Hosts Stephan and Shahrzad return with a chat aboutthrifting and reuse!  They share information on the campus Free Thrift Shop events, ideas and tips for saving money through reuse and repair and cover the challenges and concerns of fast fashion!  

Episode Links and suggested searches

• We recommend searching Facebook and beyond for local Buy-Nothing groups
• Thrifted Treasures club Instagram links
• WSU Snohomish extension office 
• Recology Store
• The Seattle Where does it Go? Page for trash
• Hazardous Waste mobile page

Connect with us: 

• YouTube Channel: Cascadia College & UW Bothell Sustainability - YouTube 
• Follow us on Instagram @UWBsustainability, and @SustainabilityatCascadia  

Image art by Sarah Blechner 

Gwen Schwenk's research highlights the financial trade-offs of sustainable practices, with businesses like Ravenna Refills and Crystal and K Accessories noting higher costs but community benefits. Sean Miller from Tuck Muck Farm emphasized the non-monetary value of sustainability. Legal and policy gaps hinder small businesses, with calls for better support. Digital platforms are both a lifeline and a limitation, amplifying inequities. Sustainability is about community ecosystems, with each business's actions rippling through local economies. Schwenk concludes that supporting sustainable businesses is an act of care, not just consumption, fostering the community we want to live in. 

Overview: 

Gwen Schwenk's research highlights the financial trade-offs of sustainable practices, with businesses like Ravenna Refills and Crystalyn Kae Accessories noting higher costs but community benefits. The co-owners at Tuk Muk Farm emphasized the non-monetary value of sustainability. Legal and policy gaps hinder small businesses, with calls for better support. Digital platforms are both a lifeline and a limitation, amplifying inequities. Sustainability is about community ecosystems, with each business's actions rippling through local economies. Schwenk concludes that supporting sustainable businesses is an act of care, not just consumption, fostering the community we want to live in. 

SUMMARY KEYWORDS 

Sustainability, financial barriers, digital inequities, policy support, community ecosystem, local farms, sustainable practices, digital platforms, authentic storytelling, community return on investment, small businesses, Puget Sound, resilience, slow fashion, agricultural subsidies. 

Links:

https://www.cascadia.edu/sustainability

https://www.uwb.edu/campus-sustainability

SUMMARY: 

Gwen Schwenk's podcast episode explores the collaboration between De La Soil, a chef-driven restaurant in Kenmore, and Tuk Muk Farm. Cody and Andrea Westerfield, co-owners, started De La Soil in 2018 as a private events company, emphasizing creativity and community. Their partnership with Shawn Miller's farm integrates fresh produce daily, enhancing menu flexibility and sustainability. Despite higher costs and logistical challenges, their model fosters community, healthier food, and local economic support. They highlight the importance of community engagement, digital presence, and policy gaps in supporting small, sustainable businesses. The episode underscores the broader ecosystem benefits of local, nutrient-dense food production. 

Final Thoughts and Recommendations 

• Cody and Andrea encourage customers to support local businesses and understand the value of their contributions. 

• Gwen summarizes the key points of the discussion, emphasizing the importance of sustainability, community, and the role of small businesses in creating a resilient ecosystem. 

• The episode concludes with a reflection on the human aspects of sustainability and the importance of supporting local, sustainable businesses. 

SUMMARY KEYWORDS 

sustainability, small businesses, farm-to-table, community ecosystem, local produce, nutrient-dense food, digital visibility, policy gaps, community support, sustainable practices, local relationships, higher costs, resilience, community return on investment, artisanal food. 

Links:

https://www.delasoilrestaurant.com/

https://www.tukmukfarm.com/

https://www.cascadia.edu/sustainability

https://www.uwb.edu/campus-sustainability

SUMMARY: 

Gwen Schwenk interviews Crystalyn Brennan, founder of CrystalynKae Accessories, about her journey in sustainable fashion. Crystalyn started in 2001, using reclaimed materials like vintage plaid pants to create durable handbags. She emphasizes the importance of scalability and sustainability, highlighting her use of surplus materials from brands like Marc Jacobs and her involvement with Fab Scrap. Crystalyn discusses the challenges of balancing sustainability with durability, the role of digital tools in marketing, and the support from grants and incubators. She advocates for buying products that are both beautiful and useful, aligning with her mission to create long-lasting, high-quality accessories.  

Final Thoughts and Future Plans 

• Gwen Schwenk reflects on the key takeaways from the conversation, including the importance of infrastructure, incubators, and city programs in supporting sustainable businesses. 

• They discuss the role of digital strategies in building trust and authenticity for small sustainable brands. 

• Crystalyn Brennan expresses her willingness to continue sharing her experiences and insights in future conversations. 

• Gwen Schwenk concludes the podcast, emphasizing the need for more small businesses to plug into the infrastructure of sustainability. 

  
  

   

  SUMMARY KEYWORDS 

  Sustainability, scalability, vintage materials, leather jackets, FabScrap, Queen of Raw, marketing strategies, social media, AI tools, business incubators, customer loyalty, fashion design, ethical labor, functional accessories, brand growth. 

