with grit, resilience, and action. Still, many of us women are bogged down by countless pressures each and every day. Who has time to work toward goals when the obstacles in the way somehow feel both mundane yet unconquerable? You can face steep odds and still find happiness, and that’s because every woman has wells of resilience within to help get us through. Today I speak with career and leadership coach Jennifer Pestikas about making the choice...
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The post Expansion appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Ah, the holidays. The 5-ish weeks between Black Friday and New Year’s Day tend to be an extended party of sorts in which many of us overspend, overeat/drink, overdecorate, and excessively waste. The excesses associated with the holidays come with a hefty environmental cost: on average, US households produce 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day; worse, wonton wastefulness can (and does) add more than half a metric ton onto our annual carbon footprints. I believe it’s entirely...
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Joy Of Missing Out (JOMO) is about actively turning from the external stimuli that neither serves nor ignites. And whereas Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) is rooted in external validation, obtaining JOMO is a giant leap toward serving your internal self. During the holidays and always, it pays to get intentional about All. The. Things: Our priorities, our precious free moments and, of course, our long-term goals. On today’s show we first discuss our collective affinity as human beings for simplistic...
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Parenting the eco-minimalist way is, well, difficult. It’s also an 18-ish year commitment that goes directly against societal norms. I’m no expert, but I do believe that impactful parenting starts by capitalizing on teachable moments. On today’s show I speak with Elizabeth Ireland about exactly how she passes 3 central eco-minimalist lessons onto her children. Here’s a preview of the 3 life lessons we discuss today: [9:30] Teaching children how to give [20:00] Preparing our progeny for life: The...
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The post Life Lessons appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
The attitude-behavior gap is a fancy schmancy research term that describes the discrepancy between what we say and what we do. When it comes to eco-minimalist living, many of us quietly experience an oversized gap between our values (save the planet! live minimally!) and our actions (buy single use plastic! purchase on impulse!). On today’s show we are diving into the recesses of this, well, gap. Why does it exist for the vast majority of us, and how can we...
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Many minimalists boast that living simply has improved their well-being in a myriad of ways. The problem, however, is that such statements are anecdotal. Does research back up these personal stories? What – if anything – does science say about minimalism’s benefits? On today’s show Shannon and Gerry Arner and I marry research findings re: simple living with day-to-day experiences. Here’s a preview: [5:45] The link between materialism and loneliness [10:00] How living simply on purpose impacts well-being [14:30]...
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The post Minimalism’s Benefits appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
There’s lots to consider when searching for an eco-friendly and non-toxic laundry detergent. Are those strips and pods actually environmentally conscious if they’re wrapped in PVA? Why don’t detergents offer a full list of ingredients on their packaging? As it turns out, detergents have lots of misleading claims (ahem … marketing gimmicks) designed to confuse consumers. On today’s episode we’re breaking down everything you need to know about non-toxic laundry detergent so you can make informed purchasing decisions moving forward....
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The post Non-Toxic Laundry Detergent: How To Buy appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Let’s face it: Impulse buys are fun in the moment. But what feels good in the short-term doesn’t always jive with your long-term goals and quick decisions may not align with your core values. If you regularly buy on impulse, you’re not alone. According to Shopify, over 87% of US shoppers make impulse buys and more than 50% of all grocery items are sold because of impulsiveness. Enter Jen Smith and Jill Sirianni, co-hosts of the Frugal Friends podcast. Jen and Jill...
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There’s such a thing as too much of a good thing. The key to a balanced life lies in moderation, and any of us who’s ever overdone it knows that excess quickly becomes miserable. On today’s show we first discuss the Swedish concept of lagom, a.k.a. ‘good enough’ living. Next, we apply age-old, temperate wisdom to spending habits, interpersonal communication, tidying, and emotions. Here’s a preview: [3:30] The middle is where we want to be. (Don’t believe me? I’ll prove it)...
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The World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Report is a checkup on the health of Earth, and this year’s report is the most comprehensive yet. Spoiler alert: its findings aren’t good. But all’s not doom and gloom: Enter the Rescue Effect, a perspective that believes there’s a lot to be optimistic about. On this episode I’m excited to bring you two contrasting viewpoints to the biodiversity problem. First I speak with Brent Loken, Global Food Lead Scientist for the World Wildlife...
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The post The Rescue Effect appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
‘Rise and Grind’ reveres working for work’s sake, and it’s an immensely popular lifestyle. Psychology argues our egos have something to do with it: Perhaps non-stop hustling makes you feel important. If you have a lot on your plate, you must be in demand. Hustling enables you to stand out from the masses; after all, you can do everything that’s asked of you (and you can do it well). But living without rest comes with a host of health concerns...
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Your favorite smartphone apps, your preferred weather forecaster, your go-to photo sharing app, and other seemingly benign technologies likely reveal details about your life to companies looking to collect consumer data. While you want to protect your privacy online, they’re eager to gather thousands of data points on you every single day because more data means better accuracy for algorithms seeking to predict human behavior. Data gathering can affect our lives in ways we can’t currently anticipate. If companies can accurately...
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“I just listened to your podcast about waste and was surprised to hear that our energy consumption is so high in America! The problem is, I don’t know where the energy is going, nor do I understand which things I might be doing to use so much. What are some practical energy saving tips? Why do Americans require so much more energy than other countries?” Waste comes in many forms. Sadly, energy waste is all too common here in the...
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Fashion rules abound and, historically, it’s the patriarchy that has embedded them into our collective psyche. That’s right: women’s clothing is heavily influenced by the opinions of men, and just a few of the most common man-inspired fashion “rules” include: Women would do well to wear “flattering” clothes (a.k.a. ones that bring us closer to the coveted hourglass silhouette). External appearance is paramount to comfort (Here’s looking at you SPANX, stilettos, and wired push-up bras). While strong, straight silhouettes are powerful...
