Green Dreamer: Seeding change towards collective healing, sustainability, regeneration

At a time when we need to galvanize collective power to drive systemic change, why is it important for us to go beyond conscious consumerism to also focus on political action? What can we do besides voting to support environmental policy throughout the year?

Sharing his wisdom here is Will Hackman, an activist and contributing writer on the topics of energy, environment, climate change policy. Let's dive in!

Episode notes: www.greendreamer.com/127 Support the show: www.greendreamer.com/support Instagram: @KameaChayne @GreenDreamerPodcast

HIGHLIGHTS

[2:55] Kaméa: "Is it more effective to try and do what we can as individuals with our lifestyle choices, or is it more effective to work on environmental policy change?"

[10:50] Where the U.S. stands in terms of its environmental policy in relation to other countries.

[15:55] What 'decarbonizing the economy' entails, and what it would this look like in practice.

[18:08] How climate change and other environmental factors are affecting our oceans, including ocean acidification.

[22:03] Will talks about what we can do throughout the year to impact policy change beyond voting.

What does it mean for us that plastic is actually in part a byproduct of the oil industry? How do we deal with the frustration of being around friends or family members with wasteful habits while we're working hard to reduce our personal waste?

Sharing her wisdom here is Kathryn Kellogg, author of the new book 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste. Let's dive in!

*Become a patron for bonus episodes, access to our Green Dreamer Network, and more: www.greendreamer.com/support

HIGHLIGHTS

[3:53] Explaining the concept of zero waste to someone learning about it for the first time.

[6:32] Dealing with the frustration of being around friends or family members who may be very wasteful.

[9:49] Kathryn: "People are so focused on what they can't do that they miss all of the awesome stuff that they already are doing or what they can do."

[20:08] Kaméa: "Based on what you know, is plastic a byproduct of the oil industry, and if so, what does this mean in terms of plastic's place in our society today?"

[24:21] Kaméa: "What are your thoughts on the practicality of bioplastics replacing regular plastics?"

[30:51] What personal sustainability means to Kathryn.

Thanks for bringing your light! Find the full show notes with links and resources at www.greendreamer.com/126, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter, and share your #1 takeaway from the episode tagging our featured guest and me @KameaChayne to spread the light and to let us know you're tuning in!

*Become a patron for bonus episodes, access to our Green Dreamer Network, and more: www.greendreamer.com/support

What is biodynamic farming, and what can we learn from this to support the regeneration of a healthier planet? How have our individual actions already shifted societal trends, and how are they continuing to crystalize our path towards a sustainable future?

Sharing his wisdom here is author and Founder of Y on Earth, Aaron Perry. Let's dive in!

*Become a patron for bonus episodes, access to our Green Dreamer Network, and more: www.greendreamer.com/support

HIGHLIGHTS 

[3:11] Aaron discusses Nature-Deficit Disorder and how urbanization may contribute to mental illness.

[6:01] Aaron discusses how our daily individual actions add up to help drive larger positive change.

[8:32] Aaron explains what biodynamic agriculture is. 

[12:44] What Aaron does as Chief Sustainability Officer for organizations and companies.

[22:00] Aaron explains how global and national events in the 20th century led us to where we are today in terms of unsustainable policies and systems. 

[28:12] Aaron: "One of the big choices we each have is: To what degree might we let go of what we think of as our personal interests, and work more towards our greater global interests as a society and as a single species living on a single planet?" 

Thanks for bringing your light! Find the full show notes with links and resources at www.greendreamer.com/125, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter, and share your #1 takeaway from the episode tagging our featured guest and me @KameaChayne to spread the light and to let us know you're tuning in!

*Become a patron for bonus episodes, access to our Green Dreamer Network, and more: www.greendreamer.com/support

What do we need to know about how microplastic pollution impacts our health and the health of our natural ecosystems? Why can natural microfibers shed from our clothes also be problematic when they wash down the drain?

Sharing her wisdom here is Rachael Miller, the Co-Founder of Rozalia Project and the Founder of Cora Ball, a solution that keeps microplastics from our clothing from washing down the drain. Let's dive in!

*Become a patron for bonus episodes, access to our Green Dreamer Network, and more: www.greendreamer.com/support

HIGHLIGHTS 

[9:23] Rachael explains how our clothing and textiles break apart and shed microfibers.

[11:42] Why our clothing made from natural fibers (and not just synthetics) can also be problematic.

[15:47] Rachael talks about how her team designed Cora Ball through biomimicry.

[25:16] Rachael: "Everyone who wears and washes clothes is part of this problem... And everyone who wears and washes clothes can be a part of this solution."

[27:41] Rachael: "Unlike microbeads, there is no one solution here."

