Sustainable Minimalists

  10 Secrets of Successful Declutterers   There’s a big difference between declutterers and *successful* declutterers. In fact, a lot of time, effort, and intention goes into creating (and maintaining!) a tidy home. This week, I divulge 10 minimalist secrets that keep my living space decluttered. I’m hopeful the 10 tips will help you, too, as you consider both how to best create your version of a minimalist home and maintain your tidy spaces for the long haul. Here’s a preview of today’s episode: [4:30]  Practical ways to alleviate entryway woes [10:20] The benefits and the drawbacks of the One In, One Out rule [16:50]  Why successful minimalists adapt their possessions to their unique life season [19:00] Why decluttering beats organizing, every single time [26:15] What it means to be a ruthless gatekeeper, plus how to be polite about it   This week’s sponsors are: * Forager Project: Cultivate Democracy and Vote on November 3! *  Blissoma (Use code MINIMAL at checkout for 20% off Sustain Ecosystem products!)   * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #82: 3 Hard Truths About Clutter. * 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.

How to support local businesses in 2021 When it comes to purchasing possibilities, the world may indeed be flat. But committing to buying from within a 400-ish mile radius will support local businesses, keep your wealth in your own community, and increase the prosperity of your neighbors (not corporate CEOs). Need more motivation? Here are 3 additional benefits to local buying: 1. Reduced shipment-related emissions 2. Encouraged interaction with others  (and expanded neighborhood spheres!) 3. Increased awareness  of available community resources, which may be a potential lifeline in the era of climate change.   This week I bring you an interview with Gillian Dahill. Gillian is on the show to encourage you to extend your preferences for local goods into every future purchase you make. She offers practical ideas, too, to take your existing local love to the next level. Here’s a preview of this week’s episode: [9:00] How, exactly, it’s possible to eat local in the winter [13:20] 3 (perhaps unexpected) benefits to cooking with what’s nearby and what’s in season [29:19] What it means to seek out local vendors by “following the hashtags”   Enjoy!   This week’s sponsors are: * Forager Project: Cultivate Democracy and Vote on November 3! *  Blissoma (Use code MINIMAL at checkout for 20% off Sustain Ecosystem products!)   * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #140: Ethical Alternatives to Amazon. * 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.  

  Foraging 101   [A Note from Stephanie: This episode is the second in a series that highlights attainable steps toward self-sufficiency. I hope the episodes in this series inspires you to adopt a fun, new hobby that also happens to be eco-friendly!]   I’m Armenian. Each summer as a child, my mother, sister, and I would search for grape vines along the side of the road and collect leaves to make our most beloved ethnic food: dolma. Once we found a good vine, we picked until our fingertips went numb. I only recently realized there’s a name for this behavior—foraging—and there’s an active community of foragers who swear that wild food is richer in vitamins and minerals than most of what’s found in grocery stores. If you have ever made salve from dandelions or collected elderberries you, too, are a forager. And while foraging is a fantastic way to supplement your family’s nutrition, the hobby also provides an excellent excuse to get exploring outdoors. My guest this week is blogger and preparedness expert Lisa Bedford. Lisa comes to our conversation armed with practical foraging tips for beginners; she suggests ways to include the entire family in the fun, too. Here’s a preview of today’s episode: [9;40] 5 benefits of foraging for parents and kids alike [17:45] The importance of having both a plan and a purpose before stepping out the door [20:45] Foraging beginner? Here’s why and how to start with pine trees [28:50] Health and safety tips for absolute beginners   Resources mentioned in the episode: * The Idiot’s Guide to Foraging * Peterson Field Guide: Edible Wild Plants * Eat The Weeds   * This week’s sponsor is Blissoma. (Use code MINIMAL at checkout for 20% off Sustain Ecosystem products!) * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #139: Self-Sufficiency Spotlight: Microgreens. * 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.  

