When it comes to environmental concerns, there's certainly plenty to worry about at the moment. Whether you and your family is eating microplastics on the regular may not be your list of top concerns. But it’s an important topic to cover. While the health effects of microplastics on humans are not fully understood, common sense measures that reduce our exposures to both the plastic itself and also the endocrine-disrupting chemicals that are on and in such particles are certainly prudent. On today's show: How to eat, drink, and inhale fewer microplastics as you go about your days.   Here's a preview: [6:00] Synthesizing the latest research into the effects of microplastics on human health [11:00] Stop eating microplastics! 3 practical action steps in the kitchen [27:00] Inhalation and absorption matters: Why vacuuming and dusting helps [35:00] 3 (super easy) ways to reduce your plastics exposure when you're out and about   Resources mentioned: Episode #393: Single-Use Poison Episode #466: Toxic Fashion E-Cloth Numi Tea   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

In 1901, American families spent 20% of their income on non-necessities.  But 123 years later? These days that figure has risen to 50%. Many of us spend hard-earned money in hopes of acquiring things that money can't buy, and the result? Nearly 3 and 4 of Americans identify finances as a top stressor in their lives. Marketers have created consumer desire, sure, but it's entirely possible to spend in alignment with your values. In a world of disposable incomes, global warming, and far too much cortisol, we need values-based spending now more than ever, because spending on your core values benefits your wallet, your sanity, and the planet all at once. On today's show author Jill Sirianni encourages us to drill down our core values so we spend less, save more, and recenter our lives around what's actually important.   Here's a preview: [8:30] The Number One reason not to buy to solve your problems (It rarely works!) [15:00] Faith, Family, Friends, and Fulfilling work: Identifying core values and the Four Fs [18:00] It's not deprivation, but it could be sacrifice ... How does self-care fit into the values-based spending conversation? [26:00] Nailing down your values and curb impulse spending for good   Resources mentioned: Buy What You Love Without Going Broke Frugal Friends Podcast Thanks to E-Cloth for being the feature sponsor of this episode! Use my code "Minimalists15" for 15% off sitewide at: https://us.e-cloth.com/   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Once upon a time (oh, about 175 years ago) we were epic creators. Human hands made things, grew things, built things, and even invented things on the regular. But these days? By and large, we identify as consumers, and our hands are mostly used for typing and swiping. And yet, when we consume too much, many of us experience stress, anxiety, and depression. We know it because we're living it: Our possessions can possess us.  If we create more, we may very likely consume less. On today's show: Moving the needle of contentment away from over-consumption back to self-sufficiency by highlighting what research has to say about the wellness benefits associated with using our hands to create.  Here's a preview: [4:30] Exactly when and how did we lost our collective abilities to create (Here's lookin' at you, mail-order catalog) [9:30] Our hands are marvels. Marvels, I say! [15:00] Crafting is good for you, so pick up those knitting needles, woodworking tools, or art supplies [20:00] In defense of active leisure (and I do mean active!) [24:00] Puzzles, board games, and the wellness benefits associated with "supercharged socializing"   Resources mentioned: Book Club is August 5! 2 meetings this time around at 12pm EST and at 7pm EST. Join us! Working With Your Hands Is Good for Your Brain (via The New York Times) Handmade (by Gary Rogowski)   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Tomatoes, green beans, peaches, and so much more: Our great-grandmas knew a thing or two about food preservation, and yet these days few of us can. It's a time- and labor-intensive practice, sure. But it's also a self-sufficient life skill.  Whether you grow some or all of your own food or seek out bargains at the store and farmers' market, canning the season's bounty means you'll be eating well all year round. You'll also be participating in a nearly waste-free practice (no plastic to see here!).  Back to our great-grandmas for a hot minute: They infused love in every jar, and so can you. On today's show author Sarah Thrush invites us to go back to food preservation basics with advice on how to integrate canning into a self-sufficient, money-saving, and sustainable lifestyle.   Here's a preview: [10:00] Say it loud, say it proud: There's no self-sufficiency without community! [15:00] The #1 Rule of canning, plus: why it's super important to start small [19:0o] The One Week, One Month, One Year principle: Here's exactly how Sarah keeps enough food on hand to feed her family for an entire year [25:00] Troubleshooting the most common canning conundrums [33:00] Take it outside and make it a party! The benefits to canning outside with your family Thanks to E-Cloth for being the feature sponsor of this episode! Use code "Minimalists15" for 15% off sitewide: https://us.e-cloth.com/ Resources mentioned: Preserving With A Purpose: Next Generations Canning Recipes and Wisdom Sarah on TikTok @peeliesandpetals Superb canning lids This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting!  Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Does it sometimes feel as though the passive act of being alive is too expensive and too difficult? You're not alone: Many scholars argue that late stage capitalism is what happens when everything (literally everything!) is commodified. Existing feels unnecessarily hard, too. There IS good news: Surviving (and perhaps even thriving!) in a late stage capitalist society is possible. On today's show Laura Oldanie shows us exactly how to sur-thrive, with 6 actionable steps.   Here's a preview of the strategies we're discussing today: [15:00] Pay attention to when and how you're influenced [17:00] Think of yourself less as a consumer and more as producer [21:00] Use your attention capital wisely [27:00] Embrace different forms of currency (free time, perhaps?) [35:00] Reduce unnecessary consumption and get off that capitalist hamster wheel, for good   Resources mentioned: Join us for Book Club! We are super fun, I promise! Digital Minimalism (by Cal Newport) https://timebanks.org Episode #211 Redefining Wealth (with Shannon Hayes) Capitalism Survival Guide E-Book   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! **If you're a financial supporter over on Apple Podcasts and want to join Book Club, please email me and let me know! For privacy reasons, Apple won't share your contact info with me. Just email me and I'll happily add you!** Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Despite our massive financial and material gains, happiness in the US has been in a consistent state of decline since at least the 1940s. The research is clear: Materialism is toxic to human happiness. On today's show author Jeff Golden suggests practical ways to nourish in our lives the things that can help us live well (while simultaneously avoiding the hooks of money and stuff).   Here's a preview: [5:30] We live amidst unimaginable wealth, yet we are unhappier than ever before. Here's why [10:00] Materialism is toxic to happiness, and not for the reasons you think [16:00] Exactly why you should choose your neighborhood wisely [22:00] Want to be happier? Don't put your effort into amassing stuff; put it here instead [30:00] Are we overly concerned about owning stuff so that we don't have to face our internal lacks?   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

