Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

Episode 247

Home Food Production Action Plan

You may think that home food production is a thing of the past but you would be wrong. Despite our modern culture and all of our wonderful technology, having some control over your own food supply is more important than ever. Yet the trend of our present culture is to depend on someone else for most of our basic needs. That is a mistake.

No matter where you live and what you do, it is possible to produce a certain amount of your own food. Yes it takes time, commitment and maybe a small learning curve, but it is not difficult at all. In this episode, I am going to focus on how we can reverse this trend of dependency on industrial agriculture and why that is so important.

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E247 Reversing the Trend: a Home Food Production Action Plan.

In this episode I am going to focus on why so many of us stopped producing our own food, why it is important to reverse that trend and I also want to give you a workable plan on how to make that happen. The main reason I want to focus on this is that so many people these day are truly missing the point of all of this.

But before we get to that let’s first talk about the good news story of the week.

Virtual Reality Experiences Can Beat Pain Killers for Relief

As you probably know by now there is a significant amount of scientific research that supports the health benefits of spending time in nature. But new research on pain relief techniques has shown that virtual reality experiences and better than pain killers.

Scientists and Britain’s University of Exeter are are using VR experiences to study how the brain reacts to pain by showing  participants breathtaking natural scenery while shocking them in the arm.

The effects that they observed were as strong as pain killers, and even lasted longer than the 45-minute VR experience. They were also twice as effective.

“We’ve seen a growing body of evidence show that exposure to nature can help reduce short term, everyday pain, but there has been less research into how this might work for people living with chronic or longer-term pain,” said Dr. Sam Hughes, Senior Lecturer in pain neuroscience at the University of Exeter, and leader in the study.

Not everyone is able to get out for walks in nature, however, particularly those living with long term health conditions—like chronic pain. But the results of their study suggest that nature scenes delivered using VR can help change how pain signals are transmitted in the brain and spinal cord during long-term pain conditions.

Dr. Sonia Medina, of the University of Exeter Medical School and one of the authors on the study said the clear hypothesis is that VR experiences are so stimulative and immersive that it had a greater effect in reducing pain.

The stronger the perception of being in nature, the stronger the pain relief. I do find it so interesting that scientific research repeatedly reveals the benefits of being in nature, which of course is something we are progressively being separated from due to increased urbanization.

Now let’s move on to this weeks episode regarding the home food production action plan.

As a general rule people tend to toss forethought and planning right out the window. Instead we tend to go the route of reactive panic. And this is something I have seen over and over again. Whenever a major winter storm is predicted, that is the time people choose to flock to the supermarket and stock up on supplies. People wait until the hurricane is bearing down on their location to purchase bottled water. The COVID-19 pandemic is another perfect example. People reacted to the shut downs in panic, supermarket shelves were empty and basic hygiene supplies were no where to be found.

Most people never realize there just might be a better way. There just might be a way that you could be more self sufficient and produce a significant amount of personal security. I my opinion, the best way to do that is to produce a certain amount of your own food. What you cannot produce can be purchase in bulk ahead of time and set it aside for a rainy day. But, as I always like to ask, how did we get here?

There are several overlapping reasons why many people, especially in industrialized societies, have stopped producing their own food. These causes are related to various social, economic, technological, and cultural influences. For example:

1. Urbanization and Space Limitations

2. Shift Toward Industrial Agriculture

3. Time Constraints and Lifestyle Changes

4. Loss of Skills and Knowledge

5. Perceived Cost and Effort

6. Marketing and Consumer Culture

7. Changes in Education and Policy

8. Perception of Food as Abundant

All that being said, it is easy for me to debunk every one of the above reasons that we no longer tend to produce our own food.

-Just because you live in an urban area with space limitations doesn’t mean you can’t produce some of your own food. Container gardens and vertical gardens are fantastic options for those with a limited space.

-Industrialized food production may make home grown food seem unnecessary, but home grown is far more nutritious, contain few if any pesticides and taste tremendously better. Additionally, if you think globalization makes your food supply more secure you are sadly mistaken. It actually makes us more vulnerable.

-I will admit that our lives are busier than ever these days and we seem to have little or no time for gardening. However, that is nothing more than a product of our high octane culture that stresses productivity and being constantly busy. That is something you have to step away from because life does not have to be that way. It is far healthier to simplify and have a slower pace of life that focuses more on the things you value.

-It is true that globalization coupled with our fast paced culture fed by convenience foods has produced generations of people that have no knowledge of gardening nor do they see the value in it. But, these skills are easily learned. There is an over abundance of websites and social media groups that focus on gardening and homesteading skills.

-Starting a garden is going to require some investment up front in tools and supplies. But most of this is a onetime cost. Yes there is a learning curve. But that is why you need to start small.

-You need to learn to ignore today’s aggressive marketing and advertising tactics. Companies promoting their convenience foods are out to make money and couldn’t care less about your personal health and well-being. Gardening does require a bit of work but it gets you outside, reconnects you with nature, and improves your physical and mental health

-Now the last thing I want to debunk is this perception that food is abundant and producing the food we eat is someone else’s job. The first thing I want to say is think back to the pandemic. Grocery store shelves were empty. The second thing I want to point out is something I have said again and again. As long as someone else is in control of your resources they are in fact in control of your life. I would strongly suggest taking back that control.

Now it is entirely possible to reverse this trend, take back a substantial amount of control over your own resources and start growing much of your own food. I want to give you a blueprint of how as individuals, and as communities, we can regain self-production skills and habits. However, there is a learning curve.

Highlight the Benefits

1. Health Benefits

2. Cost Savings Benefits

3. Taste Benefits

4. Resilience Benefits

II. Skills and Education

Community Gardening Workshops

1. Health and Well-Being Benefits

2. Educational Benefits

3. Social and Community Benefits

4. Economic Benefits

5. Environmental Benefits

6. Resilience and Empowerment Benefits

Online Learning Resources

1. Educational Websites and Blogs

2. Online Courses and Platforms

3. Video Tutorials and Streaming Content

4. Digital Communities and Forums

5. Mobile Apps and Tools

6. Government and Public Resources

✅ Together, these resources make gardening knowledge highly accessible worldwide, catering to every learning style—from structured courses to interactive communities.

Accessibility and Resources

1. Container Gardening

2. Vertical Gardening

3. Indoor Gardening

4. Balcony & Patio Solutions

5. Space-efficient Planting Techniques

6. Multi-purpose and Creative Solutions

7. Community and Shared Spaces

✅ These solutions allow anyone—even in apartments or urban settings—to grow fresh food and greenery, proving that limited space doesn’t limit gardening potential.

Summary

You know, there is a part of my personality that is the source of my motivation for doing many, many things. It is my strong desire to be as independent and self reliant as possible. That attitude was engrained in me from a very young age. We produce a great deal of our own food and froze and home canned any extras.

It is this desire to be as independent as possible that has also been my motivation to be in business for myself for the last 25 years. I do not want anyone else to dictate what I do, where I go, and how much money I make.

In my opinion, our society would be a much better place if a whole lot more people took an active part in the destiny of their own lives instead of allowing someone else to do everything for them.

Home food production is one of the best ways to control a great deal of your own resources. Doing so has far reaching health benefits. It makes you more resilient and increases your preparedness for emergencies and greatly improves your food security.

Even though there are several generations without any knowledge of producing their own food, that is no excuse.  We have easy access to websites, forums, online classes, video tutorials, social media groups, apps and government resources that can teach us everything we would ever want to know about gardening, producing your own food and home canning and freezing. Not to mention community garden clubs and food coops. There is no reason for not taking advantage of all of the health, financial and environmental benefits of home food production.

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

Episode 246

Sustainability as Preventative Care

Over the last few episodes I have covered several topics regarding the health benefits of a sustainable lifestyle. From out diets, to reducing toxin exposure, to getting more physical activity and reconnecting with nature, as well as supporting our mental health and emotional well being. The affects of a sustainable lifestyle are as far reaching as the affects of climate change.

Besides the obvious benefits to the environment and health of our planet, a sustainable lifestyle can also be thought of in terms of preventative health care. Maintaining a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise goes a long way toward preventing many of the chronic disease that plaque our modern culture.

So join me for episode 246,  Sustainability as Preventative Care.

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E246 Sustainability as Preventative Care.

Good news story of the week

This week’s story is about wolves and aspen trees. Who would have ever thought one species would effect the other.

But in the northern reaches of Yellowstone National Park, young aspens are growing taller and broader than ever before for the first time in 80 years. That unexpected return is being attributed to the return of the gray wolf.

But, what does these two have in common? That being the gray wolf and the aspens. Believe it or not it is the relationship these two species have with elk. The elk eat emerging aspen tree sprouts, especially in late winter. This eating pattern prevents any new growth from replenishing the aspen grooves.

The grey wolf has been virtually eliminated from the park since the 1930s. Without this apex predator, elk populations boomed. However, researchers from Oregon State University have demonstrated that the wolves hunting the elf have allowed the aspen populations to increase because the new saplings are able to survive and grow.

The researchers examines 87 aspen stand in 2012. When they returned in 2020 they found that 43% of the sample sites had new young trees. This trend had not been noticed since the 1940’s.

It is amazing how so many people protest the reintroduction of apex predators such as the wolves. But when you take such an animal how of the ecosystem, there are far reaching effects. But the same is true when they are returned.

This new growth of trees will have positive affects for a variety of other smaller critters such as woodpeckers, wrens, voles, mice, and even beavers.

Now let’s move on to this weeks episode.

As you have likely heard me say before, everything comes with a price. It might be physical labor, time, improving your education, money, or emotional investment depending on what you are trying to accomplish. No matter what you do or where you go, if you want to accomplish something, or reap the benefits of your work, it is going to cost you something.

Here is how I look at it. A few years ago I started thinking about adding a sunroom onto the cabin. I came up with a rough estimate of materials cost, then figured about how much time would be needed to do the job. Once I had those two figures, I then thought about how much extra I would have to work to not only come up with the money to complete the project but also had to budget for time away from my regular job to complete the project. So my total cost was the following: materials, labor, budgeting for time away from work, and the amount of extra work I would have to do to manage this financially.

