Many of us signed up for entertainment (streaming television! date night in a
box!) and regular home delivery of essentials (toothbrushes! groceries! toilet
paper!) at the start of the pandemic. If you’re like me, these days you may find
yourself signed up for 10 or more subscription services.
Subscriptions can be time-saving and convenient, and specialty ones make great
gifts. But if you aren’t receiving the value you expect from the subscription in
question, it’s simply a colossal waste of money and resources. There are other
drawbacks to the recurring payment model as well, and on today’s short and sweet
episode I’m uncovering them.
 
Here’s a preview:
[7:30] 5 disadvantages to subscription services that you may not have considered
[8:45] What do recurring charges mean for our data and privacy?
[12:30] Subscription services and the concept of sunk cost
[18:00] One incremental action step for listeners to save money
 
Further reading:
 * The Rise Of The Subscription Model
   [https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2019/08/12/whats-behind-the-rise-of-the-subscription-model/?sh=7ea5f18135c3]
   (via Forbes)

 
 
* Thank you to SigmaTeaches [https://www.sigmateaches.com/] for sponsoring this
episode! Use code SUSTAINABLE at checkout for up to $200 off your first
package. 

* Join our (free!) community here
[https://www.facebook.com/groups/134165317219800/].
* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook,
[https://www.facebook.com/SustainableMinimalists/] Instagram
[https://www.instagram.com/sustainableminimalists/] + Youtube
[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmEjOfANT67KkwTTp3pgSOg].
* Email me and say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com
 
The post Subscription Services [https://mamaminimalist.com/268/] appeared first
on Sustainable Minimalists [https://mamaminimalist.com].

Subscription Services

Home decor is a lot like fashion: the second we invest in a new piece of
furniture or a new decor item, the catalogs and showrooms push a new trend. The
items we just bought, then? They suddenly become out of style.
Today I speak with interior designer Jessica Velazquez
[https://www.interiorsbyjessica.ca/] about how exactly to curate rooms that are
timeless. Jessica believes that style must always support lifestyle: when we
play it right, we can design spaces that won’t expire when stores usher in a new
trend.
 
Here’s a preview:
[5:00] Does evergreen and minimalist mean boring? Debunking common home decor
myths
[12:00] The Number One way to avoid making costly design mistakes
[18:00] The hierarchy of accent pieces: tips for refreshing a space by zeroing
in on accessories
[23:00] What color should we paint our walls?
[27:00] An eco-tip and a correction
 
Resources mentioned:
 * Jessica on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/interiors_by_jessica/]
 * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #217: Organized Entryway Ideas
   [https://mamaminimalist.com/217/]

 
* Thank you to SigmaTeaches [https://www.sigmateaches.com] for sponsoring this
episode! Use code SUSTAINABLE at checkout for up to $200 off your first
package. 

* Join our (free!) community here
[https://www.facebook.com/groups/134165317219800/].
* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook,
[https://www.facebook.com/SustainableMinimalists/] Instagram
[https://www.instagram.com/sustainableminimalists/] + Youtube
[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmEjOfANT67KkwTTp3pgSOg].
 
The post Evergreen Rooms [https://mamaminimalist.com/267/] appeared first on
Sustainable Minimalists [https://mamaminimalist.com].

Evergreen Rooms

Fellow consumers: we want new things and we want them now. Our spending
habits put brands on perpetual searches for ways to shorten the time between
design, manufacturing, and distribution, and China has stepped up with the
technology and the supply chains to meet our needs.
Our consumption habits, then, can only be satisfied by purchasing from China.
Today’s show analyzes the ethical and environmental implications associated with
excessive reliance on the “World’s Factory”, as China has affectionately been
dubbed. What does excessive manufacturing paired with lax regulations mean for
both the people and the planet, and how can we as consumers do better?
 
Here’s a preview:
[2:00] What the Made In China label means (and doesn’t mean) about a product’s
quality
[5:00] A deep dive into Chinese manufacturing: 5 reasons why China has become
the “world’s factory”
[7:00] What China’s lower compliance standards mean for people
[10:30] The story of Oregon mother Julie Keith, Halloween decorations, and Sun
Yi
[14:00] Chinese manufacturing and environmental pollution
[19:15] Practical action steps for listeners that go beyond “just buy local”
 
Further reading:
 * Nearly 14,000 companies violate China pollution rules
   [https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/13/world/asia/china-companies-air-pollution-paris-agreement.html]
   (via NYTimes
 * How your cheap Chinese-made products may be killing thousands in China
   [https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/03/29/china-pollution-manufacturing-factory-health/99782622/]
   (via USAToday)
 * How much do we buy from China?
   [https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2011/08/10/139388532/only-a-tiny-sliver-of-americans-personal-spending-goes-to-china]
   (via NPR)
 * Are Made In China toys safe?
   [https://thebabypenguin.com/are-made-in-china-toys-safe/] (via The Baby
   Penguin)

 
Resources mentioned:
 * Episode #186: The Lowdown On Wooden Toys with Christina Floyd
   [https://mamaminimalist.com/186-2/]

 
* Thank you to SigmaTeaches [https://www.sigmateaches.com] for sponsoring this
episode! Use code SUSTAINABLE at checkout for up to $200 off your first
package. 

