Sustainable in the Suburbs | Reduce Waste, Sustainable Habits & Intentional Living

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

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Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio

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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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Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio

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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

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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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Donation dumps are basically reverse shopping hauls.

Decluttering is often framed as an end point — clear it out, drop it off, move on. But what if the way we let things go quietly trains how we bring new things in?

In this episode of Sustainable in the Suburbs, I’m exploring the relationship between decluttering, donation, and sustainable living — and why donation isn’t bad, but also isn’t neutral. We talk about mindful decluttering, overwhelmed donation systems, and how slowing down the letting-go process can shape more intentional habits around both acquiring and discarding things.

This conversation sits at the intersection of sustainable decluttering, minimalism, and organization, and asks what becomes possible when we stay present through the full life cycle of our stuff, instead of treating decluttering as the end of the story.

Takeaways

• Decluttering is part of the buying cycle, not separate from it
• Donation isn’t bad — but it isn’t neutral
• Donation systems are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of donated goods
• Slowing down decluttering creates useful feedback
• Community-based solutions take more time... and that's the point
• Paying attention when things leave your home shapes future purchases

One Small Shift

Look into your community-based options. That might mean joining a Buy Nothing group, checking what local organizations actually need, or learning where items are most likely to stay in use — and letting that guide how you let things go.

Resources

Sustainable Decluttering – An Eco-Friendly Approach to Letting Things Go (blog)

How to Host a Clothing Swap (podcast episode)

Fewer, Better Things - How to Reduce Kitchen Clutter (podcast episode)

Sustainable Minimalism - Stefanie Marie Seferian (book)

No New Things - Ashlee Piper (book)

The Story of Stuff - Annie Leonard (book)

Consumed - Aja Barber (book)

Aja Barber (Patreon)

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Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio

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We all have clothes we don’t wear. Pieces that might fit again someday, that were expensive, or that feel too nice to just drop into a donation bin. When those clothes start piling up, donation often becomes the default solution. And once those bags are gone from the trunk, the buying cycle begins again.

In this episode, I’m taking a closer look at that pattern, and at what it might look like to slow down not just how we buy clothes, but how we let them go. We’re talking about clothing swaps — how they work in real life, why they’re such a powerful (and often overlooked) tool for sustainable living, and how sharing clothes within our existing circles can keep clothing in use closer to home, while also building connection and community.

Takeaways

• How donation has become part of the buying cycle (and why that matters)
• How clothing swaps keep clothes in use locally
• Why letting go of clothing is emotional (and how swaps create a softer landing)
• How to actually host a swap
• Why planning for leftovers is just as important as planning the swap itself
• How sharing clothes can quietly build connection and community

One Small Shift

Try it! If you have host energy, host a clothing swap — start small, keep it simple, and see what happens. And if hosting feels like too much, say YES to attending one.

Resources

How to Host a Clothing Swap (blog post)

Ep. 35: Rethinking Sustainable Fashion with Sabs Katz

Clotheshorse Podcast

Consumed - Aja Barber (book)

Aja Barber - Patreon

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Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio

If you enjoyed this episode, I’d love it if you followed the show, shared it with a friend, or left a rating and review. Every little bit helps more people find Sustainable in the Suburbs — and live a little greener.

This episode touches on sustainable fashion — but it’s not only about fashion.

It’s a conversation about how we think about clothes, how we relate to what we already own, and how everyday decisions around getting dressed connect to consumption, care, and creativity.

I’m joined by Sabs Katz, the creator of Sustainable Sabs and a cofounder of Intersectional Environmentalist, for a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation about personal style, overconsumption, and what it looks like to slow down without turning sustainability into a rulebook.

We talk about clothing as memory and legacy, why reducing consumption matters more than chasing “better” products, and how practices like mending, swaps, and intentional limits can actually make style clearer — not more restrictive.

This episode is for anyone who wears clothes — which is all of us.

Takeaways

• Why fashion can be such a complicated entry point into sustainability
• What “sustainable fashion” can look like in real life
• Clothing as memory, inheritance, and care
• Reducing consumption without rigidity
• Mending, swaps, and community-based alternatives
• Finding creativity outside of constant trends
• Some excellent challenges to curb your consumption and recharge your creativity

One Small Shift
Pause before buying something new. Save it, sit with it, and see how you feel about it a week later.

Connect With Sabs

Instagram

Website

Substack

Resources

Intersectional Environmentalist

Indyx

Hot or Cool Institute

Drive to Target - poems by Hayley DeRoche

Pattie Gonia

How to Host a Clothing Swap (blog post)

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Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio

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Paper towels are one of those everyday items most of us don’t think twice about — until we do. They’re convenient, familiar, and deeply embedded in our kitchen routines. But when you slow down and look at what goes into making something designed to be used once and thrown away, it becomes worth questioning.

In this solo episode of Sustainable in the Suburbs, I’m talking about how to quit (or significantly reduce) paper towel use in a way that’s practical, flexible, and rooted in real life. I share how paper towels quietly disappeared from our home years ago, why they’re so easy to overuse, and what actually works instead.