Then I looked at the benefits: 200 additional square feet of living space, the ability to extend our growing season, a place to store extra water in the winter without freezing, the benefit of passive solar heating in the winter and being able to reduce our use of wood to heat the cabin. Then after weighing the cost against the benefits, I decided to proceed with the project.

But you can also look at many other things in life the same exact way. For example, if you wanted to go back to school to get an advanced degree, what’s it going to cost. If you wanted to do something completely different and move to Hawaii, what’s it going to take to make that happen. At any rate, you get the picture.

But here is something most people do not think about. We have the nice modern culture with all the conveniences we could ever possibly want. But, what’s the cost of all that? Well, there is the environmental cost, but that is obvious. Then there is the financial burden, meaning our modern lifestyle is not exactly cheap. But the one underlying cost that most people never consider is the cost to their own personal health. Allow me to explain.

Disease of Modern Society

The disease of modern society are often referred to as the “diseases of affluence” or “lifestyle diseases.” These are health conditions that are associated with the lifestyle and societal changes brought about by modernization, industrialization, and urbanization. These diseases are typically non-communicable and are linked to factors such as sedentary lifestyles, poor diet, and increased stress. For example: Type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, hypertension, asthma, cancer and depression.

In contrast, the “disease of poverty” are typically infectious diseases or the result of poor living conditions. This is similar to the leading causes of death during the 1700s. Infectious diseases, poor diet and lack of proper nutrition, complications during child birth, and lack of access to health care were leading causes of death.

But in our modern culture the kicker is that with the exception of idiopathic disease or those of genetic origin, most diseases in our modern culture are preventable to a large extent.  And believe it or not, the best way to prevent suffering from a chronic disease involves adopting a combination of healthy lifestyle habits and proactive health management strategies. Some of the key recommendations are things such as:

The Win-win

What most people do not realize is that we have a win-win situation staring us right in the face. We have the ability to save our planet while maintaining our health. The best part is that this is not anything difficult. Many sustainable choices are inherently preventive: nutritious food, active living, reduce exposure to toxins. Healthier daily habits in the long run means fewer doctor visits, lower healthcare costs, and even a longer life expectancy.

By far and away prevention is not only cheaper, it’s kinder to your body and your future. Besides saving our planet, we should look at sustainable living as a long-term preventative health strategy. Such a lifestyle promotes habits, environments, and choices that reduce the risk of chronic disease, enhance physical and mental well-being, and supports a healthier future for both individuals and communities.

Now to prove my point, I am going to do a very quick review of some of my previous topics of interest.

🥗 1. Encourages a Healthier Diet

Sustainable eating emphasizes:

🔎 Preventive Health Benefit:
Reduces the risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and inflammation by cutting out ultra-processed, high-sugar, high-fat foods common in conventional diets.

🚶 2. Promotes Regular Physical Activity

Sustainable living often includes:

🔎 Preventive Health Benefit:
Supports cardiovascular health, maintains healthy weight, strengthens muscles and bones, and improves mental health—key to preventing many lifestyle diseases.

🌿 3. Reduces Exposure to Toxins

Sustainable choices avoid:

🔎 Preventive Health Benefit:
Lowers long-term risk of hormone disruption, respiratory illness, neurological disorders, and cancer.

🧠 4. Enhances Mental and Emotional Resilience

Sustainable living fosters:

🔎 Preventive Health Benefit:
Reduces risk of anxiety, depression, burnout, and other stress-related illnesses by promoting balance, calm, and emotional well-being.

💧 5. Promotes Clean Water and Air

Sustainable lifestyles reduce:

🔎 Preventive Health Benefit:
Clean air and water reduce asthma, cardiovascular disease, and exposure to environmental toxins—especially for vulnerable populations like children and the elderly.

🧬 6. Supports Healthy Habits Early in Life

Sustainable living often includes:

🔎 Preventive Health Benefit:
Establishing sustainable habits early reduces lifelong health risks and supports a culture of prevention rather than treatment.

🏥 7. Reduces Reliance on Healthcare and Medication

By preventing disease through sustainable choices, individuals:

🔎 Preventive Health Benefit:
Lower healthcare costs, fewer side effects, and greater independence in managing health.

🌎 8. Builds Resilient Communities That Protect Health

Sustainable communities tend to prioritize:

🔎 Preventive Health Benefit:
Community-wide sustainability supports long-term health for everyone—especially in times of crisis such as climate related events or even pandemics.

✅ Conclusion: Preventative Health Care is a Natural Benefit of Sustainable Living

Sustainable living is, at its core, a lifestyle of prevention:

🌱 From a healthcare perspective when we live sustainably, we don’t just treat illness—we help prevent it altogether.

What you have to keep in mind though is that sustainable living isn’t about being perfect. It’s about making healthier, more thoughtful choices, something which is sorely lacking in our modern culture of over consumption and wastefulness.

Just remember that small choices can make a big impact. Things such as eating whole foods, reducing your use of plastics, any living on less and buying less all have a significant impact.

The bottom line here is to:

🌎 Live well, live simply, live sustainably.

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

Episode 245

How Sustainability Cultivates Preparedness and Adaptability

There was a time when most of us were self reliant. It was because we did not have a choice. However,  with modern technology these days we are more about ease and convenience. We can get online and order anything we want and have it on our doorstep by the next day. At this point I think the average person’s concept of self reliance is the ability to go to the supermarket by themselves.

But have you ever stopped to think what would happen if things just stopped working the way they do. What if the grid went down for even a week? What if you were unable to get to the supermarket for several weeks. What then??

This is where sustainability and self reliance come into play. So join me for E245 How Sustainability Cultivates Preparedness and Adaptability

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E245 How Sustainability Cultivates Preparedness and Adaptability.

Good News Story of the Week

But before we get to that let’s start out with the good new story of the week.

You know I am always amazed when someone comes up with something innovative that has the potential of greatly reducing our impact on the environment in some way.

A new groundbreaking material has been produced from up cycled rice husks, that is called ACRE. This material production produces zero waste and it can be used to make siding for houses, decking material, fencing, sheeting for houses, and even trim.

What most people don’t know is that the US produces 20 billion pounds of rice annually and all that rice husk typically goes to the landfill. The best part is that this new building material does not require cutting down a single tree.

So this week’s round of applause goes to the Modern Mill Company which was named one of the most innovative companies for 2025.

So, let’s move on to this week’s episode.

People often tell me that I am a prepper, when all I really do is try to be prepared for the unexpected. That is what we always did on the farm when I was a kid. We home canned food, had extra veggies in the freezer and even foraged for berries and nuts.

It seems to me this is very similar to a life of sustainability.

In my opinion there is no doubt that a sustainable lifestyle  cultivates a culture or preparedness and adaptability. This happens because a sustainable life promotes values and habits that help us as individuals to anticipate change, respond to crisis, and even thrive in the face of uncertainty. When sustainability happens at a community level, there tend to be systems, policies, and plans of action in place that help a community to respond in the same way.

And here is how all of that happens:

🔄  Encourages Self-Reliance and Resourcefulness

Sustainable living involves:

🔎 Preparedness Benefit:

The average person becomes more capable of meeting their own basic needs—food, water, a source of electricity—even when our everyday lives are disrupted with such things as economic downturns, severe climate or weather events, and even food shortages. What this means is that we are in more control of our own resources. We develop a mindset of doing more with less, placing more value on what we have and solving our own problems. This of course increases our creative thinking and problem solving abilities.

🌱 1. Promotes Local Solutions

🔧 2. Fosters DIY Skills and Practical Knowledge

♻️ 3. Teaches Creative Reuse and Waste Reduction

🏡 4. Builds Household Independence

🌾 5. Inspires Thoughtful Consumption

🌍 6. Strengthens Adaptability in Changing Conditions

🧰 7. Cultivates Lifelong Learning

Summary:

Sustainability empowers people to be more self-reliant and resourceful by encouraging them to use what they have wisely, rely on their own skills, and adapt to challenges with creative, thoughtful solutions. In doing so, it builds a culture of resilience and innovation. And I will have to tell you that as long as I have been living off the grid, I am still learning things.

🌾 2.  Sustainability Builds Local Resilience

Sustainability focuses on:

🔎 Adaptability Benefit:

If you really think about it localized, decentralized infrastructure used to manage all the important functions in our society are more flexible and less vulnerable. Having such systems in place builds communities that can adapt to and withstand any sort of disruption such as an extreme weather event.

Think of when the power grid goes down. A perfect example of this is a few years ago when the computer systems that controlled the refineries and infrastructure for fuel delivery on the entire Eastern sea board were hacked and shut down. This caused massive fuel shortages. If utilities had been decentralized this would have never been possible. But, let’s also look at some other examples:

🌾 1. Strengthens Local Food Systems

⚡ 2. Promotes Decentralized Energy Solutions

♻️ 3. Encourages Circular Economies

🛠️ 4. Boosts Local Employment and Skills

🌧️ 5. Improves Climate Resilience

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 6. Fosters Community Cooperation and Mutual Support

🧭 7. Encourages Local Governance and Participatory Planning

Summary:

Sustainability builds local resilient systems and infrastructure by creating strong, adaptable, and self-reliant communities. Through local food, local energy, a local economy, and cooperation, sustainability equips  communities and perhaps even entire regions to thrive—even when facing challenges like climate change, economic instability, or supply chain disruptions.

🧠 Sustainability Develops Adaptive Thinking and Problem-Solving

Living sustainably encourages:

🔎 Preparedness Benefit:
People become more resilient in their mindset. People are ready and able to innovate, and stay calm in times of crisis and uncertainty.

