Eco Chic

Here comes the susty bride! We’re hearing from three new brides on how they considered their eco-conscious values throughout the wedding planning process. Sophia shares her tips for shopping secondand and DIY’ing decor; Katharine shares her experience are a covid bride, making simple swaps that allowed her to stay true to herself; Lisa sheds light on the financial benefits (and drawbacks) to organizing an eco-friendly event. Thank you to our three lovely speakers! Everyone was truly such a wealth of knowledge – while they all had very different experiences, their sentiments around doing your best complimented each other so well. Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/ECOCHIC Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. The post 166: Sustainable Weddings: Chic Chats appeared first on ECO CHIC.

We’re discussing likely our most requested book club pick … the iconic Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer! Braiding Sweetgrass is a beautiful collection of essays through which author Kimmerer, a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, blends her Indigenous knowledge and appreciation of the natural world with her scientific lens. “Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, a mother, and a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings … offer us gifts and lessons, even if we’ve forgotten how to hear their voices.” We’re reading with Sameera Polavarapu, environmental advocate, strategic design graduate student, + host of the Environmentenlist podcast. Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter.

We’re joined by scientist, author, and activist Dr. Jessica Hernandez on the release week of her new book, Fresh Banana Leaves: Healing Indigenous Landscapes Through Indigenous Science. I am beyond excited to share with you this intellectual, emotional, holistic conversation – we discuss ecofeminism, intergenerational environmental trauma, and why indigenous science should not be labeled a speciality. Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter.

I am so excited to share with you the results from our ECO CHIC Wrapped 2021 Survey!! One of our major take-aways from the responses is that we’d like more conversations on the intersection of environmentalism and mental health – so today we are scratching the surface of *issue fatigue.* Why do people sometimes just not care about climate change? And why is that when we already care about climate change, sometimes we just can’t really care about *everything*? We’re going into the new year with compassion, giving ourselves grace, and encouraging balance in our climate community. Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter.

We’re finally diving into one of my most anticipated books of the year – Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World by Dr. Katharine Hayhoe! We are joined by Emily Stochl, host of the Pre-Loved Podcast, Remake Ambassador, Secondhand Fashion Superstar Extraordinaire.. and all around one of my favorite people I’ve met through this show. This book very clearly set out to help readers *talk* about the climate crisis; Emily and I unpack the frameworks and case studies showcased in Saving Us, and discuss how we can take some of the communication approaches shared to better our own day-to-day climate advocacy. Mentioned episodes: * 108: Climate Change Today, Solutions, Footprints + Communicating Climate | Dr. Katharine Hayhoe* 130: Thrift, Garment Workers’ Protection Act, Ethical Secondhand | Emily Stochl, Pre-Loved Podcast Take the ECO CHIC end of the year survey here!! Shouldn’t take more than five minutes and will help us create your favorite podcast ever.

We’re getting smarter about the biggest way we *vote with our dollar* … we’re talking all about investing today with Investing Expert and all-around bada$$ money mama Amanda Holden. Amanda educates us on the basics of financial literacy – stocks, funds, ETFs, and every other buzz-word in the space. We also get into the topic of socially conscious investing, and what ESG means (spoiler: environmental, social, governance). Amanda sheds light on the ‘greenwashing’ and misconceptions around socially conscious investing, and we leave empowered to better assess our goals balancing goals of ethical investing and long-term financial health. Take the ECO CHIC end of the year survey here!! Shouldn’t take more than five minutes and will help us create your favorite podcast ever. Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter.

We’re joined by our favorite disasterologist, Dr. Samantha Montano! We get into everything you’ve ever wanted to know about living with stronger hurricanes, tornados, heatwaves… and just how we can protect our communities. We speak today about the event that first encouraged her to get involved in the space – recovery in New Orleans immediately following Hurricane Katrina and the Levee Failure. Samantha educates of the phases of Disaster Management (and what can go right or wrong in each one!), and gaps in our current legal and political systems when it comes to actively preparing for and mitigating events that are often incorrectly referred to as ‘natural disasters.’ We also dig deeper into the mismanagement of the covid catastrophe response. Dr. Montano is an assistant professor of emergency management at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. She is the author of Disasterology: Dispatches from The Frontlines of The Climate Crisis published by Park Row. She earned her B.S. in Psychology from Loyola Univers

We’re revisiting a deeply educational and tea-spilling episode with Brittany Peet, Deputy General Counsel for Captive Animal Law Enforcement at PETA. You may recognize her from Tiger King – the voice of reason, ethics, and reality amongst the otherwise outlandish cast of characters. Brittany and I discuss the differences between zoos, sanctuaries, and roadside attractions, and what to look for as an ethical consumer of animal entertainment. Speaking of entertainment… we discuss the iconic Britney Spears 2001 VMA preformance (you know the one – yellow python, tigers, and behind-the-scenes of Doc Antle with Brit). Is it ever okay to have an animal “working” in the entertainment industry? Brittany even shares some intel on where lawsuits stand with multiple members of the Tiger King cast, and how everyday citizens like ourselves can advocate for legislation like the Big Cat Public Safety Act. From PETA: How to Tell if a Place Is a REAL Animal Sanctuary ; Roadside Zoos and Other Captive-Animal Displays

