Sustainable Minimalists

Got yourself some leather boots? How about a faux leather handbag? The fashion industry relies heavily on both the durability and aesthetic of leather and, these days, vegan leather is rapidly rising in popularity as an ethical alternative to animal-based hides. But what is vegan leather, exactly, and does it stand up to the hype? On this episode, I’m answering a listener’s question about the environmental and ethical considerations associated with all-things leather and leather alternatives. Here’s a preview: [3:45] Animal-based leather’s dirty little secrets [10:15] What is vegan, cruelty-free, plant-based, faux leather?  Is it as great as it sounds? [15:00] Everything you need to know before buying an exotic leather [17:30] 5 tips for making informed leather and vegan leather purchases   Resources mentioned: * What are you gifting your loved ones for the holidays? Call (508) 960-9046 and leave your first name followed by your gift idea. * Prefer to send an email? Reach out at MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. * Episode #200: Navigating The Eco-Contradiction Minefield * Episode #109: What Are Eco-Friendly Fibers?   * Thank you to Greensbury Market for sponsoring this week’s episode! Use code PODCAST at checkout for 10% off your order of $50 or more. * Thank you also to SoaPen for sponsoring! Head over to SoaPen.com to see how easy hand-washing can be. * Join our (free!) community here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.      

Fairy lights for our little girl? A dinosaur theme for our baby boy? When designing our children’s nurseries and, later, their big kid rooms, it’s natural for parents to get caught up in the aesthetics. After all, designing is fun; researching ethical and eco-friendly products is decidedly not. But sustainable interior design is more accessible today than it has ever been before and with a bit of forethought it’s entirely possible to curate beautiful spaces for our children that use lower impact materials. This week’s guest is author Rachel Fowler. Rachel combines her knowledge as both a nurse and sustainable interior designer to give us her best ideas for creating nurseries and kids rooms that are safe, minimalist, eco-friendly, and fun.   Here’s a preview: [6:00] Ten items that should never be in your child’s room for health and safety [9:30] What to consider before painting a room’s walls and ceiling, with a nod toward wallpaper [16:00] The problems with carpet and vinyl floors [20:00] How to make informed furniture decisions [24:00] What to use instead instead of blackout blinds   Resources mentioned: * My Happy Place: Healthy, Sustainable And Humane Interior Design For Life And Work * Auro paint * Episode #190: Curating A Healthy House     *Thank you to Greensbury Market for sponsoring this week’s episode! Use code PODCAST at checkout for 10% off your order of $50 or more. * Thank you also to One Day University! Use code SUSTAINABLE at checkout for half off annual subscriptions. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.      

“I’d love to hear a podcast episode about a bidet for toilet attachment … Our family recently got one, and we love it but I know a lot of people have questions about them, including myself.”   I did it. I bought a bidet attachment, installed it myself and, on this short and sweet episode, I’m answering a listener’s question all about whether bidets have a place in a modern family home (and if yes, how). Here’s a preview: [2:15] Sleek and (kinda) sexy? The features and benefits of today’s bidet for toilet attachment [4:00] Toilet paper’s financial and environmental problems [5:15] 5 oversized benefits to embracing a bidet attachment [11:00] My thoughts on bidets in homes with kids [15:00] This week’s eco-tip: A creative way for reusing stained kids’ clothes   Resources mentioned: * Why Don’t Americans Use Bidets? (via The Atlantic) * Episode #120: Your Sustainability Questions, Answered * Tushy bidet attachment  * What are you gifting your loved ones for the holidays? Call (508) 960-9046 and leave your first name followed by your gift idea. Prefer to send an email? Reach out at MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.   * Thank you to Unidragon for sponsoring this week’s episode! Use code MINIMAL for 10% off your order. * Join our (free!) community here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.  