Sustainability develops adaptive thinking and problem-solving skills by requiring us to think creatively, respond flexibly to challenges, and make decisions that balance short-term needs with long-term impacts. Here’s how:

🔄 1. Encourages Systems Thinking

🧠 2. Cultivates a Flexible Mindset

🛠️ 3. Demands Practical, Hands-On Solutions

🔍 4. Stimulates Critical Thinking and Evaluation

🌍 5. Requires Balancing Multiple Priorities

💡 6. Inspires Innovation and Creativity

Summary:

Sustainability fosters adaptive thinking and problem solving by pushing us to be creative, flexible, and analytical in the face of complex and evolving challenges. It equips people with the tools and mindset to navigate uncertainty, innovate responsibly, and build solutions that last.

🧰 Sustainability Promotes Skill Development Over Convenience

Sustainable lifestyles often include:

🔎 Adaptability Benefit:
Building practical life skills equips individuals to handle emergencies, shortages, and lifestyle changes without panic or dependency.

Sustainability promotes skill development over convenience by encouraging people to take a more active, intentional role in meeting their needs—rather than relying on fast, disposable, or outsourced solutions. It values capability, craftsmanship, and learning over quick fixes. Here's how:

🛠️ 1. Favors Doing It Yourself (DIY)

🧑‍🍳 2. Encourages Cooking and Food Literacy

🧵 3. Promotes Repair Over Replacement

🌿 4. Reinforces Connection to Natural Cycles

🧰 5. Builds Long-Term Competence and Confidence

🏡 6. Supports Hands-On, Experiential Learning

🧭 7. Shifts Values from Ease to Empowerment

Summary:

Sustainability promotes skill development over convenience by valuing knowledge, effort, and self-reliance. It encourages people to learn, do, and create—building real capabilities that support long-term well-being and reduce dependence on wasteful, short-lived conveniences.

🌿 Sustainability Fosters Long-Term Thinking and Risk Awareness

Sustainability requires asking:

🔎 Preparedness Benefit:
This mindset encourages planning ahead—financially, ecologically, and socially—rather than reacting after problems arise.

And here is how that happens:

🧭 1. Shifts Focus from Short-Term Gains to Long-Term Outcomes

🔍 2. Encourages Risk Identification and Preventative Thinking

🌱 3. Supports Regenerative and Resilient Systems and Infrastructure

🧠 4. Builds Critical Thinking and Scenario Planning

🛠️ 5. Promotes Investments in Lasting Infrastructure

🧬 6. Teaches Intergenerational Responsibility

📉 7. Reduces Exposure to Volatility and Systemic Failures

Summary:

Sustainability fosters long-term thinking and risk development by promoting careful consideration of future impacts, encouraging resilience, and reducing vulnerability to systemic failures. It helps individuals and communities plan wisely, act responsibly, and build a secure, thriving future in the face of uncertainty.

🎯 Conclusion: Sustainability = Resilience in Action

Sustainability is more than being eco-friendly—it’s about living wisely, planning ahead, and being ready for anything:

🌱 Sustainable living prepares us not just to survive, but to adapt and flourish—no matter what the future brings.

🎯 Conclusion: Stronger Together, Now and in the Future

Sustainable living isn’t just about being green—it’s about being connected with others, being prepared, and empowering your self to take care of your own needs.

✅ It builds stronger social networks
✅ It fosters local self-reliance
✅ It helps communities bounce back from hardship

🌱 When we live sustainably, we don’t just protect the planet—we protect each other.

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

Episode 244

How Sustainable Living Promotes Physical Activity and Fosters a Connection with Nature

Welcome folks to part four of my on-going series on the health benefits of sustainable living. Hopefully by now you have an appreciation for the fact that a sustainable lifestyle is about so much more than recycling, reducing your use of plastics and ditching the plastic bags.

So far I have discussed the health benefits of changing how we eat, how to reduce your exposure to toxins, and how sustainable living improves your mental health and emotional well being.

In this episode I am going to give you additional tips on how sustainable living promotes a healthier lifestyle through physical activity and a closer connection with nature. It is the next piece in the puzzle of living a healthier and longer life.

So join me for episode 244.

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E244

How Sustainable Living Promotes Physical Activity and Fosters a Connection with Nature. And this is part four on my series focusing on the health benefits of sustainable living. In this episode I am going to focus on how a sustainable lifestyle promotes physical activity and a close connection to nature and in turn how that provides some very specific health benefits.

Good News Story of the Week

But before we get to that, let’s first talk about the good news story of the week.

There are certain things that most of us don’t want to talk about much less actually touch. What I am referring to is all the creepy, crawly things such as spiders and snakes. However, due to some recent research powered by AI, a new purpose has been discovered to all of the little creatures that most of us don’t want to touch.

A new and powerful artificial intelligence model was used to screen global snake and spider venom libraries and has uncovered dozens of potential new antibiotics. The reason this is valuable is that there are millions of deaths annually due to antibiotic resistance.

This new AI model was used by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States to sift through 40 million venom peptides and flagged 386 compounds within a matter of hours that had the molecular hallmarks of next-generation antibiotics.

From this AI shortlist the research team synthesized 58 venom peptides for lab testing. Fifty-three of those killed drug-resistant strains of bacteria at doses that were harmless to humans.

Presently, more than 25% of the drugs currently sold in the market worldwide are derived from plants. Some sources put that estimate as high as 40%.  Additionally, it is estimated that about 35% of our medicines originated directly or indirectly from natural products, including plants (25%), microorganisms (13%), and animals (about 3%).

So, as you can see, the natural world provides us with many benefits, including all the creepy crawly things are are the subjects of our nightmares.

Now it’s time to move on to this weeks episode.

Now most of you may not know that in the United States 75% of people over the age of 25 are either over weight or obese. On a global basis, it is around 42%. The primary reason for that is the consumption of ultra processed foods. But a secondary contributor to that is our sedentary lifestyle which is a product of our modern culture. Most people on average spend 4.5 to 6.5 hours per day sitting and only 23% of us are getting the recommended daily amount of exercise. However, a sustainable lifestyle can actually help to correct that.

But let’s first talk about how a sustainable lifestyle fosters a closer connection to nature. As you will see, that in turn promotes increased physical activity which promotes better health.

Sustainable Living Improves Our Connection with Nature

Sustainable living improves our connection with nature by encouraging habits, instilling values, and daily choices that bring us in closer contact with the natural world and our relationship to it. For example:

🌱 1. Gardening and Food Production

🚶 2. Eco-Friendly Transportation

🌳 3. Recreation in Natural Spaces

🧑‍🔧 4. Hands-On Sustainable Projects

🏘️ 5. Community Engagement

🌍 6. Mindset Shift Toward Nature

🧒 7. Eco-Education and Outdoor Learning

Summary:

Sustainable living naturally leads to more time outdoors through gardening, eco-commuting, green recreation, hands-on projects, and community involvement. It nurtures a lifestyle that prioritizes nature, health, and hands-on engagement—all of which support increased outdoor activity.

🌻 Sustainable Living Promotes Seasonal and Local Eating

Sustainable living promotes seasonal and local eating as a key strategy to reduce environmental impact, support local economies, and improve health. Here's how and why:

🌾 1. Reduces Environmental Impact

🛒 2. Supports Local Farmers and Food Systems

📅 3. Encourages Eating What Nature Provides

🌍 4. Raises Awareness of Food Origins

🥕 5. Improves Health and Nutrition

🧑‍🌾 6. Inspires Home Gardening and Foraging

🧠 7. Fosters a Conscious Food Culture

Summary:

Sustainable living promotes seasonal and local eating because it’s better for the planet, the community, and personal health. It encourages people to eat with the seasons, reduce their food footprint, support nearby farmers, and develop a deeper connection to where their food comes from.

🐝 Sustainable Living Supports Biodiversity and Wildlife

Sustainable living supports biodiversity and wildlife by reducing harmful human impacts and actively restoring natural systems. Here’s how:

🌳 1. Preserving Natural Habitats

🚫 2. Reducing Pollution and Toxins

🌱 3. Choosing Sustainable Food Systems

🌎 4. Reducing Climate Change Drivers

🐝 5. Supporting Pollinators and Native Species

🐾 6. Minimizing Resource Extraction

♻️ 7. Promoting Circular Waste Practices

📚 8. Raising Ecological Awareness

Summary:

Sustainable living supports biodiversity and wildlife by protecting habitats, reducing pollution, restoring native ecosystems, and mitigating climate change. Every sustainable choice—from the food we eat to the products we buy—can help preserve the intricate web of our ecosystems because we become an active caretaker of the land we lie on and the life that exists there instead of just a consumer of resources.

🌾 Sustainable Living Fosters Respect for Our Natural Resources

🌍 1. Raises Awareness of Resource Scarcity

♻️ 2. Encourages Mindful Consumption

💧 3. Promotes Water and Energy Conservation

🌿 4. Supports Regenerative Practices

🧠 5. Builds Ecological Literacy

🏡 6. Redesigns Lifestyles Around Respect

📉 7. Reduces Over Extraction and Exploitation

🐾 8. Cultivates Stewardship of Our Resources Over Ownership

Summary:

Sustainable living fosters respect for natural resources by highlighting their value, limiting wasteful use, and encouraging regenerative habits. It builds a respectful relationship with the planet—one rooted in awareness, care, and responsibility for the long-term health of our environment.

🌎 Sustainable Living Encourages Observation and Mindfulness

Sustainable living fosters mindfulness and observation by slowing down our pace, reconnecting us with nature’s rhythms, and encouraging intentional choices rooted in awareness. Here's how it does that:

🌿 1. Encourages Slower, More Intentional Living

👁️ 2. Deepens Connection to Nature’s Cycles

🌱 3. Promotes Hands-On Interaction With the Natural World

🐝 4. Teaches Attention to Small Details

🧘 5. Fosters Present-Moment Awareness

🧠 6. Encourages Reflective Decision-Making

📚 7. Invites Ongoing Learning from Nature

🌍 Summary:

Sustainable living fosters mindfulness and observation by slowing us down, reconnecting us to natural rhythms, and inviting us to pay close attention to how we live and interact with the world. It transforms everyday choices into opportunities for awareness, gratitude, and deeper understanding.

