Greening Up My Act: A Sustainable Living Podcast

Maybe you've dreamed of living off grid with images of walking barefoot through bright green and swimming in streams, but is off-grid living sustainable? Join as we cover off-grid living problems, the downsides of off-grid living, and answer the question: is off grid living actually eco friendly? 

AND this is our season 10 finale! We'll be back October 1, 2026 with season 11 — covering YOUR requested topics. Can't wait!

Sources

• Wikipedia: Earthships
• Enel
• Neal Haddaway on Medium
• CNET
• Sunny Simple Living
• Young NRG
• Kuby.ca

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
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Email us with questions: [email protected]
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If you have heard negative things about solar power, you might be asking yourself are solar lights eco-friendly, or not? We look at solar lights' environmental impact (from manufacturing to disposal), whether or not you can recycle solar lights, if solar lights cause pollution, and more.

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Sources

• Green Home Systems (company): https://greenhomesystems.com/ 
• Home & Gardens: https://www.homesandgardens.com/gardens/are-solar-lights-eco-friendly
• International Energy Agency (IEA) on solar PV: https://www.iea.org/reports/solar-pv-global-supply-chains/executive-summary 
• IEA on critical minerals: https://www.iea.org/reports/the-role-of-critical-minerals-in-clean-energy-transitions/executive-summary 
• Renewable Energy Journal: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0960148124014757 
• Conservation Law Foundation: https://www.clf.org/blog/the-truth-about-carbon-footprints/ 
• Kleinman Center for Energy Policy: https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/impact-of-solar-lighting-kits-on-the-lives-of-the-poor/ 
• Harvard study in Uganda: https://healthybuildings.hsph.harvard.edu/cleaner-air-changes-more-than-lungs-findings-from-rural-uganda/ 
• Climate Brief’s 16 misleading myths about solar power: https://interactive.carbonbrief.org/factcheck/solar/index.html 
• Solar Magazine: https://solarmagazine.com/sustainable-solar-lighting-for-the-garden/ 
• Forbes, Best Outdoor Solar Lights: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/article/the-best-outdoor-solar-lights/ 

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: [email protected]
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Upcycled outdoor furniture is often greener than buying new — and can still be cute as hell. If an upcycled outdoor space on a budget brings up images of shabby pallet couches and crooked DIY tables, never fear. Learn simple improvements that re-use what you already own (or can get from a Buy Nothing group) to create a beautiful, enjoyable outdoor space that you actually want to hang out in.

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Sources

• Emily Henderson blog 
• HGTV on DIY Outdoor Furniture
• Patio Living

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: [email protected]
YouTube: Greening Up My Act

If it's not data centers raising your energy bills, it's hotter days and months. Enter vertical gardens, also called green walls or living walls. We uncover whether green walls in urban spaces actually cool surface temperatures (you'll be shocked!) and whether adding them to your house could have a serious impact on your monthly bills.

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Sources

• Crunchbase
• Plenty on its chapter 11 bankruptcy
• Nature-Based Solutions journal
• Utrecht University
• Grow a Living Wall: Create Vertical Gardens With Purpose, Shawna Coronado (affiliate link)
• Lowe’s
• EWG
• AGardenPatch.com blog
• The Spruce

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: [email protected]
YouTube: Greening Up My Act

You lie awake at night and wonder if you're doing enough to help the future of the planet. But there's something very close to home that you can do to make an immediate impact: overcome your fear of insects. Tune in as we walk you through why insects are important, as well as strategies for how to overcome a fear of bugs. No more screaming or smashing needed.

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Other Episodes You'll Love

• Insect Decline: Why You Should Care That Your Windshields Are Clean

Sources

• Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, Douglas Tallamy (affiliate link)
• Discover Magazine, Why Are We Afraid of Bugs?
• How To Podcast, How To Squash Your Fear of Bugs (and Other Phobias) [more helpful]
• Feel Good Now Podcast (less helpful)

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: [email protected]
YouTube: Greening Up My Act

Bugs are disappearing, which means way more than your windshield being cleaner than it used to be. If this scares you, soothe your panic with us as you learn what you can do to help the bug population, while understanding the link between insect decline and food security.

