A Sustainable Mind - environment & sustainability podcast

Paul Galvin, is the Chairman and CEO of SG Blocks, a premier designer and fabricator of container-based structures. SG Blocks has recently secured two low-income housing development projects in New York State and is partnering with Heart of Los Angeles to create the first container-based community center in L.A.

Morgan and Jackson Wyatt are the co-founders of Greenlid, a disposable, compostable and leak-proof composting bin for your kitchen. After launching a successful Kickstarter campaign and securing backing in the Dragon's Den (Canada's version of Shark Tank) these brothers aim to be in every kitchen in Canada and beyond.

Eva Vennari is on a mission to dismantle the status quo of the sickness industry. Having spent most of her adult life suffering from all kinds of conditions she decided to take matters into her own hands and heal herself holistically.

Kathryn Kellogg is a zero waste influencer and blogger at GoingZeroWaste.com. In this episode, we discuss common misconceptions about zero-waste living and how replacing one toiletry item with the DIY version helped solved her pain problem.

Dale Spoonemore is the co-founder of the From Seed to Spoon mobile app that helps gardeners all over the world plant amazing gardens, no matter their skill level or prior knowledge. We'll be talking about how gardening and coding got him out of depression, helped him improve his health and brought him closer with his family.

In this episode we will tackle some of the easiest ways to reduce paper waste in your life or simply not bringing in unnecessary paper to begin with. And don't worry about taking notes. All resources, statistics, and websites mentioned are accessible at asustainablemind.com/046

Sarina Prabasi is the CEO of WaterAid America, a non-profit that brings clean water, sanitation and hygiene to over 37 countries across the globe. WaterAid also provides job training so the communities can learn to sustain the well systems, water pumps, toilets, faucets, etc. on their own. WaterAid.org

Bex Band is a professional nomad, an ordinary adventurer and an amazing story teller. She shares about her travels and excursions at LoveHerWild.com an online community she started, specifically for women, and Bex recounts her more personal tails on her blog TheOrdinaryAdventurer.com.

Zoe Jazz has been sharing her zero waste journey with the world through her awesome blog Ain't No Planet B. She touches on the typical eco lifestyle habits - versions of household products, recipes, and hair & beauty. But she also talks about the human element - decision making, positive motivation and constantly reminds us that you aren't a terrible person if you don't do everything perfect the first time. With the slogan 'baby steps to zero waste', Zoe really gets it and is one of my fave eco bloggers.

Chance Thompson is the senior manager of sustainability and PR for one of the world's largest event companies. In this episode, Chance tells us about the most rewarding and challenging parts of his job and shares helpful tips for us to bring large-scale sustainability solutions to our own events.

Matthew Stillman is the conceiver and producer of "The End of Poverty?" - a feature-length documentary about the origins of poverty and why it persists in a world with so much wealth. He is also the founder of Primal Derma, bringing ancient recipes to modern skincare products.

Marc de Sousa-Shields is an international sustainable development and investment consultant. He co-founded and was first Executive Director of the Social Investment Organization (SIO) of Canada and has been an advisor to the United Nations and a member of the US Social Investment Forum International Committee. Marc has written for leading on-line corporate sustainability magazines, TheSustainableCentury.net blog, and the Sustainable Century Podcast. Marc's latest book "Invest Like You Give a Damn: Make Money, Change the World, Sleep Well at Night" is a DIY book for impact investing.

Lawson Hunter is the former president of the Green Party in Canada and has given his time to countless organizations, committees, and boards that focus on environmental issues. Lawson is now a blogger at NewsandComment.com and hosts the environmental podcast EarthMatters where he interviews folks in and around Ontario Canada that are creating local solutions for global problems.

John all is a scientist, mountaineer, and explorer. He has traveled to some of the most isolated places in the world to collect data, witnessing the effects of climate change first hand. He is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the American Climber Science Program and the author of Icefall, where he recounts his adventures at the farthest edges of this planet.

Ellen Hielkema is the host of Power Women in Green, a podcast that highlights women that are making the world a better place through green business. In today's episode, we discuss her previous career in marketing, what her goals are for her podcast and how van life in Portugal changed the way she looked at the world.

