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We are gossiping today about environmental scandals! We’ll start off breaking down last week’s events at Piney Point, a resovoir in Florida holding toxic phosphate mining byproducts that began leaking. We then discuss America’s first Superfund site, Love Canal, NY – and why Superfund sites must be discussed through the lens of environmental racism. Then, we’ll detail water contamination in Hinkley, CA, the largest class action lawsuit in American history and the sceanario that inspired the film Erin Brockovich. Lastly, we discuss oil spills: the 2010 Deepwater Horizon, the largest oil spill in history, and the Exxon Valdez. We wrap up discussing the ‘value’ in scandals, regulation, advocacy, and what we’re still waiting on.

Listen to our episode with Erin Brockovich here: 123: Water, Public Health, + A Julia Roberts Film

Let’s chat!! I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic

Thank you to Aspiration for sponsoring today’s episode! Learn more about a better way to bank at aspiration.com/green.

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We are speaking today with Elizabeth Segran, senior staff writer at Fast Company, about her February article, “President Biden, Appoint A Fashion Czar!“. The article gained wild amounts of attention and support from fashion advocates online, and we’re discussing today why this concept makes so much sense given the lack of transparency between brands and consumers. We discuss garment workers, sweat shops, pollution, emissions, global coordination… all the nuances to solving the fashion crisis. We also dive deep into what policy mechanisms may be used to support such government regulation and oversight to the industry.

Elizabeth Segran is senior staff writer at Fast Company, whose work has appeared in a range of publications including The Atlantic, Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, and more. She received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in the field of South and Southeast Asian Studies with a Designated Emphasis in Women, Gender and Sexuality. She is a global nomad who grew up in Brussels, Paris, Singapore, Jakarta and London before moving to New York to attend Columbia University. 

Let’s chat!! I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic

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We talk about ethical, ‘clean’ beauty, but today we’re taking it one step further and learning about the tools on our vanities: brushes. We’re learning about fibers (did you know brushes were historically animal fibers?!), self-love, sustainable supply chains, and more with beauty pioneer Anisa Telwar Kaicker of ANISA International.

As the #1 global manufacturer of your favorite make-up tools since the 1990’s (think Estée Lauder, NARS, Tom Ford, Shiseido, TooFaced and more), Anisa has been a pioneer in clean beauty and fair trade in both her products and factories. She spearheaded initiatives like using synthetic fibers instead of animal hair in make-up brushes, and reducing her company’s landfill waste by 20% each year – we’re discussing innovation and the value in owning both of her manufacturing facilities! We also explore the necessity efficient, ethical supply and chain processes, any always ensuring employees and brush artisans (a 90% female workforce) are paid fairly and well taken care of.   

Utilizing her ethical and clean beauty manufacturing model, Anisa launched her first B2C brand in October 2019, ANISA Beauty, focusing on functional skincare brushes designed with real consumer needs. Anisa is committed to educating consumers on healthier skincare habits, through partnerships with experts like celebrity MUA Sean Harris and influencers Rose Siard and Allison McNamara, and resources on the website such as the Brush Finder (my personal favorite resource!).

Thank you to ANISA Beauty for partnering with me on this episode. You can use the code ECO50 for 50% off your purchase of ANISA Beauty brushes at anisabeauty.com !

Let’s chat!! I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic

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We’re joined by five brilliant, trailblazing, superstar listeners to learn about their careers in climate and sustainability! I also share some insight on my career in local government and podcasting. We chat with: Julia, a clean tech journalist turned communication professional in renewable financing; Corinne, a park ranger and conservationist; Jaiko, a sustainability analyst focused on the built environment; Victoria, a retail/education professional for a sustainable lifestyle brad; Meagan, an ESG professional for a large tech company.

The central message of today’s episode is that there is room for everyone in the climate fight – whatever your career, background, calling in life, there is some opportunity for sustainability advocacy. It’s an exciting time to get into sustainability, but it’s also an exciting time to get into *anything* and make sure your values of climate action are incorporated in your day-to-day.

Next CHIC CHATS will be focused on sustainability in communal living spaces (roommates, family, significant others) – if you’d like to share your experience with compromises, changes over time, how you’re managing remote work, etc., reach out to me on instagram! This month’s book club pick with Hood Feminism: Notes from Women The Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall.

Let me know what you think! How do you like book club? I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic

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Welcome to book club!! This month we read Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster by Dana Thomas with supply chain professional and fashion blogger Megan McSherry of @Acteevism. We discuss the “democratization” of luxury fashion, consumer psychology, celebrity product placement, “it” bags, perfumes… everything that you’ve ever wondered about the behind-the-scenes of the luxury fashion industry, this book got into. We also share some of our favorite iconic luxury fashion moments, retrospective disdain for trends, and the value of artisanship. Spoiler alert: we discuss why we don’t believe an Hermes Birkin Bag should fall into the same vague “luxury” category as a Louis Vuitton.

