Avoiding plastic as much as possible. Different ways of sustainable shopping. trading, barter, homemade, buy local, b

I developed this weird cough and my throat was hurting if I talked for more than a couple of minutes. Couple that with a state of environmental depression and a feeling of not being able to make a difference - and podfading for over a year made sense. Now, more than ever, having the conversation about creating a more sustainable way of life, is important. Let me know if you want to be part of this conversation

Mike, a disabled Veteran, is building a Homestead in the South after losing his home due to his injuries. He used recycled building materials like pallets to build immediate shelters for his extended family. Eventually, he is planning on building weatherproof dome houses with Aircrete blocks. In this episode, Mike explains what Aircrete is, how it is made, and why he feels it is a superior building material.   He is in need of a tractor to work the 12 acres of land and to build the homes. You can help by supporting his Go Gund Me Campaign. https://www.gofundme.com/helping-a-disabled-veteran-build-a-homestead Follow Mike, also known as @ambiguity at his various social media channels. Steemit https://steemit.com/@ambiguity Weku https://main.weku.io/@ambiguity YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbo-SMJZ2_FdLzYu4ZjY2IA   Find the Sustainable Living Podcast here: We love your support! Please visit our Patreon page and pledge as little as $1 to help create that world we all want to live in. Find us here: Website: http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2723500 Steem: https://steemit.com/@sustainablelivin Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarianneEWest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA73SuaMBnBIaB5OdiL_y6Q   If you like to join Steem, let me know. I can help you get started.

Garik is the founder of Eco-Stylist, a stylishly curated collection of eco-conscious menswear. 3 years ago he quit his corporate job to start chasing his fears, with his long-term dream of starting a social venture. Fear chasing lead him to the University of Iowa where he pursued an MBA and got the chance to push against many fears, including practicing public speaking, taking an acting class, and rock climbing. This May he completed the MBA, but instead of pursuing full-time work, he took the leap and led Eco-Stylist through the startup accelerator at the University of Iowa, and is now bootstrapping the company fulltime from Iowa City, IA. He helps men find clothes that look good and make a positive impact, while also sharing knowledge about sustainable buying habits, recycling your clothes, and much more.   Links to Garik's website and social media: Website: www.Eco-Stylist.com   Instagram: @yourecostylist     Links to projects he loves:   Brands: Adelante Shoe Company: https://adelanteshoes.com/ Apolis Global Citizen: https://www.apolisglobal.com/ Dick Moby: https://dick-moby.com/ No Nasties: https://www.nonasties.in/   Fashion Podcasts Wardrobe Crisis: https://www.clarepress.com/podcast Conscious Chatter: https://consciouschatter.com/   Research Resources: B Corp Directory: https://bcorporation.net/directory Fashion Revolution Transparency Index: https://www.fashionrevolution.org/about/transparency/   Movies: The True Cost: Documentary available on Netflix   Eco-Stylist Recycling Article: https://www.eco-stylist.com/how-to-make-a-positive-impact-recycling-your-old-clothes/    Find the Sustainable Living Podcast   We love your support! Please visit our Patreon page and pledge as little as $1 to help create that world we all want to live in. Find us here: Website: http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2723500 Steem: https://steemit.com/@sustainablelivin Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarianneEWest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA73SuaMBnBIaB5OdiL_y6Q

Marianne takes a look at where we have been and where we are going. Health, life circumstances and more slowed down the regular schedule a bit in 2018. The promise for 2019 is to publish at least one podcast a month - but it might be a lot more than that. The formats will vary but the goal will always be to bring you interesting and useful information.   Here is where you can find us: We love your support! Please visit our Patreon page and pledge as little as $1 to help create that world we all want to live in. Find us here: Website: http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2723500 Steem: https://steemit.com/@sustainablelivin Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarianneEWest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA73SuaMBnBIaB5OdiL_y6Q  

Yiga Miyashiro is the Director of Brewing Operations for Saint Archer Brewery in San Diego.   He also happens to be my son and a former homeschooler.   We explore sustainability in the brewing process, what it takes to start a brewery, and how he became the Director of Brewing Operation for a fairly large Micro Brewery.