Jessica is a crime-fighting conservationist. Through her work with INTERPOL's Environmental Security Program and the former Presidential Task Force for Combating Wildlife Trafficking, Jessica has seen a part of environmental sustainability that very few have. Today we will talk about the real implications of wildlife trafficking and illegal logging as well as what we as civilians and tourists can do to help.

Erica Sodos is a motivational speaker, emcee, magician, psychic entertainer and one of the few female mentalists in the world. She also happens to be a vegan and a fierce animal rights activist. In this episode, Erica and I discuss vegan alternatives to your favorite foods, the difficulties of keeping a positive attitude while being an activist and the dark reality of eating animal products.

Mallory O'Donnell has spent the last several years foraging in rural New Jersey and now shares their experiences, favorite ingredients recipes with the world through the blog How to Cook a Weed. In this episode, we discuss great ways to get started with foraging in your backyard or garden, how to stay safe while eating local plants and the benefits of seeing your immediate environment through a different set of lenses. If you are interested in truly eating local Mallory is a fantastic resource. Check out Mallory's blog at howtocookaweed.com

Sam and Gator met at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies where they helped launch the Social and Environmental Entrepreneurship Club. After graduation and successfully developing and organized ecology projects around the world, their love for oceans inspired them to work together once more to launch Coral Vita, a company that is helping solve global coral degradation, one reef at a time.

In this episode, we list some of the easiest and most effective ways for just about anyone to live a more earth-conscious lifestyle in the new year. From reducing energy consumption at home to conserving resources through changes in diet, we've got you covered.

A decade ago Rick was an award-winning photographer and writer who focused on the faces and stories of marginalized communities. One day in 2009, while walking his dog, Rick literally stumbled across the idea that wasted fruit in backyards and farmer's markets across our community could become a sustainable source of nutrition for the food insecure. Now, over 8 years later, Food Forward delivers over 400,000 pounds of fruits and veggies each week to organizations that feed families and individuals in need in the LA Metro area.

After graduating from Ithaca College with degrees in both Environmental Science and Cinema/Photography, Matthew began a career as a field biologist. After working jobs in upstate New York, California, and Jamaica Matthew was offered a job working with the endangered California condor in the remote desert of Northern Arizona. It was this landscape that re-ignited his passion for filmmaking and storytelling – he began shooting for Scavenger Hunt one year after arriving in Arizona.

Barbara Lee is the founder of Trashy Beauty and host of the new podcast Trash Talking with Eco-Warriors. Barbara was born and raised in Hawaii, where she was instilled with the importance of protecting the fragile beauty of nature. Now, as a former journalist, barista, and conservationist, Barbara is combining her love of a minimal, zero waste lifestyle and coffee to inspire others to live a naturally beautiful life. In this episode, we discuss her inspiration for starting her coffee body scrub company, the challenges that come with starting your own podcast and her mission to bring awareness to the value of what we throw away.

After 10 years working on environmental education in the Bahamas, an archipelago full of single-use plastic, Lindsey McCoy and her sister Alison co-founded Plaine Products, a company that offers health and beauty products in aluminum bottles that can be returned, refilled and reused. Today we talk about the importance of perseverance and progress over perfection when it comes to an earth-conscious mindset.

Tom Szaky is the founder and CEO of TerraCycle, a company that has successful recycling programs across the globe for materials including everything from chewing gum to cigarettes. Today we speak to Tom about how both individuals and large corporations can take part in the recycling revolution as well as what can be even more beneficial than recycling itself, in the fight against waste.

Lawyer and veteran environmentalist Maya van Rossum has been fighting for our right to a healthy environment for over 25 years. She has played a critical role in getting environmental legislation passed and is sparking a movement with her new book The Green Amendment. In this episode, Maya reminds us that access to a clean environment is NOT a constitutional right...yet.

Cara MacMillan is a financial planner & consultant. She teaches sustainable investing as well as how to integrate sustainability into your everyday life in order to save money and save the planet each and every day. She has a book out titled It's Only Money and it Grows on Trees talking about the roll of money in our families and our culture. Her next book is right around the corner, being released in November 2016, called Make Big Money and Make a Big Difference on investing wisely with our planet in mind.