For so many of us, day in and day out home maintenance feels like a gigantic weight on our shoulders. And because conventional gender roles pervade, matters of the home often continue to be one (wo)man's burden. Decluttering, tidying, organizing, and cleaning, oh my! On today's show: A conversation with professional organizer Sona Avetisyan about getting our partners and our children to pitch in.   Here's a preview: [5:00] What is it about clutter that's so triggering for women? [10:00] Status quo fallback prevention 101 [13:00] Sick of nagging? Here's what works when I need my kids to help the heck out [18:00] Let's talk partners! Musings on what to do when your partner can't/won't pitch in [28:00] In defense of bringing playfulness back into our closest relationships (It's not that deep!)   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

When we buy something, it's not necessarily about the *thing*. Oftentimes we are buying into a story about ourselves; namely, what we simply must fix as we seek to get one step closer to our aspirational, in-a-perfect-world self. Important truth time: You are not a perpetual self-improvement project, and no product can fix what was never broken in the first place. On today's show: A conversation with author Cait Flanders about why she broke up with self-help content and flaws-first marketing messages (and why, too, she never looked back).   Here's a preview: [5:00] Buying stuff to escape your feelings? (Me too.) [10:00] The "there's something wrong with you" messaging starts in childhood, my friends [13:00] Where's the line between prioritizing self-growth versus living in that perpetually sad place of 'less than'? [20:00] Here's how your life may change if you stopped spending $$ on products to fix what you've been told is broken [26:00] Musings on letting go of our aspirational selves once and for all   Resources mentioned: The Year Of Less The Mindful Consumer on Substack Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide To Reclaiming Yourself (by Nedra Glover Tawwab)   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Americans spend about 21 hours per day inside. On the whole, we are also more depressed and anxious than ever before. Many of us have been trained to seek out commodified services to unwind (I'm looking at you, #selfcare!). But what if a potential solution cost zero dollars and offered zero risk? On today's show: An invitation to welcome nature back into your life, with 5.5 novel suggestions that are backed by science.   Here's a preview: [9:00] Walk barefoot! (Around your yard, at least) [14:00] Don't knock it 'til you've tried it, camping edition [20:00] We don't have to optimize every second. Here's how to wander like a boss in a wild space [26:00] Get your hands dirty [34:00] 2 hours per week outdoors offers a laundry list of benefits, so move your favorite activities outside Resources mentioned: Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit (by Lyanda Lynn Haupt) Why Gardening Is So Good for You (via The New York Times) Episode #465: Optimizing Your Walks (with Annabel Abbs) Cornell Lab bird app   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Hyper-capitalism — also called late-stage capitalism — is what happens when material resources, lifestyle activities, and everything in between becomes both commodified and consumable. In hyper-capitalistic economies, products get invented that no one needs or wants. Celebrities are revered like gods. Inequity is everywhere, and citizens internalize the idea that their worth is measured by some mysterious combination of career success and amassed material goods. Many argue that the United States has entered its hyper-capitalist era, as Americans report that the relentless demands of trying to keep up results in working longer hours, increasing loneliness, and lowered life satisfaction. On today's show: A conversation with New York Times bestselling author Kirsten Powers about the ways in which Americans are experiencing the effects of hyper-capitalism in real time.   Here's a preview: [5:00] A laundry list of hyper-capitalism's consequences in 2024 [11:00] Europe doesn't consume way America does. They're not as lonely, either [15:00] Taking a good, hard look at our disordered American beliefs [19:00] Implications associated with celebrity worship [26:00] Pay for what you get? Not in this case! Debunking the privatized healthcare myth [33:00] Musings on nationwide learned helplessness   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

