Sustainable Minimalists
Creating eco-minimalist, non-toxic homes (without the extra work). Although minimalism has experienced a rebirth in recent years, the "less is more" movement has been around for centuries. Yet today's minimalist influencers have resurrected minimalism with a decidedly consumerist spin, as modern minimalism is nearly synonymous with decluttering. While there's a lot of chatter about tidying, it's radio silence and crickets when it comes to sustainability. The result? Aspiring minimalists find themselves on an endless hamster wheel of buying, decluttering, buying more, and purging again. Overemphasizing decluttering and underemphasizing the reasons why we overbuy in the first place is thoroughly inconsistent with slow living as a movement; consumption without intention is terrible for the planet, too. Your host, Stephanie Seferian, is a stay-at-home/podcast-from-home mom and author who believes that minimalism, eco-friendliness, and non-toxic living are intrinsically intertwined. She's here to explore the topics of conscious consumerism, sustainability, and environmentally-friendly parenting practices with like-minded women; she's here, too, to show you how to curate eco-friendly, decluttered homes (without the extra work).
426
How to Discuss the Effects of Climate Change
Discussing the Effects of Climate Change (Without Discussing Politics) Unfortunately, climate change and its effects are polarized topics in today’s hyper-political environment. And although climate change is considered by many to be a partisan issue...
25 min
427
Biodiversity is Declining. Here’s Why that’s Im...
Why biodiversity is important Biodiversity is the result of billions of years of evolution into an intricate balancing act that can best be described as the web of life. When one species is lost, such loss threatens survival of countless others.
38 min
428
Challenge Alert! Become a Minimalist this Septe...
How to Become a Minimalist this School Year I’ve always harbored mixed feelings about September. On one hand, it’s the end of summer (boo). But on the other, September ushers in both a literal and a figurative change in the air.
39 min
429
Ethical Alternatives to Amazon (and How to Supp...
Ethical Alternatives to Amazon Shoppers adore Amazon, and it’s all thanks to convenience and price: The site’s Subscribe & Save feature lowers already quite low prices. And ultra-speedy shipping and responsive customer service?
27 min
430
Self Sufficiency Spotlight: Microgreens
Self Sufficiency Spotlight: Microgreens [A Note from Stephanie: This episode is the first in a series that highlights attainable steps toward self-sufficiency. Once per month through December, the series offers a short and sweet interview to introduc...
23 min
431
10 Eco-Friendly Yard Care Rules
Americans are obsessed with lawns. In a perfect world, your grass is vibrant green. There’s nary a weed, and there are certainly no dandelions. It’s lush and neatly edged; yard care consists of trimming to exactly an inch and a half tall.
27 min
432
5 Facts About the Global Water Crisis
5 Facts About the Global Water Crisis Ever wonder how many gallons it takes to flush your toilet? (Answer: 3.5.) Did you know that 55 gallons of water are required to grow the beans for a single cup of coffee?
26 min
433
How to Declutter Your Home without Trashing the...
How to Declutter Your Home without Trashing the Planet Many minimalist influencers trademark decluttering plans to show you how, exactly, to declutter your home. The most well-known? Marie Kondo’s Konmari method, of course.
22 min
434
5 New Ways to Reduce Your Plastic Waste
5 New Ways to Reduce Your Plastic Waste Plastic waste is everywhere, am I right? (Hey there, plastic-wrapped cucumber!). If you’ve ever looked around and wondered why on Earth everything is wrapped in plastic—and if you’ve wondered whether such overr...
20 min
435
Raising Good Humans with Minimalist Parenting G...
Minimalist Parenting Guidance for Raising Good Humans Parenting is hard; parenting during a pandemic is even harder. Still, guidance experts argue that raising children with both sanity and joy is possible.
33 min
436
How to Buy Nothing By Embracing the Gift Economy
How to Buy Nothing By Joining a Gift Economy Have you ever heard the popular saying, “Nothing in life is free”? Thanks to Buy Nothing groups, this platitude isn’t *exactly* true. Gifting has been around for almost as long as humans,
27 min
437
Advanced Simple Living Tips for Seasoned Minima...