Cooking takes time, and few of us have time to spare. Convenient food options—like processed snacks, meal subscriptions, and even takeout—solve problems for busy adults who feel the pull towards what’s quick and easy, and those with disabilities view such options as daily necessities. But for those of us who are able and do indeed have a bit of time? Convenient alternatives have disconnected us from our food. Worse, such options have pushed us farther from cooking, an essential self-sufficient skill. Today I’m speaking with Kate Flynn. Kate is the co-founder and CEO of Sun & Swell, the world’s first online, plastic-free health food store. She’s on the show to suggest first steps for ways for making fewer convenience-driven food choices in our (hectic) daily lives; she offers tried-and-true hacks from her own kitchen that simplify food routines, too.   Here’s a preview: [4:00] Three big reasons why the packaged food industry is broken [8:00] Practical ways for those of us who can to fight back against the allure of convenience food options [11:00] What needs to change so that healthy food becomes available to everyone [14:00] How to make smarter choices at the grocery store (without committing to buying only fruits and veggies) [24:00] Food routines that prioritize healthy eating when you’re hangry [30:00] My 6 cooking tips for beginner home chefs   Resources mentioned: * Malk non-dairy milks * Honey Mamas chocolate * Siete tortilla chips * Sun & Swell cookie bites (Use code SUSTAINABLE25 for 25% off your first order!)   *Thank you to KiwiCo for sponsoring this week’s episode! Get 50% off your first month plus free shipping with code SUSTAINABLE at kiwico.com. * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #177: Becoming A Zero-Waste Chef. * Join our (free!) community here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest. * Watch the unedited version of this interview on Youtube here.      

Non-toxic, eco-friendly living is rapidly growing in popularity, and many corporations that sell home cleansers are modifying their marketing (not their products!) to garner more sales. We may not have the time or energy to DIY our own cleaning products, and rampant greenwashing muddles our best attempts at finding the products aligned with our values. What are green cleaners, exactly, and where can they be found? On this episode Megan Mikkelson and I outline tried-and-true ways for finding safe home cleansers so you can avoid the biggest pitfalls that defeat most people as they seek to support companies doing things right.   Here’s a preview: [4:00] The FDA’s lack of chemical regulation benefits corporations, not consumers. Here’s how [7:30] 3 reasons why it’s incorrect to assume that just because your parents/grandparents used a certain product, it’s safe [9:45] What are green cleaners amidst greenwashing galore? (Also: the problem with Mrs. Meyers) [13:50] Are apps and websites all that helpful when determining a product’s safety? [18:45] The Sharpie Method’s first steps for listeners who want to declutter their cleaning products [29:20] For intermediate and advanced listeners: 3 new ingredients to avoid in cleaning products   Resources mentioned: * Free masterclass with live Q&A: 3 Home Detox Secrets For Beginners * The Home Method Online Course * Episode #042: Green Cleaning Made Easy * The Chemicals Of Special Concern List * Healthy Living App * Meliora cleaning products   * Thank you to One Day University for sponsoring this episode! Use code SUSTAINABLE at checkout for half off annual subscriptions. * Watch the full and unedited version of this episode on Youtube. * Leave a voicemail with your question and I’ll answer it on-air! Here’s how: State your name then leave the show a message at (508) 960-9046. (This new feature only works with audience participation, so don’t be shy!) * Prefer to send an email? Reach out at MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. * Join our (free!) community here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.  

Excessive amounts of shoes. Keys that are somehow always lost. We feel it when our entryways *don’t* flow, sure. But in what ways can we elevate an entryway’s function while also ensuring that it remains aesthetically pleasing? My guest today believes that tidy homes elevate personal style. This week I’m speaking with globally recognized home organizing expert Shira Gill who’s here to offer up her best organized entryway ideas for creating spaces that both function and flow.   Here’s a preview: [2:45] Shira’s 5-step process for getting your home in order right now [8:00] 7 items that should never reside in your home’s entryway [9:00] Organized entryway ideas for storing all the shoes [14:00] The best way to store masks and sanitizer [16:30] Your home’s outbox: How to best handle library books and other borrowed items [22:30] Creating the illusion of an entryway in older or smaller homes   Resources mentioned in the episode: * Minimalista: Your Step-by-Step Guide to a Better Home, Wardrobe, and Life * Shira on Instagram   * Did you know there’s a (4.8 star) book based on this podcast? It’s available as an e-book, an audiobook, and as a paperback, and I so appreciate you supporting my work! * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #076: Declutter your Home with the Shoebox Method. * Social distancing is the *perfect* time to review your favorite podcasts! On the Apple Podcasts app, hit the Library tab, scroll allll the way to the bottom past all prior episodes, then click on the stars to leave a review. (Thank you!) * Join our (free!) community here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.    