Ron Placone tours nationally as a stand-up appearing at clubs, colleges, theaters and everything in between. He also speaks for colleges and advocacy groups with his one-man performance lecture on Battling Political Apathy. In this episode we discuss the theme of this master's thesis - fracking and the role that media plays in environmental issues. Ron gives us some interesting insight from his first-hand experiences and has suggestions for how we can make fracking a thing of the past.

Perry Gruber is a man of many hats including entrepreneur, speaker, and social engineer. He is the founder of Copiosis, which is a new economic system for a post capitalist world. In addition to this he is the founder of The Tiny House Podcast which is the largest tiny house podcast in the world.

Tara Whitsitt is a social activist, artist and food preservationist. Her passions for fermenting and growing food, living communally and teaching inspired her to launch Fermentation on Wheels, a mobile food preservation teaching space. Here Tara gives vegetable fermentation workshops that correspond with the regional and seasonal produce of each destination during her travels. In this episode Tara and I discuss living and eating in community, where our food comes from and of course fermentation.

Ashley Lieber is an ecological artist and educator. In this episode we discuss her ecological art series, Moss for Meditation, as well as maker culture, building sustainable community, hydroponics (one of my favorite topics), tips on how to get FREE SEEDS! and much more.

Tameko Rowe is a corporate employee turned eco conscious beauty and self care product line creator. Her company Cocoa Butter Mothers offers a range of products from nursing butters to beard balm, all crafted using responsibly sourced natural and organic ingredients, some of which come directly from Tameko's yard. Her intention is to continue to cultivate a deeper connection to self, encouraging clients to take time for luxurious self-care.

Kathryn Kemp Guylay is an author, speaker, certified nutritional counselor and coach with a master's degree in business. She is the founder of Nurture, a national non-profit that provides wellness education to tens of thousands of children and parents. Not only is Kathryn a sought-after wellness expert, but she also hosts her own radio show on wellness at KDPI-FM in Ketchum, Idaho. Guylay is on a mission to help children all over the world eat more healthy fruits and vegetables of all types through her new book Give it a Go, Eat a Rainbow which was illustrated by her son Alexander.

Greg Peterson is an urban farming and sustainability innovator who resides at the Urban Farm, an environmental showcase home in the heart of Phoenix. He opens his home weekly for tours and classes, not only telling people, but showing them, how he has been able to make a living through urban farming for over two decades and how they can do the same. Greg also runs Urban Farm U (UrbanFarm.org), filled with online courses designed to educate and inspire others to grow food for themselves and others.

Some of Sara's greatest memories growing up were of sewing with her grandmother Bella. When she combined her love of sewing and making old things new again with the overabundance of plastic bags Sara Bella UpCycled was born; a company that up-cycles consumer plastic bags into beautiful, wearable art for both the runway and the everyday.

Nikki Silvestri has had a long history of working to support environmental justice and growing sustainable communities. As a Co-founder of Live Real and former Executive Director of People's Grocery and Green For All Nikki has built and strengthened social equity for underrepresented populations in food systems, social services, public health, climate solutions and economic development. Now as a Co-founder and CEO of Silvestri Strategies she is working to support thriving communities, economies and natural environments.

Cindy Blain had a background in marketing and tech but wanted a life for her family out of Silicon Valley and closer to nature. She has worked with environmentally focused non-profits such as the Presentation Retreat & Conference Center and Sacramento Tree Foundation. Now, as the Executive Director of California ReLeaf, she is at the helm of not just any non-profit but a network of over 90 organizations throughout California that are dedicated to planting and caring for trees in the urban forest. In this conversation we go behind the scenes of California ReLeaf, discuss how trees improve every facet of our lives and consider how sprawled cities can learn a thing or two from the compact development of smaller countries.

In today's episode I talk to you about a few things that came up for me over the last few months that caused me to stop recording for a while. Well I am happy to be back on the mic once more and in this episode I announce some cool stuff I'm introducing to the show.

Jennifer Bristol is the State Coordinator for Texas Children in Nature which connects over 300 organizations with the children & nature movement in Texas. Prior to becoming the first State Coordinator for TCiN she created award-winning conservation education curriculum and youth development programs for Camp Fire and served as a park ranger for Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Tim Silverwood is an educator, environmentalist and speaker. He founded Take 3 – A Clean Beach Initiative, asking everyone to complete one simple action each time they visit a beach, waterway or anywhere else; take 3 pieces of litter with you when you leave. Tim has also participated in research of the Great Pacific garbage patch, co-founded Circular Economy Australia and is the director of Rechusable.

