The Enlighten Me Podcast

Basically, Emily Harris is a freaking baller. For many moons Emily dreamed of becoming a fashion designer. She moved to New York when she was young, worked for some high-profile designers, and even made an appearance on Project Runway… Now, this wife and mama is running her own business making fashion pieces with a purpose. This wasn’t how she expected it to go, but what a beautiful journey it’s been. To view the full show notes, continue reading here or visit my website: www.heartfelthippie.com

For this convo, Emily is bravely and humbly sharing her story. We talked a lot about her fashion journey and how she entered the world of designing. While dreaming of her future career, someone asked Emily a challenging question: “How can fashion improve the world?” This thought shaped the rest of Emily’s career as she set out to use her passions and talents to make this place that we live even better.

Mrs. Emily is now an 8 year old company! Emily started her brand when she was becoming a first-time mom but quickly realized that running a business and doing the mom thing wouldn’t work so peacefully together. Now that her mini-me is in school, Emily has been hustling - hustling HARD - to keep building the brand.

I loved hearing how Emily’s experiences - both the fun and the hard - have shaped her designs. The quippy and relatable sayings that are on her tees and caps come from her own life experiences. The first tee that Emily designed reads, “I DID NOT EXPECT IT TO BE THIS HARD.” ‘Nuff said.

Emily and I also chat ethical fashion in this episode. Emily shares a unique perspective of the “labor behind the label” movement that will resonate with all consumers. Emily’s biggest tip: don’t buy so many clothes, only what you really love and will wear the crap out of. If we can start buying less and choosing better, we can help ourselves AND mother earth!

Finally, Emily shares why buying pieces that we love with our whole hearts is so important. Not only will we treasure those pieces more and take care of them better, but they’re going to give you more confidence. I can’t say it any better than Emily did: “Your confidence is power.” The better we feel about ourselves, which is often rooted in how we look, the more initiative we will have to get.our.ish.DONE. Oh, and don’t fret: if you’ve spent any time drooling over Emily’s Instagram and how she styles her home and her wardrobe, she is sharing alllllll the fashion tips with us today, too! I’ll keep you posted on if we get inspired to write that book someday!

Links from the show:

Shop the tees, caps and skirts:

https://mrsemily.com/

Check out Emily’s tips and WIWT posts:

https://www.instagram.com/mrsemily/

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics:

https://shop.nordstrom.com/c/obsessive-compulsive-cosmetics

Crushing It by Gary Vaynerchuk:

https://www.amazon.com/Crushing-Great-Entrepreneurs-Business-Influence/dp/0062674676

The Nesting Place by Myquillyn Smith:

https://www.amazon.com/Nesting-Place-Doesnt-Perfect-Beautiful/dp/0310337909

The Going Scared Podcast by Jessica Honegger:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-going-scared-podcast-with-jessica-honegger/id1333553774?mt=2

https://jessicahonegger.com/podcast/

Imperfect Courage by Jessica Honegger:

https://jessicahonegger.com/book/imperfect-courage/

https://www.amazon.com/Imperfect-Courage-Purpose-Leaving-Comfort/dp/0735291292

Glo Skin Care:

https://www.gloskinbeauty.com/

Glo Protective Powder with SPF:

https://gloskinbeautyuk.com/products/protecting-powder

Thrifting Tips:

Take time in the store and go back consistently

Don’t be too specific with your searches

Ignore sizes

Get over the gross factor

Picture the thing outside of the store

Do the smell test

Bring a friend

Get inspired before you go

Connect with Mackenzie:

Instagram & Facebook: @theheartfelthippiemrsemily

Website: heartfelthippie.com

Email: [email protected]

Connect with Emily:

Instagram & Facebook: @mrsemily

Website: mrsemily.com

Have you ever heard the term “green cleaning” and wondered what the heck people meant? In this episode, the president of an OG green cleaning company, Diana Stewart, shares with us what “green cleaning” really is. Diana addresses common myths about environmentally friendly cleaning and is going to rock your world. To view the full show notes, continue reading or visit my website: www.heartfelthippie.com

