The Sustainable Minimalists Podcast

Spending time in nature is recreation; it's also restorative and preventative medicine. Enter forest bathing which, like yoga, has been around for centuries and is now gaining newfound popularity amongst those of us who are overexposed, overworked, and overscheduled.On today's show author Ben Page invites us to connect with nature - and ourselves - in a new way.Here's a preview:[5:00] Japan and shirin-yoku: The origins of modern forest bathing[9:00] Why bother? Here's a laundry list of forest bathing's health and wellness benefits[17:00] How to forest bathe, step by step (with newbie questions in rapid fire format)[33:00] Biophilic interior design for wellness Resources mentioned: Healing Trees: A Pocket Guide To Forest Bathing Bringing Nature Inside Can Improve Your Health. Here’s How To Do It. (Via The Washington Post) Episode #352: Growing Joy With Plants --Join our (free!) community here.Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistB

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. Here's a preview:[10:30] Enter white space: How to incrementally extend the length of time between your cell phone checks[12:30] Has the work-from-home movement ballooned our use of tech?[18:30] Here's the stuff you really, really should be deleting from your phone[22:00] The one phone-related step you can take to improve your focus, well-being, and relationships[26:00] Are you a phubber? Resources mentioned: Episode #292: The Minimalist Cell Phone Movement Join our (free!) community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Faceb

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday July 7, 2023:[00:45] The rise of livestream e-commerce in China[5:00] Is passive cooling the way of the future?[10:00] Are insects wildlife? Well, it depends on where you live[12:00] Wealth matters. So does population density Resources mentioned:  Dow Cool Roof Energy Calculator Join our (free!) community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube. Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.  Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Spoiler alert: Disposable diapers are terrible for the planet. They account for about 2% of all landfill waste in the US; worse – because they're made of plastics – they decompose very, very slowly. Before their arrival on the commercial scene in the 1960s babies were fully potty trained by 18 months. But thanks to this "convenient" option, these days the average potty training age is 3 years. Andrea Olson is the voice behind the über popular method of bathroom training called elimination communication. On today's show Andrea explains the ways in which diaper companies play on our fears of being bad parents to push their single-use products; she also breaks down the steps she took to get her children out of diapers in half the time. Here's a preview:[4:45] Thoughts on intentionality in potty training as being better for both our children and the planet they will inherit[9:00] A history of potty training: What did humans do before disposable diapers?[16:00] Addressing common criticisms: Does elimination commun

The (positive!) enviro-news you need to know for Friday June 30, 2023:[00:30] The latest re: nature's healing effects on human health & wellness[2:45] The planet gets a big win in Switzerland[4:00] 400 Panamanian golden frogs, 6 black-footed ferries, and a western lowland gorilla[9:00] What's living at the bottom of the ocean? (We don't know!)[12:00] The climate denying tide, it is a-changin'  Join our (free!) community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube. Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

The world has a big fat carbon problem. There’s already too much of it in the atmosphere and – thanks to both our lifestyles and corporations' polluting, business-as-usual practices – we're emitting even more carbon into the atmosphere each and every second.Enter carbon capturing.Today in honor of Climate Optimism Week we are outlining the latest and greatest in the carbon capture game. Here's a preview:[2:00] A carbon capture primer: What it is, why we need it, and why trees are simply no longer enough [5:00] 2 examples of small-scale carbon solutions[11:00] The main differences between post combustion capture and direct air capture[18:00] What on earth should we do with the carbon we end up capturing? [21:00] Let's not put all our eggs in the carbon capture basket! Here's why --Join our (free!) community here.Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support

When the climate narrative is all doom and gloom, many of us find it difficult to rally. It's the Snooze Button Effect in real-time: the barrage of "climate apocalypse" headlines lose their urgency, their potency.If you're desensitized to environmental news, know that you're not alone.Today I speak with angry-activist-turned-climate optimist Anne Therese Gennari about becoming more resilient and motivated when confronting the climate crisis – and why optimism is key when it comes to rethinking how we live in this world.Welcome to Climate Optimism Week! Today’s show is the first in a two-part series outlining reasons to be hopeful in the climate fight. Here's a preview: [5:00] How can we be climate optimists when the planet’s future looks so dire?[11:30] 2 benefits to toning down the urgency [20:00] Can capitalism be our ally in the climate fight?[25:00] What it really means to maximize your positive footprint Resources mentioned:  What We Think About When We Try Not To Think About Global Warming: Toward a Ne