🛠️ Sustainable Living Inspires Self-Sufficiency through Natural Skills

Sustainable living inspires self-sufficiency through natural skills by encouraging individuals to rely more on their own knowledge, hands, and resources—and less on industrial systems. It revives time-tested practices that work in harmony with nature. Here's how:

🌱 1. Promotes Growing Your Own Food

🧂 2. Revives Traditional Food Preservation

🧶 3. Teaches Basic Homesteading and Handicrafts

🔨 4. Encourages Natural Building and DIY Solutions

🐓 5. Integrates Small-Scale Animal Care

🧠 6. Encourages Ecological Literacy

🔁 7. Fosters Circular Resource Use

🧘 8. Builds Mental Resilience and Capability

🌍 Summary:

Sustainable living inspires self-sufficiency by reviving natural skills like gardening, preserving, crafting, building, and ecological awareness. These practices empower individuals to meet their needs in harmony with nature, reducing dependence on industrial systems and creating a resilient, resourceful lifestyle.

🌳 Conclusion: A Sustainable Lifestyle Means Living With Nature, Not Against It

Sustainable living promotes living with nature and not against it by encouraging harmony, balance, and cooperation between human activities and natural systems. Instead of dominating or exploiting the environment, sustainable living seeks to work alongside nature’s rhythms and limits. Here’s how:

🌿 1. Emulates Natural Cycles

🏡 2. Minimizes Environmental Disruption

🌎 3. Respects Ecological Limits

🌱 4. Supports Regeneration and Biodiversity

🌞 5. Aligns with Natural Energy Flows

🧠 6. Shifts Human Mindset

🌻 7. Encourages Coexistence with Wildlife

🧘 8. Promotes Simplicity and Slowness

Summary:

Sustainable living promotes living with nature, not against it, by respecting ecological limits, working with natural systems, and adopting a mindset of cooperation rather than control. It sees humanity as part of the web of life and seeks to thrive in balance, rather than at nature’s expense.

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

Episode 243

The Health Benefits of Sustainable Living Part Three

Mental and Emotional Well-Being

As you have likely heard me say before, I truly think the world would be a better place if everyone could live like I do. No matter how stressful my day becomes I still get to go home to a nice quiet peaceful place and live on my terms.

Yes I do have chores to do on a regular basis that makes it possible for me to live off grid. However, those chores give me some physical activity which tends to keep me healthy. But this is all part of me living a lifestyle that is in line with my personal values. This reduces my stress. It means I am living with intention which in turn keeps me emotionally healthy.

So join me for episode 242 The Health Benefits of Sustainable Living Part Three: Mental and Emotional Well-Being.

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E243 The Health Benefits of Sustainable Living Part Three: Mental and Emotional Well-Being.

Over the last few episodes I have focused on the health benefits of sustainable living. In part one I talked about our diets. In part two I talked about reducing our exposure to toxins. In this episode I am going to focus on why sustainable living improves your mental and emotional well-being.

Good News Story of the Week

But before we do that, let’s talk about the good news story of the week. This week’s story is about a gardener in the UK. John Massey has spent the last 27 years transforming the land outside his bungalow into a spectacular garden. He has planted over 20,000 flowers, trees and shrubs across ten acres.

Not only has he won numerous awards for his work, he opened his garden to the public 22 years ago in order to raise money for charity. To date, he has raised half a million pounds or approximately $675K.

I truly can’t even imagine what a wildlife oasis he has created. So, this week’s round of applause goes to John Massey for creating one of the most exclusive gardens in the UK.

Now, let’s move on to this weeks episode.

The Health Benefits of Sustainable Living Part Three

Now I know it is difficult to down play all the advantages of our modern culture. We have ease and convenience. We have almost instant access to anything we need or want. Our version of self sufficiency is going to the supermarket by ourselves. It’s truly that easy.

But I would also contend that our modern culture with all it’s conveniences, comes with a price. More specifically, I think we are paying a heavy price in terms of our mental health.

For example, modern society promotes a hustle culture, which emphasizes relentless productivity and long working hours at the expense of self care and work-life balance. This can lead to increased stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout.

Cultural expectations and norms can contribute to mental health challenges. For example, in collectivist cultures, individuals may prioritize community or family needs over their own, leading to self-sacrifice and potential burnout. In individualistic cultures, such as in the United States, the pressure to be self-reliant can cause stress for those who struggle to meet these expectations.

Maintaining cultural norms can also produce a significant amount of stress especially if we do not agree with those norms or if we favor a lifestyle that is far different from the norm. The influence of social media can also exacerbate these issues by promoting unrealistic standards and fostering feelings of inadequacy and guilt when we do not comply with those norms.

So, as you can see, our modern culture and society is not all it’s cracked up to be. Just like anything else there are pros and cons.

Sustainability and Mental and Emotional Well-Being.

Now the other side of the coin is that sustainable living tends to support emotional well-being by fostering a lifestyle that is intentional, that is balanced, and aligned with your personal values. Sustainable living also tends to nurture a sense of purpose, it reduces the stress in our lives and fosters positive connections. For example:

🌿 Living with intention is good for your mind and soul. So let’s explore exactly how this happens.

🌿 1. Living with Purpose and Alignment of Your Personal Values.

🧠 Emotional Benefit

Living with purpose significantly improves mental health by fostering well-being, resilience, and emotional stability. When we align our actions with our core values and purpose, we experience greater life satisfaction, motivation, and a sense of direction. This in turn contributes to improved mental and emotional health. It helps reduce stress, it enhances our resilience, and creates a stronger sense of meaning and fulfillment in life.

There has been significant research that proves that individuals with a strong sense of purpose exhibit greater resilience, bouncing back more effectively from stressors and setbacks.  There is a strong link between purpose-driven living and reduced risk of mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. Purpose provides a sense of direction and meaning, which can act as a protective factor against mental health challenges.

Living in alignment with your values and purpose leads to greater happiness, improved emotional well-being, and better decision-making. This focus on what truly matters actually provides a layer of protection against stress and promotes a sense of peace, contentment and a higher degrees of satisfaction.

🧘 2. Reducing Stress Through Simplicity

Take it from me because I know from experience that simplifying your life will reduce your stress levels. Simplicity means streamlining your daily life. When you simplify your choices and establish routines you minimize decision over load.

Simplicity also minimizes attention over load, and fosters mindfulness. This clears you head and allows you to focus on what truly matters and reduces mental exhaustion from constant over stimulation and constant distractions. 

By simplifying tasks, choices, and the environments you are in everyday, you can gain greater clarity. This enables you to make better decisions and create emotional space for meaningful activities and relationships.  Additionally, simplicity helps reduce anxiety by eliminating unnecessary distractions and clutter, both physical and mental, leading to a more balanced and peaceful life.

The quickest and easiest way to simplify your life is to sit down and make a list of the top 3 to 5 things that mean the most to you, the things that truly bring value in your life. Once you have your list, focus on those things and get rid of everything else.

🧠 Emotional Benefit: Lower anxiety, less stress and more peace of mind.

🌎 3. Feeling Empowered, Not Helpless

🧠 Emotional Benefit: Hopefulness, empowerment, and reduced eco-anxiety.

👥 4. Building Community and Social Connection

🧠 Emotional Benefit: Increased sense of belonging, reduced loneliness, and stronger emotional resilience.

🌳 5. Reconnecting with Nature

🧠 Emotional Benefit: Better emotional regulation, improved mood, and reduced depression.

Whether you realize it or not, nearly 80% of the population in our cultures now lives in urban areas. This is one of the reasons we are so disconnected from the very things we need to keep us healthy and thriving, which is the natural world.

🍲 6. Mindful Eating and Slower Living

Sustainability fosters mindful eating and slower living by encouraging us to be more aware of their food choices and our consumption habits. This in turn promotes a more intentional and conscious approach to eating and daily life.

🧠 Emotional Benefit: Improved relationship with food, body, and self-awareness.

🔁 7. Resilience and Adaptability

🧠 Emotional Benefit: Greater confidence because we are in control of our lives. We are less fearful and more emotionally stable when facing unexpected challenges.

🎯 Conclusion: Emotional Well-Being through Sustainable Choices

If you have been listening to me long enough then you know there was a time when I was deep in debt. I lived only to work. One day I woke up and realized what I had done to myself and decided to change my life. It took me five years of hard work and five years of making some difficult choices. By the end I was completely debt free.

You have no idea what that did to my mental health. It was suddenly easier for me to make choices for myself, take time off, travel and just have fun and lots of relaxation time.

Living sustainably promotes mental and emotional well -being in so many ways:

Sustainable living isn't just about saving the planet—it’s about feeling better, mentally and emotionally:

I truly hope you realize by now that there are so many health benefits of living sustainably. So far I have only covered three topics and there are several more to come.

Personally I think it is unfortunate that nearly 80% of us now live in urban areas. I do wonder sometimes if that is the reason we are seeing such an increase in mental illnesses. Most of us have completely lost our connection with the natural world and that is the very thing that supports us and keeps this planet healthy.

By far one of the best things you can do to stay mentally healthy is to live sustainably.

Well folks I think that is about it for this week. I hope you will join me again next week for another episode on the health benefits of living sustainably. Until next week, this is your host Patrick signing off.

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

Episode 242

The Health Benefits of Sustainable Living Part Two

Reducing Your Exposure to Toxins

There is a long list of benefits for living sustainably. As you can likely imagine, such a lifestyle is easier on the environment and as such is healthy for our planet as a whole. We use resources more conservatively, we reduce our personal environmental impact, we eat a more planet friendly diet, and we reduce our carbon emissions.

But what most people do not realize is that such a lifestyle is one of the best ways to improve your personal health. Living sustainably changes so many of our daily habits, we get more exercise and we stay on a diet that is nutritionally sound. But, the benefits do not stop there.

