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We are joined by superstar science communicator Danni Washington! Danni Washington is a TV host and Science Communicator who is also the first African-American woman to host her own science television series. She is sharing her tips on how to be an effective science communicator, how to maintain the momentum of the climate movement in politics, and the importance of equity and inclusion conversations in science.

Miami native with Jamaican roots, Danni Washington is deeply passionate about our oceans and science communications. Currently, Danni is featured as a correspondent on a weekly nationally syndicated CBS series called Mission Unstoppable with host Miranda Cosgrove. Danni has also hosted Xploration Nature Knows Best on FOX, a STEM educational TV series that featured the latest advancements in bio-inspired technology and design — making her the first African-American woman to host her own science television series.

A special thank you to Climate Power 2020 for facilitating this conversation.

Additional episode recommendations:

* 111: Intersectional Environmentalism; How Race and Culture Impact Your Identity as an Environmentalist | Leah Thomas, GreenGirlLeah | Leah Thomas* 84: UN Sustainable Development Goals, How Humanitarian Concerns Are Tied To Climate | Claudia LaRue

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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Jessica DeFino is a beauty reporter covering supportive, sustainable skincare based in science and spirituality. She has made a serious name for herself as a beauty reporter firstly specializing in clean beauty, which is a niche, and furthermore as a beauty reporter than does not actively participate in beauty routines and products. Her work aims to break down the mystery of products and brands and beauty trends by discussing ingredient efficacy and skin science – she gives you the research to say whether or not something is really going to work, or if it’s just nice packaging. Her can be found in The New York Times, Vogue, Teen Vogue, Harper’s BAZAAR, Allure, New York Magazine’s The Cut, ELLE, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Glamour, SELF, Coveteur, Man Repeller, HelloGiggles, Business Insider, The Zoe Report, Fashionista.com, and more. 

Today Jessica and I are talking about her career, and finding this very specific, stand-out in beauty reporting, it’s a fascinating path from music videos to the Kardashians, and then we start discussing some of those myths that we’ve heard as beauty consumers (“Drink more water! Use hyaluronic acid!“). We talk product dependency and the sustainability side of beauty, single-use products, waste and supply chains. We talk about regulation and greenwashing, some of our favorite topics on the show.

Jessica is an expert in the industry and that can really sift through the data and research behind all of these claims, and really allow consumers like myself to say yes or no, I support this or I don’t. It also helps put boundaries on this need to try everything – I only need one moisturizer, one eye cream, one whatever. I don’t need shelves full of tiny bottles. Overall today’s conversation with Jessica is an empowering, educational discussion about the science of skin, and when you should or should not accept what the beauty industry is telling you (or selling you). 

Other episodes mentioned:

* 96: Regulating The Cosmetics Industry; Influencing Better Beauty Policy | Lindsay Dahl, SVP of Social Mission at Beautycounter* 99: Food for Skin; Natural Health Tips; Holistic Wellness | Dr. Mona Vand episode        

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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The annual Black Friday episode! Holiday sales are here, our inboxes are flooded, and we are all wondering: how much is *too* much to spend this year? In this episode we are reflecting on what we’ve learned this year: mindful spending means reassessing why you’re feeling pressured to buy, where you want your money to circulate, and maybe even reassessing your spending habits and relationship with your finances. Supporting small, BIPOC-owned, ethical brands means asking yourself questions around the value of your purchase and double-checking that you’re not accidentally buying fast fashion.

Also mentioned:

Last year’s Black Friday episode: Ep 83: 3 Tips For Conscious Consumption During The Holidays

Ep 129: Sustainable Minimalism: How to Declutter and Set Boundaries for Eco-Friendly Living | Stephanie Seferian, Sustainable Minimalists Podcast

Ep 127: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before An Impulse Purchase

Find me online! I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter, and if you’d like to email me: [email protected]

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Kendra Kolb Butler, founder of Alpyn Beauty, traded NYC for Jackson Hole five years ago and never looked back. Today, she’s sharing what she’s learned about skincare, the potency of plants, starting a beauty brand in Wyoming, and making your dreams a reality.

A former Manhattanite and 20-year beauty industry veteran, Kendra first created Alpyn Beauty for the clients at her Jackson Hole apothecary, Alpyn Beauty Bar. She’s led sales, marketing and public relations initiatives at leading luxury beauty companies from Givenchy and Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare to Clarins and Coty, yet her proudest achievement to date has been finding the courage to trade her high-power NYC lifestyle for (quite literally) greener pastures. The WY forests of arnica, chamomile, lavender, and sage… became the basis for Alpyn Beauty.

Alpyn Beauty is the first sustainably sourced natural skin care line formulated with wildcrafted and hand-cultivated alpine botanicals grown in the mountains surrounding Jackson Hole, WY. At the core of each Alpyn product is the PlantGenius™ complex, a proprietary blend of wildcrafted actives sustainably sourced in our home laboratory. Plants are genius—and wildcrafted ones, which have fought for their survival, and flourished and become stronger as a result, even more so.

If you’d like more on foraging/wildcrafting, check out ECO CHIC Episode 112 with Rosalee de la Foret: Kitchen Herbs, Natural Medicine, + How To Eat More Plants

Find me online! I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter, and if you’d like to check out our store closing sale, shop totallyecochic.com!