Is ‘conscious consumerism’ enough? This week we’re exploring what it means to truly use your dollars to influence change with author and activist Tanja Hester. Tanja’s upcoming book, Wallet Activism: How To Use Every Dollar You Spend, Earn, and Save as a Force for Change bridges the knowledge divide between environmental and social activism, and acts as a through, no-BS handbook to navigate the nuances of thoughtful spending (and saving!). Our conversation explores case studies of the power of collective *and* policy action, consumer guilt, and how to do your best in a (broken) capitalist society. Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. Find Tanja @our_nextlife on Instagram and at tanjahester.com Thank you to our sponsor today, American Blossom Linens! Use ECOCHIC20 for 20% off

The Super Bowl of Climate Change Solutions has started… the 26th convening of the United Nations Conference of Parties kicked of Monday, Nov 1 and runs for two weeks for governments to discuss climate commitments, progress, and make serious pledges to collective action. Today we’re getting context on COP – what to expect and wha we actually *want* to see come out of the event. We’re also of course shining a light on the serious inequities around attendance, plus who is there that just… shouldn’t be (cough cough, fossil fuel companies!!). There is also a promising private sector COP happening in the same building – we’re breaking down the value of companies, financial institutions, and other interested parties rallying behind their own climate commitments, separate from whatever countries may (or may) not negotiate. This episode is timely, informative, and dare I say a little saucy. Activists to keep up with on the ground include @queerbrownvegan, @browngirlgreen, @ayishas12, @iamgarbagequeen + @sophia

We’re talking extreme weather today – frequency, intensity, and what we should actually be worrying about. Let’s first bust the myth that climate change is causing more storms, and then get into why we are actually seeing stronger storms. We go through hurricanes, snow storms, and other weather events warmer ocean surface temperatures can influence. We talk risk, touching a bit on climate models and the issues around planning in industries like real estate. Scary stuff… so we close with some self reflection and positivity!! Resources: * 152: Heat Waves, MegaDroughts, + Wildfires, Oh My… * 150: Why Is The Arctic Warming So Fast?* IPCC Summary for Policymakers * Climate Change Is Making Hurricanes Stronger, Researchers Find (NY Times)* As Earth warms, will snowstorms be a thing of the past? (Washington Post) Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez !

I’ve taken an unintentional hiatus recently, largely due to some recent heightened climate anxiety… so today, we are defining climate or eco- anxiety, and breaking down some tips from the American Psychological Association on how to best combat these feelings. We’re talking burnout, dissociation, and making sure we’re setting ourselves up best to regularly support our mental health around this climate crisis, not just when we’re getting big waves of doom-and-gloom. Episodes mentioned: 126: Climate Anxiety: How to Turn Worry into Compassionate Action with Dr. Renee Lertzman 141: Climate/Sustainability Careers Chic Chats Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez !

We’re joined by four friends of the pod today to discuss experiences within the queer community and environmental spaces!! Our LGBTQ+ -focused episode is value-packed with arguably the most vast range of topics + perspectives of any call-in episode yet. We’re speaking with Isaias of @QueerBrownVegan, who breaks down the framework behind queer sustainability. Emerald discusses the value in safe queer communities, from climbing to hiking and other recreational experiences. Izzy shares the ethical concerns around pride merch, following her article with Fashion Revolution, ‘Who Made My Pride Merch.’ Lastly, Jackson discusses his experience whole-heartedly accepting his queer identity while establishing boundaries to prevent tokenism; he also shares excellent insight on how to respond when someone comes out to you. Special thank you to our speakers today for their transparency, empathy, + willingness to share their stories! I really loved putting this episode together because it was deeply personal while b

We are discussing the sustainable fashion favorite, The Conscious Closet by Elizabeth Cline, with Moji Igun. The Conscious Closet is a highly recommended, holistic guide to building a more mindful wardrobe – from closet audits, living wages, truly sustainable garments, and everything in between surrounding the fashion revolution. This conversation gets into the environmental, ethical, and emotional sides of clothing: how can we do good *and* look good? Moji is a zero-waste expert and founder of Blue Daisi Consulting, zero-waste consulting and eco-conscious solutions for supporting more mindful businesses. Other episodes + resources mentioned: * 140: How Luxury Lost Its Luster | Book Club with Megan McSherry* Megan McSherry’s ebook, Make The Most of What’s In Your Closet* 143: The Case For Appointing A Fashion Czar | Elizabeth Segran* Dr. Liz Segran’s article, President Biden, Appoint A Fashion Czar on Fast Company* A Brief Guide To Fabrics (by me!) on instagram* NYTimes expanding on the mentioned et