“Do you have any tips for making kids arts and crafts more sustainable? I have a craft shelf that the kids love. I keep it stocked and love to encourage their creativity, but it feels so wasteful!”   Pom pons, glitter glue, and googly eyes, oh my. While we all want to provide our children with opportunities to express their creativity, I believe there’s a fine line between offering artistic inspiration and being wasteful. (While we’re at it, there’s also a fine line between tidy art spaces and out-of-control crafting.) On this short and sweet episode, I’m answering a listener’s question about how sustainable minimalists handle arts & crafts. Here’s a preview: [2:45] Why I suggest you stop buying art supplies for your kiddos (and what you should stock for their creative endeavors, instead) [5:45] Where to find eco-friendlier art supplies on the market [7:00] The ins and outs of a 21st century scrap bin [10:15] Thoughts on instilling a culture of slow creation (with a focus on functional art) in your home   Resources mentioned: * Kraft paper tape * Scissors made from recycled plastic (note: not for kids) * Beeswax crayons without petroleum * Acid-free construction paper with recycled content * Biodegradable glitter * Crazycrayons.com for petroleum-based crayon recycling   * Leave a voicemail with your question and I’ll answer it on-air! Here’s how: State your name then leave the show a message at (508) 960-9046. (This new feature only works with audience participation, so don’t be shy!) * Prefer to send an email? Reach out at MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. * Join our (free!) community here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.  

Your Minimalism-Guided Life And Career   67% of workers say excessive meetings keep them from getting their best work done, and up to half of an employee’s day is wasted on unproductive effort (source). While we are well-versed in the whys and hows of slow living in our personal lives, our professional ones may be hindered by societal expectations and workplace norms. This week, Chris Lovett and I examine the ways in which hard work, materialism, and busyness collide. Chris had a series of lightbulb moments that led him to sell the majority of his stuff, leave his stable but unfulfilling job, and challenge the limiting beliefs that no longer served him. In the first part of today’s interview Chris details his journey from living on autopilot to living with intention. In Part 2, Chris and I discuss why it’s important to apply the tenets of minimalism life to our professional endeavors; he also offers tangible steps (with a hefty dose of wry British humor) on how to start.   Here’s a preview: [6:00] Work hard, play hard? Why we tend to associate hard work with material rewards [7:00] Reading between the “busyness” lines: What we’re really saying when we proclaim we’re busy [12:15] How becoming a “specialist” perhaps holds us back [16:30] Tips for listeners who are working too hard and are spending too much [21:45] Why gently pushing back against a “work until you die” culture starts with challenging assumptions   Resources mentioned: * Discovery of LESS: How I Found Everything I Wanted Underneath Everything I Owned * Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit Of Less * Have an eco-tip you’d like to share? Call the show’s voicemail at (508) 960-9046. * Watch the extended version of this interview on Youtube (and check out Chris’s big hair).   * Did you know there’s a (4.8 star) book based on this podcast? It’s available as an e-book, an audiobook, and as a paperback, and I so appreciate you supporting my work! * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #108: 6 Minimalist Lifestyle Tips For Overarching Simplicity. * Join our (free!) community here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.  

Apple pie, Jack-o-lanterns, and gourds galore: Autumn has arrived! Saving money and environmental resources starts by reducing—or even better, eliminating—food waste in your home. With a bit of forethought, we can get creative in the kitchen and commit to making use of *entire* food items this fall. In this short and sweet episode I’m offering my best suggestions for using every part of our favorite fall foods—pumpkins and apples—including the pumpkin’s guts, the apple’s core, and more.   Here’s a preview: [2:00] Friendly reminders re: the food waste problem [4:15] 3 ways to use the whole pumpkin, including the seeds and guts [7:45] All-things apples: what to do with those cores and peels?   Resources mentioned: * Episode #112: The Nitty-Gritty Behind Microplastic Pollution * Pumpkin butter in the crockpot recipe * Pumpkin leftovers soup recipe     * Leave a voicemail with your question and I’ll answer it on-air! Here’s how: State your name then leave the show a message at (508) 960-9046. (This new feature only works with audience participation, so don’t be shy!) * Prefer to send an email? Reach out at MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. * Join our (free!) community here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.    