We dig into the environmental and financial cost of paper towels, how ideas about cleanliness and convenience shape our habits, and why changing what’s within reach can naturally change behaviour. I also walk through realistic reusable alternatives, storage and laundry concerns, edge cases where disposables still make sense, and what to do if you already have paper towels at home.

The focus is on choosing reusables where they make sense, and how small changes add up over time in everyday life.

Takeaways

• Why paper towels are designed to be overused — and why that’s not a personal failure.
• The environmental impact of single-use paper products.
• Practical alternatives to paper towels that work in everyday homes.
• How small behavioural changes can reduce waste.
• Why using fewer paper towels still matters, even if you don’t eliminate them entirely.

One Small Shift

Take the paper towel roll off your counter and put it somewhere else — under the sink, in a cupboard, or the pantry. Just notice what you reach for instead over the next week or two.

Related Episodes

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

11: Money, Enoughness, and Community Care with Women's Personal Finance

33: Fewer, Better Things — How to Reduce Kitchen Clutter and Waste

Resources

What to Use Instead of Paper Towels (all my favourite products)

How to Knit a Dish Cloth (free PDF pattern)

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

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

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Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio

If you enjoyed this episode, I’d love it if you followed the show, shared it with a friend, or left a rating and review. Every little bit helps more people find Sustainable in the Suburbs — and live a little greener.

Our homes are full of things we barely notice until they start to feel heavy. Duplicate pantry items, forgotten gadgets, drawers that are full of junk... And suddenly, everyday life feels harder than it needs to be.

In this episode, I’m joined by Sasha Mazzuca, founder of Disch and a professional organizer, for a thoughtful conversation about our relationship to stuff — and how choosing fewer, better things can make daily life feel calmer, more functional, and more sustainable.

Sasha shares how years of organizing clients’ kitchens led her to a surprisingly universal problem: the towel drawer. From there, she walks us through how thoughtful design, simple systems, and well-made tools can reduce clutter, decision fatigue, and waste — without requiring a full lifestyle overhaul.

We talk about why eco-friendly products don’t have to be boring or expensive, how paper towels quietly add up in both cost and resources, and why the kitchen is often the easiest place to start building more sustainable habits. This conversation is especially timely for anyone feeling the pull to declutter, reset, or simplify — without chasing perfection.

Takeaways

• Why clutter often comes from delayed decisions and forgotten duplicates
• How professional organizing intersects with sustainability
• Common myths about eco-friendly products — including cost and aesthetics
• Why the kitchen is a natural gateway to sustainable living
• Why paper towels are one of the easiest places to reduce waste
• How fewer, better-designed tools can support lasting habits

One Small Shift

Sasha suggests starting with one drawer — especially the towel drawer. Choosing tools that actually work, fit neatly, and get used every day can reduce clutter, waste, and mental load far more than we expect.

Connect With Sasha / Disch

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Resources

What To Use Instead of Paper Towels (blog post)

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

A Beginner's Guide to a Sustainable Kitchen (e-book - use code PODCAST20)

5 Easy Plastic-Free Kitchen Swaps (previous episode)

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Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio

If you enjoyed this episode, I’d love it if you followed the show, shared it with a friend, or left a rating and review. Every little bit helps more people find Sustainable in the Suburbs — and live a little greener.

If the week between Christmas and New Year’s leaves you feeling overstimulated, scattered, or unsure how to move forward without just adding more pressure, you’re not alone. After a season filled with noise, expectations, and stuff, it can be hard to find your footing — especially when the cultural message is already shifting toward doing more, fixing more, and buying more in January.

This week, I’m joined by Gillian Gabryluk, founder of Sileo Health & Wellness and host of the Be Still and Live podcast. Gillian shares a grounded perspective to what it looks like to slow down, reconnect with ourselves, and move into the new year with intention rather than urgency.

We talk about overstimulation, the myth that “more” will make us feel better, and why there’s nothing we can add to cart that will fix the feeling of overwhelm. Gillian explains why stillness is a form of strength, and offers gentle, practical ways families can create calmer rhythms at home, especially during winter.

This conversation is a reminder that sustainable living often begins long before the recycling bin — with clarity, values, and learning to want less.

Takeaways

• Why the constant noise of modern life leaves us feeling overstimulated
• How shopping, scrolling, and clutter become default coping mechanisms
• Why “more” — more doing, more buying, more fixing — rarely brings relief
• How winter naturally invites reflection and a slower pace
• How values-based living often leads to consuming less
• Why small shifts are more sustainable than big overhauls

One Small Shift

Gillian suggests practicing the pause — especially when the urge to scroll, shop, or add something new shows up. Often, the calm we’re looking for is already available once we slow down enough to notice it.

Connect With Gillian

Website

Instagram

Be Still and Live - Podcast

Resources

How to Create Eco-Friendly Holiday Traditions (blog post)

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Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio

If you enjoyed this episode, I’d love it if you followed the show, shared it with a friend, or left a rating and review. Every little bit helps more people find Sustainable in the Suburbs — and live a little greener.