There's plenty of distressing research into what smartphones are doing to adults' attention spans, focus, and memory. And on child/teen development? Emerging research is even more alarming.  We are change makers, and change making means making difficult decisions, having difficult conversations, and going against the grain. On today's show: Why we need to (yet again!) rethink our approach to technology and delay the age at which we give our children access to smartphones.   Here's a preview: [8:30] 57% of Americans report being "addicted" to their smartphones. Are you one of them?  [11:30] Smartphone addiction isn't your fault! Here's exactly how social media keeps your attention so they make more $$ [17:30] How to declutter your cell phone like a boss [26:00] What recent research says with regard to the impacts of smartphones on children's/teens' wellness [37:00] 5 reasons parents say they're pulled to give their child a smartphone, plus alternative solutions! [43:00] Individual actions impact the collective. How to make delaying the smartphone a staple in your community   Resources mentioned: The Smart Phone Compulsion Test Wait Until 8th How To Break Up With Your Phone (by Catherine Price) The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness (by Jonathan Haidt) Investigation: How TikTok's Algorithm Figures Out Your Deepest Desires (via The Wall Street Journal) Have Smart Phones Destroyed A Generation? (via The Atlantic)   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Want to feel calmer and happier? You don't have to shell out hundreds of dollars for the newest wellness product or service. In fact, the solution doesn't cost a cent: simply get in touch with your breathing. Breath is an amazing and responsive teacher. That's because if we breathe as we live — take in and let go — we can't go wrong. On today's show: An invitation to meet yourself with author Jean Hall.   Here's a preview: [5:00] The breath underpins everything we do in life, and yet we rarely bring awareness to it. Why not? [10:00] 5 wellness benefits re: paying attention to your breathing patterns [25:00] Exploring the pause changes everything [29:00] Flowing with the breath is great practice for learning how to flow with life   Resources mentioned: Breathe: Simple Breathing Techniques For A Calmer, Happier Life Jean on Instagram   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

From phone calls to blind dates to punctuation to civil discourse, the internet has changed every aspect of human life. While some losses are insignificant, the rise of the internet has also resulted in larger repercussions, like shorter attention spans, a collective inability to sit in solitude, and the the utter demolition of personal privacy. On today's show: A conversation with author and New York Times columnist Pamela Paul about the ways in which the internet has fundamentally changed human existence.   Here's a preview: [8:00] Do humans need to experience boredom once in awhile? (Absolutely yes, and here's why) [14:00] Not-so-thanks to the internet, the past no longer stays in the past [20:00] The hive mind and queen bees: Does the internet hamper independent thought? [27:00] Parenting implications associated with the loss of the kitchen landline [35:00] Ruminating on the disappearance of the phone call   Resource mentioned: 100 Things We've Lost to the Internet   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