Today we are continuing our Climate 101 education with a timely summer topic: the current heat waves, wildfires, and massive droughts being experienced in the American West. We’ll figure out what a heat waves actually is, plus learn about the nuances contributing to our 20+ year megadrought. Spoiler alert: climate change is worsening natural occurances. We also better understand wildfires: how they start and what is making them so severe and frequent. Fun, educational, and full of reminders (and my personal soapbox) about water subsidizes and camping responsibly. Mentioned + additional articles: * The Western Drought Is Bad. Here’s What You Should Know About It. (New York Times)* Why the intense U.S. drought is now a megadrought by Mark Kaufman* ‘Megadrought’ persists in western U.S., as another extremely dry year develops (National Geographic) Thank you to Aspiration for sponsoring today’s episode – learn more about how you can earn up to $200 by opening an account at aspiration.com/eco.

We read Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy in May… and we LOVED it. Jessica Clifton shares how she strategically crafted her career as a sustainability influencer, we chat about our reading habits, and then thoroughly unpack what has been named one of the best novels of 2020. Migrations centers around Franny Stone, a women who seems constantly on the run, as she follows what is believed to be the final migration of the Arctic terns. The novel has been discussed as ‘climate fiction,’ and both Jessica and I found that label totally believable as we unpack themes of mass extinction, overfishing, conservationism… so nicely packed into big stories of love, loss, and personal evolution. We discuss the book’s so-well-picked, intentional symbols, timeline hopping, and of course the wild ending!! Our episode has spoilers (there was just so much to discuss!) and glowing reviews. Next month we are reading The Conscious Closet by Elizabeth Cline with Moji Igun. Set the scene for yourself with my latest, Episod

The Arctic is warming almost twice as fast as the rest of the planet… yikes! There are more headlines each day about the rapidly rising average temperatures – as of this month, early June, almost all of the Arctic is at or above freezing. This isn’t the only issue though (dare I say it’s just the tip of the iceberg??) … we’re going to better understand how warmer winters make way for more problematic, otherwise typically warm summers. We’re defining the albedo effect, or polar amplification, and the feedback loop that keeps this Arctic warming constant. Another shocking news bit is big ice sheets breaking off – how does glacial calving happen? We’ll get clear on the difference between icebergs and glaciers (and why the Titanic hit one and not the other)…. and wrap up with some fun facts that will hopefully win you a point or two at trivia night: why skiiers always seem to be sunburned, and how Antartica is actually the world’s biggest desert. Thank you to Aspiration for sponsoring today’s episode – learn

We’re sharing one of our most personal, coming-of-age episodes yet – we’re speaking beauty standards, acne and skin “flaws”, and coming-of-age realizations of body dismorphia (tw). Carolyn Yachanin is the creator of Copina Co, plant-based collagen boosts. Collagen is often touted as the wellness additive you just need in your beauty routine – but if your beauty supplements are coming from animals, that’s a whole other can of worms to come to terms with with an ethical, healthy lifestyle. Carolyn discusses her journey to creating a product, one of the firsts of its kind, and how she has hustled Copina Co into shops like Erewhon, Anthropologie, and Urban Outfitters. We also discuss the need for a revamp of our collective definition of “beauty” – instead, let’s focus on treating ourselves well, feeling our bests, and staying happy and confident in our own skin. This episode is jam-packed with business tips plus some deeply vulnerable conversations on beauty and self-love. If you’d like to check out Copina Co

In April we read Bill Gates’ latest: a manual on climate change for the general public, How To Avoid A Climate Disaster, with environmental justice advocate + influencer (and my friend!) Zahra Biabani of @Soulful_Seeds. The nonfiction work has received lots of press and praises from mainstream outlets, so we were intrigued – but the climate and sustainability community online was largely outspoken in its distaste for a billionaire-authored book on the climate crisis. Zahra shares a bit of insight on the influencer controversy with the book, and we share similar sentiments of ickiness. We critically break down what we liked and didn’t like; we discuss energy poverty, agriculture, environmental justice, geoengineering… all of it. We finish with our out-of-5 ratings and review of the book. Next month we will be reading Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy – our first fiction book club pick! Migrations is a novel about a researcher in Greenland following the migration of Arctic terns (birds – I’m already obs

We’re joined by one of my very first guests and very favorite people in the sustainability space – Ashlee Piper!! Ashlee is a TV personality, sustainability consultant, and author of Give A Shit: Do Good. Live Better. Save The Planet – which has become quite the golden ticket, go-to guidebook for both aspiring and seasoned sustainability advocates. We talk all about influence, and how to communicate with audiences both online and IRL, and what it means to be an ‘influential’ person online in this special, relatively new world of eco-activism. We speak about greenwashing and misconceptions in the movement. I ask the burning question: how did you write a book? Ashlee, the realest woman around, gives us all the details from conception to publishing, and how the reception of her book has continued to evolve over time. Lastly, we speak about the individual action in sustainable living, versus collective, policy-driven action – should it be one or the other? Thank you to Aspiration for sponsoring today’s episod