The Wise Consumer

What if we could collect solar energy from outer space and beam it down to earth? I mean, if we could do this, this would mean we could have access to clean energy 24/7/365 a year regardless of weather, time of day, location, etc.  And while I know this may sound impossible, maybe even a bit sci-fi(ish), this is exactly the technology my guest today, spacecraft engineer Dr. Paul Jaffe, is working to develop at the US Naval Research Laboratory in Washington DC.  In fact, Dr. Jaffe, along with his team at NRL, has successfully built and tested a module that would make it possible to capture and transmit solar power. But how does this technology work? What are the challenges? And why aren’t more people talking about space-based solar power? 

This and more on today’s episode of The Wise Consumer.

In today’s episode we chat about:

• What led Dr. Jaffe to pursue a career in aerospace engineering (his interest for space technology and energy started at a very young age).
• The difference between geosynchronous and geostationary orbits.
• What power beaming is and how it works.
• The social and environmental benefits that capturing, converting, and transmitting solar energy from space could have on a global level.
• Why he believes it’s important to investigate diverse forms of alternative energy technologies (basically, we shouldn’t put all our eggs in one basket).
• Why he believes we should be hopeful about the future.
• And so much more.

Happy listening!

Connect with Dr. Paul Jaffe: LinkedIn Twitter For more info, check out -- Dr. Jaffe's TEDx Talk "Common Ground From Space"; Solar Power When It's Raining: NRL Builds Space Satellite Module to Try; Researchers transmit energy with laser in ‘historic’ power-beaming demonstration

US Naval Research Laboratory: Website Instagram

"My longterm vision for Eco-Stylist is really to put myself out of business. I really want to get to a point where every brand is sustainable and ethical, where we can trust all brands…I think it would be amazing if there wasn’t a need for this [an ethical and sustainable marketplace].” Garik Himebaugh

Meet Garik Himebaugh, the founder of Eco-Stylist, an online marketplace for ethically and sustainably made men’s clothing. His mission? To help men look dapper while simultaneously supporting sustainable and ethical brands. Or as he puts it, to encourage men to “dress like they give a damn!”  In this episode we chat about:

- How his relationship with his brother led him to pursue a degree in conflict resolution. - What inspired him to launch Eco-Stylist.  - His passion for entrepreneurship and fashion.  - How his chance encounter with Peter Sacco, the co-founder of Adelante Shoe Company inspired him to promote ethical and sustainable brands. - His biggest entrepreneurial challenge. - Challenges of conscious consumerism. - Why he decided to partner with Remake and the importance of brand transparency. - And so much more! This was a great conversation so without further ado, let’s get started.

Connect with Eco-Stylist: Instagram Facebook Pinterest

Meet Anne Whiting, the eco-conscious fashion designer and founder of Anne James New York, a sustainable fashion brand located in NYC that creates unique made-to-measure, custom-fit garments using primarily recycled and remnant fabrics.

In this episode we chat about:

- Anne's love for fashion and the journey that led her into the fashion industry. - What inspired her + why she decided to become a sustainable/ethical fashion designer. - The challenges and frustrations Anne has encountered over the years as an eco-conscious fashion designer. - Why she uses deadstock material.  - Why ethical/sustainable fashion brands tend to be more expensive than generic fast-fashion commercial brands. - The importance and challenges around conscious consumerism and sustainable living. - And so much more! 

Happy listening!

Connect with Anne James New York: - Website - Instagram - Twitter

“I feel this deep responsibility as someone who is feeding people to be feeding them real food and to be really transparent about what we’re feeding them... We want to prove that you don’t have to compromise your products and you don’t have to compromise the health of your consumers to be a successful business.” — Brooke Harris, Founder of Goodmylk Co.

In this episode Brooke and I chat about:

• The health and wellness journey (and struggles) that led her to launch Goodmylk Co.
• Growing up on a dairy farm in upstate New York.
• The importance of creating a product with pure, organic and real food ingredients and being completely transparent about the ingredients being used.
• The difference between raw and pasteurized almonds (and what pasteurized means).
• The confusion around food labels and the lack of transparency in the food industry.
• The controversy around the sustainability of almond milk and why she believes hemp milk will be the future of nut milk.
• Her entrepreneurial challenges and her “one” true talent in life.
• Sustainable packaging and so much more!

This was such a wonderful conversation. Happy listening!

Connect with Goodmylk Co.

Instagram Facebook Twitter

“Keep it real, Eat the peel.” — Matt Weiss, RIND Snacks Founder

Meet Matt Weiss, the founder, and creator of RIND Snacks, a line of dried fruit snacks that allow you to snack better and do better for the planet by eating the fruit, the whole fruit and nothing but the fruit. 

In this episode we chat about:

• How Matt’s great-grandmother, Helen, played a large role in the inspiration behind RIND.
• The health benefits of eating the peel of fruits and vegetables.
• Why and how including the peel is a great way to help reduce food waste.
• The challenges of solo entrepreneurship.
• The trials and tribulations of creating the perfect dehydrated fruit.
• The benefits of creating an all-natural product, with no added sugars or preservatives (which isn’t the case for most dried fruits on the market today).
• Advice for anyone thinking about starting their own project or venture.
• And so much more!

This was such a wonderful conversation. Happy listening!

Connect with RIND Snacks: Instagram Facebook Twitter

Meet Ronna Welsh, chef, author, and founder of Purple Kale Kitchenworks, a cooking school based in Brooklyn NY where she teaches practical cooking strategies to help individuals become more confident, efficient, and nimble cooks.