Lauren Nixon is a food and wellness educator giving workshops in and around D.C. Philadelphia and New York. She has a passion for creating spaces where people feel empowered to combine healthy food and self-care practices to gain a well-rounded understanding of how to nourish themselves.

Jordan is a Food Waste Superhero. He is the founder of the organization End Food Waste and the brains behind the Ugly Fruit and Veg campaign that recently took the food waste fight to the steps of Walmart! He's been teaming up with people and organizations from around the world, from celebrity chef Jamie Oliver to The National Resource Defense Fund to combat this major issue. Lucky for us the good thing about food waste is that just about everyone, no matter your circumstances, can help solve the problem.

Dr. Colin Beavan is among the world's foremost spokespeople on environmental issues and consumerism. He was called the Best Green Ambassador by TreeHugger and his blog was selected as one of the top 15 green blogs by Time magazine. He has spoken and consulted with brands such as eBay and Cliff Bars and has traveled the world speaking to audiences from California to the Czech Republic. When his film No Impact Man hit the environmental documentary scene it changed the landscape forever.

Topher White is an engineer with a background in physics and kinetic sculptor. Little did he know that visiting the rainforest as a tourist would spark an idea as to how to help save it. Since 2013 Topher has been working around the clock designing a device out of used cell phones to thwart deforestation in real time. This interview offers a TON of great tips for anyone in tech or science looking to contribute to real world problems and for entrepreneurs in general.

Ma'ikwe Ludwig is the Executive Director of Dancing Rabbit Eco Village in Northern Missouri and also sits on the Board of the Directors for the Fellowship for Intentional Community. With a long history of being involved in this work she is well-known for candidly discussing the blessings and challenges of living in an intentional community. Just a few of my favorite takeaways from this episode: "Do you really give a shit about other people enough to be having it determine your decision making?" Tweet This: "There is a lot of choice here about how exactly you embody sustainability." "We need to actually have a culture that supports people in living their values rather than having their values as something that is an afterthought in their lives. or that is the secondary thing. It really needs to become the primary thing. Living in a community like Dancing Rabbit allows you to do that." A New Concept: Materialized empathy Life changing advice: Always follow your intuition, your life could depend on it. You don't buy a lot of stuff but what is one item you've chosen to buy new that has drastically improved you life: Toaster over, perfect for cooking meals for 1! Books How to Love and Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh A Brief History of Everything by Ken Wilber Naomi Kline's This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate How It Is: The Native American Philosophy of V. F. Cordova Resource list Commonomicsusa.org (Matt Stannard, Founder) Public Banking Institute Fellowship for Intentional Community Who are the people that you have found play an integral role in getting projects off the ground? Chong Kee Tan of San Francisco's Bay Bucks Interview links: Dancing Rabbit Maikwe.net ----- Do you like A Sustainable Mind? Don't forget to subscribe, share, and rate & review. Did you know that ASM is a 501(c)3 charitable organization? Become one of our donors with a tax-deductible donation on https://ASustainableMind.WeDid.it

Jay Sinha has a unique background in biochemistry, law, ecotoxicology and environmental research. In this interview, he reveals a lot about the true nature of what is in the products we use on a day-to-day basis and then gives us an amazing resource list to do some research on our own. Get a pen and paper kids, you're going to need it for this interview! Most versatile item for a plastic-free life: The mason jar – it can become a water bottle, is good for storing bulk food items, makes great freezer and leftover storage and even a lunch container Long-standing habit that's contributed to personal and business success: Eating well – it provides clarity of mind, increased energy, decreasing stress, better sleep and promotes healthy living overall A cool new toy he just ordered in the mail: A Pela iPhone case made out of bioplastic from plant fibers LOTS of resources! Klean Kanteen (company) Slow Death by Rubber Duck: The Secret Danger of Everyday Things Trash is for Tossers (blog) Toxin Toxout: Getting Harmful Chemicals Out of Our Bodies and Our World Weck canning jars & accessories Programmed to be Fat (part of the The Nature of Things series) Parting piece of guidance: Don't be overwhelmed, start by simply getting out into nature. Get a sense of its importance and that will inspire you to make changes in your life Interview links: Life Without Plastic ----- Do you like A Sustainable Mind? Don't forget to subscribe, share, and rate & review. Did you know that ASM is a 501(c)3 charitable organization? Become one of our donors with a tax-deductible donation on https://ASustainableMind.WeDid.it