* Join our (free!) community here
[https://www.facebook.com/groups/134165317219800/].
* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook,
[https://www.facebook.com/SustainableMinimalists/] Instagram
[https://www.instagram.com/sustainableminimalists/] + Youtube
[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmEjOfANT67KkwTTp3pgSOg].
 

Made In China

While minimalism may sometimes seem trendy, the reality is that the lifestyle
has been around for centuries. Indeed, ancient philosophies touted the
importance of Less Is More living as a means of finding inner peace amidst
frenetic daily life.
Today I speak with author Jessie Kanzer [https://jessiekanzer.com] about first
steps toward mental minimalism. Jessie argues that you don’t have to be a Zen
master to simplify your cognitions and reduce unnecessary internal chatter; she
argues too that enlightenment is about first learning to lighten up.
 
Here’s a preview:
[3:45] Minimalism isn’t a trend, it’s an ancient lifestyle
[10:30] Learning to slow down and be still in an achievement-based world
[16:15] How to get in touch with your Observer Self
[19:30] Taming our “monkey brains” as a means of enjoying little life moments
[21:15] What to do the next time life feels discombobulated
 
 
Resources mentioned:
 * Don’t Just Sit There, DO NOTHING: Healing, Chilling, and Living with the Tao
   Te Ching [https://amzn.to/3s32lya]
 * Watch the extended version of this interview on Youtube
   [https://youtu.be/QXTHphPYHFM]
 * Body sugaring 101 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qCVYtQ_orE]
 * Jessie on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/jessiekanzer/]

 
* Thank you to KiwiCo [https://www.kiwico.com] for sponsoring this week’s
episode! Get 30% off your first month plus free shipping with code SUSTAINABLE
at kiwico.com [https://www.kiwico.com].
* Join our (free!) community here
[https://www.facebook.com/groups/134165317219800/].
* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook,
[https://www.facebook.com/SustainableMinimalists/] Instagram
[https://www.instagram.com/sustainableminimalists/] + Youtube
[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmEjOfANT67KkwTTp3pgSOg].
 
The post Mental Minimalism [https://mamaminimalist.com/265/] appeared first on
Sustainable Minimalists [https://mamaminimalist.com].

Mental Minimalism

When carbon and fluorine fuse together they create a virtually unbreakable
compound. These days, such per- and polyfluoroalkyl (or PFAS) substances are
widely used in thousands of products from food packaging to clothing, carpets,
and more. And because these chemicals are designed to be unbreakable? “Forever
chemicals” are adding up in our bodies and in the environment.
On today’s episode I’m answering a listener’s question about the group of
chemicals known as PFAS by bringing you an interview with Kevin Loria. Kevin is
a Senior Health and Science writer for Consumer Reports and has extensively
covered CR’s groundbreaking research into the implications of extensive reliance
on forever chemicals.
Here’s a preview:
[1:45] A PFAS primer: What this family of chemicals are, where they’re most
commonly found, and why they’re dangerous
[5:00] Health and environmental concerns
[7:30] Forever chemicals in food packaging: What research found
[11:00] Where we’re at with regard to PFAS regulation in the US and around the
world
[15:00] Ecocraft, 100% compostable, and more greenwashing examples: The
“environmentally friendly” food packaging that’s actually not environmentally
friendly at all
[16:45] 5 action steps to reduce PFAS exposure and make better purchasing
decisions moving forward
 
Resources mentioned:
 * Dangerous PFAS Chemicals Are in Your Food Packaging (via Consumer Reports)
   [https://www.consumerreports.org/pfas-food-packaging/dangerous-pfas-chemicals-are-in-your-food-packaging-a3786252074/]
 * Watch the extended version of this episode on Youtube
   [https://youtu.be/Y9PZM4Gb_9s]

 
 
* Want more episodes like this one? Check out #070: The Basics of Minimalists
Kitchens and Minimalist Cooking [https://mamaminimalist.com/070/].
* Join our (free!) community here
[https://www.facebook.com/groups/134165317219800/].
* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook,
[https://www.facebook.com/SustainableMinimalists/] Instagram
[https://www.instagram.com/sustainableminimalists/] + Youtube
[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmEjOfANT67KkwTTp3pgSOg].
 