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We are joined by secondhand expert Emily Stochl of Pre-Loved Podcast! We are discussing the global and domestic secondhand economy; supporting garment workers and the Garment Workers’ Protection Act; scratching the surface of the gentrification of thrift; and tips on shopping for vintage or pre-loved items. I am on Pre-Loved Podcast this week!

Also check out:

Episode 90: How to Shop for High-End + Luxury Pieces Secondhand; Designer Resale; Making Money from Vintage Finds | Meredith Fineman

Find me online! I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter, and if you’d like to check out our store closing sale, shop totallyecochic.com!Audio Player

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We’re joined by Stephanie Seferian of Sustainable Minimalists! Stephanie of Mama Minimalist is a mom inspiring others to reevaluate their “stuff” without compromising on their environmental commitments. Stephanie and I discuss her philosophy of the sustainable minimalism lifestyle; she shares how to declutter, plus types of clutter we may be emotionally attached to. Stephanie also gives tips for navigating the holidays while supporting this lower-waste lifestyle; how to set boundaries and expectations for receiving, and also how to give in a more minimal way.

Find me online! I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter, and if you’d like to check out our store closing sale, shop totallyecochic.com!

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We’re joined this week by Taryn Rasgon of Vegetaryn! Vegetaryn is a vegan lifestyle brand based in positive, welcoming plant-based activism. Taryn herself is an excellent example of an entrepreneur that is very truly living her values through every business decision and lifestyle change. 

Taryn and I discuss: her vegan journey and her subsequent vegan entrepreneurship journey; welcoming, happy activism; social media; design theft; running a small business during the pandemic; conscious consumption and supporting other small businesses.

Mentioned: Episode 75 with Christina Vidal of Jetet Christina: When a Fast Fashion Brand Steals from a Creator

Find me online! I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter, and if you’d like to check out our store closing sale, shop totallyecochic.com!

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Between Prime Day, upcoming holiday season, and Instagram ads… it can sometimes be challenging to keep your values of conscious consumption and sustainability in mind before impulse shopping. Today, I’m sharing ten quick questions you can ask yourself before “adding to cart.” We’re considering who you’re buying from, why you’re buying, and how you can replace that urge to purchase with a little creativity and tapping into your circles.

Let’s hang out! Instagram is @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, + I am now on Twitter, @lauraediez. We’re on Facebook, ECO CHIC Podcast.

Sign up for my Monday newsletter at: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic. Email me at [email protected]. You can shop our store closing sale at totallyecochic.com – our shop is currently liquidating, so prices are significantly reduced!!

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We are talking climate anxiety, trauma, and validating our feelings with Dr. Renée Lertzman, a renowned psychologist, author and sustainability strategist who uses psychological insights to change our approach to the environmental crisis. Applying her training as a psychosocial researcher specializing in deep human insights, Dr. Lertzman uses frameworks and methods that empower people to take action (which she shares with us!). Renée is the founder of Project InsideOut, a unique resource hub launching this week that brings together activists with clinical psychologists to drive sustainable behavior change for our planet. Her TED Talk, ‘How To Turn Climate Anxiety into Action,’ completely shifted my own feelings and validated my sometimes-overwhelming sense of eco-guilt.

Dr. Lertzman works with companies, nonprofits and governments looking to strengthen climate and sustainability initiatives, develop more effective campaigns, and harness the creativity and innovation needed to solve big problems. Her perspectives have appeared in  CNN, Rolling Stone, NPR, The Ecologist, Climate Access, Sustainable Brands, and on the stage via her TED Talk. She has also designed and taught courses on the psychology of climate change and environment since 2001, and is a founding member of the Climate Psychology Alliance.

Let’s hang out! Instagram is @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, + I am now on Twitter, @lauraediez. We’re on Facebook, ECO CHIC Podcast. Sign up for my Monday newsletter at: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic. Email me at [email protected]. You can support our shop at totallyecochic.com – our shop is currently liquidating, so prices are significantly reduced!!

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We’re talking with about our cultures, our upbringings, and what sustainability looks like in our families – things that are not the beautiful minimalistic images we’re seeing on Instagram. Five community members join us today to share stories and cultural values, plus how those practices have influenced their adult, grown-up choices. Sustainability is personal, because it’s a lifestyle, and it’s not fair to say that sustainability needs to look a certain way to be done “correctly.” I am thankful to be joined today by:

* Sabina – she is Australian; we discuss the home her family built and her low-key hippie parents (so fun!) * Eyra – she is Salvadorian; we talk about immigrating to the U.S., poverty and the financial necessity behind some so-called sustainability practices* Ashley – she is Mexican-American;we talk about food, family traditions, how some cultural practices (like capsule wardrobes) weren’t trendy before they were marketed as sustainability* Michelle – she is Salvadorian, and first generation American; we talk about little things at home like how you use your kitchen and how you maintain some of those sustainable practices as you assimilate into American culture* Bea – she is Filipino; she shares her experiences comparing and contrasting how she lives in the Phillipines versus in California, plus some take-home tips for you if you’re interested in adopting some additional sustainability practices

Let’s hang out! Instagram is @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, + I am now on Twitter, @lauraediez. We’re on Facebook, ECO CHIC Podcast. Sign up for my Monday newsletter at: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic. Email me at [email protected]. You can support our shop at totallyecochic.com (code ECOCHIC gets you 10% off!).

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