Teri is a long time homesteader and homesteading blogger known as Homestead-Honey. Here is the bio from her book that tells you more about her: "Teri Page is the blogger behind the popular homesteading website, Homestead-Honey.com. Her homesteading adventures have taken her from Oregon, where she planted her first vegetables and fell in love with a dirt-covered lifestyle, to Missouri, where her family built an off the grid homestead from scratch and lived in a 350 square-foot tiny house without running water, to Vermont, where she now lives with her husband and two children." Our conversation centered on her experiences that led her to become a leader in the Homesteading community and to writing this book. Find out more about Teri and a link to a previous episode on our website: http://sustainablelivingpodcast.com/ We love your support! Please visit our Patreon page and pledge as little as $1 to help create that world we all want to live in. Find us here: Website: http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2723500 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarianneEWest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA73SuaMBnBIaB5OdiL_y6Q  

Emily and Ethan Waldman are two tiny house enthusiasts. Ethan wrote a book "Tiny House Decisions" that is helping people in their research for their own tiny house build. If you are even just a little bit thinking about tiny houses- either to live in or to have as an extra space - you want to listen to this show.   We love your support! Please visit our Patreon page and pledge as little as $1 to help create that world we all want to live in. Find us here: Website: http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2723500 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarianneEWest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA73SuaMBnBIaB5OdiL_y6Q     Emily wrote:   I had a wonderful interview with the tiny house author, dweller, podcast owner, teacher, speaker and tiny house pioneer, Ethan Waldman. He build his own tiny house on wheel in 2012, and has been passionately helping future tiny house dwellers on their journey ever since. Ethan’s guide, Tiny House Decisions, has helped thousands of readers answer the big questions about tiny houses and plan each system in their future home. He’s also the creator and host of Tiny House Lifestyle Podcast, a show that brings you conversations with tiny house luminaries, builders, and DIYers. Ethan and his wife Ann live in their tiny house part-time in Northern Vermont.    In our discussion we go over all the amazing aspects of Ethan’s book, podcast and how he enjoys tiny house dwelling. We go over the important role research is in designing and planning your tiny house, which is why he wrote Tiny House Decisions. When he was looking for information during his build, he couldn’t find much of anything, so his book was born. I am excited to say his new book on tiny house parking is coming out so definitely check his website for updates. Ethan has truly enjoyed living in a tiny house and thankful for the sustainability it offers, the financial freedom and community of people it brings. His words of wisdom is to surround yourself with those who have been on this journey to help you on your tiny house journey.            Tiny House Lifestyle Podcast: https://thetinyhouse.net/thlp   Tiny House Decisions: https://www.thetinyhouse.net/tiny-house-decisions/   facebook.com/buildingthetinyhouse   instagram.com/ethan.waldman   instagram.com/ethanwaldman

International Podcast Day We are a day late for our contribution to the International Podcast Day - September 30, 2018. Oh well, better a day late than never, right?   I, Marianne, spend the day at the Outlier Podcast Festival in LA. I was fortunate to meet some of my podcasting heroes and attend the panels from two outstanding fellow E-Leaguers Ginger Wiseman and Katie Ward. Ginger is host and producer of the Outlander Podcast and if you like romance, history, alternative medicine, time travel, and more, you are going to love the podcast. https://www.outlanderpod.com/ Katie Ward is a feminist with an incredible social consciousness and gets very excited about many topics. Find her at the aptly named The Enthusiasm Enthusiast on any podcatcher or on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/TheEnthusiasmEnthusiast/ Other Topics: some info on upcoming episodes update on personal health Homestead update the big declutter project     If you are a female podcaster and want to up your game, I highly recommend joining the E-League with Elsie Escobar. The next session is starting on October 15th. http://elsieescobar.com/the-e-league If you sign up and mention my name, Marianne West, I will get a discount during my own tuition and will be very grateful.