The post Forever Chemicals [https://mamaminimalist.com/264/] appeared first on
Sustainable Minimalists [https://mamaminimalist.com].

Forever Chemicals

It’s no secret that plastic razors are meant to be used a handful of times and
then thrown in the garbage. As with any disposable product, if we continue
buying them, companies will continue making them. Enter the alternative: safety
razors.
A safety razor is a steel razor with replacement blades: while you replace the
blade (and recycle it!) once it’s dull, the razor itself is made to last a
lifetime. On today’s show I speak with Tung Do, co-founder of WLDOHO
[http://www.wldoho.com]. Tung is on the show to explain how you, too, can
incorporate a safety razor into your daily life without stress or overwhelm.
Here’s a preview:
[2:45] A safety razor primer: what it is, what it does, and why advocates love
them
[5:30] One (expensive-ish) product versus a lifetime of (cheap) disposables:
Does the money add up?
[7:30] What to do with your discarded blades
[8:15] Expert tricks for easing the safety razor transition
[13:50] The benefits to exfoliating before shaving with a safety razor
[14:45] Knees, shinbones, and ankles: Hacks for shaving tricky areas
[18:00] The environmental implications associated with plastic, disposable
razors
 
Resources mentioned:
 * WLDOHO on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/wldoho_safetyrazor/]
 * Watch the extended version of this episode on Youtube
   [https://youtu.be/IwIxLQRrXcg]

 
* Thank you to Aura Frames [https://auraframes.com] for sponsoring this week’s
episode! Take the stress out of gifting this Mother’s Day by using code
MINIMALIST at checkout for up to $40 off.
* Want more episodes like this one? Check out #009: Creating A Sustainable
Minimalist’s Bathroom [https://mamaminimalist.com/009/].
* Join our (free!) community here
[https://www.facebook.com/groups/134165317219800/].
* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook,
[https://www.facebook.com/SustainableMinimalists/] Instagram
[https://www.instagram.com/sustainableminimalists/] + Youtube
[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmEjOfANT67KkwTTp3pgSOg].
 
&n

How to Use A Safety Razor

In my corner of the world trees are budding and flowers are blooming. But leaf
blowers are also blowing, and it’s nearly time for that first grass cutting.
Enter No Mow May.
Lawns that aren’t exactly pristine may indeed get your neighbors’ side-eye, as
intentionally not mowing your lawn here in the US is a quietly revolutionary
act. But environmental advocates argue that there are many benefits to stepping
away from overzealous lawn maintenance, at least for one month.
On today’s short and sweet episode we’re covering pollinators, No Mow May, and
lawn pesticides, oh my!
Here’s a preview:
[1:30] A pollinator and pollination recap from elementary school science
[3:00 No Mow May: What it is and why you should consider participating
[8:30] What you need to know about lawn pesticides before laying them on your
lawn
 
Resources mentioned:
 * Episode #138: 10 Eco-Friendly Lawn Care Rules
   [https://mamaminimalist.com/138/]
 * In Wisconsin: Stowing Mowers, Pleasing Bees
   [https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/28/travel/no-mow-may-wisconsin.html] (via
   NYTimes)
 * Every Flower Counts extension activity for children
   [https://www.plantlife.org.uk/everyflowercounts/]
 * Find a certified organic landscaper near you
   [https://guide.organiclandcare.net]

 
* Join our (free!) community here
[https://www.facebook.com/groups/134165317219800/].
* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook,
[https://www.facebook.com/SustainableMinimalists/] Instagram
[https://www.instagram.com/sustainableminimalists/] + Youtube
[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmEjOfANT67KkwTTp3pgSOg].
 
 
The post No Mow May [https://mamaminimalist.com/262/] appeared first on
Sustainable Minimalists [https://mamaminimalist.com].

No Mow May

Our master bedrooms *should* be our sanctuaries. While they’re the singular
space we retreat to for rest, relaxation, and recharging, all too often our
master bedrooms become like any other room in our homes: havens for clutter.
Today I speak with professional organizer Amy Mayorga
[https://www.minimalistaorganizing.com] about all-things minimalist master
bedroom design. Amy argues that Step One is honoring the purpose of the room: to
honor its purpose, we must first ruthlessly declutter. Amy also offers her best
organizing tips for those master bedroom essentials you choose to keep.
 
Here’s a preview:
[5:00] Items that should be- and shouldn’t be! – in your master bedroom
[8:30] Designing your bedroom like a hotel room: the how and why
[13:45] KonMari space-saving strategies for dealing with and organizing excess
clothes
[21:30] Amy’s tips for storing semi-dirty clothes that you intend to re-wear
[25:30] Thoughts on how to style gigantic master suites in newer houses (hint:
the answer is always less!)
 
