Bathroom swaps are one of the most common entry points into sustainable living — but they can also be one of the most overwhelming.

There are so many products, so many recommendations, and so much pressure to replace everything all at once.

In this episode of Sustainable in the Suburbs, I’m talking about what it actually looks like to approach sustainable bathroom swaps in a way that’s doable, practical, and budget-friendly. The focus is on using what you already have, reducing repeat purchases, and making changes that actually stick in real life.

We dig into how much waste is coming from the bathroom, why so many of these items are designed to be used and replaced quickly, and how shifting your approach can naturally reduce both waste and spending over time.

I also walk through what has (and hasn’t) worked in my own routine — from bar soap and toothpaste to deodorant and other everyday products — and why simplifying your routine can often be more impactful than swapping everything out.

Takeaways

• Why the bathroom is a major source of household waste 
• Start with what you already have instead of buying new “eco swaps”
• Which sustainable bathroom swaps tend to work in real life (and which don’t always)
• Simplify your routine instead of adding more products
• How small, consistent changes can reduce waste without overhauling everything

One Small Shift

Take an inventory of what you already have in your bathroom and focus on finishing those products first. From there, you can make more intentional choices about what you actually want to replace (and what you don’t).

Resources

Eco-Friendly Bathroom Swaps (blog post)

Related Episodes

4: How to Do a Household Waste Audit

8: 5 Easy Plastic-Free Kitchen Swaps for Sustainable Living

9: Skincare, Sustainability, and Self-Care with Rebecca Ogilvie

10: How to Refill in Your Own Containers for a Plastic-Free Pantry

22: From Refills to Resilience — Simple, Real-Life Sustainable Living with Julie Darrell

38: Things I Don’t Buy Anymore — Eco-Frugal Shifts That Reduce Waste and Save Money

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We spend a lot of time talking about climate change — but not nearly enough time understanding it.

Most of us were never really taught how to understand it, especially in a way that connects it to history, systems, power, and the everyday decisions we’re making.

This week, I’m joined by Brittany Jefferson, an educator and founder of EJ EDU, to talk about climate literacy — what it means, why it matters, and how it shapes the way we think about everything from education to environmental justice.

We talk about why climate can’t just live in science class, what’s missing from how it’s typically taught, and how understanding the bigger picture can change the way we approach sustainability.

We also bring this into everyday life — from raising kids and navigating climate anxiety to having conversations at home and taking local climate action.

Takeaways

• What climate literacy actually means 
• Why social studies, history, and systems thinking are essential to understanding climate change
• Environmental justice and who is most affected by the systems we live in
• The role of education as a climate solution
• How kids are already engaging with climate — from curiosity to overwhelm
• Ways to approach climate conversations at home in age-appropriate, grounded ways
• Navigating the tension between individual action and systemic change

One Small Shift

Download the Climate Venn Diagram. It’s a simple but powerful way to figure out where your skills, your interests, and the needs of the world overlap — and where you can focus your time and energy.

Connect with Brittany
Instagram
Patreon
Teachers Pay Teachers

Resources

All We Can Save – Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (book)
What If We Get It Right? – Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (book)
How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change - Harriet Shugarman (book)
Earth Matters (educational game)

Related Episodes
Ep. 5: How to Navigate Climate Emotions with Jen Knoch

Ep. 7: Rethinking Zero Waste with April Dickinson

Ep. 42: Overwhelmed by Climate Change? The Climate Venn Diagram Can Help

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You’re not just wasting food — you’re throwing money in the trash.

This week I’m joined by returning guest Chelsey Schmuland, and we’re digging into one of the most overlooked ways to save money on groceries: reducing food waste.

Chelsey is the maker behind Hive to Home, where she creates handmade beeswax wraps as a reusable alternative to plastic food storage. She’s also a grocery budgeting queen and food rescue enthusiast.

We talk about how much food we’re actually wasting (and what that costs), how food rescue apps can dramatically transform your grocery budget, and why proper storage makes a bigger difference than you might think.

If you’re trying to spend less, waste less, and make your kitchen work better for you — this episode is packed with strategies you can start using right away.

Takeaways

• Food waste is one of the fastest ways to lose money on groceries — often without realizing it
• Food rescue is a practical way to cut your grocery bill
• Proper storage — especially breathable storage — helps food last longer
• Beeswax wraps are a reusable, plastic-free way to keep food fresh
• Planning for leftovers and using scraps can stretch your groceries budget
• Strategies on how to (re)use and store almost everything
• Composting helps close the loop — but keeping food in use is the goal

One Small Shift

Before you shop this week, check the reduced section or a food rescue app first — and build one meal around what you find.

