Sustainable Minimalists

Are you doing gratitude wrong?So many of us are always waiting for more. But when you greet each moment gratefully? You're always receiving.On today's show author Kristi Nelson offers a mini-formula for grateful living (put this conversation on as you're preparing for Thanksgiving!). Here's a preview:[10:00] It's not happiness that makes us grateful; it's gratefulness that makes us happy (and other research-backed benefits to grateful living)[20:00] Is what once was plenty now no longer enough? Practical ways to fight back against "gratitude tolerance"[26:00] The super-simple solution to mind grind[30:00] Thoughts on practicing gratitude during moments of grief, illness, and struggle Resource mentioned:Wake Up Grateful: The Practice Of Taking Nothing For Granted This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, November 10 2023:[00:30] Microplastics are now in clouds; here's what this means[3:00] The leaf blower problem[10:30] The world's first solar SUV has entered the chat[11:00] An electric plane just flew from Vermont to Florida (!) Resources mentioned: Episode #260: The White Gold Rush  This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Choosing the right hand soap and body wash isn't *just* about cleanliness. You deserve non-toxic products and our waterways deserve non-polluting ones, so it's really about committing to a higher standard of care.We're likely using soap every day for the rest of our lives; it's prudent, then, to get intentional about this must-have product. On today's show: conscious consumerism in the soap aisle. Here's a preview:[3:00] Are antibacterial/antimicrobial soaps really necessary?[6:30] A hand sanitizer tangent: pro tips for buying and using sanitizer the *right* way[9:00] Research finds that putting products with toxins on our skin is more deleterious to our health than eating them, and here's why[11:00] Everything you absolutely must know about Triclosan[19:00] How to excel at the hand soap class of life via Stephanie's handy-dandy grading rubric Resources mentioned: Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap bars Vermont Soap Company  Attitude personal care products Carina Organics   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Perhaps you're a veteran investor, or maybe you're just now starting to financial plan. Either way, where you put your money can substantially increase (or decrease!) your annual carbon footprint. Don't put your money where your mouth is; put it where your values are. On today's show financial consultant Shila Wattamwar leads an advanced level discussion about sustainable investing for the eco-conscious.  Here's a preview:[5:00] The sneaky ways you may be funding fossil fuels with your $$[8:00] How well do ESG rating scales actually work? (And why aren't these measures standardized?)[21:00] Proxy ballots are an opportunity. Don't throw them in the trash![25:00] What a time to be alive: A financial advisor's thoughts on next gen "alternative investments" New to sustainable investing? Listen to these episodes first!  Episode #278: Divesting Episode #258: Conscious Spending Episode #205: How To Right-Size Your Budget  Resources mentioned:  Sustainability With Soren www.SustainableMe.Today Net-Zero Banking Alliance – United Nations Environment – Finance Initiative (unepfi.org) Company ESG Risk Ratings and scores - Sustainalytics ESG Screener | Morningstar Resolutions — As You Sow Resolution Database | PRI (unpri.org) DEALFLOW NETWORK l Connecting Private Equity ( PE ), Venture Capital ( VC ), M&A Dealmakers | Groups | LinkedIn Impact Entrepreneur | Groups | LinkedIn Big Path Capital founders of the Impact Investing Forum | Groups | LinkedIn Gaingels SOSV - Deep Tech for Human and Planetary Health Chloe Capital | VC Firm Investing In Women   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, November 3 2023:[00:30] French cheese, meet climate change[4:00] This is why olive oil is so expensive right now[6:30] Why many scientists are now saying climate change is an all-out 'emergency'[11:00] Cities are notoriously hot. Here are some cutting edge cooling solutions   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Some environmentalists call Christmas the world’s greatest annual environmental disaster, and for good reason: All that cheap, ultra-trendy decor adds up. On today's show: getting intentional about our holiday decorations once and for all. Here's a preview:[3:00] Let's talk numbers: How much do Americans spend each year on holiday decor?[10:00] 3 ways in which 'Christmas Creep' encourages us to spend more than we intended on decorations[13:00] The origins of those inflatable lawn thingys: Where did they come from and when will they disappear?[22:00] Don't go out and buy another decoration until you've displayed the decorations you already own, and here are 4 reasons why[32:00] Want to make your child smile? Don't buy a cheap piece of holiday decor; do this instead Resources mentioned: Big Mouth Billy Bass Episode #323: O Christmas Tree Episode #101: 5 Spaces To Declutter Before Christmas Episode #051: How To Handle Holiday Clutter (with Joshua Becker) Episode #327: Holiday Boundaries Episode #326: Gift Boundaries This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Many of us shy away from the word 'activist' because the term brings to mind a very specific type of person. But if you're regularly taking action to make the world a better place? Guess what my friend, you're already an activist (yes, really!).What matters is not the size of the action, nor how vigorous the action is. It's all about consistency. On today's show author Omkari Williams helps us find the kind of social justice engagement that feels both empowering *and* sustainable.Here's a preview:[4:00] Activism isn't just marching and picketing: Here's what micro activism looks like in the day to day [10:30] Are you a headliner, an organizer, a producer, or an indispensable? How to determine your unique activist archetype[22:00] The status quo isn't working for the vast majority of us. So where's the passion for change?[30:00] How to know whether your efforts constitute shallow work or deep work Resources mentioned: Micro Activism: How You Can Make a Difference in the World without a Bullhorn Take Omkari's Activist Archetype Quiz Seafoodwatch.org consumer guides   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, October 27 2023:[00:30] The West Antarctic ice sheet appears to be headed for an eventual “collapse”[3:00] The oil giants are feeling pretty darn good about their futures, apparently[6:30] Why on earth is the US government funding enhanced oil recovery?[13:00] This potential climate warrior may be gearing up for a White House run  Resources mentioned: Companies capture a lot of CO2. Most of it is going into new oil. (via WaPo) This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

It's sad but true: Americans are some of the most chronically stressed people on the planet. On today's show: how to incorporate Japanese lifestyle philosophies into our lives for reduced stress, greater well-being, and a longer life.Here's a preview:[3:00] The physiology of stress: What *actually* goes on in our bodies when we encounter a stressor?[11:00] 5 reasons why Americans are among the most stressed in the world[20:00] The secret to a great life isn't the accumulation of $$, it's this[27:00] How being in a hurry is inversely proportional to your quality of life Resources mentioned: Americans Are Some of the Most Stressed-Out People in the World, a New Global Survey Says (via Time) Stressed in the U.S.: 12 Tools to Tackle Anxiety, Loneliness, Tech Addiction, and More by Meg Van Deusen Episode #384: Forest Bathing 101  Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Whether you’re dining at a restaurant or ordering takeout, eating out leaves a footprint.On today's show: asking the right questions, minimizing food waste, and reading through All. The. Greenwashing the next time you head to a restaurant.Here's a preview:[6:30] The food waste issue at fine dine, quick serve, and fast casual[12:00] Farm-to-table? How to find restaurants that actually care about environmental sustainability[22:30] The best way to *gently* suggest a change in a restaurant's policy[27:00] Our lives may be go go go, but our food doesn't have to be! Resources mentioned: Michelin Green Star restaurants Episode #093: How (Exactly) To Cook Zero-Waste Meals Episode #270: Desperation Dinners Episode #038: What's For Dinner? This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.