Your spice jar has a story… and it reveals what’s really behind the flavors in your food. Join Cynthia, Frontier Co-op/Simply Organic CEO Tony Bedard, and Gen Z voice Sara Yelle as they trace spices back to the people and places that grow them. This warm, eye-opening episode shows how everyday flavors carry purpose — and why the spices you choose matter more than you realize. As the holiday season begins, enjoy a dose of thankfulness knowing every spice jar on your rack can make a difference for our planet and her people.

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Rice feeds half the world — and may be a key to saving the planet. In this episode, host Cynthia Barstow and Gen Z voice Marigold Averill sit down with Caryl Levine, co-founder of Lotus Foods, to explore how a staple grain can become a force for good. From preserving biodiversity to empowering women farmers and reducing methane emissions, discover how changing what goes into our rice bowls can nourish both the body and the Earth. Listen to the stories behind our stuff — and how one small bowl of rice can make a world of difference.

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Chocolate is one of the world’s sweetest pleasures—and one of its most bitter industries. In this episode, Cynthia Barstow and Gen Z voice, Vivian Mottl, talk with Joe Whinney, the pioneering founder of Theo Chocolate and now co-founder of Magic Chocolate, to explore how a once-broken system is being reborn through regenerative organic farming. With Dr. Bronner’s passing the torch to Magic Chocolate, a new era begins—one rooted in ethics, ecology, and extraordinary flavor.  As trick-or-treaters head out to fill their bags, it’s worth discovering how "the right chocolate" could help heal the planet, one cocoa bean at a time.

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Everyone seems to know someone who’s heard the words “You have cancer.” Many of us want to do something about it. What if we can—through simple, everyday choices that lower risk and strengthen wellbeing? In this episode, Cynthia talks with Meg Cadoux, founder of the Anticancer Lifestyle Program, who has dedicated years to providing free, science-based resources for survivors and their loved ones. Joined by Maggie Hurley, a next-generation voice and Protect Our Breasts alum, they explore five pillars—Change, Mindset, Diet, Fitness, and Environment—that make prevention both powerful and possible.

Visit the Anticancer Lifestyle Program website at https://anticancerlifestyle.org/ 

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Mushrooms are moving off our plates and into our coffee, protein powders, and daily wellness routines. In this episode of ShelfSense, Cynthia Barstow digs into the booming mushroom dietary supplement trend with Sandra Carter, founder of OM Mushroom, and Gen Z fitness enthusiast Neo Paradis. Together, they explore why functional fungi are suddenly everywhere, what benefits they promise, and how this hot trend is reshaping the wellness market.

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What does “Clean Beauty” really mean—and who’s making sure it delivers? Cosmetics veteran Curt Valva and Gen Z changemaker Izzy Desrosiers unpack the personal care and cosmetics standards, the myths, and the movement toward safer, more transparent products that actually perform. Hopeful, eye-opening, and practical—this is what every consumer needs to know about the future of beauty.

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As it turns out, that Ben & Jerry’s chocolate fudge brownie ice-cream holds more than you’d ever expect. In this episode, we go beyond the pint to uncover the story behind those rich, fudgy chunks—from the ovens of Greyston Bakery to a philosophy rooted in Zen Buddhism.

Cynthia Barstow talks with Roshi Eve Marko, a Zen teacher who helped grow Greyston alongside Bernie Glassman, and Christine Conroy, who’s carrying the bakery’s mission forward. Together, they explore how one little ingredient—often overlooked—can reflect a much bigger commitment to justice, opportunity, and transformation.

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In this episode, former oyster farmer and Happy Planet podcast host Abigail Carroll joins Gen Z seafood lover and POB alum Eliza Peters for a conversation about the changing state of our oceans—and what it means for the seafood we love. From the “terroir” of the sea that shapes an oyster’s flavor to the microplastics and warming waters affecting our food and our future, we dive into the big questions. Abigail shares hope-inspiring innovations from entrepreneurs in the ocean economy, while Eliza asks what every thoughtful consumer wants to know: Can we still trust what’s on our plate?

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This expanded Back-to-School episode is for parents of all ages— from those raising babies and toddlers to moms of tweens. Host Cynthia Barstow is joined by longtime alum and POB advisor Kristin Peters and daughter-in-law Bex Barstow, current Co-Ed of Protect Our Breasts at BCPP, to explore what moms really want to know about safer school supplies, snacks, baby gear, and more. From lunchboxes to lotion, we’ve got your little ones covered.

Suggested Choices from our Guests:

• Food: Once Upon a Farm (pouches and bars), Amara Smoothie Melts, Happy Wolf Bars, Hippies, Jonny Pops (summer treats), Organic Valley organic cheese sticks, Cerebelly (bars & pouches), Aldens Organic (ice cream), Lesser Evil (popcorn), Crofters (fruit spread), Made Good granola bars, Simple Mills organic crackers, Dave’s Killer Bread (and bars), organic hummus, organic fruits and vegetables
• Lunch containers: Stainless steel bento boxes, silicone re-usable pouches (for homemade smoothies), Elk & Friends (glass cups with silicone sleeve and straws and lots of good options on Amazon)
• Personal Care: Badger, EllaOla, Boka toothpaste, EarthMama, Ever Eden, DIY options, Jack n Jill toothpaste, Attitude, Huppy Toothpaste 
• Cleaning: Branch Basics, Attitude 
• Clothing: Reima, Hanna Andersson, Burts Bees, Pehr, Colored Organics, Honest Baby
• Toys: Plan Toys, Grimm's, Bella Luna online, Under the Nile or Hazel Village stuffed animals
• Diapering: HealthyBaby, Kudos
• Laundering: Molly's Suds powder
• Water bottles: Pura stainless, Kleen Kanteen (their silicone straws now twist down)
• Medication: Genexa vs. conventional Tylenol

Need help? Bex has offered. Email her at [email protected] Thanks Bex 💚

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In this episode of ShelfSense, we dig into the magic of local food with Dan Kaplan, Brookfield Farm CSA farmer of 28 years, and Leila Tunnell, K–6 garden educator and past farm apprentice. Together, they share how community supported agriculture offers us an opportunity to connect more deeply—with the land, with each other, and with what we eat. From farm stands to school gardens, little ones across local elementary schools are learning to love the full experience—from soil to harvest—and with it, growing a genuine desire to protect it all. Hear how engaging with local food encourages connections to land, food, and community to take root for us all.

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