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We’re at it again! Today I’m answering 5 listener questions in a rapid-fire format. Here’s a preview of the questions I’m answering today: [1:30] Are laundry detergent strips actually eco-friendly? What about TruEarth strips specifically? [7:00] Is eco-friendly pet parenting possible and, if so, how? [17:45] Is the Yuka app worth the hype? [22:30] Tofu containers, oat milk cartons, and more: How can I reduce packaging waste from plant-based foods? [28:00] How do minimalists gift their children during the holidays?...
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How to repurpose household items for organization We often think the solution to our household woes lies in better organization, but marketing pros have commercialized tidiness. “Getting organized” often entails purchasing plastic totes and baskets: Before we know it, we’ve spent boatloads of money to organize the stuff we’re storing. Desk organizers, drawer dividers, specialized hangers, oh my: When we talk about living our best lives with less, we’re also talking about living with fewer commercialized organization “systems”. If you’re looking...
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“How can I make eco-minimalist choices when I truly don’t have the time? I’m divorced, have two children, and work full time. There simply aren’t enough hours in the day to care for the kids, earn an income, and run the household, let alone add in sustainable living. Help!” Together, lets re-prioritize our priorities. On today’s show I’m answering a listener’s question about sustainability fatigue: What’s the best course of action when we’re exhausted, unmotivated, and overworked? Here’s...
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Triggered much? It usually goes something like this: Someone in your life does SOMEthing: Maybe your boss criticizes your work. Perhaps your partner says something that hits you the wrong way. You child stalls as you’re trying to get out the door. There’s an antecedent, and then there’s your go-to reaction. There’s no space between the antecedent and your reaction; there’s no intention behind your reaction, either. You simply respond on autopilot. On today’s show I’m speaking with fellow podcaster...
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“One of the hardest things we haven’t been able to tackle is our kids’ snacks: we still end up using a good amount of single use plastic wraps. Do you have any ideas?” Citing convenience, ultraprocessed foods are often sold in single-serve packs. But such snack and lunch items are overpriced (you’re literally paying for that extra plastic!); they’re also often unhealthy for both people and the planet. I get it: We’re overtired and overstressed, and packing wholesome foods...
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The post Low-Waste Lunchboxes appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Is the future refillable? When we look at the history of plastics, it’s disheartening to realize that only 9% of all plastics ever created have been recycled. Another 12% has been incinerated; a whopping 79%, then, has accumulated in landfills and nature. That’s right: your Bonnie Bell Lip Smacker tube circa 1995 is quite likely still somewhere on this planet. Refillable products (like ice cream in stainless steel jars and shampoo bottles refilled in-store) aren’t new. But while most people...
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The post Are Refillable Products The Future? appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
A hotter planet is here, my friends. Don’t believe me? Just turn on the news. On today’s show we first break down major current climate events; we then ask ourselves a set of ethical quandaries. Should the global north pay reparations to the global south its for centuries-long polluting behaviors, or is the inequitable and unjust natures of climate change simply bad luck? Here’s a preview: [4:00] How’d summer go? (Hint: not great, especially in Pakistan) [12:30] The climate...
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The post Climate Reparations? appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
When it comes to growing up, we tend to believe it’s only for children. Adults, then, are assumed to be fully grown. But even us “grownups” are constantly changing, maturing, and evolving (and often at a rapid pace). Such inner changes also run concurrent with external ones that pop up as we move through our respective life seasons, day after day. If embracing change as life’s only true constant is downright difficult, getting stuck underneath heaps of possessions that served...
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Raising Non-Materialistic Kids “Much of the time I tell my kids that material possessions aren’t that important, but I also want them to take care of the possessions they have. How should I best juggle these messages and still get my points across?” As sustainable minimalists, we want our children to devalue stuff, as we certainly don’t want them to associate their sense of self-worth with what they own. But at the same time we also want them to...
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Many people try to ‘Marie Kondo’ themselves out of clutter but find themselves unsuccessful. The reason? decluttering only sticks when you first examine the deep roots into why clutter accumulated in the first place. Today I speak with with celebrity decluttering expert Tracy McCubbin about the excuses we tell ourselves, the clutter blocks that hold us back, and the real reasons why we can’t let go of our stuff. Here’s a preview of the clutter blocks we discuss today:...
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A triangle is complete only when its three corners are intact. Our wellbeing similarly demands that three pillars work together in quiet harmony. The Australian Wellbeing Index is a 15-year-and-counting research study with data from over 60,000 participants. The results remain consistent year after year: optimal wellbeing hinges upon 3 essential intangibles. The good news? These three intangibles are entirely within our control. On today’s show we discuss the golden triangle of wellbeing for optimal life satisfaction. Here’s a...
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The post The Golden Triangle appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.
Many people — and many societies, for that matter — rely on short-sighted quick wins as their Number One go-tos when managing oversized problems. But what works in the short-term likely isn’t best in the long run; worse, such near-sightedness rarely considers its impacts on generations to come. Enter longpath thinking, a mindset that prioritizes future-conscious thinking and behavior. On today’s episode I speak with author and futurist Ari Wallach. Ari argues that when we step away from knee-jerk reactions we...
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Good cooks cook on gas, or so we’ve been told. Any realtor will likely tell you that a gas stove ranks high on homebuyers’ lists of new home must-haves, but are they good for us? Are they good for the planet? Fellow Americans, it’s time to end our love affair with gas stoves. On today’s show, we discuss All. The. Things. the natural gas industry doesn’t want you to know about gas stoves, natural gas, and everything in between. Here’s...
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