Emily shares many tips to reduce the creation of waste. One of the subjects she has been researching are compostable garbage bags. Are they really better for the environment? What are your tips? She also feels strongly that we have to be gentle with ourselves. Sometimes, we are just not as diligent as we are at other times. Trying to do our best is all we can do at times. Let us know what you think!   We love your support! Please visit our Patreon page and pledge as little as $1 to help create that world we all want to live in. Find us here: Website: http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2723500 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarianneEWest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA73SuaMBnBIaB5OdiL_y6Q

Emily and Marianne hosting a weekly Facebook live session. This week, they discussed a local Farmer's Market and what people can do to keep it going. They also shared their cleaning procedures using readily available household items that are kind to nature.   Visit our website for more articles and information    We love your support! Please visit our Patreon page and pledge as little as $1 to help create that world we all want to live in. Find us here: Website: http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2723500 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarianneEWest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA73SuaMBnBIaB5OdiL_y6Q   Join us every Friday for a Facebook Live conversation. This week, we are going to talk about the idea of a Basic Income for all. Join us here   We mentioned Azure Standard      

Emily Gerde is exploring with Brian Eck and Tucker Roe the ever-growing Tiny House Movement. Brian is the owner of Eck Architecture. He is building tiny homes for his clients and knows that fiancing, insuring and finding a good place for the home are important issues. He is negotiating with several banks right now to make it easier to get financing for the built.   We love your support! Please visit our Patreon page and pledge as little as $1 to help create that world we all want to live in. Find us here: Website: http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2723500 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarianneEWest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA73SuaMBnBIaB5OdiL_y6Q   Some Highlights: Code development is important to be able to get insurance and so forth - but you want to make sure that you are safe. RV regulations are not sufficient for what the tiny house movement stands for - to have homes people live in permanently. Parking is still a real problem and many find that they need to park far from the city which adds a daily commute and all the cost associated with that to the affordability consideration. Eck is working with banks to try to find financing for their clients. The loans typically will not be 30-year loans but need to be paid off in a much shorter time period. Regulations are good for the consumer as well. Many builders are starting to offer their services and it is hard for the future homeowners to know who is legit and who is not. If there is a regulatory body, they at least will know if a builder is part of a quality control organization. If a tiny home was built to certain standards and inspected during the building process - then financing, insurance, and eventual resale are all easier. What about the DIYers? Having guidelines and inspections - the stamp of approval so to speak, will help the DIY builder to be accepted into a community or a mobile home park if that is their choice. Tiny Houses: An investment opportunity. Use it as Air B&B or participate in HipCamp. Or an investor could build a tiny house community and either sell it or rent it out. How do you see the future? Hoping for strong regulations to bring it to the larger community. The hope is that politicians will recognize the movement as a way to bring affordable housing to their cities. Allow a tiny home to be part of a large property or even be parked in a driveway. For many, home ownership could become a reality. Eck is specializing on figuring out what the particular person really wants and needs instead of cramming everything in.

Claire is telling us about aging on a homestead and the trials and tribulations. In this episode, her farm and animals are threatened by a wildfire - and then, there is a surprise.   This is a rather short episode again. My voice is still not up to snuff. Hopefully, by next week, we are back to normal.   We love your support! Please visit our Patreon page and pledge as little as $1 to help create that world we all want to live in. Find us here: Website: http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2723500 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarianneEWest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA73SuaMBnBIaB5OdiL_y6Q    

