Imperfect Eco-Hero

So many narratives within activism and environmentalism tell us what we're doing is wrong or shames us for 'not doing enough'. But perfectionism is the enemy of growth, which instills shame. It is a mindset encouraged by capitalistic economics and societies that reduces our identities to just our achievements and removes our sense of humanity. That capitalistic perfectionism hinders our work; it makes us take on too much responsibility, and heightens our feelings of depression, anxiety, and anger, while simultaneously fueling our burnout. It also leads us to criticize ourselves and each other instead of supporting our mutual work. That is why in this two-part episode, we chatted with the amazing Sarah JS from the Good Grief Network, to learn how to embrace our environmental hypocrisy and recognize that the inescapable nature of climate change is kind of the whole point to this problem. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero.

So many narratives within activism and environmentalism tell us what we're doing is wrong or shames us for 'not doing enough'. But perfectionism is the enemy of growth, which instills shame. It is a mindset encouraged by capitalistic economics and societies that reduces our identities to just our achievements and removes our sense of humanity. That capitalistic perfectionism hinders our work; it makes us take on too much responsibility, and heightens our feelings of depression, anxiety, and anger, while simultaneously fueling our burnout. It also leads us to criticize ourselves and each other instead of supporting our mutual work. That is why in this two-part episode, we chatted with the amazing Sarah JS from the Good Grief Network, to learn how to embrace our environmental hypocrisy and recognize that the inescapable nature of climate change is kind of the whole point to this problem. Follow us on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

An eco-hero’s journey can unfold in so many different ways, it can be hard to know where to begin, especially if you’re someone who wants to pursue a career in the environmental field. In this episode, we’re talking to Jacob Ke, an absolute incredible human being and life-long eco-hero, who has an incredible passion for conservation and his work in the field. We’re exploring how the local ecology shapes one’s understanding of nature, what it’s like to pursue environment studies in school, how to figure out one’s next step as an environmentalist, the hard truth about the challenges of job security and maintaining one’s mental health when working in the environmental field, using personal social media channels to share the joys of compassionate environmental communication, and finding magic in nature photography. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

Have you ever wondered what your digital and communication habits have on climate change? Especially now with this pandemic-driven shift to remote work and more at-home entertainment, it presents significant environmental impacts due to how internet data is stored and transferred around the world. The majority of the carbon emissions from the Internet comes from the information communications and technology industry, which delivers the internet, video, and cloud services we use on a daily basis. A huge area for improvement is the systems that make up these industries, and is an area of study having a huge resurgence in the academic world. In this eye-opening two-part episode, we interviewed PhD candidate from McGill University, Helen Hayes, to chat about her research on the intersections between tech policy, data collection/digitization, and oil extraction. In Part 2, we continued our conversation on how and who is causing environmental degradation within these industries, mitigation techniques and next steps individuals can do to help, and highlighted the urgent need for a paradigm shift in our discourse on climate change, specifically within the media and journalism. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

Have you ever wondered how your digital communication habits affect climate change? Especially now with this pandemic-driven shift to remote work and more at-home entertainment, our habits present significant environmental impacts due to how internet data is stored and transferred around the world. The majority of carbon emissions from the Internet comes from the information communications and technology industry, which delivers not only the internet, but also the video and cloud services we use on a daily basis. A big area for improvement is the systems that make up these industries, and is an area of study having a huge resurgence in the academic world. In this eye-opening two-part episode we interviewed PhD candidate, Helen Hayes, from McGill University in Canada, to chat about her research on the intersections between tech policy, data collection/digitization, and oil extraction. In Part 1, we dived into her journey with academia and environmental communications, and also learned how a trombone was the catalyst to it all. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

What happens when you’re shamed for your parenting or for your choice of becoming a parent at all in relation to environmentalism and the climate crisis? How can you talk to your child about climate change without overwhelming them? How do you raise an imperfect eco hero? Like other folks trying to navigate both parenting and environmentalism simultaneously, D2 is no stranger to these challenging questions. D2, manager of Start The Waves’ graphic design needs for all channels and communications, has joined us on this episode to discuss their experiences of how environmentalism, parenting and art all intersect within their life, and play an important role in how they find comfort in imperfection. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero and Start the Wave on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero and @start_the_wave. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

In Part 2 of our two-part interview with Start the Wave, we continue our conversation with the founder, Dom P-C, and their Project and Research Manager, Randi Ramdeen, to dive deeper into themes their non-profit and Imperfect Eco-Hero have in common. Elements so vital to the climate movement that have often been missing. We chat about the importance of building community to amplify change and encourage self-growth, the urgency to dismantle the notion of perfectionism in our activism and the shame associated with it, and learn about all the new projects Start the Wave is working on. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero at @imperfect_ecohero and Start the Wave @start_the_wave on instagram. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

Building communities is a process that not only fosters connection amongst people, but it offers a collective space for experience sharing. The act of collective learning and sharing becomes a very empowering practice that can turn into a source of motivation, inspiration, learning and support for the people in the community. One non-profit organization that really harnesses the importance and power of community is Start the Wave. We sat down with the founder of Start the Wave, Dominique Provost-Chalkley, and their Project and Research Manager, Randi Ramdeen, for a 2-part interview to discuss how they’ve built this movement that centres on community and accountability so that it can meet people where they’re at, to inspire them to become their own wave-makers. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero and Start the Wave on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero and @start_the_wave. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

Oftentimes, it can feel very routine to understand societal issues and topics separately from one another. Even within the environmental movement, discussions can divide issues into smaller individual categories, and sometimes the larger interconnectedness between it all can seem lost. In this episode, Colombian environmental activist Laura Hernández joins us to discuss the importance of challenging this understanding of the world; she believes that the way to protect the Earth is to connect with it and understand everything as one beautiful system. Laura is the creator and president of the NGO called Generación Enraizada, which aims to empower young people to make a change, connect with nature and become guardians of the Earth. She works with many indigenous communities around Colombia in order to promote the preservation of indigenous culture and knowledge to foster both cultural and environmental conservation. Through these experiences she has had the chance to live in the heart of the Colombian jungle, connect with different ecosystems, and encourage a stronger relationship that humans have towards Nature. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

Many of us have heard about the damage the fast fashion industry has had not only on the planet but with their exploitation of labour as well. But did you know that the ‘fast beauty’ industry has been plagued by all the same ethical and sustainable challenges too? Beauty and makeup, like fashion, is a product of the crossroads between creativity and commercialism. It is transforming from a slow monopolized industry to a majorly saturated market with new products being launched daily. We sat down with California-based clean beauty chemist, sustainability enthusiast and Founder of The Rebrand Skincare, Aubri Thompson, to chat more about the rise of consumerism and the push for more green cosmetics in this new clean beauty market. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.