Sustainable Minimalists

Denim jeans were once the preferred trouser for cowboys in the American west; some decades later, they became a symbol of rebellion for non-conformist teens. These days jeans are all about comfort and casual style, and the average American woman owns 7 pairs.

And yet blue jeans also happen to have one of fashion's biggest environmental footprints. On today's show Sarene Alsharif reveals the harsh realities associated with jeans production; she also shares practical strategies for transforming this wardrobe staple into a sustainable solution.

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[7:00]  Stone-washed with actual stones? Dyed with carcinogenic dyes? Uncovering your favorite pair's dirty little enviro-secrets 

[13:00] Want some stretch? Revisiting our desire for synthetic fibers in our denim 

[23:00] The trend cycle = smoke and mirrors

[27:00] It's a marriage not a fling (and other tried-and-true sustainable fashion tips)

[31:00] Stephanie's nihilist thoughts: What happens when collective action matters, and yet the collective isn't doing its part?

Resources mentioned:

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We Americans may indeed be "rich" in material terms, but we suffer from what Mother Teresa calls a poverty of spirit. As we chased economic growth we closed ourselves off. We abandoned interconnectedness with other people, beings, and things. We also abandoned ourselves.

Many of the problems in our world today are visual manifestations of such abandonment. If the world isn't looking the way you want it to look right now, author Jeff Golden argues that solving our (numerous) issues starts by healing our culture-wide poverty of spirit.

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[4:00] Money doesn’t make us happy, and the extent to which we strive for stuff is a manifestation of how unhappy we actually are inside

[8:00] How we feel about ourselves impacts how we show up in the world. How we treat others! Whether we regard other beings with love and respect!

[16:00] Exactly why healing our world (and ourselves!) may indeed start by getting out of our heads

[32:00] Debunking heady intellectual conversations about the importance of the economy, plus: a laundry list of the ways we use stuff as stand-ins for well-being

[38:00] Tangible ways to "drop into yourself" (because you and others deserve it!)

Resources mentioned:

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Many of us shy away from the word 'activist' because the term brings to mind a very specific type of person. But if you're regularly taking action to make the world a better place? Guess what my friend, you're already an activist (yes, really!).

What matters is not the size of the action, nor how vigorous the action is. It's all about consistency. On today's re-air author Omkari Williams helps us find the kind of social justice engagement that feels both empowering *and* sustainable.

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[4:00] Activism isn't just marching and picketing: Here's what micro activism looks like in the day to day 

[10:30] Are you a headliner, an organizer, a producer, or an indispensable? How to determine your unique activist archetype

[22:00] The status quo isn't working for the vast majority of us. So where's the passion for change?

[30:00] How to know whether your efforts constitute shallow work or deep work

Resources mentioned:

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Capitalism has transformed the world, sure. But at what cost? (Immense environmental ones, of course.)

Americans, it's high-time we accept that the Golden Age of capitalism is long gone. On today's show: A frank discussion with sustainable finance visionary Kara Perez about insulating ourselves from late-stage capitalism's most damaging effects with individual and collective action.

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[6:00] Money is a tool for change, and yet it's literally something we made up

[11:00] Can we be nickled and dimed even more than we already are? (Spoiler alert: Yes.)

[14:00] A few of the ways in which shareholder capitalism limits society's ability to progress

[22:00] Tangible ways you and I can "change the flow of money"

Resources mentioned:

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Cyberpsychology is an emerging field that examines the ways in which technology influences human behavior. On today's show we discuss what happens to our purchasing habits when psychology, sociology, and 21st century tech collide.

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[1:30] Who you think you are is influenced by others (hello, looking glass self!)

[8:30] It's human nature to compare and compete: Here's how and why we internalize social media messaging

[16:00] 3 reasons why shoppers feel better when they purchase items that contribute to self-repair

[20:00] 2 ways dopamine and online algorithms work together and entice us to buy

Resources mentioned/Further reading:

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Our culture is marked by both comparison and overconsumption, and we are constantly urged to hustle for something bigger, better, or more expensive because (supposedly) happiness lies within the next purchase or achievement. But what if the key to living a more satisfied life is to simply slow down and listen to your intuition?

On today's show: A conversation with best-selling author Stephanie O'Dea about breaking free from hustle culture for increased fulfillment, reduced stress, and a stronger sense of purpose.

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[8:00] Doing things out of guilt, obligation, or acceptance versus Simply Looking Only Within (SLOW!)

[12:00] It's a lot easier to sell to people who are unhappy. Enter our preponderance for fast living

[20:00] Is conventional 'success' possible when we are living slow?

[25:00] What to do when you can't hear the voice within because daily life is too fast and too noisy

[27:00] The more social media scrolling, the more disenchantment. And yet we are creatures of comparison ...

Resources mentioned:

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There's no way around it: more stuff means more sedentarism.

Products of convenience move on our behalf, and our kids are moving their bodies less than any other generation in human history. Our culture–and the items the market produces to support our ways of life—dissuade self-sufficiency, and so creating a movement-rich life for our health and for the planet's may often feel like an uphill battle.

This week I speak with author and biomechanist Katy Bowman. Katy offers tangible ways to reclaim the movement opportunities that have been lost to the conveniences associated with modern living.

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[7:30] The relationship between carbon footprints, pleasure, and movement lost

[16:00] How to become more tolerant of movement in the house

[19:15] Ways to engage kids who don't consider themselves "outdoorsy"

[22:45] Multitasking versus stacking: What's the difference (and why does it matter?)

[25:20]  2 steps listeners can take right now to reclaim movement opportunities that have been lost to convenience

Resources mentioned:

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Water is a finite resource. Freshwater shortages are increasingly striking regions around the globe and, as demand for water rises while supply continues to drop, the price of water will likely skyrocket.

It’s more important than ever to be smart about water. On today's show horticulturist Noelle Johnson offers easy ways to save water and have a beautiful yard — even amongst challenging climatic conditions. 

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[5:00] Globally, less rain is falling. And simultaneously the planet is desertifying. What are the consequences?

[11:00] Exactly why rainwater is better for our plants than water from the hose, plus: 3 ways to effectively capture rainwater

[15:00] Did you know you can repurpose gray water in your yard? (I sure didn't!)

[26:00] Musings on lawns

[32:00] 7 ways to use less water in your vegetable garden (hint: raised beds require more water!)

Resources mentioned:

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Many people — and many societies, for that matter — rely on short-sighted quick wins as their Number One go-tos when managing oversized problems. But what works in the short-term likely isn’t best in the long run; worse, such near-sightedness rarely considers its impacts on generations to come.

Enter longpath thinking, a mindset that prioritizes future-conscious thinking and behavior.

On today’s episode I speak with author and futurist Ari Wallach. Ari argues that when we step away from knee-jerk reactions we will both reclaim meaning in our lives and help preserve the planet for future generations. And if making daily decisions by considering their reverberations 500 years from now sounds revolutionary to you, you’re absolutely right. Ari’s on the show to ease the transition to future-consciousness in 3 simple steps.

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[2:00] “Future” isn’t a noun; it’s a verb. Here’s why

[4:30] Debunking lifespan biases so as to create a better world for future generations

[6:00] 3 problems associated with short-termism

[11:30] How an understanding of transgenerational empathy encourages us to act on behalf of future generations

[17:00] What doubling down on sandbag strategies means for fulfilling our collective moral obligations

[20:00] 3 ways to start practicing longpath thinking and acting right now

Resource mentioned:

• Longpath: Becoming the Great Ancestors Our Future Needs

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