Connect with Chelsey

Website

Instagram

Resources

A Beginner’s Guide to a Sustainable Kitchen (use code PODCAST20)

11 Ways to Reuse Food Scraps

How to Prevent Food Waste with Kids

How to Use Beeswax Wraps (and Keep Food Fresh Without Plastic)

Flashfood (use code is SUST7K8EA for $5 off)

Too Good to Go 

Odd Bunch

Souper Cubes

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Spring is when the birds get loud again. You hear them before you see them — in the morning, in the trees, and in the background of your day.

If you’ve ever thought about getting into birding, this is a really natural place to start — right outside your door.

In this episode, we’re talking about how to start birding in your own backyard, how to identify common birds by sight and sound, what’s happening during nesting season, and how to support birds in ways that genuinely help.

There’s a lot of advice out there this time of year — and not all of it is as helpful as it sounds. So we’ll also walk through what to avoid, common bird hazards in suburban spaces, and simple ways to support backyard biodiversity and habitat.

Takeaways

• How to start birding right in your own backyard
• Why birdsong supports mental well-being
• How to identify birds by sight and sound (using Merlin Bird ID)
• What citizen science is — and how to take part
• A look inside Project NestWatch and nesting season
• How to join the Great Backyard Bird Count
• Why common nesting materials (like yarn and dryer lint) can harm birds
• What birds actually need: habitat, not materials
• Common bird hazards (windows, cats, habitat loss)
• Simple ways to support backyard biodiversity

One Small Shift
Leave your earphones at home for one walk this week and just listen. Learn to identify one bird by sound and tell me who it is!

Resources:

Safe Nesting Materials for Birds (blog post)

Merlin Bird ID
Birds Canada - Project NestWatch

Birds Canada - SwiftWatch

Great Backyard Bird Count

Wild Birds Unlimited

Feather Friendly

Related Episodes:

Ep. 18: Connecting Communities Through Green Spaces with Carolyn Scotchmer

Ep. 20: Wildlife Conservation, Birding, and Finding Hope in Nature with Matt Howard

Ep. 25: Redefining Sustainable Living — From Zero Waste to Real-World Resilience

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What does sustainable living actually look like in the suburbs — in places designed around cars, convenience, and big box shopping?

Laura Newton is the founder of The Kind Matter Company, a Canadian eco-boutique and refill store focused on low waste living, eco friendly products, and non-toxic household essentials. What began as a personal search for safer products after her daughter developed severe allergies has grown into a retail business built around making sustainable living more accessible for everyday families.

Kind Matter now has multiple locations across Ontario, including a flagship store in Mississauga’s Heartland Town Centre — a typical suburban shopping plaza where refillable products, Canadian brands, and plastic-free options sit alongside everyday errands.

This conversation explores how refill stores and low waste shopping fit into suburban life, what customers are actually looking for, and how eco friendly products become part of real, everyday routines — without requiring a complete lifestyle overhaul.

Takeaways

• Why accessibility is one of the biggest barriers to sustainable living and low waste living
• What customers are most curious — and hesitant — about when they first encounter refill stores and refill systems
• Why cleaning products are often the gateway into refilling and eco friendly home swaps
• How placing refill shops inside suburban shopping plazas changes everyday shopping habits
• The role Canadian and women-owned brands play in Kind Matter’s product curation
• The importance of community-focused sustainability and local shopping in suburban areas

Connect With Laura

The Kind Matter Company

Terra Greenhouses

Products Mentioned

Birch Babe

Cheekbone Beauty

The Bare Home

Notice Hair Co. (see in store)

Routine Cream (see in store)

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This episode originally aired in the very first month of Sustainable in the Suburbs. I’m revisiting it now because this idea remains one of the clearest ways to find your place in climate action — and sometimes returning to the foundation is exactly what helps us feel re-energized.

Climate change feels HUGE — and it is. The problem is urgent and complex. And when you start looking for solutions, it can seem like there’s an endless list of things you should be doing. All of them are important, and that can feel completely overwhelming.

But meaningful climate action doesn’t happen because one person does everything. It happens when many people each find their place — in their homes, their neighbourhoods, and their communities.

In this episode, I’m sharing a simple framework I often come back to refocus my efforts: the Climate Action Venn Diagram from Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. We’ll talk about how your skills, your joys, and the needs of the world can come together to help you find your own personal starting point — one that feels meaningful, realistic, and sustainable for the long haul.

Takeaways

• The Climate Venn Diagram helps identify a meaningful starting point for climate action by looking at what brings you joy, what you’re good at, and what the world needs.
• Sustainable living isn’t about doing everything — it’s about doing something that feels right for you.
• Joy is a powerful motivator in climate work and there are countless ways to contribute your skills.
• Climate action often happens at the community level — through local advocacy, shared resources, and collective resilience.
• Building habits that feel good and fit your life helps make climate action sustainable for the long term.

One Small Shift

Download a copy of Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson’s Climate Venn Diagram worksheet, grab a pencil, and just see what comes up. You might be surprised by how much clarity this one little exercise can bring.