[29:41] Kaméa: "How do you think we can move towards a more preventive system?"

Thanks for bringing your light! Find the full show notes with links and resources at www.greendreamer.com/124, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter, and share your #1 takeaway from the episode tagging our featured guest and me @KameaChayne to spread the light and to let us know you're tuning in!

*Become a patron for bonus episodes, access to our Green Dreamer Network, and more: www.greendreamer.com/support

What's at stake when the coverage of environmental issues leave out their impacts on the people they affect? What is the role of an artist in supporting the sustainability and regeneration of a thriving planet?

Sharing his wisdom here is Michael A. Estrada, a photographer, writer, and the founder of Brown Environmentalist, also known as BEEN Media. Let's dive in!

*Become a patron for bonus episodes, access to our Green Dreamer Network, and more: www.greendreamer.com/support

HIGHLIGHTS

[5:10] Kaméa: "What is the role of an artist in environmental activism?"

[6:58] Michael talks about what led him to focus on the experiences of people of color in sustainability.

[11:16] Michael discusses how common media narratives about environmental activism may have harmed BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color).

[13:06] Michael: "Yes, it's painful. But in that pain, there is also a lot of healing that needs to be done." 

[15:06] Michael and Kaméa discuss how social media has been unhelpful in creating the picture of what an environmentalist looks like.

[22:43] Michael: "Take the time to do the self-learning and the self-healing work."

Thanks for bringing your light! Find the full show notes with links and resources at www.greendreamer.com/123, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter, and share your #1 takeaway from the episode tagging our featured guest and me @KameaChayne to spread the light and to let us know you're tuning in!

*Become a patron for bonus episodes, access to our Green Dreamer Network, and more: www.greendreamer.com/support

How does our mental and emotional wellbeing impact our ability to serve those we love, our communities, and our planet? What is it that actually motivates behavioral change, and what does this mean for us as people wanting to spark positive change in our own lives and the lives of people around us?

Sharing her wisdom here is Dr. Parneet Pal, Chief Science Officer at Wisdom Labs. Let's dive in!

*Become a patron for bonus episodes, access to our Green Dreamer Network, and more: www.greendreamer.com/support

HIGHLIGHTS

[9:03] Kaméa: "Across the board, we're experiencing increasing levels of stress, burnout, anxiety, and loneliness. What are the driving forces are behind this negative trend?"

[11:13] How technology affects our mental health.

[19:19] How our daily stress responses can impact our mental and emotional wellbeing and our abilities to think beyond our own good.

[21:15] Parneet talks about what mindfulness is from a scientific standpoint.

[25:25] How practicing mindfulness can lead to more compassion and empathy and in the bigger picture, a less consumptive society.

[27:50] Parneet: "Before we can change the world, we have to start with our own selves."

[30:58] Kaméa: "What exactly does it take to actually change our behaviors and habits?"

Thanks for bringing your light! Find the full show notes with links and resources at www.greendreamer.com/122, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter, and share your #1 takeaway from the episode tagging our featured guest and me @KameaChayne to spread the light and to let us know you're tuning in!

*Become a patron for bonus episodes, access to our Green Dreamer Network, and more: www.greendreamer.com/support

To address the unsustainability of our current food production, how can we work towards having localized and regenerative food systems? What do we need to know about the mislabeling, or greenwashing, of our food products?

Sharing her wisdom here is Wen-Jay Ying, Founder and CEO of Local Roots NYC. Let's dive in!

*Become a patron for bonus episodes, access to our Green Dreamer Network, and more: www.greendreamer.com/support

HIGHLIGHTS

[5:55] Wen-Jay: "There is so much content about food out there that it can feel kind of intimidating. But if you can make it really fun and a little sexy, I think people are more likely to listen."

[10:20] Kaméa: "Were there any specific roadblocks that you faced as a female, minority business owner?"

[14:25] Kaméa: "How did we come to adopt such an unsustainable food system in America?"

[18:35] Wen-Jay explains how localized food systems can actually boost nutrition in our foods and therefore, also their flavors.

[21:26] Wen-Jay and Kaméa discuss how not all whole foods are equal.

[23:42] Wen-Jay explains talks about greenwashing and mislabeling in the food industry.

[25:31] Kaméa: "How do you think we, as consumers, can better support sustainable food systems without letting the complexity overwhelm us?"

Thanks for bringing your light! Find the full show notes with links and resources at www.greendreamer.com/121, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter, and share your #1 takeaway from the episode tagging our featured guest and me @KameaChayne to spread the light and to let us know you're tuning in!