So join me for the part two of the health benefits of sustainable living where I am going to talk about reducing your exposure to toxins.

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E242 The Health Benefits of Sustainable Living Part Two, Reducing Your Exposure to Toxins.

But before we start out this episode I want to first talk about the good news story of the week because it is related directly to this week’s topic.

Mercury Emissions Fall By 70% Over the Last Four Decades

When we talk about emissions, most people think about carbon dioxide and climate change. No one ever really thinks about Mercury. The health affects of mercury exposure are well documented and range from skin rashes to developmental abnormalities to severe neurologic disorders.

That said, we are exposed to mercury on a regular basis. There are emissions from the ocean and the soil. Mercury is released from weathering rocks. It is emitted during volcanic eruptions. 

Human activity is the main cause of mercury releases, particularly coal-fired power stations, residential coal burning for heating and cooking, industrial processes, waste incinerators and as a result of mining for mercury, gold and other metals. Once in the environment, mercury can be transformed by bacteria into methylmercury. Methylmercury then bioaccumulates in fish and shellfish.

However, as a result of a UN Treaty and the phasing out of coal fired power plants, mercury emissions have reduced by 70% over the past four decades. And this is fantastic news since there are no safe levels of mercury exposure in humans, and children are at a particularly high risk of the effects of exposure.

So, this week’s round of applause goes to yet another step in the right direction and for yet another reason to phase out fossil fuels.

Now, let’s move on to this week’s episode on reducing your exposure to toxins.

Some people would contend that we live in a toxic world. Others would say that there are social and psychological factors that contribute to the perception that we live in a toxic world. The negative impacts of social media, corporate environments, and constant exposure to stress and negativity leads people to feel as if the world is toxic. Additionally, the internet has made it easier to observe and be affected by the worst aspects of human behavior, which can contribute to a sense of toxicity. Additionally, there is a belief that the world has always been toxic, but the increased awareness and visibility of such issues have made them more apparent.

So, which is it?

Here is my take on the subject of living in a toxic world. There is every reason to believe that environmental toxins are a significant concern. There is evidence that synthetic materials and chemicals have been released into the environment since World War II, leading to exposure that can occur even before birth, as these chemicals have been found in umbilical cords and breast milk. The top environmental toxins include chloroform, chlorine, polychlorinated biphenyl, pesticides, mold, phthalates, volatile organic compounds, radiation, electromagnetic fields, and heavy metals. These toxins can accumulate over time and lead to chronic illnesses in both children and adults.

The average person is exposed to more than 700,000 toxic chemicals a day. Additionally, the average person uses about nine personal care products per day, exposing them to 129 unique chemicals.These numbers highlight the extensive exposure to chemicals in everyday life. Of all the chemicals we are exposed to everyday, only a small percentage have been extensively studied and proven to be safe. Hundreds of chemical have been labeled and “known” carcinogens, “possible” carcinogens or “possibly” carcinogenic.  And this does not include the pesticides commonly found in our food.

So, I think it is safe to say that we live in a toxic world. But despite that conclusion, it is possible to limit your exposure to toxins by shifting to a sustainable lifestyle. It is this type of lifestyle that enables us to make cleaner choices that thus produce a healthier life.

🌿 Clean Choices for a Healthier Life 🌿

What is Sustainable Living?

So, once again, to reinforce this concept of sustainable living, what I am referring to is a lifestyle that:

Health Effects of Toxins and Why It Matters

Sources of Everyday Toxins

🧴 Household Cleaners – Ammonia, bleach, VOCs
🍽️ Food – Pesticides, preservatives, artificial additives
👚 Clothing – Synthetic dyes, formaldehyde
🏠 Furniture – Flame retardants, formaldehyde
🚗 Air Pollution – Car emissions, industrial chemicals
🚰 Water – Chlorine, PFAS ("forever chemicals”)

Now, all of that being said, there is no doubt that:

Sustainable Choices = Less Exposure

Allow me to explain and give you some examples.

Sustainable living reduces our exposure to toxins by minimizing contact with harmful chemicals in the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the products we use daily. Here's how:

🌱 1. Choosing Organic and Local Foods

🔎 Toxin reduction: Fewer pesticide residues on fruits, vegetables, and grains → lower ingestion of harmful substances.

💧 2. Reducing Plastic Use

🔎 Toxin reduction: Less chemical migration into food and drinks → decreased hormone-related health risks.

🧼 3. Using Non-Toxic Household Products

🔎 Toxin reduction: Improved indoor air quality and less skin and lung irritation. We also avoid harsh disinfectants, and synthetic fragrance.

🌬️ 4. Improving Indoor Air Quality

🔎 Toxin reduction: Decreased respiratory irritation and long-term cancer risks.

🌬️ Remember indoor air pollution can be 2–5x worse than outdoors!

🥗 5. Avoiding Processed and Packaged Foods

🔎 Toxin reduction: Reduced exposure to food additives and packaging contaminants.

🚿 6. Filtering Water

🔎 Toxin reduction: Safer, cleaner drinking and cooking water.

👕 7. Wearing and Using Natural Materials

🔎 Toxin reduction: Less skin contact with irritants and chemical residues.

🛀🏼 8. Safe Personal Care Products

🚿 Common toxins: parabens, phthalates, triclosan, sulfates
💄 Sustainable alternatives:

Why it matters: Skin absorbs much of what we put on it—make better choices.

📪 9. Sustainable Homes = Healthier Spaces

🏡 Low-toxin home strategies:

🌬️ Indoor air pollution can be 2–5x worse than outdoors!

Sustainable Living Reduces Toxin Exposure by

10. Long-Term Health Benefits

🧠 Reduced risk of:

Life Changing Benefits of Sustainable Living

What you have to think about is that is living a sustainable life goes far beyond simply recycling or using energy efficient appliance. It is a mindset and a commitment to making conscious choices that not only have a positive impact on the planet but also on our society, local communities and on ourselves. Additionally, these choices can have life changing benefits. 

In particular, a sustainable lifestyle can vastly reduce your exposure to all the chemicals and toxins that are so prevalent in our modern world. And to get you started, there are a few simple things you should put on your check list.

Quick Start Checklist

🔲 Switch to natural cleaners
🔲 Eat more organic, seasonal food
🔲 Filter your tap water
🔲 Read labels on beauty and care products
🔲 Use reusable containers, not plastic
🔲 Improve home ventilation
🔲 Avoid synthetic fragrances

And the best part is that these are things that you can start today. The bottom line is that when you prioritize sustainability you start to shift your perspective from material possessions to meaningful experiences, personal connections and overall well-being. Limiting your exposure to all the chemicals in our world is a great first step and an easy one to take.

💚 Sustainable living is a preventative health measure as much as an environmental one.

It is not about just saving the Earth, it is about protecting ourselves.

🌎 Every conscious choice reduces our toxic burden
🌱 Small steps lead to a healthier, safer life for future generations as well.
🛡️ Protect your body by protecting your environment

🧠 Fewer Toxins, Healthier Life

Sustainable living is not just environmentally sound—it’s a powerful way to:

By living cleaner, choosing wiser, and consuming less, you reduce your chemical burden and give your body a better chance to thrive.

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

Episode 241

The Health Benefits of a Sustainable Lifestyle Part One

I have often said that the world just might be a better place if everyone could live like I do. When I go home it is quiet and peaceful with no traffic noise. I sort of have neighbors but I may only see them every couple of weeks if that.

Much of my time is spent outside even in the winter. I often have chores to do that requires some sort of physical labor which of course gives me regular exercise

Many people do not understand why I choose to live the way I do. Albeit different from a more conventional lifestyle, it actually has many health benefits. And that is what I want to explore in the next few episodes, the many benefits of a sustainable lifestyle. So join me for E241 The Health Benefits of a Sustainable Lifestyle Part One.

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E241 The Health Benefits of a Sustainable Lifestyle.

When you get down to it, there are so many benefits to a sustainable lifestyle that reach far beyond the obvious environmental payoffs. That is why I want to use the next few episodes to cover several topics regarding the many benefits of a sustainable lifestyle.

But before we get to that let’s talk about the good news story of the week.

Certainly most of us by now are familiar with severe weather events related to climate change. Well, sometimes that is not always a bad things.

The east coast of Australia just recently had rainfall that has broken hundred-year records. After the flood waters receded various eucalypt tree species had a mass blooming due to all the extra water. There are around 800 different eucalypt tree species in Australia which provided food and nesting for various species of birds, one of which is the critically endangered honeyeater. Due to all the extra water, the trees are set to bloom during this birds breeding season. This confluence of events may very well guarantee the survival of this species.

Additionally, there are numerous other species of trees that are blooming due to the excess rain and this also provides food for a wide variety of other species. In additional to that, this mass blooming event has also been good for the local bees. And if it’s good for the bees it’s also good for the local honey producers. So, sometimes extreme weather can be a good thing.

With that said, let’s move on to this week’s episode.

The Health Benefits of a Sustainable Lifestyle

I am sure we have all heard of the old saying, if it ain’t broke then don’t fix it. Well, that is how I feel about our culture these days. There was a time when the average person truly provided many things for themselves and were self sufficient in many ways. But modern technology and the internet have changed almost every aspect of our lives.

We have instant access to hundreds of years of information. We can order anything we want and have it the next day. We no longer even have to go to the supermarket if we don’t want to. Even our meals can be delivered to our doorstep if that is what we want. 

All that being said, most people never stop to consider that our current lifestyles are profoundly unsustainable and unhealthy. The primary purpose of the next several  episodes is to do a comparative breakdown of our traditional lifestyle versus a sustainable lifestyle and show you exactly how a sustainable lifestyle is not only environmentally healthy but it is also good for you and it improves your personal health.

What is a Sustainable Lifestyle?

To start out here I want to first mention what a sustainable lifestyle includes. Some major points I want to emphasize are the following:

Overview of Benefits

Secondly I want to do a quick overview of  how sustainability supports human health. What I want to emphasize is how a sustainable lifestyle supports the following:

But there is also a lot of information to cover. That is why I am splitting this up into a series of episodes, each one focusing on a particular topic.

