Sustainable Minimalists

Daily life in 2022 leaves many of us busy and distracted. Life and its quiet, nameless moments of joy can pass us by if we aren’t intentional about how we spend our time. Today I speak with Reilly Flynn, co-founder and CEO of Lome Calendar. Reilly is here to give us tangible tips that capture both the intention and the expectation of the moment as we schedule our family’s free time; he also distinguishes between rhythms, routines, and systems as... Read MoreThe post Simplified Family Scheduling 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

Many to-be parents spend hours researching cribs and car seats; only rarely do they consider all the *other* ways in which their lives are about to change. And once the baby arrives? Many new mothers report a chasm between their parenting expectations versus day-to-day reality. Today I speak with journalist and parenting expert Ericka Sóuter about the unspoken challenges of motherhood. Ericka has spent hundreds of hours interviewing mothers and she’s on the show to discuss what moms are experiencing (but... Read MoreThe post Mommy Malaise 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 human nature to pursue more: More stuff. More money. More professional power. While it's certainly important to both create and reach goals in life, the mindless pursuit of more leaves many of us feeling depleted.And when we're always striving to attain the next big thing? We are effectively removing ourselves from the beauty of the present moment.On today's show I'm speaking with blogger Tyler Moore about whether it's possible to be happy with less and, if so, how. Here's a preview:[7:45] The relationship between tidying up your stuff and tidying up your priorities[10:30] Quieting the voice in your head that yearns for more[16:00] The unexpected benefits of living with just enough[25:00] First steps for determining what's just enough for you Resources mentioned: Tidy Dad on Instagram Watch the extended version of this episode on Youtube.   * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #146: 10 Secrets Of Successful Declutterers.* Join our (free!) community here.* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest. Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

“I want to be able to create a home that we can truly feel at-home in, but [my new husband and I] still haven’t figured out what our “style” is. How can we find our home decor style without buying & trying different items? How can we figure out our tastes and preferences without spending a bunch of money, creating waste, and/or accidentally getting swept up by what’s trendy?” It happens to the best of us: we search high... Read More The post How To Find Your Home Decor Style 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

Veganuary — the worldwide new years resolution movement — makes plant-based living accessible while also pushing for corporate change. While proponents of the month-long challenge report that veganism can be fun, today’s guest argues that plant-based living on the large scale (which, in her view, is inevitable!) will have positive consequences for our economy, climate, health, and culture. Veganism is one of the fastest growing social movements in the world and so in honor of Veganuary I’m speaking with anthropologist Roanne Van... Read More The post Veganuary and The Future Of Food 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

If you often bump into side tables or trip over misplaced shoes you’ve likely lamented your need for more space. But staying in your existing home even though it’s imperfect has tangible benefits like greater financial savings, more free time, and less stress. On this episode I’m speaking with small living expert Melanie Gnau about how to create more livable space in your home without undergoing a lengthy construction addition or moving to a bigger home. Here’s a preview:... Read MoreThe post Adding More Space (Without Adding More Space) 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

Many of us think of the seaside as a relaxing place to vacation. Water sports and seafood, too, often come to mind when we think about the ways in which oceans improve our lives.But the reality is that vacations, water sports, and seafood pale in comparison to what oceans *actually* give us, which is, of course, our very existence.Today I speak with world-renowned oceanographer and National Geographic's Explorer-At-Large Dr. Sylvia Earle. Dr. Earle has logged over 7,000 hours underwater and she believes that ending industrial fishing should be humanity's Number One goal. Dr. Earle is on the show to encourage us to think like scientists by asking questions, examining evidence, and making informed decisions as we plan our weekly meals. Here's a preview:[5:00] Why the ocean is so important (and why all of us should care about preserving what's left and restoring what's been lost)[11:00] The problems associated with industrial fishing[17:45] Beyond the marketing: Is seafood really all that healthy for humans? Resources mentioned: Ocean: A Global Odyssey Mission Blue Watch the extended version of this interview on Youtube  * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #112: The Nitty-Gritty Behind Microplastic Pollution.* Join our (free!) community here.* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest. Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

"I want to minimize my digital carbon footprint because I understand that storing old emails in server farms uses a lot of energy. I have three email accounts with thousands of emails because I'm super lazy about emails. If I delete 1,000 of the really old unnecessary emails, what's my annual CO2 savings? If all of your listeners did the same, how much energy could we save? How many cars off the road?" It's likely you've already sent a few emails today. Perhaps you've also streamed a video and performed an internet search or two. If your digital footprint is the trail of data you leave around the internet, your digital carbon footprint is the carbon emissions that trail creates.On this episode I'm answering a listener's question about how to minimize your digital carbon footprint in 4 easy steps (ditch that cloud storage!). Here's a preview:[2:40] Why digital carbon footprints matter (and how to start caring about ours)[6:30] Not nebulous, fuzzy, or benign: The ins/outs of clouds and server farms[10:30] 4 high-impact habits that reduce your digital carbon footprint[19:00] If everyone who listens to this show commits to deleting 1,000 old emails, how many car equivalents would we remove from the road for one year? Resources mentioned: Sector by sector: where do global greenhouse gas emissions come from? Soul Seaspiracy  * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #131: 5 Carbon Footprint Facts You Likely Didn't Know* Join our (free!) community here.* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest. Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

It takes a village to raise a child. And in those days and weeks following childbirth? Research finds that mothers benefit from an awful lot of support.In fact, women with culturally-embedded support in the fourth trimester report extremely low incidences of baby blues and postpartum mood disorders as opposed to cultures without such support.Today I'm speaking with postpartum doula and newborn care specialist Gigi Vera Vincent. Gigi is on the show to divulge how we can both honor and respect the postpartum period. For those of us not expecting, Gigi also suggests tangible ways to best support the parents in our lives who are.Here's a preview:[5:00] The Number One fact new mothers need to know about the fourth trimester[6:45] How to manage expectations versus reality during the postpartum period[12:45] 3 types of support that new mothers need, according to research (and how to give it)[14:30] Socially acceptable best practices for new mothers who don't feel like entertaining[17:30] Lining up your support services ahead of time: How (and where) to seek out physical and emotional support[26:00] Postpartum depression versus postpartum anxiety versus baby blues: How to tell the difference Resources mentioned: Fair play cards Gigi on Instagram  * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #221: Conscious Nursery and Kids Room Design.* It's 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.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Listeners often reach out with questions big and small, and so today I'm answering 5 of them in a rapid style format. Here's a preview of the questions answered in this episode:[2:15] Which is the better environmental choice: organic produce but wrapped in plastic, or non-organic and plastic-free?[7:30] How should we best declutter during a pandemic and where should we put our efforts?[10:45] Should we even bother recycling since so little actually gets recycled?[14:45] Are Force Of Nature products worth it?[18:45] What's the best way to store fresh produce without plastic? Have a pressing eco-minimalist question? Email Stephanie at MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at (508) 960-9046. Resources mentioned: The Dirty Dozen and The Clean 15 Force Of Nature 3-Ingredient Cleanser Sustainable Minimalism (the book!)  * Join our (free!) community here.* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content