Just kidding – there are no true spoilers in this episode as we are reading a nonfiction, research-based account. While you will get more out of our chatty conversation if you read Deluxe, you certainly do not have to read with us to participate and get value out of Book Club episodes. We will be reading Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall next month.

Let me know what you think! How do you like book club? I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic

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We are joined by eco educator extraordinaire (and my friend!) Isaias Hernandez, creator of Queer Brown Vegan. @QueerBrownVegan is a space where Isaias creates introductory forms of environmentalism through colorful graphics, illustrations, and videos. He seeks to provide a safe space for like-minded environmentalists to advance the discourse around the climate crisis. We discuss his environmental, nature-facing background, education, academia, and current career as a content creator focused on topics like zero waste, environmental justice, veganism, and intersectionality.

Find me online: I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic

Thank you to our sponsor, Ettitude! Use code ECO15 for 15% off their breathable, silky, sustainable bedding

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Dr. Mamina Turegano is a triple board certified dermatologist, internist, and dermatopathologist. Dr Mamina’s content has in recently months completely taken the internet by storm, because she provides bite-sized educational moments, focusing on the science of skincare and research backed answers to rituals or products. She also shares content featuring her mom, which I love and we discuss, the natural, more anecdotal, cultural skincare practices that have been passed down, in conjunction with her medical background. Dr. Mamina has a unique interest in connecting how things beyond medicine influence skin health, and her practice and teachings evaluate how nutrition, lifestyle, sleep and environmental factors can play a significant role in inflammation, aging, chronic disease… She takes us through her whole medical journey, and how she came into this complex multifaceted niche. And we also talk about skincare topics like acne and anti-aging – ingredients, mistakes, and when you really should see a professional. Dr. Mamina gives us the guidelines to think more critically about ingredients, especially regarding “natural” skincare; when over-the-counter products meet your needs as prescriptions might; and what to do for your skin beyond products and prescriptions.

Find me online: I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic

Thank you to our sponsor, Ettitude! Use code ECO15 for 15% off their breathable, silky, sustainable bedding

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We are celebrating Inauguration Day 2021 with Dr. Gretchen Goldman! Today, Gretchen and I speak about what happened to environmental protection during the Trump Administration, and then start to set the scene for what we can expect from the incoming Biden Administation. We discuss Cabinet appointments and the specific qualifications of a few notable positions, and we also talk about barriers by Congress and the Courts to certain priorities. We also talk about environmental policy and climate action check points, looking at the Biden Administration’s clear commitments already to climate and environmental justice. 

Dr. Gretchen Goldman is the research director for the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists. For nearly a decade, Dr. Goldman has led research efforts at the nexus of science and policy on topics ranging from federal scientific integrity to fossil energy production, climate change, and environmental justice. Dr. Goldman has testified before Congress and currently serves on the 500 Women Scientists Leadership Board and the Air and Climate Public Advisory Committee for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. She also serves as an expert on the Public Health Rulemaking of the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) of the Department of Conservation and the UNESCO/AAAS Consultation Group on the US science ecosystem. Her words and voice have appeared in Science, Nature, The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, NPR, and the BBC.

Also mentioned:

* Dr. Goldman on Ep 106, discussing public health and EPA rollbacks* Erin Brockovich on Ep 123 on Public Health, Water, EPA, and the Julia Roberts film bearing her name

Find me online: I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic

Thank you to our sponsor, Ettitude! Use code ECO15 for 15% off their breathable, silky, sustainable bedding

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We are opening up our year by acknowledging what must come before we can reasonably expect people to care about the environment: social sustainability. At its core, social sustainability looks at the societal structures in place that allow people to live healthy, happy lives: equity, culture, job opportunities, safety, wages, and all the other things we believe to be indicators of a “good” community. We also touch today on economic sustainability and go through a handful of case-study thought exercises: why do people buy fast food? what conditions may support crime? how are we organizing our communities? Caring about climate change is a privilege, and until we create more just, stable societies, we can’t expect everyone to be enthusiastically on board with supporting eco-conscious activities.

Find me online: I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic

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Aja Barber is a celebrated writer and stylist focused on the intersection of fashion and equity issues. We touch on two of her recent conversations: #IQuitFastFashionBecause, and the myth of fast fashion existing “for poor people,” when it is actually fueled by the middle class. We also touch on consumerism during the pandemic, marketing tactics, and holiday shopping pressures. What are we telling ourselves to justify supporting this exploitive, oppressive industry?

Aja is one of the strongest, most insightful voices on ethical fashion and intersectional feminism, and I am thrilled to share this conversation with you – let me know your thoughts via social media! Find me online: I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic

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