Beng true to our sustainable lifestyle is not always easy while traveling. Pia Piscitelli is our sustainable travel expert and is bringing us another great episode. This time, camping is on the menu. As we explored in previous podcasts, getting all the gear for camping can be expensive and use up a lot of our storage space. In episode 138 Pia is telling us how to be sustainable about camping gear and how to get it. http://sustainablelivingpodcast.com/sustainable-outdoor-sports-politics/ In this one, she is telling us how to find the perfect camping spot either close by or across the country. Hicamp is there to serve your needs - or, if you have land, you can list yourself as a camp host and make a bit of extra money. https://www.hipcamp.com/   We love your support! Please visit our Patreon page and pledge as little as $1 to help create that world we all want to live in. Find us here: Website: http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2723500 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarianneEWest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA73SuaMBnBIaB5OdiL_y6Q   Join us on Fridays at 1 PM Pacific time for a live Q & A in our Facebook Group  https://www.facebook.com/groups/Sustainablepodcast/

Heat Tips and Getting Started with Chickens We are sharing tips on staying cool in a heat wave without air conditioning. Then, we dive into today's main topic: Getting started with keeping chickens. Is it better to start with already laying adult hens? Or day-old baby chicks. What about incubating eggs?   Patreon We love your support! Please visit our page and pledge as little as $1 to help create that world we all want to live in. Find us here: Website: http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2723500 Steemit: https://steemit.com/@sustainablelivin Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarianneEWest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA73SuaMBnBIaB5OdiL_y6Q   SLP 146 Start with Baby Chicks or Big Hens? We are starting the show with Listener Tips The questions: How to stay comfortable in a Heatwave without Airconditioning? Lorien Silverleaf Evaporative cooling; wet linen scarf.   Jacqueline Kim 1. A fan. 2. Cold showers to cool off. Cold showers take two minutes or so but make such a big difference. You have to jump into it. It is shocking at first (prepare to yelp), but delicious after. 3. Don't cook meals requiring more than one stove top fire at a time (so nothing that requires the oven coming on). We have been eating all manners of salads, gazpachos, and drinking a lot of ice cold infusions (of cut cucumber or oranges or mint). Sangrias too.   Britt Cool Yep, fans. Sit right in front of them   Lorien put a scarf on the fan!! It cools the air even more.   Sally Hovey Wet clothes and a fan   Karl Aldinger If you can spare some water, misting jets on fans drop temps in our greenhouse, for example.   Trevor Presley Outdoor shower   Darlene Sweetwood Swimming pool!   Emi Lio Staying in the shade   Tiny Farmer SD Plant a shade tree! it's at least 10 degrees cooler under our Chinese elm tree.   Starting with Chickens- Babies or Adult Hens? This episode is inspired by Nate who I met on the social media platform called steemit. You can find him here: https://steemit.com/@nateonsteemit We have big elm tree in our chicken yard. We cut in winter in a process called pollarding and let it grow in summer to provide shade for the chickens. Getting chickens - babies or adults?   I am not expert - but I have taken courses from the University of Edinburgh   https://www.coursera.org/learn/chickens   It is part of their MOOC. Massive open online courses   A new one opens August 20th, 2018 and I highly recommend it!   Meat and egg chicks   Heritage chicken - dual breeds   Courses by Patricia Foreman- Author of city chicks Chicken and You courses www.chickensandyou.com/.   Backyard Chicken Keeper Certification Course   I will post a video of my chicken set up - don't expect perfection   Beware of experts that are new to the subject - a tip by Joel Salatin who was on our podcast.   Adult or babies?   It all depends Adult chickens Benefits: Eggs right away Less sensitive Less work in raising pullets You know that you get a hen Possible problems:   Longer possible exposure to disease Don’t know how old exactly Don’t know what they ate - possible GMO and antibiotics More expensive to acquire Possible free ways to get: Backyard chicken folks that are tired of chicken Egg farm that typically culls chicken when about 1 year laying. Baby Chicks   Advantages:   So cute!!!!! Less exposure to possible diseases Can be handled frequently and became very tame Know what they are being fed They are so cute - chicken therapy Less expensive to buy - start-up costs More varieties available   Choices: From hatchery - direct, but will be shipped - stress (3 days without food) From a Feed store - more exposure to possible diseases, more stress - shipping, lots of chicks, then transport home. Disadvantages:   More work - but they are so cute!!! They are sensitive - might die It takes 6 to 8 month to get the first egg Might be lots of males   Hatching your own:   Need equipment - can be borrowed Needs care and attention for the 3 weeks Needs a space for the hatcher   Watching a baby chick hatch is an amazing experience and a great teaching moment for kids.   You will get at least half of the hatch as little boys. They are cute in the beginning but turn into loud and obnoxious teenagers before you know it. You need a plan what to do with them.   Set up for babies:   You need to keep them warm - mostly free of drafts. They grow fast and need more and more space. Aspen bedding is recommended - not pine shavings or newspaper. Better to have bottom heat than heat lamps. Lamps can fall and cause fires. Also - light all night long. Learn chicken language   Best: Mommy gets broody and does all the work :)   Question and comments? Visit us at any of the social media sites. we are most active on Steemit.