Listen to get these answers:

• Why are insects disappearing? 
• Why do we need insects?
• What would happen if insects went instinct? 
• What can we do about it?

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Sources

• NPR: Insect populations drop even without direct human interference
• Friends of the Mississippi River
• Penn State Huck Institute of Life Sciences
• Oklahoma State Extension
• Huck Institute (again)
• UC IPM

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: [email protected]
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Urban farms are all the rage, but there's a different idea that might be even more impactful — food forests. It might sounds like something out of Fern Gully, but food forests offer a real way to increase biodiversity, lower maintenance, and add useful food sources to your community. Join us for this food forest for beginners crash course to walk away with realistic tips for starting small and cheap where you live.

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Sources

• Project Food Forest - https://projectfoodforest.org/what-is-a-food-forest/
• Permaculture Apprentice - https://permacultureapprentice.com/creating-a-food-forest-step-by-step-guide/
• Stanford Report - https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2023/05/food-forests-urban-farms-hold-promise-addressing-numerous-problems
• Community Food Forests - https://communityfoodforests.com/resources/funding/
• Garden Therapy - https://gardentherapy.ca/urban-orchards/

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: [email protected]
YouTube: Greening Up My Act

Welcome to our first ever collab episode! Dr. Bronner's has long been considered the gold standard of sustainable soap. It's a staple in outdoor kits, zero-waste homes, and camping gear lists thanks to its versatility, plant-based ingredients, and reputation for environmental responsibility. 

But how much of that reputation actually holds up under closer scrutiny?

In this collaborative episode with Meg Carney, the host of Outdoor Minimalist, we take a deep dive into one of the most recognizable sustainability brands on the market. 

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Sources

• Dr. Bronner's: https://www.drbronner.com/
• Dr. Bronner's, Leave No Trace Guide to Using Soap Outdoors: https://www.drbronner.com/pages/camping-with-dr-bronners
• Leave No Trace Seven Principles: https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/
• Dirty Labs: https://dirtylabs.com/
• Camp Suds: https://www.rei.com/product/407166/campsuds-biodegradable-concentrated-soap-2-oz

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: [email protected]
YouTube: Greening Up My Act

Vegetables you only have to plant once? Sounds like a dream come true. Except it might be slightly more complicated than that. Join hosts Tiff and Kat as they take you on a perennial vegetable journey — from good perennial vegetables for beginners to why growing Jerusalem artichokes may not be your next best move. Learn which are easy perennial vegetables to grow, and which you can avoid eye contact with at the seed store.

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Sources

• Amy Manning: https://amymanning.substack.com/p/perennial-vegetables-mostly-duds
• GrowVeg.com: https://www.growveg.com/guides/best-edibles-for-pollinator-gardens/ 
• RuralSprout.com: https://www.ruralsprout.com/perennial-vegetables/ 
• University of California: https://ucanr.edu/blog/napa-master-gardener-column/article/perennial-vegetables-and-herbs 
• Nature.com scientific report: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-09737-1 
• PLoS One study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7351156/#sec016 
• Martha Stewart’s blog: https://www.themarthablog.com/2023/04/planting-asparagus-at-my-farm.html 

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: [email protected]
YouTube: Greening Up My Act

Sure, a vegetable garden can be expensive the first year. But hosts Kat and Tiff dive into vegetable garden costs over a span of a decade. Once you have your structures in place, what's your vegetable garden ROI typically look like? Join as they revisit this topic for a deeper dive into the reasons why — with the craziness of the world — you may want to consider becoming more self-sufficient. 

Buy Us a Coffee ☕ If you love our show, show your support!  

Sources

• Blog of Gardening: https://www.bigblogofgardening.com/can-vegetable-garden-save-money-on-groceries/
• Farmers Almanac: https://www.almanac.com/how-save-vegetable-seeds
• Backyard Garden Lover: https://www.backyardgardenlover.com/9-vegetables-and-herbs-that-could-cut-your-grocery-bill-by-400-this-year/
• Food Forest Living: https://foodforestliving.com/31-ways-growing-vegetables-is-cheaper-than-buying-them/
• NPR: https://www.npr.org/2026/05/28/nx-s1-5836525/affordability-report-brookings-inflation-wages

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: [email protected]
YouTube: Greening Up My Act