Diana is a busy lady. She’s a wife, she’s a mom, she’s a daughter with a lot of responsibilities, but she is also killing it as the president of EnvirOx. EnvirOx was started over 20 years ago by Diana’s own father. Diana did not expect to find herself as the second president of the company, but she has enjoyed the journey and learned a lot along the way. To start off our conversation, Diana and I talk about feminism in the work place and what it’s like to be a strong female in a position of power while overseeing several employees. Diana is very vulnerable about her own biases and ways that she is learning to be a conscious leader.

After getting back on track, Diana and I talk all things green cleaning! Why does green cleaning matter? Well, there’s the health of our planet, but there’s also the health of our own bodies! Diana explains why it’s important to be aware of the toxicity of many household cleaners and how they can negatively impact our lives. EnvirOx is actually targeted towards industrial cleaning in places like schools, hospitals, and large offices. While this might sound irrelevant to many, it’s interesting to hear why these settings can be even more important to address than in our own households. Have you thought about the settings that you, your children, your friends spend the bulk of their days in? For most of us, that’s in a space where the windows are shut tight and the abrasive cleaners are stifling in the air! Yuck! But, have no fear. Not only does EnvirOx offer an amazing alternative, but Diana also teaches us how we can have a voice in seeing these things change.

Finally, Diana addresses an overlooked aspect of sustainability - marginalized people groups. Typically when we talk about things like green cleaning, they are first being marketed to privileged people. Not only that, but a large amount of those who are employed in cleaning industries and are dealing with the harsh cleaners every day are representing minority groups. As a result, minority groups are often not given the same opportunities at sustainable living as those with more privilege are, and so we can see the cycles of poverty continue ‘round and ‘round.

Green cleaning is an excellent first step in prioritizing your own health, the health of the planet, and those around you who have less of a voice! Make sure you listen in on this conversation, because Diana will INSPIRE and TEACH you how to make all those things real priorities.

Links from the show:

EnvirOx Website:

https://www.enviroxclean.com/

The Oz Principle:

https://www.amazon.com/Oz-Principle-Individual-Organizational-Accountability-ebook/dp/B0012M2IX2

The Four Agreements:

https://www.thefouragreements.com/

The Environmental Working Group:

https://www.ewg.org/

Green Seal:

http://www.greenseal.org/

Steve Ashkin:

https://twitter.com/steveashkin?lang=en

http://ashkingroup.com/

Info on SDS (Safety Data Sheets):

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3514.html

Calm App for meditation:

https://www.calm.com/

Betabrand:

https://www.betabrand.com/dpyp-grid

EnvirOx Distribution Locations:

https://www.enviroxclean.com/products/find-distributor

H2Orange Cleaner:

https://www.enviroxclean.com/h2orange2-virucide-degrease-deodorize

EnvirOx Absolute Cleaning System:

https://www.enviroxclean.com/absolute-cleaning-system

Connect with Mackenzie:

@theheartfelthippie

www.heartfelthippie.com

Connect with Diana:

EnvirOx Blog: https://www.enviroxclean.com/blog

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Envirox_Clean?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Salt and Light Ministry started as a food pantry and clothing closet and turned into a community effort with monumental impacts. When Nathan Montgomery and his colleagues started Salt and Light, they thought they would be able to meet their communities largest needs by giving free handouts of food and clothing. After years of seeing the same faces returning over and over again for help, Nate recognized that what they were doing was not making a sustainable, lasting impact on the lives of those they were serving, and instead was only perpetuating cycles of poverty and charity needs. For the full show notes, continue reading here or visit heartfelthippie.com.