Discussing the Effects of Climate Change (Without Discussing Politics)   Unfortunately, climate change and its effects are polarized topics in today’s hyper-political environment. And although climate change is considered by many to be a partisan issue, it shouldn’t be, because the environment is for everyone, regardless of political affiliation, socioeconomic status, or skin color. And while journalism has tremendous influence on public understanding, the sad reality is that the media is not adequately educating about the effects of climate change. It’s therefore on us (i.e. YOU and ME) to do the educating. This week, I take a deep dive into the media’s coverage of environmental issues; I offer 3 tips (plus dozens of talking points!) to help you intelligently discuss climate change without mentioning politics. Here’s a preview of this week’s episode: [4:00] Where, why, and how media coverage of climate change lacks [12:40] The importance of keeping conversations tangible [16:15] Climate change and its economic, societal, and health effects   * This week’s sponsor is Blissoma. (Use code MINIMAL at checkout for 20% off Sustain Ecosystem products) * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #127: 5 Ways to Stand Up to Environmental Racism. * 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.  

Why biodiversity is important   Biodiversity is the result of billions of years of evolution into an intricate balancing act that can best be described as the web of life. When one species is lost, such loss threatens survival of countless others. This week I speak with Christianne Close, Global Practice Leader at the World Wildlife Fund. We discuss WWF’s Living Planet Index, a new report that puts numbers behind the rapid and unprecedented rates of population loss across the globe. Here’s a preview of this week’s episode: [6:40] Human habits that contribute to biodiversity loss [17:00] The rapidity with which biodiversity across populations is declining [21:35] Connections between biodiversity loss, climate change, and food scarcity [31:00] Practical ways you and I can work to slow biodiversity loss in our own homes   Happy listening!   * This week’s sponsor is Blissoma. (Use code MINIMAL at checkout for 20% off Sustain Ecosystem products!) * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #063: Why We’re Sick (and How to Get Healthy). * 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.  

How to Become a Minimalist this School Year   I’ve always harbored mixed feelings about September. On one hand, it’s the end of summer (boo). But on the other, September ushers in both a literal and a figurative change in the air. Our kids head back to school, and there’s the opportunity to re-introduce routines after months of laid-back living. September is the perfect opportunity to both recenter and become a minimalist with intentional choices. And while January is often viewed as the start of a new year, I believe there’s something to be said for September as the start of something new. If you have been without routines for way too long—if you have neglected your own self-care and personal development for too many months and are now experiencing the effects of that personal neglect—this week’s episode is for you. On today’s episode, I offer 8 small and attainable challenges for each month of the new school year. My hope is that you will join me in some of them (or even better: all of them!) as a means of living more intentionally this autumn.   Here’s a preview of today’s episode: [12:40] Practical ways to prioritize relationships [15:15] How to prepare your home for the holidays with daily decluttering [25:15] The benefits to going out of your comfort zone (at least once in awhile) [28:45] The single-most impactful way to decrease reliance on your cell phone (as determined by those who have found success) [34:00] 3 benefits to writing down your hobbies on  daily To-Do list   Resources mentioned in the episode: * Foogo Thermos * Wean Green Glass Containers * Dishwasher-safe silicone bags This week’s sponsors: * Blissoma: Use code MINIMAL at checkout for 20% off Sustain Ecosystem products * Reel Paper: Use code SUSTAINABLEMINIMALISTS at checkout for 25% off your first order   * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Join our (free!) community here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest. * Have you left the show a review yet? No? Have you told a friend? Thanks for shouting your love of Sustainable Minimalism from the rooftops! I appreciate you!