We love your support on Patreon! Please visit our page and pledge as little as $1 to help create that world we all want to live in. Exclusive live videos for our Patrons!!   Emily has Marcus, the founder and organizer of the Colorado Springs People's Tiny House Festival, on the podcast. Marcus tells us how he found out about tiny homes, fell in love with the idea and is putting his talents to work to organize this festival. Participants from 5 countries are expected. Location: Colorado Springs Date: August 3-5, 2018   This festival is right around the corner. For more information, visit their website https://www.peoplestinyhousefestival.com/ You can buy tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/peoples-tiny-house-festival-tickets-39999109413 And join the Facebook Community here: https://www.facebook.com/peoplestinyhousefest/   Find the Sustainable Living Podcast here: Website: http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2723500 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarianneEWest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA73SuaMBnBIaB5OdiL_y6Q  

Let us know what you think! Feedback and topics you like to hear from us. Email us at [email protected]   Tips on how to spend less money and have less clutter in the house but still live a full life. Emily shares how to have all we want and need for our children without spending lots of money. Many of the tips are from Emily's Book “Minimalist Living for a Maximum Life” she published earlier this year. We like to hear from YOU!! Share your tips on minimizing consumption with us!!    Website: http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/ Patreon We love your support! Please visit our page and pledge as little as $1 to help create that world we all want to live in.   Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2723500 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarianneEWest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA73SuaMBnBIaB5OdiL_y6Q

We are starting the episode with an Urban Farm update from our Urban Farmer Steven. Then Emily is telling Marianne about the Colorado Tiny House Festival she recently was attending as a speaker. 30 to 50 thousand people were in attendance This leads to the exchange of ideas on how to make large festivals more sustainable. We end with more personal updates and inviting you all to join us on Patreon.

We love to hear from you! Email us @[email protected] Join us on Facebook! Support us on Patreon!   Isabelle Nagel-Brice is a tiny house consultant, guiding people through the different phases of their builds.  She has put together The Healthy Tiny House Kit, which she offers to DIY and professional builders looking to build a chemical-free and healthy tiny home with continuous fresh air ventilation. Isabelle has also created a website called A Tiny Good Thing, which will be a hub for tiny house building materials and practical goods inside and out. She is passionate about living simply and encouraging others to also have less of an environmental impact. A Tiny Good Thing will only offer products that she strongly believes in, either because she uses them herself daily, or has done her own extensive research and believes in representing them. A Tiny Good Thing focuses on brands that have integrity and offer a high level of functionality.   Emily’s interview with Isabelle dives into her experience building a tiny home and overcoming the obstacles of being a female in a male-dominated industry. She jumps into her inspiration for offering green building products for tiny homes specifically and why the wall and air systems are so important in tiny homes. Isabelle explains how air recovery ventilators are essential for tiny homes and how they work. I appreciate how she talked about the lifetime of a tiny house (any house for that matter) and that we need to be mindful of the materials going into a house, so when their lifespan is over, we can reuse or recycle those materials easily. Isabelle wishes there would have been an easy green kit when she was building which is why she was inspired to make one, so people can spend less time trying to source green materials and more time building.   Isabelle had a few adjustments to her house if she did it again, including a deck. She also explains how at home she feels in her tiny house because it was custom built for her, so overall she is very happy with it. She recommends doing a lot of research and finding green products whenever possible when starting your tiny house design.   Follow Isabelle on Instagram: @atinygoodthing where you can see her process of building her own tiny house and what  atinygoodthing.com has to offer.    Living Big in a Tiny House video ---> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzVJ--gOPP8&t=2s   Also, check out atinygoodthing.com to see more blog posts.

