Episodes

  • Ripple Effects

    Ripple Effects
    Sep 19 2024
    More free time and less stress. Extra money in the bank. While minimalists often report such benefits of the lifestyle over and over, for many of us, it goes deeper. Indeed, a minimalist lifestyle may fundamentally change the way we interact with the world. As this podcast approaches its 500th episode I find myself curious about the ways in which adopting a minimalist or minimal-ish outlook has altered the ways in which we as community act and think. On today's show: A conversation with minimalist Elaina Jindra about just some of the ways her life is different these days. Here's a preview of the minimalism-inspired habit changes we are discussing today: [8:00] Watching less television and turning away from mass media [14:00] Buying in bulk, no more [19:00] Storing it at the store? Sure. Plus: Storing it at Goodwill! [22:00] Eating healthier and drinking less alcohol [25:00] Stepping into the role of 'creator' while losing the identity of 'consumer' Resources mentioned: Sign up for the Sustainable Minimalists newsletter (it's free!) here Hobby Hour (via Substack) 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.
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    34 mins
  • The Problem With Products Marketed To Kids

    The Problem With Products Marketed To Kids
    Sep 17 2024
    Just because a product is marketed to babies or kids doesn't mean it's safe, and new research published just last week has alarming things to say about the presence of phthalates in personal care products for children. While minimalists know that excess stuff harms our emotional well-being and mental loads, *sustainable* minimalists understand that products can harm our physical health. On today's show: Applying the tenets of sustainable minimalism to the hair and skin products our children use each day. Here's a preview: [7:00] If phthalates make plastics flexible and bendy, what on earth are they doing in personal care products? [10:00] Don't see the term 'phthalate' on a product's ingredients list? That doesn't mean it's phthalate-free! [13:00] Are phthalates the reason why our daughters are getting their periods younger and younger? [19:00] No 10-step skincare regimen to see here: Here's a 5-step cleanup regimen for your household [25:00] Musings on the tween and teen skincare beauty craze Resources mentioned: Impact of Skin Care Products on Phthalates and Phthalate Replacements in Children: the ECHO-FGS Ultra-Processed Foods And Cardiovascular Disease: Analysis Of Three Large US Prospective Cohorts And A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Prospective Cohort Studies Episode #425: The Obesogens Yuka App Products mentioned on today's show: Giovanni Eco Chic Golden Wheat Deep Cleanse Shampoo Attitude Baby Leaves Hair And Body Wash Attitude Super Leaves Conditioner Kinship SPF 32 Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide David's Toothpaste Giovanni L.A. Hold Hair Spritz 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.
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    32 mins
  • Streamlining Non-Negotiables

    Streamlining Non-Negotiables
    Sep 12 2024
    Meal planning and prepping, laundry, and taking out the trash: These non-negotiable household tasks are never truly "done". And because it's impossible to get ahead of these mundane chores, they are likely the reason you feel like you’re always busy but never accomplish anything. The bad news? Non-negotiables are a part of adulting. The good news? Streamlining such chores with a reduces the time and mental load associated with getting them done. On today's show: How to streamline meal planning *for the rest of your life* in under an hour. Here's a preview: [6:30] Breaking down exactly how much extra you're paying for meal kits [12:00] How to create a 28-day meal plan so you never have to meal plan again [16:00] Take it a step further with one-and-done and done grocery lists Resource mentioned: Episode #270: Desperation Dinners 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.
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    23 mins
  • Sleep Is Medicine

    Sleep Is Medicine
    Sep 5 2024
    American culture is heavily influenced by a “rise and grind” reverence for hustling, and many of us have adopted the belief that sleep is a waste of time. When we dismiss the importance of sleep, we have more time to work harder and longer. And when we have more money in our pockets, what we are really doing is keeping our capitalist engines turning. Contrary to what you've been told, sleep is not time wasted. On today's show: The Number One way to improve your health, wellness, and quality of life without spending any money at all (ahem ... prioritizing sleep). Here's a preview: [3:00] Rise and grind culture promotes sleep deprivation! [9:00] What happens when we sleep? Hop on a metaphorical submarine and explore the Sleep Sea [15:00] A laundry list of bad sleep's deleterious health and wellness effects [21:00] In your 40s or 50s? You especially need to prioritize sleep, and here's why [29:00] 6 research-backed ways to prioritize sleep every darn night Resources mentioned: Episode #472: Breath Awareness Episode #465: Optimizing Your Walks Outlive: The Science And Art Of Longevity (by Dr. Peter Attia) Why We Sleep: Unlocking The Power Of Sleep And Dreams (by Dr. Matthew Walker) The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index 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.
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    41 mins
  • Roots