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday June 13, 2023:[00:45] It's here my friends. We're living in the Fire Age[05:00] Cutting edge fire detection measures happening now[9:00] 5 steps to improving your indoor air quality[11:00] Air conditioners of the future Resources mentioned: The Best Home Air Quality Monitor (via NY Times) AirNow app Episode #312: 12 Practical Energy Saving Tips Join our (free!) community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube. Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

There comes a time when we're simultaneously sick of all the greenwashing and angry at the snail's pace in which change tends to occur. Because while doing our best within our homes is indeed impactful, it does little to create large-scale change.If you're dedicated to leaving the world a better place than you found it, you're ready to become an advocate.Today's show is the second in a two part series about creating a marketplace that puts consumers — not mega corporations! — first, and I'm speaking with podcaster Jessica Brennan about her transition from quiet-but-crunchy parent to loud-and-proud advocate. Jessica was pivotal in the passing of the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA) which is the first substantial update to cosmetic laws since 1938. Here's a preview: [5:00] How to know when you're ready to take your frustration and do something with it outside of your home[12:00] The surprising benefits associated with advocacy work[18:00] Want to be an advocate but don't want to picket? Here's

We all need to feel like we can make smart purchasing decisions, but it’s hard to know where to put our trust. Researchers have found dangerous levels of mercury in anti-aging creams; they’ve linked chemicals in hair dye to cancer; they’ve traced fragrances in soaps and shampoos to fertility issues. And while it has become more confusing than ever to know whether our buying choices are putting our health at risk, America's laws often help manufacturers avoid accountability.Today's show is the first in a two part series about creating a marketplace that puts consumers — not mega corporations! — first.  Here's a preview:[1:30] Mascara and blindness[6:00] Antibiotics, antifreeze and over 100 deaths[11:00] The link between Johnson & Johnson's baby powder and ovarian cancer; plus: the mega-corp's attempts to protect itself at the expense of 34,000+ victims Resources mentioned: Johnson & Johnson Reaches Deal for $8.9 Billion Talc Settlement (via NY Times) US Judge Halts Most Talc Lawsuits Against J&J,

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday June 16, 2023:[00:30] German homeowners and financial sacrifice (heat pumps are expensive!)[04:00] Should we sacrifice the Great American landscape in the name of clean energy? [11:00] Here's how South Koreans are making eco-sacrifices in real time Resources mentioned: Join our (free!) community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube. Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.  Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Our brains are really darn busy. They're continually processing lots of information; they're also working overtime to keep us out of harm's way. And because they're overworked and underpaid, our brains seek out shortcuts. Sometimes these shortcuts are helpful but often they cause more harm than good.Enter cognitive distortions, which make us anxious, create excessive suffering, and blow our self-esteem to smithereens. On today's show we flip and reverse these 6 unhelpful thought patterns for greater well-being:[8:00] Overgeneralizations ("Everyone else is doing so much better than me!")[10:00] Negative predictions ("I'm trapped!")[15:00] Jumping to conclusions ("No one loves me as much as I love them!")[19:00] All-or-nothing thinking ("If only I had ...")[25:00] Misplaced self-doubt ("I'm an imposter!")[28:00] Polarized thinking ("My life is a mess!") Resources mentioned/Further reading: 5 Distorted Thought Patterns and How to Change Them (via Psychology Today) 6 Thought Patterns That Increase Anxiety (via