*Enjoying Green Dreamer? Become a patron for bonus episodes, access to our Green Dreamer Network, and more: www.greendreamer.com/support

How does the dominant narrative that we are destructive as humans actually do our work in sustainability a disservice? What is the importance of accepting that not everyone will approach or see environmental activism in the same way?

Sharing their wisdom here are conservation psychologists and leading researchers at New Knowledge Organization, Dr. John Fraser and Dr. Rupu Gupta. Let's dive in!

*Enjoying the show? Support Green Dreamer on Patreon for bonus episodes, access to our private support community, and more.*

HIGHLIGHTS

[8:23] Kaméa: "How has your transdisciplinary approach allowed you and your team to reach new findings or come up with more powerful solutions for sustainability?"

[11:02] John explains how humanity has a pattern of depleting our resources, and how this is not a new problem.

[16:29] John discusses the personal and social wellness challenges of conservationists. 

[18:51] Kaméa: "What advice can you offer for those of us who feel guilty for taking a positive approach to sustainability when there is so much pain, injustice, and serious degradation to address?" 

[22:55] Rupu talks about how the dominant narratives of who cares about nature exclude the broader racial and ethnic diversity that truly exists in environmental activism.

[28:17] John and Rupu discuss the importance of coming together with partnerships and groups to make a larger positive impact.

Thanks for bringing your light! Find the full show notes with links and resources at www.greendreamer.com/120, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter, and share your #1 takeaway from the episode tagging our featured guest and me @KameaChayne to spread the light and to let us know you're tuning in!

*Enjoying the show? Support Green Dreamer on Patreon for bonus episodes, access to our private support community, and more.*

How do we reach people who aren't already mindful of their environmental impact, while not pushing them away by being 'too hardcore' in our approach? What should we keep in mind when we're sharing sustainability with our friends and people who are just entering the scene so that our messages can reach them in an engaging and meaningful way?

Sharing her wisdom here is eco-realist and YouTuber Shelbi of Shelbizleee. Let's dive in! 

*Enjoying the show? Support Green Dreamer on Patreon for bonus episodes, access to our private support community, and more.*

HIGHLIGHTS 

[5:39] How Shelbi first started dumpster diving.

[9:06] Shelbi discusses the importance of holding stores and companies accountable for their waste.

[15:16] Shelbi explains why she quit dumpster diving.

[18:00] How Shelbi evolved her message to emphasize her focus on sustainability more while not pushing away subscribers initially just intrigued by dumpster diving or by the makeup products she found in dumpsters.

[20:44] Shebi on the importance of making sustainability feel attainable.

[23:20] Shelbi: “You cannot do all the good that the world needs, but the world needs all the good that you can do.”

[25:03] Shelbi: “Zero waste was never meant to fall completely on the consumer.”

[27:58] Shelbi: “I do think we need to make it more fun!”

Thanks for bringing your light! Find the full show notes with links and resources at www.greendreamer.com/119, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter, and share your #1 takeaway from the episode tagging our featured guest and me @KameaChayne to spread the light and to let us know you're tuning in!

*Enjoying the show? Support Green Dreamer on Patreon for bonus episodes, access to our private support community, and more.* 

How has the media coverage of sustainability evolved over the last decade, and how can we support its presence in mainstream narratives? What was it that instilled in us this idea that living sustainably is all about sacrificing things rather than about gaining things that can truly enrich our lives?

Sharing her wisdom here is Candice Batista, an environmental journalist and the founder of The Eco Hub. Let's dive in!

*Enjoying the show? Support Green Dreamer on Patreon for bonus episodes, access to our private support community, and more.*

HIGHLIGHTS

[3:26] What sparked Candice's interest in environmental journalism. 

[7:11] Candice talks about how she was 'very preachy' at first and why she now approaches her messaging from a more educational tone.

[8:51] Kaméa: "What's your current greatest challenge in helping to inspire public engagement and action?"

[12:58] Candice: "People can tell when you're doing something because you have to or when you're doing something because you're really passionate about it." 

[13:53] The misconception that eco-living is all about sacrifice.

[20:44] Candice: "When you have less stuff, you actually have more space in your brain and your psyche because you're not cluttered with all these things."

[22:59] What Candice has changed her mind about throughout her years reporting on sustainability.

[27:16] Kaméa: "How can we better inspire care and action?"

[27:36] Candice: "If you have a voice and you can use it, then use it." 

Thanks for bringing your light! Find the full show notes with links and resources at www.greendreamer.com/118, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter, and share your #1 takeaway from the episode tagging our featured guest and me @KameaChayne to spread the light and to let us know you're tuning in!

*Enjoying the show? Support Green Dreamer on Patreon for bonus episodes, access to our private support community, and more.*