Emily Gerde jumps into a quick podcast to share her insights on Baby Led Weaning. In a nutshell, baby led weaning is when you start your child on real foods first and you skip the purees. Every child is different and has different needs so Emily also gives ideas for those who want to start with purees first. She discusses extended breastfeeding, best practices for starting baby on foods, when to start and ways to keep baby safe and healthy. Whether you have an infant at home or have a friend or family member with a little one, Emily provides insight on the years of research and professional advice given to her by holistic healers and doctors. Baby led weaning is a great way to ensure your child starts their food journey on a positive note and has a lifelong love of healthy eating. Great Resources: http://www.babyledweaning.com/ https://kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/solids-when/   Marianne West shares her experience of child-led weaning and the trials and tribulations of introducing food to the babies. Allergies played a big part in the childhood experience of her oldest son and food choices made a huge difference.   Support us on Patreon for as little as $ 1 per month and see our exclusive video clips of the lives of the podcasters and urban homesteaders. Link to Patreon

We are now doing live stories on Patreon for our supporters. You can join the Sustainable Living crew with as little as $ 1 per month!! Link to our Patreon Page   Marianne and Emily dive deep into the drawbacks of tiny home living. Emily has moved from over 2000 sqft to her 325 sqft tiny home. After two years in the tiny home, they moved to Colorado and are in an even smaller camper now until their home arrives.    

In this Solo episode, Marianne gives an update on the happenings at the Homestead. Most notable there are new baby chicks around. Just say No is a new motto to escape feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. Many of us say yes when we really need to say not and protect ourselves from taking on to much. Depression is a theme which seems to be talked about a lot these days and it touches so many of us. On a brighter note. We started to do live stories on Patreon. They are there for 24 hours and many are exclusive to our Patrons. You too can support us in our mission to create the world we want to see by sponsoring us for as little as $ 1 per month.   https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2723500 Thank you in advance!!  

Pia Piscitelli, our Sustainable Travel expert 's segment is on how to enjoy the great outdoors without buying equipment we might only use once. Emily Gerde interviews Colleen Zahradnicek who is running for office in Denver. The city is experiencing a rapid increase in home prices that leaves many unable to afford a house. Emily and Colleen exploring ways alternative housing and financing options can ensure a bright future for the working population of Denver.

Steven, our Urban Farmer is back with an update from the life of a backyard farmer. We talk farmer's markets, farm projects, and so much more. We are also sharing exciting Patreon updates and you will hear a story.   To see our Live stories, check us out on Patreon    Some of the videos and pictures are for the public and many are for our supporters exclusively. It only takes $1 per month (more is of course appreciated) to be part of the in-crowd.