Automobiles convey freedom and status. They’re also a symbol of modern convenience: why walk when you can drive? Why take public transit if you can ride in the comfort of what’s decidedly yours? But a car’s convenience comes with a host of environmental problems that extend beyond the obvious guzzling of gas (which indeed comprises approximately 80-percent of a car’s impact). An automobile’s beforelife requires excessive energy expenditure in the creation of the steel, rubber, glass, and other parts that comprise it; its afterlife is important, too, as plastics and toxic battery acids remain well after the recyclable parts are recycled. Today I’m speaking with Lifestyle Optimization Coach Meredith Keith-Chirch about her car-free lifestyle. Meredith’s family once had two automobiles but they very gradually reduced their reliance over the years by moving to just one car, then zero. Meredith argues that car-light living isn’t just for those of us living in cities; instead, each of us can take practical steps to reduce car use for our health and the planet’s. Here’s a preview: [10:00] 4 personal benefits to using your car less [18:00] How to handle extra logistics and increased mental load when transitioning to car-light living [22:30] Essential bike gear for daily errands [24:30] Practical first steps for listeners interested in using their car *slightly* less   Resources mentioned: * The Environmental Impacts of Cars, Explained (via National Geographic) * Meredith on Facebook   * Want more episodes like this one? Check out Meredith’s first appearance on the show: #201: Fewer But Better Adult Friendships. * Social distancing is the *perfect* time to review your favorite podcasts! On the Apple Podcasts app, hit the Library tab, scroll allll the way to the bottom past all prior episodes, then click on the stars to leave a review. (Thank you!) * Join our (free!) community here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest. * Watch the full version of this interview on Youtube here.    

“I really like fixing and building, and my wife and I like to go around on garbage day and pick up useful odds and ends. This of course also turns into a lot of stuff from a minimalist perspective. How do you deal with useful things that have no specific purpose yet?”   I believe that determining an item’s potential starts first by knowing thyself. On today’s show, I’m explaining my concept of the eco-minimalist spectrum; I’m also offering 3 tips for managing that space where—when we contemplate purpose—fantasy and reality diverge.   Here’s a preview: [1:45]  The eco-minimalist spectrum: What it is and where you fall [7:00] 5 questions to ask that will help you determine an item’s *actual* value [14:00] Kid-specific advice about “stuff” that works well for adults, too   Resources mentioned: * Episode #107: Cluttered Vs. Hoarding: What’s the Difference?     * Thank you to Elderberry Boost for sponsoring this episode! Get 15% off with code SMP at checkout. * Leave a voicemail with your question and I’ll answer it on-air! Here’s how: State your name then leave the show a message at (508) 960-9046. (This new feature only works with audience participation, so don’t be shy!) * Prefer to send an email? Reach out at MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. * Join our (free!) community here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.  

Amidst 2021’s frenetic pace, curating a life that satisfies your professional, financial, and familial obligations and also leaves space for fun may seem unattainable. What’s work-life balance, and is achieving such balance even possible? Today I speak with author, chef, and farm CEO Shannon Hayes. Despite her many professional endeavors, Shannon makes sure to find time for coffee dates with her husband, afternoon naps, and martini dance parties in the kitchen. Shannon believes that even though we’re busy we can *make* space in our schedules to prioritize our own happiness. Indeed, Shannon’s on the show to argue that finding—and maintaining!—a work-life balance starts by first dreaming about what you want your life to look like and then putting your finances on autopilot.   Here’s a preview of this episode: [3:30] True wealth versus salaries: Why everyone needs a Quality of Life Statement [11:00] How to incorporate 4 unconventional income streams to achieve a work-life balance [21:30] Using chef-specific wisdom in your daily life [26:30] The Yes-No-Yes formula for setting—and maintaining—essential boundaries   Resources mentioned: * Getting to Yes by William Uri * Redefining Rich: Achieving True Wealth with Small Business, Side Hustles, and Smart Living by Shannon Hayes   * Thank you to KiwiCo for sponsoring this week’s episode! Get 50% off your first month plus free shipping with code SUSTAINABLE at kiwico.com.  * Join our (free!) community here. * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #108: 6 Minimalist Lifestyle Tips For Overarching Simplicity. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest. * Watch the extended version of this interview on Youtube.    