Sine their launch in 2004, Nate has learned A LOT about what poverty in the western world really is, and also what it is not. Poverty is not necessarily the lack of physical things, but rather the lack of opportunities. An important piece of the puzzle in talking about poverty is also hunger, or what could more appropriately be called food insecurity. Much different than we hear about in other parts of the world, in the United States there isn’t a physical shortage of food, however there is a lack of adequate, healthy food options for those with less financial means. Understanding the context of these problems is the first step in knowing how to address them, and in this episode Nate does an awesome job of explaining what’s going on in the U.S. and addressing the presumptions that most of us have about these topics. Even more, he explains how Salt and Light revamped their model to be able to better tackle the issues of poverty and hunger in the local community. Between one impactful book and one crazy reality TV show appearance, Salt and Light was a new and improved community stakeholder by 2014.

Practically speaking, Nate gives us a lot to think about for how we can be a part of seeing poverty eradicated. The most important part of this is in recognizing how to treat people. As Nate states, giving handouts and making people out to be victims is extremely disempowering and often times shame-producing for them. The model that Nate presents, on the other hand, is effective in building self-esteem, pride, and affirmation in one’s self and their abilities. Hearing Nate explain privilege and opportunity, challenge the stereotypes of those who are affected by poverty, and talk about how we are not so different from those who are in need is truly eye-opening. You will be inspired by Nate’s passion and drive, and hearing Salt and Light’s approach with the social entrepreneurship model they offer will have you wanting to be a part of moving people OUT of poverty. Oh, and not to mention, feeling like this worldwide issue isn’t so big and scary of a thing to tackle after all.

If nothing else, I think Nate and I’s conversation will help you to gain some much needed perspective. Perspective - it’s something we all need, and something we can never get enough of. You might have to listen to this episode a few times to really pick up on all the things we cover, but it will only take you once to agree that Nate should be running for some kind of office.

References:

Salt and Light:

http://www.saltandlightministry.org

When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert:

https://www.amazon.com/When-Helping-Hurts-Alleviate-Yourself/dp/0802409989

Montgomery Family on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition: https://youtu.be/VHH3V094IO8

USDA definition/measurement of food insecurity:

https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/measurement

Give Me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5AkNqLuVgY

Living on One Dollar documentary:

http://livingonone.org/livingonone/

Connect with Mackenzie:

Insta: @theheartfelthippie

Facebook: The Heartfelt Hippie

Email: [email protected]

Website: heartfelthippie.com

Connect with Nathan:

You ready? For the sixth episode I interviewed my new friend Kelly, who just over a year ago started the company T’s for Bees. Shortly after graduating college as a mechanical engineer, Kelly got burnt out in the corporate world and decided to pursue her passion for all things nature by starting her business that is dedicated to saving the declining bee population. The best part is that through her company, we get to help save the bees by purchasing her super cute tees that she designs herself. In this conversation, Kelly educates us on why the bees need our help and how we can make a difference. To view the full show notes, click on to read more or visit www.heartfelthippie.com

When Kelly left her corporate job, she fully took advantage of owning her own business and decided to become a wanderer. She currently lives in Calgary, but she has lived in many places throughout Canada, America, and even eastern Asia. Being a nomad has helped Kelly to grow in her deep appreciation of mother earth as well as the ever-growing, global issue of endangered bees. Kelly describes how her company, T’s for Bees, works and even describes how you (yes, you!) can become an ambassador and make a huge impact.

The bulk of this episode centers around what is happening to the bees and why. The bee population is declining, and one of the major guilty parties is the agricultural industry, which Kelly explains in simple terms for those of us who know nothing about this topic. Kelly tells why this is the case and how we can change our ways to make sure this doesn't go on for any longer. Kelly shares six simple ways (plus two that I add on) that we can help the bees outside of financial contributions. You will be amazed at how easy these options are! In case you missed them, here are all the ways that you can help to save the bees:

1. Donate to bee-friendly organizations like Bee City

2. Buy a cute T’s for Bees shirt

3. Don’t weed your garden

4. Don’t use pesticides on your lawn/garden

5. Plant bee-friendly/local plants and flowers

6. Buy local, organic honey

7. Leave water out for bees

8. Stay educated

9. Eat local, organic produce

10. Write your local representatives

For more information on these, listen to the episode with Kelly or view my “Unofficial Resource Kit” on my website.

