Sustainable Minimalists

We want new stuff and we want it now. The possessions we buy often make us happy, at least for a little while (hello, dopamine!). But before we know it, today's 'it' item becomes tomorrow's clutter.On today's show we are examining the psychology behind quick fix thinking. Why do humans tend to prioritize instant gratification over long-term goals such as having a decluttered, minimalist home and obtaining financial security? The good news is we aren't slaves to our DNA, and in the second part of today's episode I'm offering my best thoughts for stepping away from quick fixes - which, by the way, are also almost always to our detriment - and toward intentional but distant priorities. Here's a preview:[5:45] The psychology behind instant gratification: how quick fix thinking changes our brains[9:50] Why it's so hard to make new, positive habits stick (and why it's so easy to pick up bad habits)[13:00] 4 reasons why humans tend to prioritize quick fixes over long-term goals[19:00] 5 action steps for stepping away from quick fixes and towards what's best for us in the future Further reading/Resources mentioned: Spying a product and unsure if it's as good as the marketing makes it sound? Send me the product name and I'll do the research for you! 10 Reasons We Rush for Immediate Gratification (via Psychology Today) The Real Issue With Instant Gratification (via Psychology Today) Listen to this episode on Youtube   * Join our (free!) community here.* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.* Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.comOur Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Cooking at home is generally cheaper, healthier, and better for the planet than relying on takeout and meal subscriptions. Still, our busy lives crave convenience: cooking, then, is a self-sufficient skill our culture is in danger of losing. Today I speak with blogger Rachael McKennon about cooking at home and cooking from scratch. Rachael understands that feeding a family is hard work, so she's here to offer her best tips, tricks, and hacks to take the overwhelm out of the task. Here's a preview:[6:30] Convenience versus whole foods: The benefits of home cooked meals[11:00] How to fully stock your pantry before cooking a single thing[15:00] Kitchen appliances that are actually worth the money (and ones that aren't)[21:00] 4 desperation dinners for those nights when you're hangry and unprepared  * Watch the extended version of this interview on Youtube.* Join our (free!) community here.* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.* Please send me your episode ideas! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

If you are fortunate to embark on vacation with your family this summer, your children will undoubtedly benefit from the experience. There's the need for them to practice flexibility and problem-solving in real-time; there's also the fact that seeing more of the planet will encourage your children to care for its future.Yet there's an elephant in the room, and it's this: vacations often come with a hefty carbon cost. On today's show - and just in time for summer! - we discuss tangible ways to make your summer holiday more sustainable. Today I speak with travel blogger Samantha Runkel. Samantha has been to a whopping 80 countries and counting and so she's on the show to offer the knowledge she's gained from boots-on-the-ground experience as to how we can be responsible travelers this vacation season and beyond (while also infusing a heavy dose of memory-making!). Here's a preview:[4:00] Put your money where your (suitcase) is: Reframing the assumption that long-distance is always eco-unfriendly[8:00] Carbon offsets: Yay or nay?[10:15] Where to find green booking options for your next getaway[11:45] What participating in active regeneration looks like for families with children[14:30] How and why you should intentionally spread your dollars around on your next holiday[17:45] Family road trips that aren't completely wasteful* Join our (free!) community here.* Watch the extended version of this interview on Youtube.* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.* Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.comOur Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Many of us signed up for entertainment (streaming television! date night in a box!) and regular home delivery of essentials (toothbrushes! groceries! toilet paper!) at the start of the pandemic. If you're like me, these days you may find yourself signed up for 10 or more subscription services.Subscriptions can be time-saving and convenient, and specialty ones make great gifts. But if you aren't receiving the value you expect from the subscription in question, it's simply a colossal waste of money and resources. There are other drawbacks to the recurring payment model as well, and on today's short and sweet episode I'm uncovering them. Here's a preview:[7:30] 5 disadvantages to subscription services that you may not have considered[8:45] What do recurring charges mean for our data and privacy?[12:30] Subscription services and the concept of sunk cost[18:00] One incremental action step for listeners to save money Further reading: The Rise Of The Subscription Model (via Forbes)  * 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