Ethical Alternatives to Amazon   Shoppers adore Amazon, and it’s all thanks to convenience and price: The site’s Subscribe & Save feature lowers already quite low prices. And ultra-speedy shipping and responsive customer service? Many consumers have come to expect such heightened levels of convenience when shopping online. But Amazon has been in the news an awful lot in the past 5 years, and for less than stellar reasons. A growing subset of shoppers seek ethical online alternatives because Amazon has a larger carbon footprint than Switzerland; unfair employee treatment, lower than industry average salaries, and a history of not paying their fair share of federal taxes make me (and perhaps you, too) give Amazon the side eye. While small, independent businesses may lack the conveniences big names offer, it’s the stores with stories that offer what Amazon doesn’t, including passions for products and genuine desires to improve the quality of your—the customer’s—life. While the Walmarts and the Amazons of the world don’t need our business, the independent ones likely do. Today’s episode is centered around the premise that small businesses diversify the fabrics of our communities and improve them as a result. Today I speak with small business owner Chris Joseph. Chris and I discuss the challenges independent businesses face and how consumers can support them in a world driven by convenience. Here’s a preview of today’s episode: [6:00] The ethical implications of Amazon’s business practices [11:55] Practical ways consumers can focus less on convenience, plus what the little guys offer that the big guys don’t [16:50] 6 shopping strategies that support the small players (including ones that don’t involve spending money) Resources mentioned in the episode: * Let My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chiounard * Inside Amazon: Wrestling Big Ideas in a Bruising Workplace (The New York Times, August 2015) This week’s sponsors: * Blissoma: Use code MINIMAL at checkout for 20% off Sustain Ecosystem products * Reel Paper: Use code SUSTAINABLEMINIMALISTS at checkout for 25% off your first order   * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #071: Conscious Consumerism for Real People. * Join our (free!) community here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.              

Self Sufficiency Spotlight: Microgreens   [A Note from Stephanie: This episode is the first in a series that highlights attainable steps toward self-sufficiency. Once per month through December, the series offers a short and sweet interview to introduce you to an aspect of sustainability you may not have considered before. I hope the series will inspire you to adopt a fun, new hobby that also happens to be eco-friendly!]   Chances are you’ve heard of microgreens before (or perhaps noticed restaurants tout them on their menus). But what’s a microgreen, exactly, and how is it different from a sprout? Microgreens are baby vegetables harvested at the seedling state; they also happen to be insanely simple to grow. And gardening indoors during the winter months? It’s a perfect way to both incrementally decrease your reliance on corporations and improve your own self-sufficient skillset. On this week’s show I chat with Laura Patterson. Laura began growing microgreens as a hobby to entice her children to eat healthier; these days, she runs a budding microgreens business. Laura believes embracing microgreens at home is an attainable first step toward growing; she’s on the show to tell us how to start. Here’s a preview of this week’s episode: [1:15] Why a tidy home is great, but a self-sufficient existence is better [5:10] Why, when we we talk about self-sufficiency, we must also discuss climate change [6:15] The *real* definition of self-sufficiency (and why it’s not what we have been made to believe) [10:00] The differences between microgreens and sprouts, plus why they are so popular [15:45] Why growing microgreens is the perfect way to start living a life rooted in sustainability, and how to do it   * Laura has generously shared her e-book, titled Microgreens Made Simple with Sustainable Minimalists listeners. Get your free copy here. * This episode is sponsored by Reel Paper. (Use code SUSTAINABLEMINIMALISTS at checkout for 25% off your first order!) * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #096: Why Self-Sufficiency Matters. * 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.  

Americans are obsessed with lawns. In a perfect world, your grass is vibrant green. There’s nary a weed, and there are certainly no dandelions. It’s lush and neatly edged; yard care consists of trimming to exactly an inch and a half tall. But in order to achieve this idyllic lawn, you must be willing to shell out either money or time, despite the fact that there are other things you’d likely rather spend your money on and other things you’d like to do with your free time. And then there are environmental implications associated with yard care. What are they, exactly, and how can we make our backyards more eco-friendly for both our kids and the species that call them home? Here’s a preview of today’s episode: [3:40] The relationship between yard care and personal status [6:30] 5 environmental implications associated with conventional lawn care [17:40] 10 eco-friendly yard care tips   Resources mentioned in today’s episode: * The American Obsession with Lawns (via Scientific American) * Lawn irrigation costs calculator This week’s sponsors:   * Reel Paper: Use code SUSTAINABLEMINIMALISTS at checkout for 25% off your first order * Itemerie: Use codes MAMAMINIMALIST for 10% off your first order and FREESHIPPINGPLEASE for free shipping to the US and Canada   * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #137: 5 Facts about the Global Water Crisis. * Join our (free!) community here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.  