Our kids have big feelings about their stuff. In many homes, the mere suggestion of a toy and treasure decluttering sesh initiates a gargantuan cleanup battle. Are your kiddos running out of space to store their special things? If so, it may be time to teach them the important skill of discerning their favorites from the minutia.Drama-free decluttering with kids is possible! Today I speak with shopaholic-turned-minimalist Mary Simpson about the ways in which she empowers her children to make difficult decisions about their stuff. Here's a preview:[6:30] First things first: We respect our children by respecting their stuff[9:30] Drowning in artwork and school papers? Here's what to do[15:00] How many childhood mementos should you keep?[26:00] Containers are your friend! Resources mentioned: Mary on Instagram Want more episodes like this one? Check out #302: Raising Non-Materialistic Kids --Join our (free!) community here.Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.Email me an

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday June 9, 2023:[01:00] Promising developments re: PFAS legislation[4:00] Eco-conscious breweries?[8:00] Bad news for arctic sea ice[10:00] Sinking US cities and rising sea levels = trouble Resources mentioned: Episode #264: Forever Chemicals Join our (free!) community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube. Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

When the clutter in your immediate physical environment becomes just another major stressor that bombards your autonomic nervous system, you may be stuck in the mess-stress cycle. My children are almost on summer break and this means extra messes and excess stresses. On today's show: 5 steps to bare-bones home maintenance that will get your home back to functioning in 20 minutes or less.Here's a preview:[2:30] Are you stressed, or are you in a stress cycle? Here's how to know[5:30] The warning signs and symptoms of the mess-stress cycle[13:00] 5 steps to getting your home back to functioning in under 20 minutes Resources mentioned: How To Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach To Cleaning And Organizing by K.C. Davis Caught in a Stress Cycle (via Psychology Today) Episode #076: The Shoebox Method Episode #152: How To Organize For Your Personality  Join our (free!) community here.Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@g

It's 2023 and upgrade culture is fierce. For many of us, wanting something is as good a reason as any to go out and buy it. And wanting a newer model of an item you already have? Just another excuse to splurge.Today's show is less of an interview and more of a conversation with the anti-upgrade king (a.k.a. my husband) about how we attempt to keep upgrade culture at bay in our own home.Here's a preview:[5:30] Don't forget utility![7:30] Thoughts on the connection between upgrade culture and performative wealth[9:00] Why we don't buy stuff for our daughters "just because"[15:00] Tech-free homes as a sneaky anti-upgrade power move[18:00] The quiet power embedded within simply saying nothing[23:00] Why and how to steer clear of the parenting path of least resistance, plus: How to teach your kids to care for their stuff Resources Mentioned:National Crayon Recycling Program--Join our (free!) community here.Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.Email me and say hello! MamaMin

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday June 2, 2023:[00:30] Angry environmentalists and the US debt deal [4:00] Recycling centers create lots of microplastics (and lots of problems)[8:00] What you need to know about a gigantic log pile in Canada[11:00] "Rapidly growing catastrophic exposure" and home insurance changes  Join our (free!) community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube. Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

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 alarmsResources mentioned: Sorry, but It’s Probably Time to Replace These 17 Household Essentials (via Wirecutter from NY Times) Tushy toilet

Sustainability chatter often centers around the importance of being selfless: Do better for waterways and ecosystems. Do better for endangered animals and, of course, do better for future generations, won't you?But humans tend to be self-centered as a species, and expert marketing has trained us to prioritize our personal whims over the collective. The result? Many tend to help others only if their needs and wants first feel fully fulfilled.Self-centeredness has a universal benefit: planetary wellness *always* starts with personal wellness. On today's show Brienne Derosier introduces her concept of the Wellness Onion as a means of explaining how caring for ourselves is a smart and sneaky means of learning to care for all things everywhere. Here's a preview:[5:30] Layer One: What are you consuming?[10:00] It's less about how you look and more about how you feel. Here's why[12:00] Layer Two: What are you putting on your body?[22:00] Layer Three: What are you putting in your home?[32:00] Layer Four: What is your

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday May 25, 2023:[00:30] The future of plastic[3:00] The relationship between heat and a poor night's sleep[5:00] Yay or nay: Should we relocate species endangered by climate change?[10:00] The Colorado River's woes  Join our (free!) community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube. Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.  Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content