Home decor is a lot like fashion: the second we invest in a new piece of furniture or a new decor item, the catalogs and showrooms push a new trend. The items we just bought, then? They're suddenly out of style.Today I speak with interior designer Jessica Velazquez about curating rooms that are timeless. Jessica believes that style must always support lifestyle: when we play it right, we can design spaces that won't expire when stores usher in a new trend. Here's a preview:[5:00] Does evergreen and minimalist mean boring? Debunking common home decor myths[12:00] The Number One way to avoid making costly design mistakes[18:00] The hierarchy of accent pieces: tips for refreshing a space by zeroing in on accessories[23:00] What color should we paint our walls?[27:00] An eco-tip and a correction Resources mentioned: Jessica on Instagram Watch the extended version of this interview on Youtube Want more episodes like this one? Check out #217: Organized Entryway Ideas  * Join our (free!) community here.* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube. Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

We want new things and we want them now. Our spending habits put brands on perpetual searches for ways to shorten the time between design, manufacturing, and distribution, and China has stepped up with the technology and the supply chains to meet our needs.Our consumption habits, then, can only be satisfied by purchasing from China.Today's show analyzes the ethical and environmental implications associated with excessive reliance on the "World's Factory", as China has affectionately been dubbed. What does manufacturing and lax regulations mean for both the people and the planet, and how can we as consumers do better? Here's a preview:[2:00] What the Made In China label means (and doesn't mean) about a product's quality[5:00] A deep dive into Chinese manufacturing: 5 reasons why China has become the "world's factory"[7:00] What China's lower compliance standards mean for people[10:30] The story of Oregon mother Julie Keith, Halloween decorations, and Sun Yi[14:00] Chinese manufacturing and environmental pollution[19:15] Practical action steps for listeners that go beyond "just buy local"Further Reading: Nearly 14,000 companies violate China pollution rules (via NYTimes) How your cheap Chinese-made products may be killing thousands in China (via USAToday) How much do we buy from China? (via NPR) Are Made In China toys safe? (via The Baby Penguin)  Resources mentioned:Episode #186: The Lowdown On Wooden Toys with Christina Floyd  * Join our (free!) community here.* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

While minimalism may sometimes seem trendy, the reality is that the lifestyle has been around for centuries. Indeed, ancient philosophies touted the importance of Less Is More living as a means of finding inner peace amidst frenetic daily life. Today I speak with author Jessie Kanzer about first steps toward mental minimalism. Jessie argues that you don’t have to be a Zen master to simplify your cognitions and reduce unnecessary internal chatter; she argues too that enlightenment is about first... Read More Read MoreThe post Mental Minimalism appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

When carbon and fluorine fuse together they create a virtually unbreakable compound. These days, such per- and polyfluoroalkyl (or PFAS) substances are widely used in thousands of products from food packaging to clothing, carpets, and more. And because these chemicals are designed to be unbreakable, “forever chemicals” are adding up in our bodies and in the environment. On today’s episode I’m answering a listener’s question about the group of chemicals known as PFAS by bringing you an interview with Kevin Loria.... Read More Read More The post Forever Chemicals appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

It's no secret that plastic razors are meant to be used a handful of times and then thrown in the garbage. As with any disposable product, if we continue buying them, companies will continue making them. Enter the alternative: safety razors.A safety razor is a steel razor with replacement blades: while you replace the blade (and recycle it!) once it's dull, the razor itself is made to last a lifetime. On today's show I speak with Tung Do, co-founder of WLDOHO. Tung is on the show to explain how you, too, can incorporate a safety razor into your daily life without stress or overwhelm.Here's a preview:[2:45] A safety razor primer: what it is, what it does, and why advocates love them[5:30] One (expensive-ish) product versus a lifetime of (cheap) disposables: Does the money add up?[7:30] What to do with your discarded blades[8:15] Expert tricks for easing the safety razor transition[13:50] The benefits to exfoliating before shaving with a safety razor[14:45] Knees, shinbones, and ankles: Hacks for shaving tricky areas[18:00] The environmental implications associated with plastic, disposable razors Resources mentioned: WLDOHO on Instagram Watch the extended version of this episode on Youtube * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #009: Creating A Sustainable Minimalist's Bathroom.* Join our (free!) community here.* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube. Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

In my corner of the world trees are budding and flowers are blooming. But leaf blowers are also blowing, and it’s nearly time for that first grass cutting. Enter No Mow May. Lawns that aren’t exactly pristine may indeed get your neighbors’ side-eyes, as intentionally not mowing your lawn here in the US is a quietly revolutionary act. But environmental advocates argue that there are many benefits to stepping away from overzealous lawn maintenance, at least for one month. On... Read More Read More The post No Mow May appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content