Like I said, there are SO many easy ways that we can help our little bee friends. Kelly will explain why we need them in our lives and how huge of an impact these little guys have on our planet. I’m confident that she will win your heart over and you will absolutely want to be friends with her afterwards! If nothing else, you’re going to want to see her gorgeous Instagram feed. It has ALL. THE. VIBES. Kelly’s business has grown exponentially over the past year and she now has over 33,000 followers! Check it out and you’ll see why.

LINKS:

Sand Cloud Towels – Help Save Marine Life:

https://www.sandcloud.com/

Become a T’s for Bees Ambassador:

https://tsforbees.com/pages/ambassador

Shop T’s for Bees T-Shirts:

https://tsforbees.com/

Support Bee City:

https://www.beecitycanada.org/

https://www.beecityusa.org/

The Jane Goodall Institute:

http://www.janegoodall.org/

Allie Michelle Instagram:

@alliemichellel

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0026772N8/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Vanishing of the Bees documentary:

http://www.vanishingbees.com/

Queen of the Sun documentary:

https://www.amazon.com/Queen-Sun-What-Bees-Telling/dp/B005ZMBDJK

Fed Up documentary:

http://fedupmovie.com/#/page/home

Teeki Yoga Pants:

https://teeki.com/

Rainbow “Save the Bees” T:

https://tsforbees.com/collections/tees/products/rainbow-save-the-bees-tee

Connect with Mackenzie:

@theheartfelthippie

https://www.facebook.com/pg/The-Heartfelt-Hippie-1792501677468358/about/

www.heartfelthippie.com

Connect with Kelly:

@tsforbees

@kelllybee

www.tsforbees.com

Listen up for a tender and eye-opening conversation on being an adoptive and foster parent. I interviewed my friend Lindsay on her foster care and adoption journey. We talk about the highs, the lows, and all the parts in between. View below for full episode notes.

Lindsay and her husband always knew they would be living as modern-day missionaries, but they did not expect it to be in this way. Nearly five years ago they embarked on an adventure that would prove to be the toughest and the most rewarding of their lives. Their very first foster placement eventually became their forever baby, now their 4-year old little boy. 2 more foster children and one biological babe later and they are already on to the next adoption journey.

In this conversation, Lindsay shares about their experiences with each of the children that have been in their home. She is open and honest about the good parts and the bad, and what baggage each of the unique situations brought along with them. Lindsay addresses some common fears and stereotypes that come along with foster care and adoption and offers real, genuine encouragement to individuals who are considering adoption in their futures. Lindsay also shares some practical tips on how to love families well who are serving as foster and adoptive parents.

Lindsay and I touch on what it’s like to have an interracial family and some of the challenges that come along with that. Lindsay admits that she was naïve to the obstacles that having a family made up of different races would bring and how she went about educating herself so that she could be the best mom possible to a child that is a different color than she is. She also talks about action steps that she and her husband are taking now to provide for children of color in their home in the future.

The foster care and adoption world is a place where Hollywood stories cloud our realities so very easily. Throughout our interview, Lindsay opened my eyes to a lot of incorrect assumptions that I had and pointed out many things about the system that I had never before thought of. Whether or not foster care or adoption is something that has appealed to you before, this conversation and Lindsay’s story will tug at your heart strings and give you a soft spot for families that endure similar circumstances. Lindsay’s lovely Instagram feed and blog writing will also do the same thing, so make sure you check her out!