5 Facts About the Global Water Crisis   Ever wonder how many gallons it takes to flush your toilet? (Answer: 3.5.) Did you know that 55 gallons of water are required to grow the beans for a single cup of coffee? Today’s show is dedicated to our most important—and our most overlooked—resource: Water. Despite easy access from faucets and showers, access to clean water is a privilege. Water scarcity is driven by two phenomena happening at once: Humans are using more water while simultaneously depleting usable freshwater resources. On this week’s show I hit you with a heavy dose of water facts, then I offer incremental strategies to conserve. Here’s a preview of today’s episode: [03:15] 5 common water misconceptions [11:00]  10 water facts, plus putting numbers to household chores [16:10]  Beginner, intermediate, and advanced strategies that conserve our most vital resource   Happy listening!   Access this week’s Show Notes here. Want more episodes like this one? Check out #131: 5 Carbon Footprint Facts You Likely Didn’t Know. Support the show and help it grow! Here’s how (and thank you!): * Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: On the app, hit the Library tab, make sure you’re subscribed, scroll to the bottom past all prior episodes, then click on the stars to leave a review. * Leave a review on Facebook. * Tell a friend (or two!) * Reach out on Facebook or Instagram (I promise to respond!)

How to Declutter Your Home without Trashing the Planet   Many minimalist influencers trademark decluttering plans to show you how, exactly, to declutter your home. The most well-known? Marie Kondo’s Konmari method, of course. But what if you desire to declutter without sending items that no longer “spark joy” to the landfill? And while possessions that are broken or obsolete will inevitably be trashed, sustainable minimalists work tirelessly to send as little to the landfill as possible throughout the duration of the job. I believe that decluttering is a single step on a much larger journey. The end goal is not a tidy home; the end goal is a fundamental shift in one’s relationship with possessions. Over time, this shift alters purchasing behavior, and often quite drastically. On today’s show I’m thrilled to combine both minimalist and eco-conscious ideals by outlining The 5 Pillars of Responsible Decluttering. Here’s a preview of today’s episode: [5:50] The concepts of utility and true value, and why they’re important [9:30] Which questions you should be asking as you declutter (Hint: They aren’t about sparking joy!) [12:00] How and where to find homes for your unwanted possessions [19:30] 3 pandemic-specific decluttering tips   Happy listening!   Access this week’s Show Notes here. Want more episodes like this one? Check out #076: Declutter your Home with the Shoebox Method. Want to support the show and help it grow? Here’s how (and thank you!): * Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: On the app, hit the Library tab, make sure you’re subscribed, scroll to the bottom past all prior episodes, then click on the stars to leave a review. * Leave a review on Facebook. * Tell a friend (or two!) * Reach out on Facebook or Instagram (I promise to respond!)

5 New Ways to Reduce Your Plastic Waste   Plastic waste is everywhere, am I right? (Hey there, plastic-wrapped cucumber!). If you’ve ever looked around and wondered why on Earth everything is wrapped in plastic—and if you’ve wondered whether such overreliance on a single-use product derived from fossil fuels is completely contradictory to common sense—you aren’t alone. Here’s the answer. Because plastic production requires fossil fuels, fossil fuel companies are investing billions of dollars into new plastic production facilities (source). That’s right: plastic production is set to *increase* by a whopping forty percent in the next decade. You will likely observe more and more nonsensical items wrapped in plastic in the coming years, and it all has to do with profit (ahem … cucumbers).  The plastic pollution crisis is here to stay, and so it has never before been more important for you and me to curb our reliance on plastics starting in our own homes. On this week’s episode I offer 5 new and never-before-mentioned strategies to reduce plastic waste and extend your Plastic-Free July efforts into August and beyond. Here’s a preview of today’s episode: [4:00] Why and how to give yourself reusable ultimatums [6:30] Why, exactly, the supermarket depends on plastic (Hint: Money!) [9:50] The health and environmental benefits associated with homemade snacks [11:30] How to conduct a restaurant audit   Resources mentioned in the episode: * Berkey water filter * Soda stream (for homemade seltzer)   **THANK YOU to all the listeners who have left reviews, reached out personally, and told friends about the show. I appreciate you! Happy listening!   * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #062: 5 Ways to Take Home Less Plastic from the Supermarket. * 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.  