Bea Johnson is one of today's foremost experts in the area of zero-waste living and voluntary simplicity. She is most well-known for being able to fit her family of four's trash for an entire year into a quart-sized jar. She has helped people all over the world achieve various levels of voluntary simplicity and eco-friendly living through her blog ZeroWasteHome.com and her book by the same name. She continues to spread the zero-waste message through talks which she gives all over the world. The turning point By living with less we all of a sudden had more time to do the things we enjoyed doing How she got started Eliminated plastic bags Bought all dry goods in bulk Made reusable bags out of an old sheet Resources Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste by Bea Johnson Patagonia 3-way Jacket Bulk app, for finding stores that sell items in bulk, populated by members of the voluntary simplicity and zero waste community vrbo.com and airbnb.com for renting out your home relayrides.com for renting out your car eliminating junk mail optoutscreen.com dmachoice.org cataloguechoice.org paperkarma.com ----- Do you like A Sustainable Mind? Don't forget to subscribe, share, and rate & review. Did you know that ASM is a 501(c)3 charitable organization? Become one of our donors with a tax-deductible donation on https://ASustainableMind.WeDid.it

Denzel Austin Thompson grew up in North Philly. During a service trip to New Orleans he got the idea to plant urban gardens in empty lots in his neighborhood back home. He is the co-creator of the Philadelphia Urban Creators and has since received multiple awards for his continued commitment to the community and his neighbors. One purchase for $100 or less that's drastically impacted your life Small backyard greenhouse (pictured below) Sustainable Mindset Book The Good Food Revolution: Growing Healthy Food, People, and Communities by Will Allen Parting piece of guidance Think more like a plant, they've been around far longer than we have and we have a lot we can learn from them. Interview Links Denzel's Facebook Page Denzel's Instagram ----- Do you like A Sustainable Mind? Don't forget to subscribe, share, and rate & review. Did you know that ASM is a 501(c)3 charitable organization? Become one of our donors with a tax-deductible donation on https://ASustainableMind.WeDid.it

Anne-Marie grew up learning the DIY mentality from her father. She now puts it to use in the kitchen making all her food from scratch, from sourdough to kombucha and everything in between. She also hosts webinars to empower others to do the same. In this fun episode we discuss talking the talk and walking the walk in regards to sustainable living. What is one question your younger self would ask you? How can I get to where you are sooner? How can I start now? Tip for those hoping to spread their knowledge within the community. Attend lectures, learn something new and meet new people Environmental Resource My Plastic Free Life Books The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food by Dan Barber The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany by Bill Bufford The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Katz Interview Links ZeroWasteChef.com (including webinar calendar) Fermentation vs. Canning ----- Do you like A Sustainable Mind? Don't forget to subscribe, share, and rate & review. Did you know that ASM is a 501(c)3 charitable organization? Become one of our donors with a tax-deductible donation on https://ASustainableMind.WeDid.it

Laird Christensen has dedicated his life to environmental activism and finding ways to create more sustainable communities. He has been an author, activist and educator during his career and that is how I came to know Laird, through his courses at Green Mountain College, where received my Masters in Environmental Studies. Laird is the Director of GMC's latest masters program in Resilient and Sustainable Communities and in this episode we discuss his upbringing and his inspiration for developing the program. Long-standing Habit Mindfulness, learned from the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, which focused on awareness and compassion Most Unexpected Gift in Developing MRSC Laird learned from his students what it means to build community in different places all around the country. Environmental Resource Post Carbon Institute – Empowers people to live healthier lives by covering research and education to change consumer habits. Sustainable Mindset Book A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There by Aldo Leopold Interview Links Green Mountain College Masters of Science in Resilient & Sustainable Communities (MRSC) MRSC Facebook Page ----- Do you like A Sustainable Mind? Don't forget to subscribe, share, and rate & review. Did you know that ASM is a 501(c)3 charitable organization? Become one of our donors with a tax-deductible donation on https://ASustainableMind.WeDid.it