Show notes available at: www.heartfelthippie.com

Lindsay’s Website:

http://www.hopeunswerving.com/

Shannon Martin

Website: http://www.shannanmartinwrites.com/

Instagram: @shannanwrites

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas:

http://www.nationalbook.org/nba2017-ypl-thomas-the-hate-u-give.html#.Wys7-6knbaY

Small Great Things by Jodi Piccoult:

https://www.jodipicoult.com/small-great-things.html

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson:

https://www.amazon.com/Just-Mercy-Story-Justice-Redemption/dp/081298496X

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis:

https://www.amazon.com/Great-Divorce-C-S-Lewis/dp/0060652950

A Deeper Healing by Joni Eareckson:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI22o5u32z0

Brene Brown TED Talk on Vulnerability:

https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability

C.O. Bigelow Lavender Salve:

https://www.bigelowchemists.com/c-o-bigelow-chemist-no-013-lavender-salve.html

Lindsay’s Socials:

Instagram: @lindsay.walder

Facebook: Lindsay Walder Photography

In this conversation I talk with my friend Janell about the 5 things she has learned about racism. This conversation was originally part of a small conference that Janell spoke at and she was willing to share her five main points on the podcast. References to all resources are linked below.

1. Racism is real.

2. We must put aside shame so we can learn.

3. Our nations history matters.

4. Proximity is important.

5. What do we do with this information?

References:

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah: https://www.amazon.com/Born-Crime-Stories-African-Childhood-ebook/dp/B01DHWACVY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528319233&sr=8-1&keywords=born+a+crime

Propaganda – 20 Years: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqAS2lPISa8

Roots Series (remake): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=airEw5tG9eo

The Myth of Equality by Ken Wytsma: https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Equality-Uncovering-Injustice-Privilege/dp/0830844821/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1528319348&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=the+myth+of+equality&psc=1

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson: https://www.amazon.com/Just-Mercy-Story-Justice-Redemption/dp/081298496X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528319371&sr=1-1&keywords=just+mercy+by+bryan+stevenson&dpID=51VYZ%252Bgf58L&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas: https://www.amazon.com/Hate-U-Give-Angie-Thomas-ebook/dp/B01M0614T9/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528319400&sr=1-1&keywords=the+hate+u+give

All American Boys by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds: https://www.amazon.com/All-American-Boys-Jason-Reynolds-ebook/dp/B00YNIIR3C/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528319441&sr=1-1&keywords=all+american+boys

Seven Seconds: https://www.netflix.com/title/80117555

Fruitvale Station: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2334649/

Thirteenth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V66F3WU2CKk

Lime Ricki: https://www.limericki.com/

Mindy Maes Market: https://mindymaesmarket.com/?rfsn=664269.e0d24f

Janell’s Instagram: @janelliott8

Ready, set, listen! In this episode I chat with my new friend, Samantha Martin, who runs an ethical active wear company in Nashville. Agathos Athleisure is a ballin’ company that is all about doing good for people and for the planet. To see the full show notes, look below in the shows description or pop over to my website at https://theheartfelthippie.wordpress.com/

Samantha Martin was climbing the corporate ladder when she realized that she had little passion for what she was doing. Her eyes were opened to the fact that the business world she was in was all about making money and keeping it all to yourself. Samantha so bravely decided to step away from this much-practiced business model and start her own company that was a lot more meaningful. In 2016, Samantha started Agathos Athleisure – my new favorite place to get the world’s cutest yoga pants.

Agathos is an ethical active wear company that carries brands who make their clothing consciously. The shop sells clothing from a variety of places around the world, including the good ol’ U.S. of A., and only sells brands that are eco-friendly, paying their employees fair wages, and/or are philanthropic. You haven’t even seen the clothes yet and you already want to buy them, don’t you?!

In this conversation Samantha and I talk all about what it was like to start her own business and be a female in a male-dominant world. Samantha has lots of encouraging words to share with those of us who have a like-minded, entrepreneurial spirit. I swear, I need to have a recording of Samantha pumping me up that I can play when I wake up to in the morning!