But to kick things off, this week we are going to first focus on healthier eating.

Sustainable Eating = Healthier Eating

The bottom line is that sustainable eating equals healthier eating. The reason this is true is that a sustainable diet means cleaner, healthier food choices. If you do not believe me then let’s start with looking at the traditional Western diet or what some would refer to as the standard American diet (SAD).

Traditional American Diet

Just be aware that the term "traditional American diet" is somewhat ambiguous simply because the United States has a diverse culture influenced by a high immigrant population. The SAD is not truly a single unified cuisine so to speak but rather a collection of eating habits that varies tremendously across different regions of the country and varying demographics.

However, the concept of a "Standard American Diet" (SAD) is often used to describe a typical modern dietary pattern characterized by high consumption of processed foods, added sugars, fats, and sodium, with low intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, dairy products and healthy oils.  This dietary pattern is often associated with fast food, which is consumed by about 36.6% of American adults on any given day.  

Furthermore, eating this type of diet has been directly connected to what is called the “diseases of civilization.” This group of diseases includes heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, infertility, mental health issues, as well as other metabolic disease. The bottom line is that this dietary pattern that is high in processed foods and low in nutrient-dense foods contributes to significant health challenges that could otherwise be avoided.

Now I am going to have more on this a bit later. But, rest assured that the foundation of all of this information is based in science, meaning sound medical research. There is no doubt that a sustainable diet is generally healthier than the traditional Western or SAD in several key ways. So at the outset, let’s look at a comparative breakdown of both dietary patterns, the traditional Western diet and a sustainable diet.

✅ 1. More Whole, Nutrient-Dense Foods

Traditional Diet:

Sustainable Diet:

📌 Health Benefit: Better digestion, weight control, reduced inflammation, and stronger immunity.

✅ 2. Red Meat and Processed Meat

Traditional Diet:

Sustainable Diet:

📌 Health Benefit: Lower risk of heart disease, colorectal cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

✅ 3. Sugar and Sodium Content

Traditional Diet:

Sustainable Diet:

📌 Health Benefit: Lower risk of obesity, hypertension, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome.

✅ 4. Healthier Fats

Now you have to remember that decades ago we were told that fat in our diet was bad for us. But current literature is loaded with research proving that fat in your diet is not harmful alongs as it is a healthy type of fat and there is a good balance. 

Traditional Diet:

Sustainable Diet:

📌 Health Benefit: Supports heart and brain health, reduces chronic inflammation that is directly associated with numerous chronic health conditions that often result in an early death.

✅ 5. Mindful Eating and Lower Food Waste

Traditional Diet:

Sustainable Diet:

📌 Health Benefit: Better portion control, improved digestion, reduced risk of chronic disease.

In this case, it is useful to focus on a traditional Japanese saying whenever you are eating a meal. That saying is “Hara Hachi bun me.” This is a Confucian teaching that instructs people to eat until they are 80% full.

This phrase is rooted in the Okinawan tradition and emphasizes eating in moderation, which is believed to contribute to a lower body mass index, increased longevity, and even helps to prevent dementia in the elderly.  This traditional concept encourages us to stop eating when we are slightly full rather than completely full, promoting healthier eating habits. This practice is also a part of a broader cultural emphasis on mindfulness and respect for food.

✅ 6. Fewer Chemical Residues

Traditional Diet:

Sustainable Diet:

📌 Health Benefit: Lower toxic burden, potentially reduced risk of hormone disruption and certain cancers.

✅ 7. Better Gut Health

Traditional Diet:

Sustainable Diet:

📌 Health Benefit: Improved digestion, stronger immunity, better mood regulation.

Now, in my previous episode I talked about the slow death of the home cooked meal. This is mostly the result of our convenience culture but it is also affected by changes in our family dynamics. But the bottom line is that in general we are cooking fewer and fewer meals at home. Unfortunately, the average person does not realize the long-term health implications of maintaining such a dietary routine.

What I want to emphasize is that several studies have shown that frequent consumption of meals prepared away from home has been linked to an increased risk of early death. Additionally, highly processed foods, which are often consumed when dining out, have been associated with premature death.

One study estimated that around 57,000 premature deaths in Brazil in 2019 were attributable to the consumption of ultra-processed food.  Another study found that higher consumption of most ultra-processed foods is linked to a slightly higher risk of death, with ready-to-eat meat, poultry, and seafood based products, sugary drinks, dairy based desserts, and highly processed breakfast foods showing the strongest associations.

Poor diets, which often include frequent consumption of meals prepared away from home, are responsible for a fifth of deaths worldwide, with subpar nutrition being a bigger health threat than well-known risks such as  smoking. The study also found that globally low intake of healthy foods and high intake of unhealthy foods is the leading cause of mortality in many countries.

The bottom line here is that a sustainable diet includes:

🎯 Conclusion: Why It's Healthier

A sustainable diet supports:

There is no doubt that our culture and present lifestyles are profoundly unsustainable. The way we live not only affects the health of our planet but it also deeply affects our personal health. Eating sustainably is truly a lifestyle shifts that not only improves our nutrition but it also fuels efforts for a sustainable future.

The benefits of living a sustainable life are just as profound as the detriments of not doing so. But these are the topics that I am going to cover in the next few episodes. So I hope you will joint me next week for part two of the healthy benefits of a sustainable lifestyle.

But for now, this is your host Patrick signing off. Always remember to live sustainable because this is how we build a better future.

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

E240

The Slow Death of the Home Cooked Meal

Did you know that on average we now spend almost $12K per year on food. This includes money spent on take out and delivery as well as cooking at home. The average person in our culture only eats 8 meals per week at home which means we are spending far more money on restaurant and take out food.

Unfortunately, in our modern society fewer and fewer people have the desire or skill to cook at home. Cultural shifts, changes in priorities, and lack of cooking skills compel us to take advantage of convenience foods and take out. If you want to learn how to reverse this trend then stick around the E240 The Slow Death of the Home Cooked Meal.

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E240 The Slow Death of the Home Cooked Meal

In this episode I want to talk about why we are seeing the slow death of the home cooked meal, the health consequences of all the highly processed foods that we eat and give you some pointers on just how you can reverse this trend in order to have healthier meals, less waste, save money and have a more self sufficient and sustainable lifestyle.

But before we get to that, let’s talk about the good news story of the week.

Good News Story of the Week

By now I think we all know that the burning of fossil fuels is becoming the bane of our existence. One of the biggest polluters, besides the use of our personal vehicles, is coal fired powered plants. That said, European countries are at the forefront for closing these plants and relying on renewable energy.

Ireland will now become the fifteenth European nation without coal in its energy mix. Their last coal fired power plant, ESB Moneypoint, which was build in the 1980s, is now going to be shut down. While the plant will be temporarily used as an emergency reserve it will cease to exist by 2029.

Renewable energy now makes up 37% of Irelands total energy generation. The government’s main priority now is to build the needed storage, flexibility and infrastructure to keep pushing forward for a renewable energy future.

Ireland now joins Belgium, Sweden, Austria, Portugal and the UK, who have already stopped using coal. Spain and Slovakia are completing their coal phase-outs this year with a number of other countries working to accomplish their phase outs in the next 5 years.

This week’s round of applause goes to all the forward thinking countries that have now phased out coal.

It kind of makes you wonder when some of the larger countries in the world are going to do the same.

So, let’s move on to this weeks episode.

The Slow Death of the Home Cooked Meal

Quite often when I think about current trends in our society and culture I tend to relate that back to how things were when I was a kid. By doing so maybe that means that I am somewhat dating or aging myself which is exactly what I think about when I hear someone say, “Well, when I was kid, we used to do it this way or that way.”

But more often than not when I compare present trends to how things were when I was younger it is truly from the perspective of “why, or what” meaning why did it change. And that is my prospective when I think about the slow death of the home cooked meal.

Since I had three siblings and our parents were always working my mother had us helping her in the kitchen from a very young age. She used to stand me on a stool so that I could reach the stovetop, hand me a spoon and tell me to keep stirring something. As we all got older, she began to teach us how to cook so that we could help per prepare meals. My friends used to tease me relentlessly about how I was going to make someone a good wife one day.

But I can tell you that my cooking skills served me well once I moved to Colorado. And those skills have served me well for my entire adult life. I was of course under the impression for many years that everyone knew how to cook from scratch. But obviously that is far from the truth. We are now seeing the slow death of the home cooked meal. But, back to the why question.

Reasons People Stopped Cooking at Home

Well, there are several reasons why people simply stopped cooking at home.

Lack of cooking skills

One major factor is simply a lack of cooking skills. Historically, cooking was a fundamental life skill passed down through generations, often taught by family members, particularly the mothers of the family. However, over time as more women entered the workforce, the passing on of cooking skills to younger generations has declined. It is this cultural shift that has contributed to a generation that may not have the same level of confidence or knowledge in the kitchen.

Time constraints

The time constraints of our modern life have also played a significant role in why people do not cook at home. With  both men and women working outside the home there is much less time available for cooking dinner.

On top of that many people have this concept that cooking is time-consuming, tedious and stressful. This leads to a lack of interest in cooking.

Convenience foods and packaged meals

The availability of convenience foods and packaged meals have also contributed to the decline in home cooking. Large food manufacturers have capitalized on the market demand for "packaged meals," making it much easier for people to opt for ready-to-eat options rather than cooking from scratch.

Convenience

The convenience of dining out and the availability of food delivery services have also made it easier for people to choose restaurant meals over home-cooked food. The increased availability of food delivery apps has also contributed to a massive boom in the takeout food industry. Many people are opting for the convenience of ordering food rather than cooking.

Perception of Cost

And lastly, many people have the perception that the cost of healthy, fresh ingredients is higher than that of processed foods. This can be a barrier for some people. However, the opposite is actually the truth. Cooking at home can save you a substantial amount of money. 