  
  

  Links:

  https://www.crystalynkae.com/

  https://www.cascadia.edu/sustainability

  https://www.uwb.edu/campus-sustainability

SUMMARY: 

Gwen Schwenk, a graduating senior at the University of Washington, discusses her capstone project on the challenges faced by small sustainable businesses in the Puget Sound region. She interviews Robin, co-owner of Ravenna Refills, a zero-waste refill shop in Seattle. Robin highlights the store's mission to reduce plastic waste, support local communities, and promote a culture of reuse. Ravenna Refills offers over 50 refillable products, emphasizing the importance of reducing plastic consumption. Robin stresses the role of digital tools like Instagram in reaching customers and the need for grants and policies to support sustainable businesses. The store's success demonstrates that sustainable living can be practical, personal, and joyful. 

Future Goals and Community Growth 

• Robin expresses her hope for Ravenna Refills to continue growing and reaching more people. 

• The store aims to host more community events and engage with customers regularly. 

• Robin highlights the importance of building a sense of community and making sustainable living accessible and enjoyable. 

• Gwen concludes the interview by emphasizing the need for policies and resources to support sustainable small businesses and the impact of individual and collective actions in promoting sustainability. 

SUMMARY KEYWORDS 

Sustainable business, Ravenna Refills, plastic waste, zero waste, refillable containers, digital barriers, local brands, community engagement, Instagram marketing, sustainable packaging, clean ingredients, bulk purchasing, grants, small business support, consumerism reduction. 

Links:

https://www.ravennarefills.com/

https://www.cascadia.edu/sustainability

https://www.uwb.edu/campus-sustainability

In this episode, we will hear from Clayton Beaudoin, a landscape architect and principal at Site Workshop, a Seattle-based landscape architecture firm. Clayton has years of experience designing and planning spaces that benefit both humans and the environment. You will learn about the role of landscape architecture in providing sustainable spaces in the face of environmental challenges such as climate change. 

Check out some of Site Workshop’s projects: https://www.siteworkshop.net/ 

Connect with us: 

·       YouTube Channel: Cascadia College & UW Bothell Sustainability - YouTube 

·       Follow us on Instagram @UWBsustainability, or @SustainabilityatCascadia 

·       Image art by Sarah Blechner 

In this episode, we will hear from Dr. Ben Dittbrenner, a professor of environmental science at Northeastern University. Ben has specialized in beaver research in the Seattle area, and will discuss the importance of beavers in urban environments. You will learn how people can design and plan spaces while keeping beavers and other wildlife in mind. 

Check out Beavers Northwest: https://beaversnw.org/ 

Connect with us: 

·       YouTube Channel: Cascadia College & UW Bothell Sustainability - YouTube 

·       Follow us on Instagram @UWBsustainability, or @SustainabilityatCascadia 

·       Image art by Sarah Blechner 

In this episode, we will hear from Katherine Lynch, a stream biologist with Seattle Public Utilities. Katherine sheds light on what she and SPU are doing to maintain/improve the environmental quality of urban streams in Seattle. You will learn what makes managing urban waterways a unique challenge and why it is a worthwhile effort. 

Read more about Katherine’s work: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/to-revive-a-river-restore-its-hidden-gut1/ 

Connect with us: 

·       YouTube Channel: Cascadia College & UW Bothell Sustainability - YouTube 

·       Follow us on Instagram @UWBsustainability, or @SustainabilityatCascadia 

·       Image art by Sarah Blechner 

Connect with Jack: www.linkedin.com/in/jack-ryan-313724244 

References: 

Nassauer, John Iverson. 2023. “Transdisciplinarity and Boundary Work for Landscape Architecture Scholars.” Landscape Journal 42 (1): 1–11. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bvh&AN=855513&site=ehost-live 

Connect with us: 

·       YouTube Channel: Cascadia College & UW Bothell Sustainability - YouTube 

·       Follow us on Instagram @UWBsustainability, or @SustainabilityatCascadia 

·       Image art by Sarah Blechner 

In this episode, Amber invited Larissa Thelin from Polar Bear International as the guest speaker, to explore the opportunities and challenges on social media in the Arctic. From the present situation of polar bears, to the educational communication that Larissa is doing, it is highlighting the hope that Arctic knowledge can be accessible to more people, and letting them understand this region, species, and nature. The PBI not only achieved SDGs with the Arctic and polar bear conservation as climate actions, but also got in touch with childrens. We hope that all the efforts people are working on the Arctic can truly increase awareness, and shall be protecting the Arctic together for a sustainable, bright future. 

Larissa Thelin’s website: https://larissathelin.ca/ 

Larissa Thelin’s Twitter: https://x.com/Thelin_L 

Larissa Thelin’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelin_larissa/ 

Polar Bear International: https://polarbearsinternational.org/ 

PBI Tundra Connections Webcasts: https://polarbearsinternational.org/education-center/tundra-connections-webcasts/ 

YouTube Channel: Cascadia College & UW Bothell Sustainability - YouTube  

Follow us on Instagram @UWBsustainability, or @SustainabilityatCascadia   

Check out our websites uwb.edu/campus-sustainability  or cascadia.edu/bassp   

Image art by Sarah Blechner