We also talk about all things ethical clothing production. We cover what exactly it means for clothing to be consciously and ethically sourced, earth friendly, fair trade, and all the good things. This is the perfect introductory conversation into topics that matter to our planet A LOT right now. Samantha does an excellent job putting these big terms into understandable comparisons and explaining what we should be looking for in the brands we purchase from. When we purchase things, we send a message about what we believe in and what we value. And I’m tellin’ ya, Samantha’s words will make you rethink a lot of those habitual purchases!

I love hearing Samantha’s heart for why she started her business, what she looks for in her brands, and all the ways she’s continuing to dream even after opening Agathos just a few short years ago! I know you’re going to be a huge fan of Samantha and, don’t worry, I already told her I want her to come back someday! I hope you feel enlightened on the topic of ethical clothing and ready to make some simple changes in your own life. Keep learning, you’ve got this.

LINKS:

Agathos Athleisure website: https://agathosathleisure.com/

Agathos Instagram handle: agathos.athleisure

Samantha’s Instagram handle: samanthadoingstuff

Brands Samantha mentioned: https://agathosathleisure.com/pages/our-brands

SoloSol Movement: https://solosolmovement.com/

Yoga Democracy: https://yogademocracy.com/

Brené Brown: https://brenebrown.com/

Sheryl Sandberg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sheryl

The Universe Has Your Back by Gabby Bernstein: https://gabbybernstein.com/bookbonus/

Super Soul Conversations Podcast with Oprah: http://www.oprah.com/podcastgift.html

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/oprahs-supersoul-conversations/id1264843400?mt=2

https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/own/oprahs-supersoul-conversations

Pistol Squat Explanation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZlLHZ4Venw&t=5s

Booty Bands: https://www.amazon.com/Booty-Band-Set-Exercise-Adjustable/dp/B072V4CKBG

Liquid IV: https://liquid-iv.com/

Listen up for my conversation with Ryan Neiswender, a Paralympic wheelchair basketball player, where we are talking all about disability! View the complete show notes below or view them on my website at https://theheartfelthippie.wordpress.com/

My friend, Ryan, is a professional wheelchair basketball player, a fitness and health enthusiast, and a side-hustlin’ motivational speaker. In this conversation he touches on all these passions while centering around the (often uncomfortable) topic of disability. Ryan shared with me what it was like for him growing up with a disability he was born with that has required him to wear leg braces his entire life. He talks about the ins and outs of this experience, and he even shares some of the stereotypes that he encounters that drive him crazy.

Ryan’s advice for those who may or may not be living with a disability is completely tangible. For those of us who have perhaps never been personally affected by a disability, whether in our own lives or the lives of those close to us, he shares some truly practical words of wisdom on how to handle something that can leave many people feeling awkward and like they’ve said the wrong thing. Ryan also speaks to those on the other side of this topic whose lives have been affected by a disability and offers up some empowering encouragement.

I loved getting to hear about the lens through which Ryan views his disability and how it has provided him awesome opportunities he may not have otherwise gotten. I also loved his perspective on how we as a collective society often view disability as a sad thing, and similarly find it “cute” and encouraging when individuals press past their differences to do things like play wheelchair basketball. I was feeling some personal conviction of my own stereotypes and beliefs while Ryan was speaking, but I needed it. I don’t believe in having these conversations because I think I’m an expert on the topics, but it’s because I know I need to learn more. I think it’s safe bet that there are plenty of others out there who need to learn more, too.

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did and walk away with a new outlook on something that can receive a negative stigma in many cultures. I hope you feel enlightened, and when you’re needing some extra encouragement for the day just head on over to Ryan’s Insta or website and you can get a taste of his motivational pump-ups.