The Benefits of Homemade Food

But the challenge is that when we live in a world of fast food, takeout, and convenience meals, it’s easy to forget the value of a home cooked meal. But the bottom line is that preparing meals at home is one of the most powerful choices we can make for our health, our wallet, our planet, and our sense of self. So, let’s take a minute and explore some of the many benefits of cooking at home.

🍎 Health Benefits

Homemade food means having control over what you eat, how it’s prepared, and what goes into it. Some key health benefits include:

In contrast, take out food can have several health consequences, primarily due to the nutritional content and how the food is prepared. Takeout and restaurant food is often high in calories, saturated fat, and sodium. It  contains fewer vegetables, less calcium, iron and fiber and is generally lower in nutrients.

This poor nutrient profile can eventually lead to an increased risk of obesity, heart disease, and other health issues. Additionally, frequent consumption of takeout meals has been associated with a higher risk of mortality and early death. Studies have revealed that those who dine out two or more times per day are 50% more likely to die early compared to those who dine out less than once a week.

💰 Financial Savings

There is no doubt that eating out or buying packaged meals costs significantly more.

When you cook at home, you are going to

The bottom line is that home-cooked meals cost a fraction of the price of a restaurant meal. On average, a home-cooked meal costs around $4–$6 per person, while a restaurant meal typically ranges from $15–$20 or more, reflecting a difference of at least $10 per meal.

Nationally, the average inexpensive restaurant meal costs $16.28, compared to just $4.23 for a similar meal at home, meaning you can save around $12 per meal by cooking at home.  What this means is that annually it costs over $13,000 more to eat out compared to preparing the same meals at home.

🌱 Environmental Impact

Homemade food supports a more sustainable lifestyle:

When you cook at home, you can plan meals that use every ingredient wisely and reduce your overall footprint.By comparison restaurants have a significant environmental impact due to food waste, energy consumption, and the use of non-sustainable materials.

The restaurant industry generates enormous quantities of food waste, plastic waste, and emissions while consuming large amounts of water and energy.  For instance, in the United States alone, restaurants throw away approximately 390,000 tons of edible food every year, which could provide close to 643 million meals to people in need.  Additionally, close to 40 billion pieces of non-biodegradable cutlery are thrown out each year most of which ends up in the oceans.

🔧 Personal Empowerment and Skill Building

Cooking at home provides you with a valuable skill that builds independence and self reliance. Furthermore, cooking can also build your creative skills and in some ways is even  therapeutic.

🌟 Conclusion – Homemade Food Is Worth It

Homemade food is:
✅ Healthier
✅ More affordable
✅ Environmentally friendly
✅ Empowering and skill-building

Even cooking at home a few times a week makes a difference.
Start simple. Try a new recipe, involve your family, and enjoy the rewards of what you create

🌟 Anyone Can Learn to Cook from Scratch

Cooking from scratch offers many benefits:

All this really means is preparing meals using basic ingredients such as vegetables, grains, meats, spices and dairy, instead of relying pre-packaged or processed foods. It’s all about knowing what’s in your food as well as taking control over your health and your budget. All it takes is developing some basic kitchen skills.

🧠 Start with the Right Mindset

You don’t have to be a chef! Just start small, be patient, and embrace the process of trial and error. A little curiosity goes a long way. You don’t have to be perfect. Simply learn one recipe at a time and keep meals simple at first.

🍳 Basic Kitchen Tools You Need

The best part is that you don’t need any fancy gadgets. Start with:

These basic tools are enough to cook hundreds of meals.

🧂 Essential Pantry & Fridge Ingredients

Begin with versatile basics:

You can create many dishes with just these ingredients.

🥘 Easy Recipes to Start With

Start with simple, flexible recipes:

🧑‍🏫  Build Skills Gradually

The point here is to start small and build your skills. Practice chopping vegetables. Learn to cook rice and pasta. Start by sautéing onions, garlic and greens. Try baking simple muffins and then move on to homemade bread. Commit to trying one new recipe per week.

The best part is that you don’t have to do this by yourself. The internet is loaded with websites and recipes, videos and even on-line courses that will teach you how to cook anything and everything you can imagine. Just remember, mistakes are part of the learning process. Anyone can learn to cook.

To start closing out this episode, I want to share a personal story about learning a new cooking skill. First of all I love to cook and I’ve never been shy about trying new things. However, about 10 years of so ago one skill that I truly lacked was making homemade bread. I could make it but it was never really very good. So, I decided to change that.

The first thing I did was purchase a book on bread making. Then I learned all about the different types of flour because when it comes to making bread, the flour truly makes a difference. Then after I learned about baking techniques I was ready to go.

At first my bread was just okay. But I also kept a notebook in my iPad that was titled bread making notes. Every time I baked bread I would go back to my notes on the previous recipe so that I could change something. I would then add more to my notes. After about three months of experimenting I was making homemade bread that was to die for. I can tell you there were times when I was really frustrated but in the end it was worth the trial and error.

For a number or reasons in our present culture we are truly witnessing the slow death of the home cooked meal. I think part of this is because we always have a tendency to reach for ease and convenience. That said, convenience foods have been around since ancient times. Bread is a good example. Making cheese was a great way to preserve dairy products, especially milk. Preserved foods also stored for longer periods of time.

But modern day convenience foods truly started with tinned or canned foods, which were first used by the military. That of course has transitioned into such a wide array of convenience foods that you could get by with never truly cooking. However, this is not very healthy. My best advice, make cooking from scratch your standard meal prep instead of depending on processed food. Anyone can learn to cook. Cooking from scratch is just one more step toward a more sustainable life. 

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

Episode 239

Feeding the Future-How to Support Pollinators in Your Community.

I often say that it’s the little things that make the difference. But whenever you say that, no one thinks that you are actually taking about bumble bees, or for that matter, any of the other tens of thousands of small creatures that pollinate our plants.

Unfortunately we are now seeing a global decline in all of our pollinators and it is happening for a variety of reasons.  If this continues, it will have devastating effects on our economy, our food production and global ecosystems. But there are ways to prevent this from happening. There are things each of us can do to help support the wide variety of pollinators.

So join me for episode 239 Feeding the Future-How to Support Pollinators in Your community.

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E239 Feeding the Future-How to Support Pollinators in Your Community.

In this episode I want to focus on several things that truly should be important to all of us:  what are pollinators and why are they important, why pollinators are declining, how this will affect us, and of course what we can do about it.

Good News Story of the Week

This weeks good news story has to do with plastic pollution, specifically plastic bags.

I remember when I first heard about countries and cities banning the use of plastic bags. I thought it was a fantastic move considering that globally we use 5 trillion plastic bags annually. But one of the first things I heard is how frustrated people were. My own home state of Colorado is phasing out plastic bags and now a lot of retails outlets no longer have them.

Most of the frustrated consumer audience says it will do no good. However, they are actually wrong about that.   

However, new research shows that shoreline litter has reduced by almost half since plastic bag bans around the U.S. have gone into effect. Presently more than 100 countries have now introduced bans or fees for plastic bags. Extensive research has shown that these new polices against plastic bags are truly effective.

Plastic bags are some of the worst culprits of plastic pollution in our oceans and a significant source of microplastics. So, as you can see, changing public polices are making a difference and we are taking steps in the right direction to curb plastic pollution.

And now let’s move forward with this week’s episode about Feeding the Future and Supporting pollinators.

One of my favorite things about Spring time at the cabin is the return of all the bees. My favorites are the honey bees and the big fat fuzzy bumble bees that always seem kind of clumsy. I am sort of fascinated with bees because they are so productive, which is kind of odd given the fact that when I was younger I was highly allergic to bee stings. Every time I was stung by a bee I had to go to the hospital.

Fortunately I grew out of this and no longer have any out of the ordinary reaction to bee stings. That is a very good thing because just recently I spent some time working in the Virgin Islands and had several encounters with the notorious killer bees.

The property where I was staying was formerly a sugar plantation. The plantation house was built in 1760 and the stone sugar mills were built shortly thereafter.  My first encounter with the bees was while I was exploring the sugar mills.

The bees had built several hives inside the mills. I  approached the hives and took several photographs and was about to leave when I got swarmed. Several days later I found another hive that was much closer to the house. A couple of weeks after that some maintenance workers were swarmed and received numerous stings. Once the hive was disturbed it was two days before I could sit out on the porch on that side of the house.

These were by far the most aggressive bees I had even encounter so I was curious as to why that was the case. I did a little research and learned that the island has a large population of Africanized honey bees, also known as the killer bees.

Since these bees are so aggressive, and they will build a hive anywhere including in your house, there is a guy on the island that will relocate them. He told me he was a third generation bee farmer. Whenever he had to remove nuisance bees he relocated them to his farm and set up a bee box for them. He further explained that this species of bees were prolific honey producers and he sold the honey at the farmers market.

And this brings up a good point. Despite the aggressive nature of these bees they serve an important function. If they are prolific honey producers they are also prolific pollinators. However, bees are not the only pollinators. There are thousands of other small creatures that serve the same purpose. Pollinators include bees, butterflies, moths, flies, hummingbirds, bats, beetles, birds, ants, and wasps and well as many other small insects. All of the small creatures are of vital importance because without pollination plants would not reproduce.

Decline of pollinators

The sad part is that we see bees, butterflies, moths and flies everyday and we rarely appreciate their importance nor do we realize that populations are declining globally. That global decline is more often that not the result of human activity.

But the main reasons pollinators are disappearing:

🌍 1. Habitat Loss

☠️ 2. Pesticide Use

🌾 3. Monoculture Farming

🌡️ 4. Climate Change

🦠 5. Diseases and Parasites

🏭 6. Pollution

💡 7. Loss of Native Plants

⚠️ 8. Commercial Bee Stress

📉 Summary:

Pollinator decline is driven by multiple factors simultaneously: habitat loss, toxic exposure, monoculture farming,  poor diet, and climate stress.

Why is this important??