 
Resources mentioned:
 * Episode #256: The Best Things Are Free: Sleep
   [https://mamaminimalist.com/256/]
 * Amy on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/minimalistamom/]
 * Watch the extended version of this interview on Youtube
   [https://youtu.be/AEE7FcsVhZA]

 
* Thank you to UpCircle Beauty [https://us.upcirclebeauty.com] for sponsoring
this week’s episode! Use code MAMAMINIMALIST (one word) at checkout for 15% off
your order.
* Join our (free!) community here
[https://www.facebook.com/groups/134165317219800/].
* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook,
[https://www.facebook.com/SustainableMinimalists/] Instagram
[https://www.instagram.com/sustainableminimalists/] + Youtube
[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmEjOfANT67KkwTTp3pgSOg].
 

Minimalist Master Bedroom Design

Lithium is so much more than the name of a (very) famous Nirvana song. Lithium
is a metal affectionately known as white gold, and it’s having a moment.
On today’s show we are examining the environmental implications associated with
our growing lithium needs for batteries in electric vehicles, laptops, cell
phones, and more.
 
Here’s a preview:
[3:00] Everything you need to know about lithium: its benefits, its drawbacks,
how it’s extracted
[8:45] The white gold race and the political/economic forces at play
[9:45] Environmental concerns and controversies with Lithium Americas at Thacker
Pass, Nevada
[14:00] Answering listener questions about EV battery length, recycling
concerns, and more
[23:00] 3 lithium-related action steps for conscious consumers
 
Additional resources:
 * The Lithium Gold Rush: Inside the Race to Power Electric Vehicles
   [https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/06/business/lithium-mining-race.html] (via
   NY Times)
 * Sodium-based Material Yields Stable Alternative to Lithium-ion Batteries
   [https://news.utexas.edu/2021/12/06/sodium-based-material-yields-stable-alternative-to-lithium-ion-batteries/]
   (via UTexas)

 
* Thank you to UpCircle Beauty [https://us.upcirclebeauty.com] for sponsoring
this week’s episode! Use code MAMAMINIMALIST (one word) at checkout for 15% off
your order.
* Join our (free!) community here
[https://www.facebook.com/groups/134165317219800/].
* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook,
[https://www.facebook.com/SustainableMinimalists/] Instagram
[https://www.instagram.com/sustainableminimalists/] + Youtube
[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmEjOfANT67KkwTTp3pgSOg].
 
The post The White Gold Rush [https://mamaminimalist.com/260/] appeared first on
Sustainable Minimalists [https://mamaminimalist.com].

The White Gold Rush

What’s better than deep and meaningful connections with those we love?
Join me today for this third and final episode in our What’s Best In Life Is
Free series as we discuss this importance of rich conversations. Research finds
that rich talk is the antidote to the stress we experience in our daily lives,
and Dr. Rebecca Rolland [https://rebeccarolland.com] offers practical ideas for
shifting conversations with your children toward what’s meaningful for the long
haul.
Here’s a preview:
[5:45] The many benefits of rich talk
[10:30] Adaptive, Back and Forth, and Child-Centered: The ABCs of rich talk with
a nod toward research
[15:00] The 3 E’s of rich talk in real life
[19:00] Thoughts on letting go of the need to be the “expert” or the “authority”
as parents
[22:00] The double promises of rich talk: Practical ways to incrementally shift
household conversations toward deep conversation
 
Resources mentioned:
 * The Art of Talking with Children: The Simple Keys to Nurturing Kindness,
   Creativity, and Confidence in Kids [https://amzn.to/3DDfGle]
 * Watch the extended version of this interview on Youtube
   [https://youtu.be/wUJWvRtMgsM]

 
* Thank you to KiwiCo [https://www.kiwico.com] for sponsoring this week’s
episode! Get 30% off your first month plus free shipping with code SUSTAINABLE
at kiwico.com [https://www.kiwico.com].
* Thank you also to Wild Planet Foods
[https://wildplanetfoods.com/sustainability/] for sponsoring! Learn more about
their sustainability vision here [https://wildplanetfoods.com/sustainability/].
* Join our (free!) community here
[https://www.facebook.com/groups/134165317219800/].
* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook,
[https://www.facebook.com/SustainableMinimalists/] Instagram
[https://www.instagram.com/sustainableminimalists/] + Youtube
[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmEjOfANT67KkwTTp3pgSOg].
The post The Best Things Are Free: Rich Conversations
[https://mamaminimalist.com/259/] appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists
[https://mamaminimalist.com].