Minimalist Parenting Guidance for Raising Good Humans   Parenting is hard; parenting during a pandemic is even harder. Still, guidance experts argue that raising children with both sanity and joy is possible. If you feel like you’re always on—and if you’re utterly exhausted—know that it’s A-OK to be minimalist in your parenting strategy, because doing less fosters resilience. My guest this week is nationally renowned parenting expert and mentor Sue Groner. Sue is on the show to discern what kids actually need from their parents versus what they don’t. Sue comes armed to our discussion with  8 actionable strategies—complete with 8 quick wins!—to both simplify parenthood and raise good humans, too.   Here’s a preview of today’s episode: [6:25] Why facilitating is better than fixing [9:20] Which battles are worth fighting (as well as which ones aren’t) [14:45] The inherent problems associated with overindulging [23:10] How scheduling family donation time fosters empathy [24:30] The benefits to replacing chores with contributions   Resources mentioned in today’s episode: * The most important thing you can do for your kids? Eat dinner with them. * Parenting guidance: Don’t praise your children! * Boredontunity: Why boredom is the best thing for our kids * Pre-order Sue’s new book on Amazon   * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #094: Minimalism and Motherhood: Secrets to Parenting the Simpler Way. * 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.  

How to Buy Nothing By Joining a Gift Economy   Have you ever heard the popular saying, “Nothing in life is free”? Thanks to Buy Nothing groups, this platitude isn’t *exactly* true. Gifting has been around for almost as long as humans, and such economies rely on relationships—not personal gain—to spread love and share resources. And although market economies have pushed gifting aside in recent centuries, gifting is making a comeback in a big way. The benefits of Buy Nothing groups are many; the drawbacks are few. Such groups foster social bonds, strengthen communities, encourage responsible decluttering, and prevent new items from entering the waste stream. My guest this week is Jennifer Lansdowne Rockenbaugh. Jennifer divulges the ins and outs of joining a gift economy; she outlines her extensive volunteer experience with The Buy Nothing Project, too. Here’s a preview of today’s episode: [12:00] Is intrinsic privilege associated with gift economies? [15:45] 2 ways to embrace gifting in a capitalist society [20:25] The fundamental differences between your local Buy Nothing group and a Buy/Sell/Trade group   Happy listening!     Want more episodes like this one? Check out #104: Eco-Friendly Communities and Why We Need Each Other. Want to support the show and help it grow? Here’s how (and thank you!): * Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: On the app, hit the Library tab, make sure you’re subscribed, scroll to the bottom past all prior episodes, then click on the stars to leave a review. * Leave a review on Facebook. * Tell a friend (or two!) * Reach out on Facebook or Instagram (I promise to respond!)  

Advanced Simple Living Tips for Seasoned Minimalists   Simple living is a lifestyle that refuses to accept busy and harried as normal. Instead, intentionality is about removing unnecessary conflicts, excessive to-do items, and pointless distractions as a means of experiencing all life has to offer. But if you Google “how to live slow” (or some facsimile thereof), you will likely see the same strategies touted over and over: Turn your phone off. Walk in nature. Read. And while these strategies offer solid starting points for beginners, many find themselves seeking guidance that delves deeper. On this week’s show I offer 5 advanced simple living strategies for novices and intermediates alike. Here’s a preview of the episode: [5:20] Why stepping away from interpersonal conflicts is a sign of strength [9:15] How, exactly, to work smarter (not harder!) [16:45] What other cultures get right (and what America gets wrong) [21:00] What “standing and staring” means for busy adults   Happy listening! Access this week’s Show Notes here. Want more episodes like this one? Check out #108: 6 Minimalist Lifestyle Tips For Overarching Simplicity. Support the show and help it grow! Here’s how (and thank you!): * Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: On the app, hit the Library tab, make sure you’re subscribed, scroll to the bottom past all prior episodes, then click on the stars to leave a review. * Leave a review on Facebook. * Tell a friend (or two!) * Reach out on Facebook or Instagram (I promise to respond!)