Green Dreamer: Seeding change towards collective healing, sustainability, regeneration

Why are we wired to be drawn to new things constantly and feel a sense of security (at least in the short term) from the accumulation of more stuff? Why should the psychology of materialism actually make us hopeful about our abilities to work towards a less materialistic and more sustainable future? Sharing his expertise with us here is Dr. Tim Kasser, a psychology professor at Knox College in Illinois who's written over 100 scientific articles and chapters on materialism, values, ecological sustainability, quality of life, and more. He shared his expertise on the notable documentary, The True Cost, and has also authored five books, including his most recent one, Hypercapitalism. Let's dive in. HIGHLIGHTS[10:31] Kaméa: "What influences how materialistic someone is?"[15:49] Tim explains why we may innately want the latest and greatest things.[19:21] Tim discusses the problem with our current social, political, and economic system and how it does everything it can to encourage people to consume.[20:36] Kaméa: "Since it wasn't always this way, what about our world has changed in order to encourage mindless materialism?"[23:57] How ad-blocking, mindfulness, and the "value pie" can make a huge impact in our materialism and wellbeing.[28:48] Tim discusses the motivation and message of his newest cartoon book, Hypercapitalism. [30:51] Kaméa: "What do you think we need most today in order to collectively redefine what it means to live well so that we can actually accelerate toward better life quality and a sustainable planet?" Thanks for bringing your light! Find the full show notes with links and resources at www.greendreamer.com/88, subscribe to our newsletter to win monthly giveaways, and share your #1 takeaway from the episode tagging our featured guest and me @KameaChayne to spread the light and to let us know you're tuning in!

Why do we even need to be informed shoppers of skincare and cosmetic products? Shouldn't their safety be regulated by the government or industry already? How can we shop for safer and eco-friendly products? Special guest of our Bloom Tuesday episode, Marie Arlet of Shea Brand, shares her expertise on this topic with us. Find the full show notes with references linked at www.GreenDreamer.com/87, subscribe to our weekly newsletter to win monthly giveaways, and share your biggest takeaways with me on Instagram @KameaChayne to let us know you're tuning in. Thanks for bringing your light! x

How does supporting artisans around the world simultaneously help support sustainability? As the holiday season and Black Friday are coming up, what are some things we should keep in mind to help us be able to shop more ethically and sustainably? Shedding light on these topics and more is Liza Moiseeva, Co-Founder of the leading Fair Trade social enterprise subscription box company GlobeIn. Due to the popularity and great success of the company, they've been able to invest millions of dollars in artisan communities over the past few years alone, helping to alleviate poverty through empowerment. Let's dive in. HIGHLIGHTS [8:20] Kaméa: "How does the consumer know whether the businesses are responsible for ethical production, or if all of the middle men in the supply chain are responsible?"[14:33] Liza on the keys to GlobeIn reaching such a  large audience  to be able to support their artisan communities around the world.[15:37] Kaméa: "How can supporting artisans around the world also support sustainability?"[22:29] Liza's advice on how to shop mindfully this holiday season.[25:07] Liza's tips for someone who is just getting into the sustainability and social impact space. Thanks for bringing your light! Find the full show notes with links and resources at www.greendreamer.com/86, subscribe to our newsletter to win monthly giveaways, and share your #1 takeaway from the episode tagging our featured guest and me @KameaChayne to spread the light and to let us know you're tuning in!

How do modern day pressures around body image relate to sustainability? With eco living often focused on the negatives—on what we're not doing enough of and how we're falling short of being perfect—why is it so important to let ourselves feel good about what we do and to reassure ourselves that we're okay... that we're doing enough? Sharing her wisdom here is Marieke Eyskoot, a sustainable fashion and lifestyle expert, sought-after speaker, consultant, and Co-Founder of the International Fair Fashion Trade Show, MINT. With over 15 years of experience in the field, she was nominated as Amsterdam's Citizen of the Year and recently authored the book, This is a Good Guide. Let's dive in. HIGHLIGHTS [15:11] Kaméa: "How can we support the sustainability and ethical fashion space to grow if there are less dollars left to be pumped into the marketing side of things?"[16:40] Marieke talks about her book, This is a Good Guide. [20:03] Kaméa: "How do you think we can get over perfectionism and worrying too much about what other people think, to just focusing on ourselves and what we can do to improve?"[25:06] Marieke's favorite, lesser-known sustainability tip.[28:53] The relationship between body shaming and sustainability. Thanks for bringing your light! Find the full show notes with links and resources at www.greendreamer.com/85, and share your #1 takeaway from the episode tagging our featured guest and me @KameaChayne to spread the light and to let us know you're tuning in!