"I have to ask about your handmade soap recipe. How do you make soap at home? I've been thinking about making my own for a while (maybe also add some oat pulp that remains from making oat milk?). It would be interesting to see if there's a minimalist and safe way to  make homemade soaps." Ever wondered how to make soap at home? Here's a secret: soap making is ridiculously easy; it's also fun! In this short-and-sweet episode I'm answering a listener's question about how to make cold process soap in your own kitchen. Here's a preview: [2:30] Essential materials and safety precautions [7:30] How to make soap at home, step by step [9:30] Additional ideas for making soap that's uniquely yours * Thank you to ForDays for sponsoring this week’s episode! Get 15% off with code MINIMAL15 at checkout. * Leave a voicemail with your question and I'll answer it on-air! Here's how: State your name then leave the show a message at (508) 960-9046. (This new feature only works with audience participation, so don't be shy!) * Prefer to send an email? Reach out at MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #010: Your Complete Homemade Beaty Products Template. * Join our (free!) community here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.

Supermarkets rose to prominence in the 1960’s and these days, the grocery store is the Number One place where Americans buy food. But supermarkets have disconnected us from our food; worse, the global food chain is responsible for up to one third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. Making smart food decisions starts by first understanding the intricacies of global food supply chain. This week I speak with Airly co-founder Jennifer McKnight. Jennifer believes it’s important for companies to list the environmental impacts of their food products right on their packaging but, until then, Jen’s here to offer 5 ways we can each shop mindfully at the supermarket.   Here’s a preview of this weeks episode: [3:30] Today’s global food chain: the good, bad, and ugly [7:30] The interdependence between climate change and the food chain [9:30] Reforming the food chain: why the solution isn’t about regressing; it’s about tweaking, instead [13:00] 5 ways to shop more mindfully at the supermarket [18:30] How new technology, cutting edge science, and lifecycle assessments make calculating a food’s emissions possible     * Thank you to MamaZen for sponsoring this week’s episode! Get free access to the entire app for 30 days with promo code STEPHANIE. (You can read more about why, exactly, I love this app here.) * Join our (free!) community here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest. * Watch the unedited version of this interview on Youtube here.    

Electromagnetic fields (or EMFs, for short) are all around us. While anything that uses electricity deploys EMFs, the rise of wireless technology has exponentially increased our exposure to EMFs in recent years. But what’s particularly concerning is that such products that boast convenience—the wireless ones, the “smart” ones—aren’t necessarily safe for ourselves or for our families. In fact, the research is quite conclusive: EMF and 5G exposure impacts almost all systems in our bodies; it’s linked to cancer and lowered immune system function, too. This week I speak with R Blank, CEO of Shield Your Body and host of The Healthier Tech Podcast. R believes that EMF protection starts with intentional technology use and he’s on the show to empower you to take control of your family’s exposure to EMFs and 5G by offering practical solutions you can enact right now.   Here’s a preview of this week’s episode: [3:00] Defining terms: EMF and 5G [9:45] What research says: The health effects of EMFs on human health, with a particular nod to EMF exposure and children at 13:30 [17:30] Wireless worst practices: What we shouldn’t ever do with our tech [18:45] Got a Smartwatch? Here’s what to do [20:00] The two key rules of EMF protection [21:30] How to protect yourself from EMFs in 5 practical steps [24:15] Are shielding products bogus, or do they actually work?   Resources mentioned in the episode: * Overpowered book by Dr. Martin Blank * Cell phone case * Smartwatch wristband * Lambs apparel   * Thank you to Aether Diamonds for sponsoring this week’s episode! Give the world’s first positive impact diamond a follow here. * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #190: Curating A Healthy House. * Join our (free!) community here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest. * Watch the unedited (and amazing) version of this interview on Youtube here.