Resources

How to Start Living Sustainably: A Simple Framework for Climate Action

Climate Action Venn Diagram

How to Find Joy in Climate Action (TED Talk)

What If We Get It Right? (website)

All We Can Save - Ayana Elizabeth Johnson & Katharine K. Wilkinson (book)

What If We Get It Right - Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (book)

Buy Nothing Project

Related Epiosdes

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What does sustainability look like in a fast-moving industry like film and television?

In this episode, Canadian actress Erin Karpluk shares how growing up in Jasper shaped her connection to nature, how the 2024 wildfires impacted her community, and how those experiences inform the way she approaches sustainability — both personally and professionally.

We talk about eco-friendly habits, secondhand fashion, sustainable travel, and what waste and sustainability look like behind the scenes on film sets. This is a conversation about environmental awareness, resilience, and the small shifts that can influence culture at work.

Takeaways

• How growing up in Jasper shaped Erin’s connection to nature and community
• The impact of the 2024 Jasper wildfires on memory and resilience
• What sustainable living looks like in everyday routines
• How sustainability in film production is evolving — and where it still needs work
• Practical eco-friendly travel habits for people who live on the road
• How small workplace habits can shift culture over time
• Why connection to people and place fuels environmental awareness

Connect With Erin

Instagram

Facebook

IMDb

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I can’t be the only one who has complicated feelings about goody bags… right?

Kids' birthday parties have quietly escalated. The venues. The décor. The goody bags. The expectation that every year has to be a little bigger than the last.

But most kids don’t actually need all of that.

In this episode, I’m sharing how we’ve kept birthday parties simple, low waste, and still genuinely fun — from smaller guest lists to reusable decorations, bulk food, experience gifts, and activities that don’t end up in the trash.

If you’re looking for practical, eco-friendly birthday party ideas that feel realistic for busy families, this episode walks through exactly how we do it.

Related Episodes

Ep. 16: Sustainable Living with Kids with Jessica Nakamura

Ep. 22: Simple, Real-Life Sustainable Living with Julie Darrell

Ep. 23: Borrow Before You Buy with LEND-IT.CA

Ep. 26: Holiday Food Waste — Simple Ways to Reduce Waste and Save Money

Resources

How to Have a Zero Waste Birthday Party for Kids (blog post)

Should You Give Secondhand Gifts (blog post)

Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas for Kids (blog post)

Balloons Blow

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We talk a lot on this show about the small daily habits inside our homes. But every so often, the choices get bigger.

Renovations bring in materials, demolition, budgets, trades, and long-term decisions all at once. They shape how a home functions — and how it holds up — for years.

In this episode, I’m joined by Brittany Steptoe Wright, Founder and Principal of BSW Design and COO of Steptoe Carpentry, for a practical and thoughtful conversation about what sustainable design actually looks like inside real projects with real budgets.

If you’re planning a renovation — or simply thinking about your home with a longer lens — this conversation offers a steady framework for building and living in a way that lasts.

Takeaways

• What sustainable design actually looks like inside a renovation
• Where renovation waste comes from — and where it can realistically be diverted
• Why durability often matters more than trend cycles
• How antiques and inherited pieces can anchor a renovation
• How professionals weigh sourcing, longevity, and budget together
• Why maintenance plays a key role in sustainability

One Small Shift

Take care of your things — loved things last!

Maintain them. Repair them. Clean them properly. Loved things last — and extending the life of what’s already in your home is one of the simplest and most meaningful sustainability decisions you can make.

Connect With Brit

Website

Instagram

Podcast

Resources

Habitat for Humanity 

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

Sustainable Waste

Farrier Home 

RC Home 

HanStone

Jairpur Living

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Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio

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Buying less is one of the most powerful forms of climate action we have.

In this episode, I’m sharing some of the things I’ve stopped buying over the last ten years of sustainable living. This shift into eco-frugal living happened gradually, beginning with using up what I already had, doing periodic waste audits to see what we were consistently throwing way, and getting very clear on how and where to spend our money.

Because truly, the most sustainable thing you can buy is nothing.

Takeaways

• Climate action begins at the kitchen table
• Many “household essentials” are designed to be constant restock items
• Marketing — especially in personal care — encourages us to buy more than we need
• Reusables make the most sense for things you use all the time
• Saving money and reducing waste naturally go hand in hand
• Not buying creates mental, physical, and financial space

One Small Shift

Instead of focusing on what you might stop buying next, try making a short list of things you already don’t buy anymore — and notice what made that possible.

Resources

Household Waste Audit Workbook (free download)

A Beginner’s Guide to a Sustainable Kitchen (use code PODCAST20)

How to Quit Using Amazon (blog post and podcast episode)

10 Zero Waste Kitchen Swaps That Save You Money (blog post)

How to Pack a Zero Waste School Lunch (blog post)

3 Ways to Have a Zero Waste Period (blog post)

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Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio

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