What happens to our clothes after we toss them out, and what can we do to support the secondhand economy to grow to help fashion (and related industries) go circular? Special guest of our Bloom Tuesday episode, Leah Wise of Style Wise Blog, shares her expertise on this topic with us. Find the full show notes with references linked at www.GreenDreamer.com/84, subscribe to our weekly newsletter to win monthly giveaways, and share your biggest takeaways with me on Instagram @KameaChayne to let us know you're tuning in. Thanks for bringing your light! x

In this often divided world, what do we need in order to come together so that we can collectively work towards a more sustainable future? Across cultures and language barriers, what are some universal truths about happiness that we can learn and implement? Sharing her wisdom here is filmmaker and Host of Alison’s Adventures, Alison Teal. With her unique upbringing (like a Tarzan child) and adventurous spirit, she's been named "The Female Indiana Jones" by TIME Magazine and "The Oprah of Adventure" by Huffington Post, and has also been on the Discovery Channel TV show, Naked and Afraid. Let's dive in. HIGHLIGHTS [6:41] Alison talks about what she calls the disease of 'over-there-itis' and how we always want we can't or don't have.[7:23] Kaméa: "What is one of the craziest memories you have from your crazy upbringing and living in the wilderness?"[9:56] Alison: "Stories are the fabric of our world and our culture, so we need to keep sharing them."[10:43] Kaméa: "How do you think your travels have shaped your perspective on the world differently than most other people?"[20:16] Alison's advice for someone who isn't happy in their current life situation and wants to travel, but doesn't currently have the means to do so.[24:27] Alison shares about the time she asked a shaman from one of the last tribes on earth what the secret to happiness is.[26:01] Kaméa: "What do you think it will take to inspire more harmony and connection among humankind, in spite of all of our differences?" Thanks for bringing your light! Find the full show notes with links and resources at www.greendreamer.com/83, sign up to our newsletter for a chance to win monthly prizes, and share your #1 takeaway from the episode tagging our featured guest and me @KameaChayne to spread the light and to let us know you're tuning in!

How did our guest today go from being a shark attack survivor to becoming a powerful voice for ocean and shark conservation? What are some things to do with shark conservation that we should know? Sharing his wisdom here is Mike Coots, who was attacked by a shark at the age of 18, and has since become a professional photographer inspiring people to connect more deeply with sharks and our oceans. HIGHLIGHTS[4:16] Mike shares the surreal experience of when he lost his leg in a shark attack at age 18.[14:17] How Mike got into photography after the attack.[17:12] What gave Mike the courage to photograph sharks up close for his conservation work, in spite of his earlier attack.[20:55] One thing about shark conservation that most people may not be aware of. [23:03] The link between shark fin hunting, wealth, and increased auditing by the Chinese government. [24:32] Mike: "Find your strength and exploit that strength for a good cause." Thanks for bringing your light! Find the full show notes with links and resources at www.greendreamer.com/82, sign up for our newsletter to win giveaways every month, and share your #1 takeaway from the episode tagging our featured guest and me @KameaChayne to spread the light and to let us know you're tuning in!

E-commerce is only increasing. Ever wonder about the environmental impact of buying things from online vs. in person? Special guest of our Bloom Tuesday episode, Polly Barks of Green Indy Blog, shares her expertise on this topic with us. Find the full show notes with references linked at www.GreenDreamer.com/81, and follow me on Instagram @KameaChayne where I'll be sharing more of my inspirations, tips, and learning lessons along the way. Thanks for bringing your light! x

What if we can just tweak a few words in our messaging to be able to immediately double, and even triple, the amount of action and change that we inspire? Why should we go from looking at tackling public health, social, and environmental issues as a 'fight,' to simply tapping into our own 'creative geniuses' (as our guest today calls it)? Katie Patrick, an environmental engineer, software designer, author, YouTube channel and podcast host, media spokesperson, and board member of Good Environmental Choice Australia shares her wisdom with us on this episode. HIGHLIGHTS[10:55] Why government legislature and enforcement is necessary in order to have access to the information and data needed to drive change.[12:52] Katie discusses the importance of presenting that data in a well-designed, simplified, and even fun way.[16:59] Kaméa: "What was your biggest aha moment while writing your new book, How to Save the World?"[22:45] Kaméa: "Overall, what have you learned from your research in terms of what it takes to make change happen?"[24:24] Katie: "Humans ultimately care about connecting to other human beings... So we need to think about social change in terms of how it's fitting into that."[27:15] The two most important factors needed for every purpose-driven project, according to Katie.[28:48] What is the value-action gap? Thanks for bringing your light! Find the full show notes with links and resources at www.greendreamer.com/80, subscribe to our Newsletter to be entered to win our monthly giveaways, and share your #1 takeaway from the episode tagging our featured guest and me @KameaChayne to spread the light and to let us know you're tuning in!

Instead of getting people to go against their will and desires to sacrifice things for sustainability, what if we just acknowledge that most of us are selfish, and learn to play into that? How did we even get to our global waste crisis today, and what do we need to do to address this issue on a national and global level? Tom Szaky, the Founder and CEO of TerraCycle, an innovative company that's becoming a global leader in recycling waste that's traditionally difficult to recycle, shares his wisdom with us here. HIGHLIGHTS [9:26] Tom explains why some items have been deemed "un-recyclable" and how TerraCycle manages to recycle them anyway.[12:18] Tom: "Anything that isn't recyclable today, can be. The key is finding other points of value beyond just the material that makes up that object."[15:40] Tom explains why we need to accept the fact that most consumers are selfish and how we can lean into that to create scalable sustainable solutions.[17:30] Tom gives a few examples of how to convince consumers "on the positive."[25:22] Kaméa: "What do you think allowed us to get to where we are today in terms of the scale of our waste issues?"[27:35] What's better: recyclable plastic or biodegradable bio-plastic packaging? Thanks for bringing your light! Find the full show notes with links and resources at www.greendreamer.com/79, subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter to be entered to win our monthly giveaways, and share your #1 takeaway from the episode tagging our featured guest and me @KameaChayne to spread the light and to let us know you're tuning in!