I received an email last month from two Dutchmen who have been sailing around the world for 8 years in search of climate solutions. They asked to visit my home and chat. I obliged, and I'm so happy I did. On today's show: an in-person interview with Floris van Hees and Ivar Smits — also affectionately known as Sailors For Sustainability — about the wisdom they've gained from their adventure. Here's a preview of 4 pieces of wisdom we are discussing today:  [7:00] Leaving the "golden cage" is big risk, sure. But there's also big reward [16:00] America isn't normal! [22:00] Bad news sells, but there's plenty of good going on in the world because humans are incredibly adaptable [43:00] When the smoke in the global theater thickens, the exit signs will shine brighter   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Before aluminum coated in Teflon, there was cast iron. Our great-grandparents revered cast iron in the kitchen because it lasts *forever*. And with proper care? It's naturally non-stick, no PFAS necessary. These days cast iron is experiencing a renaissance of sorts, and for many good reasons. On today's show cast iron historian Kyle Seip answers our burning questions about how to cook on and care for our beloved cast iron cookware (it's way easier than you think!).   Here's a preview: [6:00] Before aluminum, it was iron: A brief cast iron history [11:00] What a price tag says about new and vintage cast iron pieces [13:00] Getting to the bottom of the confusing health claims [18:00] How do you clean cast iron? Is soap OK? [22:00] When to use enamel-coated cast iron (hey there, Le Creuset!) versus when reach for traditional [25:00] Everything you need to know about seasoning your cast iron (spoiler alert: you don't need to do much!) [27:00] Troubleshooting a rusty skillet   Resources mentioned: Smithey Cast Iron Kyle On Instagram @castiron_kyle   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Is the glass half empty, or is it half full? According to Tony Robbins, trading your expectations for appreciation instantly changes everything. Psychological research agrees: Gratitude has the power to improve every single aspect of your life. On today's show: how to truly feel gratitude for your stuff and people.  Here's a preview: [3:00] Want to be 18% happier? It's as easy as putting on a new pair of glasses, metaphorically speaking [10:00] HABITUATION! Our brains are primed to forget why certain stuff and people are important  [19:00] Say it with me: Stuff doesn't create gratitude! 3 tips for feeling grateful for what you already own [28:00] We expect way too much from our partners. Let's fix that together [35:00] Feeling less than grateful for the people in your life? That's normal (there's also a simple antidote)   Resources mentioned: Episode #460: Pleasure-Saturated The Gratitude Diaries: How A Year Looking On The Bright Side Can Transform Your Life (by Janice Kaplan)   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Packaged foods (obviously) have ingredients lists. Our favorite beauty products have ingredients lists. And those cleaning products under the kitchen sink? Yup, they've got ingredients lists, too. Ever wonder why our clothes don't have ingredients lists? While we'd *like* to think our favorite garments are made of woven fibers and nothing more, the sad truth is there are countless unregulated chemicals in our closet go-tos (and these chemicals are likely harming our health). On today's show investigative journalist Alden Wicker explains why synthetic fashion and dyes made from fossil fuels are so deeply intertwined with the rise of autoimmune disease, infertility, asthma, eczema, and more; she also suggests concrete action steps for curating a clean(er) closet.   Here's a preview: [7:00] Uncovering the chemicals in our clothes and what they're doing to our health [10:30] Taking a special look at the especially problematic petrochemical-based azo dyes (often used on petrochemical-based fibers) [17:00] If all this stuff is in our clothing, why don't garments have ingredients lists? [22:00] Carter's, Victoria's Secret, and victim body blaming [31:00] Why 'organic' doesn't mean much when it comes to clothing [36:00] For subscribers! Action steps for curating a clean(er) closet   Resources mentioned: To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion Is Making Us Sick — And How We Can Fight Back Plastic-Free Activewear? Here are 15 Brands That Use Natural Instead of Synthetic Fibers (via Eco Cult) The Best Non-Toxic Fashion Brands For Chemically Sensitive People (via Eco Cult) Future Card   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Modern life panders to our innate desire to be sedentary, and never has it been more difficult to resist the alluring convenience of screens. Yet walking matters. On today's show author Annabel Abbs-Streets suggests tangible ways to attain the full range of benefits that walking has to offer — physical, emotional, and spiritual — that's backed by latest research.   Here's a preview: [7:00] A laundry list of all the physiological benefits of walking and hiking for movement (get ready to be blown away) [11:00] Why it's important to walk with our eyes, plus: the mental health benefits associated with panoramic vision [16:00] Want more calm in your life? Research finds that these very specific nature sounds matter [21:00] Terpenes, baby! Large trees offer us these psychological and physiological benefits [25:00] Don't shy away from that mud puddle. Soil microbes matter! [30:00] How to best optimize your daily walk for health and wellness benefits   Want more episodes like this one? Check out #384: Forest Bathing 101   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

The environmental news headlines you need to know for Friday, May 10 2024: [00:30] Fish are shrinking around the world and no one knows why [4:00] Have a gas stove? Here's another thing to worry about  [7:00] Exactly how green initiatives push some voters to the far right  [11:30]  A Sriracha shortage has climate change to blame [15:00] Climate change raises the risks of another pandemic, and here's why   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

While fresh fruits and vegetables are irreplaceable parts of a healthy diet, pesticides aren't benign. Sadly, many of our favorite produce items carry unhealthy levels of pesticides, and each one comes with its own unique risk profile. On today's show: A comprehensive review of the most recent research into pesticides in produce. Here's a preview: [5:00] Not all pesticides are the same, and different pesticides have different risk profiles [10:00] DDT, bald eagles, Silent Spring, and America's history with pesticides [19:00] Stephanie's thoughts on the EWG's Clean 15 and the Dirty Dozen [25:00] Are the EPA's maximum residue limits too high? [30:00] ** You need to know about these countries with organic reciprocity! [34:00] Does peeling help? How should we best wash conventional produce? [38:00] For subscribers! 6 concrete action steps for informed consumers   Resources mentioned: EWG's Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen Produce Without Pesticides (via Consumer Reports)   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube. Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. Our Sponsors: * Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/ Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content