But the thing of it is, pollinators are not the only things that are declining. There are a multitude of other insects that are also in decline. And this is something I have noticed over the last 15 to 20 years.

There was a time when I traveled a lot for work. Consequently,  I have driven cross country multiple times. At one point it was not unusual for me to finish one job on a Friday, drive 1000 miles and be at another job on Monday in a completely different state.

Fifteen years ago when I would make such a drive, every time I stopped for gas I would have to scrub the windshield and the front of the truck to remove thousands of bug body parts. Now when I make a similar drive, I almost never have to do that. So, you may be asking why is this so important. Well, if this trend continues, the consequences of losing our pollinators would be profound, far-reaching, and potentially catastrophic.

🌍 1. Global Food Production Would Plummet

🥦 Example: Without bees, crops such as almonds (100% bee-dependent) would disappear entirely from commercial agriculture.

🌿 2. Ecosystems Would Unravel

💸 3. Economic Losses Would Be Massive

💰 Estimates suggest a complete loss of pollinators could cost the global economy $200–500 billion annually.

🧬 4. Genetic Diversity Would Collapse

🦋 5. Cultural and Spiritual Loss

✅ Key Takeaway

Losing pollinators would trigger a global crisis in food systems, ecology, and economy. But because this loss is driven by human behavior, it can also be prevented through collective action, conservation, and education.

🌼 How to Support Pollinators in Your Community

And of course the next question is how are we going to prevent that from happening? Since pollinators are essential for 75% of flowering plants and over 30% of our food crops, you would think this is something you would pay attention to.

As it turns out, preventing a disaster is not as difficult as you might imagine.

What Pollinators Need to Thrive

The Best Ways to Feed Pollinators

Pollinator-Friendly Gardening Practices

V. Create Habitat and Nesting Areas

Water Sources for Pollinators

Community and Landscape Scale Support

Be a Pesticide-Free Advocate

Final Tips for Easy Everyday Action

Conclusion

One of the most important things I hope you have learned form this podcast episode is the vital importance of our global pollinators. If current trends continue it will have devastating effects on our global economy and on our food supply.

There are multiple everyday easy things we can do to support the biodiversity and population numbers of all the small creatures that pollinate our plants and guarantee reproduction. By doing so we are also safeguarding the biodiversity of our global plant population, protecting our food security and maybe we are even supporting the future of humanity.

I am sure at some point in time we have all heard the saying that it’s the little things that make a difference. But when we hear that we often think of it in a different perspective. What we most commonly think of is that it is the small consistent actions that we do day to day that contribute most to our overall happiness as well as the improvement and stability of the world around us.

But I would encourage you to think of this in a completely different way. There are plenty of other small things that make a difference for all of us and most of these things are completely overlooked.

So the next time you see a beetle, a butterfly, an ant, moth or hummingbird, be thankful that they are there and remember it is the little things that make a difference. And yes we can even be thankful for the killer bees.

Until next week, this is your host Patrick signing off. Always remember to live sustainably because this is how we build a better future.

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

E238

Pesticides Reach Far Beyond the Farm

One of the first things you learn when going through a medical based education and something that forms the very foundation of medical ethics is the concept “Above all do no harm.” But you kind of have to wonder why this does not seem to apply to the rest of the world. 

For example, eventually you have to ask who established so-called “safe levels” of known toxic substances in our food. The list of potential diseases linked to these chemicals is quite long and yet these substances are still widely used. Not to mention the far reaching affects of having these chemicals in our environment.

If you want to learn a little bit more then stick around for E 338 The Reach of Pesticides is Far Beyond the Field.

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E238 The Reach of Pesticides is Far Beyond the Field

There are numerous examples that I could point out of how humanity has accomplished something or developed a product or a chemical of some sort that at first appeared to be a great idea. But after the short term benefits wore off we then realized the true dangers of what we had just done. But for this episode I only want to focus on one thing and that is pesticides.

But before we get to that, let’s talk about the good new story of the week.

This week’s story is about the miraculous survival of a cat. Now this story is both unfortunate and inspiring at the same time.

The unfortunate part of this story is the fact that the two adult owners is this cat both fell 380 feet into Bryce Canyon in Utah after going over the railing. They were later found by tourists who alerted the authorities.

When rescuers arrived, the pilot that was on duty that day, Chelsea Tugaw, noticed what looked like a dusty backpack. But it turned out to be a soft sided pet carrier which contained a cat that was miraculously still live.

The 12 year old cat, Mirage, was taken to the Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah where she was diagnosed with a couple of broken ribs and some damaged teeth.

The shelter reached out to family members who were unable to adopted her. So, she was adopted by the pilot of initially found her and said she was going to give her a good life of retirement.

It is hard to believe that anything could survive a fall of 380 feet but it goes to show how resilient animals can be.

Now lets move on to this weeks episode about the far reach of pesticides.

🌾 Historical Reasons for Pesticide Development

But just like so many other things, there was a good reason for why we developed pesticides. With rapid global population growth, especially in the 20th century, there was an increased demand for food.

Pesticides were seen as a technological advancement to boost agricultural productivity.  With insects, weeds, and fungal diseases posing a threat for major causes of crop failure farmers needed a reliable way to prevent infestations and diseases that could devastate food supplies.

But the application of pesticides was also seen as a way to improve agricultural efficiency. Manual or organic methods of pest control were labor-intensive and often inconsistent. Thus chemical pesticides allowed for quicker, large-scale pest control with considerably less labor.

Pesticides were also seen as a means of increasing profitability. Protecting crops from pests meant higher yields and more predictable harvests.This led to greater financial stability for farmers and more stable food prices.

🧪 Types Developed for Specific Problems

But there were also different avenues of development of these substances depending on the purpose. For example, Insecticides were developed to kill insects that eat crops. Herbicides were used to control weeds that competed with crops. Fungicides are to prevent or stop the spread of mold, mildew, and plant diseases, and then rodenticides were developed to kill rodents that damage stored grain.

🧠 Underlying Philosophy at the Time

The goal was to maximum crop yields while minimizing loss. Pesticides became part of the “Green Revolution” that revolutionized food production. But also at the time, the environmental and long-term health concerns were poorly understood or these deleterious effects were underemphasized.

🕰️ Timeline: The Development of Pesticides

But if we step back in time for a moment, we quickly realize that the development and use of pesticides is truly nothing new.

Ancient Times

1600s–1800s

1930s–1940s: The Birth of Modern Pesticides

1950s–1960s: Chemical Boom

1962: Turning Point

1970s–1990s: Regulation and Alternatives

2000s–Today

🏛️ Who Establishes Safe Pesticide Levels?

And this or course bring us back to who decides the safe level of chemicals in our food. In the US it is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Internationally is the Codex Alimentarius Commission (established by FAO and WHO) In Europe it is the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). In Canada it is the Pest Management Regulatory Agency.

And of course there are certain standards for determining so-called safe levels. But, as they say, here in lies the rub.

Over 10,000 chemicals are allowed in our food in the U.S., some of which are potentially toxic. But it is estimated that only around 1000 chemical have been certified as safe. Additionally, it has been revealed that most of the 80,000 chemicals currently in circulation in consumer products in the United States have not been adequately tested for safety or for their effects on human health, with only about 1% having been studied. Now I use the US as a prime example but I think it is safe to say that most other countries are similar.

Now despite the initial perceived benefits of pesticide development, let’s look at some of the affects of pesticides that reach far beyond the field.

🧪 The Far-Reaching Effects of Pesticides

🌿 1. Impact on Soil Health

💧 2. Contamination of Water Sources

🐝 3. Decline in Pollinators

🐦 4. Harm to Wildlife

🐦 4. Bird Population Declines

🐿️ 5. Toxic Effects on Mammals and Amphibians

🐍 6. Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification

🌱 7. Disruption of Ecosystem Balance

⚠️ Real-World Examples

🍎  Human Health Hazards

🔁  Resistance and the Pesticide Treadmill

🌍  Contribution to Climate and Ecosystem Imbalance

Pesticide Drift

And then there is the issue of pesticide drift. You would think that since crops are not grown in the Arctic, there are only caribou, polar bears and very resilient humans, that there would not be pesticides. However, a multi-country study published in 2024, found 19 different pesticides in the Arctic atmosphere, 15 of which scientists had never recorded before. And this pattern is consistent worldwide.

This pesticide drift results in as much as a 50% decline in local plant diversity which in turn causes fewer resource for beneficial insects and other local wildlife. 

💡 Conclusion

How Can We Protect Ourselves?

Fortunately, despite the widespread use of pesticides, there are ways we can protect ourselves. To protect yourself from pesticides in our food, there are several things we can do.  First, wash all produce thoroughly under running water, even if it is labeled organic or if you plan to peel it. Peeling and trimming vegetables can also help reduce pesticide residues.  

Additionally, eating a variety of foods from different sources can minimize exposure to a single pesticide. If possible, consider growing your own food or purchasing from local farmers who use fewer pesticides. Finally, trimming fat and skin from meat, poultry, and fish can further reduce potential pesticide residues.

Additionally as a society we can rely on organic farming. This agriculture method promotes healthy soil, depends on crop rotation  and natural predators for pest and disease control and prohibits the use of synthetic pesticides.

Additionally of course we should support sustainable and organic farming initiatives and choose pesticide-free produce when possible. But as you likely well know, transitioning to more sustainable systems takes time. But as you have no doubt heard me say before, our choices do make changes and that includes the food we choose to eat. Every small step we take will eventually lead to a greater cultural shift to a more sustainable food system.

Now I want to close this episode with a quote from a man named Robert Swan who reminds us that “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”

And that is why I like to say that we all need to adhere to the principle of leave only footprints. If we do that, then by default we respect the environment, we recycle, reuse, reduce our use of resources, eliminate single use plastics, respect other cultures and work together to build a sustainable future.

Well folks, that’s about it for this week. I truly hope you have enjoyed this episode and will join me again next week. Until then, this is your host Patrick signing off. Always remember to live sustainable because this is how we build a better future.