"After all, a "scrap" is just food you haven’t figured out how to use. When you save a scrap, you bank a possibility. The more you save, the more possibilities you accumulate." -- Ronna Welsh

“I think it's a mindset shift around a lot of things...Like, what does abundance actually mean? Does it mean we need a lot of things to be happy or does it mean that you’re abundantly happy even if you don’t have a lot of things?” Lacey Burbage, founder of Naturally Modern Life

Meet Lacey Burbage, the founder, and editor of Naturally Modern Life, a blog that shares DIY tips, recipes, zero-waste ideas, and focuses on living a more holistic, mindful and low-impact lifestyle. 

In this episode, we chat about: - What inspired Lacey to shift towards living a more sustainable lifestyle + the first zero-waste swaps she ever made. - Why it’s OK to embrace the fact that you’re not going to be a perfect parent (especially when it comes to low-waste living) - Lacey's biggest challenges when it comes to sustainable living  - Simple eco-friendly tips and tricks we can all implement - The myths around composting - Why DIYing doesn't work for everyone - Mindfulness + the importance of becoming a more conscious and intentional consumer - And so much more! 

Happy listening!

"Fatou: Crazy ideas are the best ideas! The Wax project was one crazy idea, we had no idea where it would take us. You just need to believe in your ideas, you might be surprised where it takes you. 

Mai: Yeah, don't underestimate the power of not knowing where you're going! The beauty of our story is that we didn't know where we were going (or what we were doing) but we had an idea and this idea gave us so much more." -- Mai & Fatou, Co-Founders of The Wax Project 

Meet Maimouna & Fatou Ndiaye, the co-founders of The Wax Project, a fashion line handmade in Senegal that uses African prints, “wax” as material. Not only do Mai and Fatou collaborate and support local Senegalese tailors but for every product sold they donate a % to associations and schools in Senegal. 

In this episode we chat about: - What it was like growing up as a Senagalese in Bangladesh. - What inspired them to launch The Wax Project. - The importance of education (this is something they truly value).- The challenges they've faced and overcome throughout their entrepreneurial journey.
- How they overcame the naysayers - Why it was so important for them to support local Senegalese tailors and to give back to their community. - The importance of following your dreams and taking a leap of faith to pursue your "crazy" ideas (you'll never know where it will lead you and what impact it might make in someone else's life!)

This was such a great conversation! I think you'll really enjoy this episode! Happy listening. 

Connect with The Wax Project: @Instagram @Facebook 

"It’s difficult because this is human-caused damage. These animals aren’t dying of starvation or natural disease, plastic entanglement is all human inflicted harm.  And the seals aren’t going to help themselves so, it’s up to us to help them…. I just feel it's our responsibility to try to do something about it.” — Naude Dreyer

Today, it is estimated that between 640,000 and 800,000 tons of fishing nets are dumped or lost at sea every year. These discarded nets, also known as “ghost nets” drift through the ocean entangling whales, seals, and turtles. In fact, according to the Center for Biological Diversity, an estimated 100,000 marine animals are “strangled, suffocated, or injured by plastics every year.”  Obviously, Naude and his team are not going to single-handedly solve this global issue, but they are making a difference in the lives of marine wildlife in their corner of the world. Over the course of the past few years, Naude and his team have personally rescued more than 600 sea lions from plastic entanglement, 300 of which were in the past two years alone. 

In this episode we chat about:

• What it’s like living in Namibia (Fun Fact: Naude was born in the Etosha National Park).
• How Naude first got involved in rescuing sea lions + why it matters.
• The challenges he faces when catching and disentangling sea lions from marine debris.
• The impact our international maritime industry (i.e. human impact) is having on marine wildlife.
• Why it’s so important to educate the next generation about how best to prevent plastic pollution.
• The importance of slowing down and not stressing about the things in life we can’t control.
• How his daughter's battle with cancer helped his family realize what is truly important and meaningful in life.
• His entrepreneurial challenges.
• And so much more!

This was such a wonderful and insightful conversation! Happy listening.

Connect with Naude InstagramFacebook Pelican Point Kayaking Website

Note: If you’re feeling at all inspired by the end of this episode and you would like to financially support the work Naude and his team are doing, feel free to check out their GoGetFunding page.

“We should try to live better (more consciously) where we can. But, if we want to truly achieve sustainability together, we need to be looking at the context and addressing the globalized system that we’ve set up.” Kamea Chayne

Meet Kamea Chayne, the host and founder of the Green Dreamer podcast, author of the book Thrive, and curator of Conscious Fashion Co., a directory featuring brands using fashion for social and ecological good. Her goal over the past few years, as she puts it, “has been to inquisitively explore our paths towards ecological regeneration, intersectional sustainability, and true abundance and wellness for all."

Kamea was actually one of the first individuals I started following on social media when I first started my journey with The Wise Consumer. Her work, insight, and approach towards living a more intentional and environmentally friendly lifestyle has always been of inspiration and of value to me. But I was curious, how does an American who grew up in Taiwan, moved to St. Louis, Missouri to study psychology end up becoming an eco-podcaster/eco-creative?  So, I reached out to Kamea and invited her onto the podcast to share her story with all of us. 

In this episode we chat about: 

• Her experience growing up as a third culture kid in Tapei, Taiwan.
• How her exposure to different cultures from an early age influenced her worldview.
• How her passion for fashion and environmental conservation came together during her freshman year of college (she read a book called the “Ecologist Guide to Fashion” which greatly inspired the trajectory of both her personal and professional journey).
• The challenges around defining the term “sustainable” + why providing context when we talk about “sustainable living” is so important.
• Why the Standard American Diet (SAD) is unsustainable + how personal wellness and environmental conservation actually go hand in hand.  
• Her biggest entrepreneurial challenge to date.
• What inspires her to keep on going even when things get tough. 
• And so much more! 

Happy listening! 

Connect with Kamea:- Instagram: @Kameachayne // @greendreamerpodcast // @consciousfashion - Twitter: @KameaChayne