Advanced Simple Living Tips for Seasoned Minimalists Simple living is a lifestyle that refuses to accept busy and harried as normal. Instead, intentionality is about removing unnecessary conflicts, excessive to-do items,
25 min
438
5 Carbon Footprint Facts You Likely Didn’t Know
5 Facts Carbon Footprint Facts You Likely Didn’t Know Carbon footprints are confusing. What’s a carbon footprint, exactly, and how is yours related to climate change? Carbon footprints are a handy-dandy metric that makes clear how severely your lif...
20 min
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Eco-Conscious Gifts for New Parents (That Are A...
Eco-Conscious Gifts for New Parents (That Are Actually Helpful) Are you always on the hunt for gifts for new parents, but often feel as though you’re coming up short? OR do you plan to become a new parent someday but find it difficult – if not down...
41 min
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Housework Woes: How to Simplify (& Green-ify!) ...
How to Simplify (and Green-ify!) Housework Laundry, dishes, and general home cleaning: Mundane housework got you down? Sustainable minimalism is about doing less and living more. The good news? It’s entirely possible to apply the tenets of sustainabl...
32 min
441
How to Save Money Like A Minimalist
How to Save Money Like a Minimalist The minimalist lifestyle often centers itself around possessions. Yet how we spend our money – what we choose to buy and how long we must work to make purchases – matters,
27 min
442
5 Ways to Stand Up to Environmental Racism
Environmental racism occurs every day and all over the globe. Worse, it rarely receives the media attention it deserves. In the United States, African Americans are more likely to live near toxic waste facilities and breathe polluted air.
21 min
443
3 Steps to Becoming an Anti-Consumer
COVID-19 has forced many of us to look critically at consumerist culture for perhaps the first time. If you don’t like what you see, you aren’t alone. Although anti-consumerism is countercultural, it isn’t uncommon.
34 min
444
How Sustainable Minimalists Do Summer
Summer is all about living the simple life, with extended bedtimes, spur-of-the-moment jaunts, and a general commitment to squeezing out every last frills-free moment in the sunshine. But thanks to unnecessary purchases,
25 min
445
How to Embrace Secondhand With The Best Online ...
The best online thrifting stores Prefer vintage? Love designer? If you have a distinct style – or if you simply prefer new clothes! – you may assume that thrifting couldn’t possibly be for you. But thanks to 5 of the best online thrifting stores,
26 min
446
5 Ways to be Frugal Without Being Cheap
5 Unique Ways to be Frugal Without Being Cheap Pennypincher. Tightwad. Cheapskate. Under normal circumstances, public opinion tends to shun frugality. But frugality has been reborn, so to speak, thanks to the novel Coronavirus pandemic.
28 min
447
Homeschool & Work From Home Konmari Tips
Work From Home Tips (Konmari Homeschool Ideas, too!) Quarantined in a small space with a big family? Establishing spaces within our homes that work for everyone, including the work from home professionals, the homeschooled kids,
33 min
448
Fair Trade, Certified B and More: The 3rd Party...
Fair Trade, Certified B and More Ever wonder what the Fair Trade label on products *really* means? How about that elusive Certified B Corp distinction? “All-natural”, “fat-free”, and “non-toxic” are blanket marketing statements that have no real mean...
37 min
449
Your Sustainability Questions, Answered
Your Sustainability Questions, Answered Many listeners write to me with compliments and criticisms; occasionally, listeners reach out with questions, too. I collected some of the most pressing queries from both personal messages and public ones in the ...
26 min
450
9 Zero Waste Lifestyle Tips During Quarantine
Los Angeles boasts clear, smog-free skies. Passerby on New York City’s busiest avenues enjoy the sounds of chirping birds. And in Venice? Fish are visible in the city’s once-murky canals. In some ways, the COVID-19 pandemic has done wonders for the h...
18 min