In this episode, we’re stepping into the world of shoes. But first—what if we didn’t wear them at all? Walking barefoot: more natural, cheaper, and maybe even healthier. Still, for most of us, shoes are a daily essential. So what are they really doing to our bodies? From high heels to running shoes to flip-flops, we break down the health impacts of what we put on our feet.

Then there’s the environmental side. We buy a lot of shoes—and all those plastics, dyes, and synthetic materials add up fast, leaving a much bigger footprint than we might think.

But it’s not all bad news. A wave of innovative, sustainable brands is changing the game—rethinking how shoes are made, from safer materials to better working conditions. We’ll explore alternatives like cotton, bamboo, cork, natural foams, and more—solutions that are easier on the planet, kinder to workers, and that don’t rely on animal exploitation.

Because in the end, the choice is yours: what kind of footprint do you want to leave behind?

References:

Shoe consumption per age https://www.restonyc.com/what-age-buys-the-most-shoes/

Bare feet, minimal footwear and conventional footwear health impacts https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11899058/

Effects of footwear on biomechanics of the body https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025012514

The effects of grounding, walking barefoot https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4378297/

Hill shoes health issues https://footwearmagazine.com/cleveland-clinic-high-heels-foot-problems/

Flip flops health isuues https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5862437/

CO2eq emissions per product https://www.co2everything.com/a-z

CO2 emissions of shoes production https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/14/6094

Environmental impacts of shoes https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/49925/20220315/the-impact-of-the-shoe-industry-on-the-environment.htm

Kangoroos killed for leather for shoes The Truth About Leather & How it is Made | Animals Australia

Nine major athletic brands end kangaroo leather use in historic win

Eco friendly solutions

Materials : 10 Eco-Friendly Materials Used In The Making Of Sustainable Shoes | GreenSmartEco.com

Brands: 15 Best Sustainable Shoe Brands For 2026 - The Good Trade

Rain boots : 9 Sustainable Rain Boots For Naturally Green Puddle Play

In this episode, The Choice is Yours team looks into seeds. As a consumer, a gardener, which seeds should I plant ? F1, hybrid, heirloom, home made, GMO? How our gardens can help protect biodiversity? What is the Seed banks' work? Is Seed Savers Exchange a good option ? What is Bill Gtes doing with seeds in Africa? How bad are the seeds from the supermarket? All that and more. 

References : 

About Eating to Extinction: The World’s Rarest Foods and Why We Need to Save Them, by Dan Saladino. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/17/dan-saladino-food-diversity

The productivism point of view https://betternutritionnews.com/can-people-eat-more-today-than-20-years-ago/

Key messages from FAO’s International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/42209587-33f1-4546-9f56-35947af496b8/content

English Royal Botanic Garden and seed bank podcast https://www.kew.org/about-us/virtual-kew-wakehurst/unearthed-kew-podcast

About Bill Gates continuing the GMO crusade in Africa

https://www.thenation.com/article/world/new-colonialist-food-economy/

https://mg.co.za/africa/2024-09-03-bill-gates-plays-god-in-africas-agriculture-and-gets-it-wrong/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinero/2024/09/02/why-african-groups-want-reparations-from-the-gates-foundation/

Here is a clip of Vandana Shiva talking about Bill Gates and his role in seed banks : https://www.instagram.com/reels/DU19gQ1FULO/

Article by Vandana Shiva https://navdanyainternational.org/one-empire-over-seed-control-over-the-worlds-seed-banks/

A healthy microbiome comes with diversity https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4837298/

About GMO https://www.nongmoproject.org,

cornell.edu

healthline.com 

 Iamcountryside.com 

rivieraproduce.com 

In this episode, we trace how coffee fueled the rise of industrialization and capitalism — keeping factories running and workers awake — before diving deep into the world of modern coffee shops.

From cozy local cafés to global corporate chains, we unpack what’s really brewing behind the counter: union battles and worker strikes, slavery investigations in supply chains, the staggering amounts of added sugar in popular drinks, and even the pesticides found in certain blends.

All that, and more, in your daily cup.

In this episode, Doro, Dani, and Sheila take you on a journey through the world of coffee — from its origins in Ethiopia to the realities of deforestation and modern-day slavery in Brazil.

Next month, we’ll focus on coffee shops. But for now, we’re starting at home with ground coffee. Who are the biggest ground coffee brands in the U.S., and how sustainable are they? Which certifications can you trust? Is truly sustainable coffee even possible? What’s the story behind “shade-grown” coffee? How to save birds through buying your coffe ? And is coffee actually good for your health?

All that — and so much more — in this deep dive into what’s really in your cup.

In this episode, we are talking about the numerous health benefits of potatoes, but also their entry in the EWG's Dirty Dozen and their GMO versions. From the Andes to McDonalds, potatoes are the 4th biggest crop in the world, it was about time to understand it a bit more. 

In this episode, we peel back the layers of America’s avocado obsession. While avocado toast may feel harmless, most of the fruit we consume comes from Mexico — where production is entangled with cartel involvement and violence.

We dig into the environmental consequences of this booming demand, focusing on land use, deforestation, and strained ecosystems. But it’s not all doom and gloom — avocados are a nutritious powerhouse, so how can we enjoy them responsibly?

Should we be choosing California-grown instead? Is there such a thing as an ethical avocado? Let’s explore what informed consumer choices look like, because once again, awareness is everything.

In this episode, we crack into the environmental, health, and social impacts of egg consumption and production. From the stench of industrial egg factories to the evolving science on cholesterol, we explore the complicated role eggs play in our diets. Eggs can be a powerhouse of nutrition—but it depends on how and where they're produced. We talk free-range, tree-range, pasture-raised, and even the benefits (and challenges) of backyard chickens. And yes, salmonella still lurks in the shadows.

Part 3 of our three-part series on milk. We examine deeper the environmental footprint of cow’s milk, then swirl into a conversation about cultured dairy like yogurt and kefir. Finally, we pour over the world of milk alternatives—from goat to almond to macadamia—always keeping an eye on the environmental and health impacts of our choices.

In Dirt on the Milky Way, we took a hard look at the dairy industry and its impact on farmers and health. In this episode, 2nd of a 3 parts series, we’re bringing it closer to home, getting the inside scoops from a local regenerative farmer. Cody Nicholson Stratton of Foggy Bottoms Boys farm in Ferndale, CA, joins us to break down what sustainable dairy looks like—compared to what Big Milk is doing elsewhere.

We dive into manure management strategies that reduce methane emissions, the role of different cow breeds, and what makes Humboldt County dairy unique. Plus, we get into the buzz around raw milk and A2 milk.

1st of a 3 part series about dairy, this episode looks at the complicated lives of dairy farmers and the health impacts of consumming milk. One thing that is for sure is that they are lying to us through advertising about the beautiful cows in green pastures feeding some cute blond kids. But what is really behind this false image!