LINKS:

Ryan’s website: https://www.ryanneiswender.com/

Ryan’s Instagram handle: ryan_neiswender

Noonday Collection: https://www.noondaycollection.com/

Going Scared Podcast by Jessica Honeggar: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-going-scared-podcast-with-jessica-honegger/id1333553774?mt=2

https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/dinner-conversations-with-mark-lowry-and-andrew-greer/the-going-scared-podcast-with-jessica-honegger

https://www.jessicahonegger.com/podcast/

Whisper by Mark Batterson: https://www.markbatterson.com/books/whisper/

Grit by Angela Duckworth: https://angeladuckworth.com/grit-book/

“Before the Person” sermon (Transformation Church): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7h5BHax06c

Hello Fresh: https://www.hellofresh.com/lp/getcooking2017-sem30/?amp=true&c=AMHSQQL9GGCCQYTSM7T7ADPM&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrLXXBRCXARIsAIttmRONS5HWslsmrEE4HBE5QSqdUYRT6ncZYRvsBdxY-MkzO9mKKnJNTMIaAgSvEALw_wcB

In this conversation, I interview my friend, Jess, who I call a “water engineer.” Jess studied environmental sustainability and has gone overseas multiple times to work with communities who are in need of clean water. Jess educates me on what it looks like for people around the world to not have access to clean water and why this is such an important topic to be aware of. We talk about the intersecting aspects of water, agriculture, health, education and ultimately poverty. Jess paints a picture of what it is like to live in a place where it is difficult to access water and what it means to only be able to use contaminated water, and some of the stories she shares are truly mind-blowing.

We also cover water conservation on a more local level and talk about why this is such a big need currently. Jess explains exactly what the “global water crisis” is in simple terms that everyone can understand and relates what’s going on in other countries to those of us in the U.S. She talks about the effects of water loss and the detrimental ways that we will be feeling these effects SOON – this is crazy, y’all. We go through some awesome hacks to save water (and money, heyo!) that everyone will love and want to start implementing ASAP.

My favorite part of this episode is all the resources that Jess shares to help us learn more about this topic as well as all the super practical tips that she has for living a more water-conscious life. Most of us know that there are problems with water in our world, but we don’t really understand what is taking place and how we play a role in both the problem and the solution. The way that Jess speaks about water is not just eye opening, but it gets me pumped up and ready to tackle these issues.

Basically, Jess is an awesome person with a lot of knowledge to share. Her sense of care for our planet is so evident, and her passion made this conversation super fun. I learned so much from talking with Jess and loved hearing about some of the things she fan-girling lately, especially her all-time favorite coffee roasters! In case you were frantically trying to scribble down notes, here are links to everything we referenced in our convo:

The Adventure Project: https://www.theadventureproject.org/

Charcoal Soap: https://www.theadventureproject.org/coal/

Calculate your water footprint: https://www.watercalculator.org

United Nations Sustainability Plan: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/

Water4 organization: https://www.water4.org/

Cape Town water crisis: https://inews.co.uk/news/world/cape-town-water-crisis-day-zero-why-is-water-running-out/

Climate change and water conservation: https://nca2014.globalchange.gov/highlights/report-findings/water-supply

Summary of report from Michigan State University: https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/5/9/15183330/america-water-crisis-affordability-millions

MSU Report: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0169488&type=printable

Hacks for saving water: https://wateruseitwisely.com/100-ways-to-conserve/

More hacks: https://www.epa.gov/watersense

Coffee that Jess is loving: https://www.consciouscup.com/

The Briefing podcast: https://albertmohler.com/the-briefing

Meet Mackenzie, host of the Enlighten Me Podcast! This podcast is dedicated to learning about topics that matter. I'm talking with guests about all kinds of important humanitarian and environmental concerns that are affecting us today. Unfortunately, a lot of the resources out there on similar topics are too hard to understand or just make you feel sad. I'm here to show you that learning can be fun and entertaining and still practical! Ready to change the world? Let's do this!