Sustainable Minimalists

You love your pet; you also love the planet. Good news: How you feed, care for, and clean up after your dogs and cats have sizable impacts on our environment and ecosystems. On today's show: answering listener questions about all-things eco-conscious pets.

Here's a preview of the pet-related questions we're answering today:

[2:45] Should we transition our cats and dogs to plant-based diets?

[7:00] Is PFAS in pet food bags?

[10:30] What are the advantages and disadvantages of making our own pet food?

[18:30] What's the most eco-friendly cat litter?

[24:00] Should we be flushing or composting our cat litter?

[27:00] Should domestic cats live indoors or outdoors?

Resources mentioned:

• Episode # 389: Certified B
• World's Best Cat Litter

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When discussing reducing toxin exposure, we often frame the conversation in terms of cleaning up our beauty and home products. But there are plenty of toxins in our food, and that’s why simple, clean eating is so darn important. My guest this week is Board-Certified Holistic Nutritionist and author Tonya Harris. Tonya experienced the benefits of a healthier food firsthand when her son—who displayed tell-tale signs of ADHD—significantly reduced his symptoms after cutting the nasties from his diet. These days,...

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The post Simple Clean Eating appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.

Since the dawn of the chemical era more than 300,000 chemicals have been invented, and many are made from oil and natural gas. While some manufactured chemicals have indeed provided benefit (Disinfectants! Antibiotics!), they have also caused great harm. Manufactured chemicals pollute every corner of the planet. They kill bees, fish, and mammals. They nearly destroyed the ozone and, yes, they give us cancer.

Many types of cancer are on the rise in the US, and one explanation for this increase lies in our world of chemicals. On today's show environmental investigative reporter Kristina Marusic identifies the harmful environmental exposures linked to cancer; she also provides a step-by-step roadmap for reducing your cancer risk.

Here's a preview:

[2:00] Breaking down exactly what's happening with cancer rates around the world and why

[12:00] The 3 Ps: 3 categories of pollutants that have clear links to childhood cancer

[20:00] Pay special attention to these preventable environmental exposures if you have children

[24:00] Revisiting the personal care product conundrum

[28:00] The harmful environmental exposures you should zero in on at your child's daycare or school

[36:00] In defense of being a loudmouth: You've been given a voice; here's how to best use it

Resources mentioned:

• A New War on Cancer: The Unlikely Heroes Revolutionizing Prevention
• Sample letters to send to your child's school and school board (via Non-Toxic Communities)
• The Cancer Free Economy Network
• The EWG's Healthy Living App
• Silent Spring Institute
• The Center for Health, Environment, and Justice
• This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting!
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• Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists
• Say hello! [email protected].

The US pharmaceutical industry is unique in that it markets directly to consumers (hey there, Zoloft commercial!). Through such direct-to-consumer marketing we have been spoon-fed the notion that every hint of a symptom requires a drug.

The result? Americans take more prescription medications today than at any other time in recent history.

On today's show we uncover the pharmaceutical industry's influence over the FDA and over consumers.

Here's a preview:

[2:30] Do Americans take more prescription drugs than citizens in other countries?

[5:00] Prescription medication and the implications of its direct-to-consumer marketing

[9:30] Big pharma, the FDA, and a great big conflict of interest

[12:00] The connection between a patient's desire for a quick fix and a physician's prescribing habits

[19:00] 3 action steps re: conscious consumerism and prescription drugs

Resources mentioned:

• Carbon Footprint Of The Global Pharmaceutical Industry And Relative Impact Of Its Major Players (via Journal Of Cleaner Production)
• Too Many Meds? America's Love Affair With Prescription Medication (via Consumer Reports)
• 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! [email protected].

Back by popular demand! This week, we declutter the tough stuff. We tackle 10 items in our homes that are sentimental, oversized and just plain obscure; best of all, we keep it out of the landfills. Accompanying this episode is a FREE PRINTABLE (with clickable links!) to help you responsibly minimize nearly every item in your home. * Access this week’s show notes (+ grab the free printable!) here. * Want more episodes like this one? Be sure to listen to...

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The post 011: Declutter (+ Donate!) the Tough Stuff appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.