    Roots
    Sep 3 2024
    We humans are evolutionarily primed to live in concert with the natural world, but these days Americans spend over 92% of time either indoors or inside a vehicle. The result? Stress, inflammation and — for some of us — a pervasive sense of malaise. American culture is designed to keep us indoors because capitalist engines make money when we are distracted, and yet cutting-edge science supports the reality that life on this planet is radically interconnected. On today's show author Lyanda Lynn Haupt introduces the concept of rooted living to benefit of both humans and nature. Here's a preview: [11:00] Nature provides connection, and yet 21st century life vilifies the outdoors [16:00] Exactly why our capitalist engines benefit when we live indoors lives [22:00] Musings on our collected extractive mindset, plus: how roots are the antidote [28:00] Lyanda's Number One tip for re-rooting yourself and your children (It's a good one!) Resources mentioned: Rooted: Life At The Crossroads Of Science, Nature, and Spirit Lyanda on Instagram Episode #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.
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    38 mins
  • What Advertisers Know

    What Advertisers Know
    Aug 29 2024
    A product needs to fit into someone’s life seamlessly in order for it to be bought, and it’s the job of the advertiser to show exactly how the item in question will fit into a life. On today's show: 5 crucial insights advertisers know about us (that we perhaps don't know about ourselves). Here's a preview: [1:00] Examining our clutter problem through metaphor (bathtub, baby!) [9:00] Selling isn't about emotion; it's about seduction [13:00] We humans are animals, and animals are evolutionarily primed to heed warnings [15:00] Curiosity versus urgency: Both emotional states convert! [21:00] How companies slowly but surely increase market share, plus: here's what happens when a product differentiates itself on eco-friendliness [26:00] Insider advertising works! Resources mentioned: The Hidden Clutter Creator Right Under Your Nose (via Your House Machine on Substack) 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.
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    33 mins
  • If Trees Could Talk

    If Trees Could Talk
    Aug 27 2024
    One football field's-worth of forest is lost every single second of every single day. Loss of forests means loss of species and loss of stored carbon; it also means an increased risk of pandemics. On today's show: Explaining the ways in which deforestation is linked to the pandemic prevalence, with tangible action steps for conscious consumers. Here's a preview: [5:00] It's not *just* about timber; it's about livestock, soy, and palm oil too [12:30] Exactly what happens when we raze forests and the generalists (ahem ... the rats, the mosquitos) march in [26:00] Breaking down the differences between the 3 Forest Stewardship Council certifications [29:00] Revisiting the palm oil problem [32:00] The industrialized food system is broken, and it pays to shorten your personal food chain Resources mentioned: Episode #447: No Topsoils, No Food Episode #187: Why Is Palm Oil Bad? 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.
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    42 mins
  • Extracurriculars Are Extra

    Extracurriculars Are Extra
    Aug 20 2024
    Parenthood is awash with immense pressure to do right by our kids. We are told that children need certain (expensive) experiences to 'get ahead', and many of us observe our parenting peers investing in countless extracurriculars. But children need downtime, and recent research suggests that children should experience twice as much unstructured time as structured enrichment. On today's show podcaster Kathryn Garland and I discuss how to find the structured, extracurricular sweet spot for your family. Here's a preview: [4:30] Scheduling rule #1: Family First (not Kid First!) [15:00] When dabblers don't fit into a world of specializers [22:00] Musings on extracurriculars, the 'rat race' and getting ahead [26:00] Start with the end in mind (and other tips for finding the extracurriculars sweet spot) [31:00] Words of encouragement for leaning into the quiet and into the slow Resources mentioned: Don't Sign Your Child Up For That (Extra)Curricular Episode #478: Charting A Rich Life Homespun: Create The Life You Crave Podcast Kathryn 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.
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    39 mins