Emily shares the food choices her family makes and why that works for her - now. We have different needs at different times in our lives. But there are some things which apply to all of us - no matter what. Visit us at on our website and remember to check for stories on our Patreon page Emily's Message Hello! Emily here with a solo podcast adventure! Please excuse the sound quality as I completely forgot to put my earbuds in, so it’s just my computer microphone. I felt called to do a quick food podcast as an overview of what healthy eating looks like for our family. I discuss the many different options available to you as far as a healthy diet goes and help sift through some of the confusion behind all the choices. I also dive into options for holistic practitioners that can help you along on the journey. I provide the best ways to save money and eat clean at the same time and make sure you know the most important ways to keep your food free of any harmful toxins. Join me on this quick journey to a new healthy you. All the insights and more can also be found in my new book “Minimalist Living for a Maximum Life.” Enjoy this beautiful journey to a new healthy you and remember… “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.” ~Hippocrates

Marianne and @taskmaster4450 explore how all of us can have a basic income through Manna. We also explain what is the blockchain and what is cryptocurrency. To start receiving a weekly income, use this link https://www.mannabase.com/?ref=179a62831e   What is Universal Basic Income? If you have never heard of Universal Basic Income (UBI), you have come to the right place to find out. In this podcast, taskmaster4450 explains what it is, why we need it, and how to get it. If you think that taskmaster4450 is a funny name for a person, you are right. That is his username on the social media site Steemit where I met him. Steemit pays for posting, commenting and voting in cryptocurrency. That is one way to make an income that is different from what you might be used to. But that is not what can be understood as a Univeral Basic Income. On Steemit, you have to put effort and work into building your account and subsequently creating an income. The idea of UBI is that beyond signing up for it, you are not required to do more - just receiving your income on a regular basis. How Can I Receive a Universal Basic Income? That is an easy question to answer!! Manna Universal Basic Income is a 501c nonprofit organization in the US dedicated to ending worldwide poverty. Their goal is to get their token, Manna, to as many people as possible. Why? Remember, the more people who are using it, the more its value will increase. All you need to do is to sign up. Here is my referral link: https://www.mannabase.com/?ref=179a62831e  If you use my link, we both benefit. You will have to verify that you are you. That is it. Everyone can participate. The Referral Links I will receive a benefit from some of these links. Manna Universal Basic Income: https://www.mannabase.com/?ref=179a62831e Also, join Steemit.com and look for @sustainablelivin, @mariannewest, @taskmaster4450 Are you interested in other sources of earning for doing what you already do: Join Sola and earn SOL: https://sola.ai/posts/MDExZWV Listen to bitrad.io and earn Bro: https://bitrad.io/?ref=97511 Want to earn sweat coin by walking outside? https://sweatco.in/m/marianne827343 Visit our website sustainablelivingpodcast.com for more information.

Diana MacDonald is Introducing Herself I have been a professional photographer since 1993, and have been shooting stock photography since 1996 when I moved to Florida and landed a job as an in-house stock photographer for SuperStock, a stock agency in Jacksonville. In 1998 I left the agency and branched out on my own, shooting what is known as macro stock for a company called Eyewire, which had previously been owned by Adobe, and was bought out by Getty Images. I shot exclusively for Getty for many years, but with the advent of microstock agencies, the business changed drastically, so I now shoot for 5 micro agencies as well as for Getty and for Alamy (a UK based macro stock agency.)   Social Media and the Use of Images Many Social Media platforms are full of images used without permission. In our conversation, we do mention Steemit a lot since that is the platform we met. In Diane's opinion, Steemit allows the illegal use of images because the community is expected to be self-policing. They do not tolerate plagiarism, which means claiming the image is your own. You can attribute her work to Mickey Mouse and it is OK with Steemit. Plagiarism is not illegal, but copyright infringement is. Incorrect sourcing is also considered copyright infringement. Google is not a source. It is a search engine. The SOURCE is the photographer.  Web MD etc.   is not a source. It is a website which most likely paid a licensing fee for an image. Of course, this kind of behavior is rampant on all social media websites. The countless meme being shared over and over again on Facebook or Twitter use often - or maybe most of the time- a photo grabbed from the web. Diane says that anything published online can be found on the web. Contributors are taking a lot of chances by infringing on copyright. Agencies and photographers DO go after infringers. It is very easy to do a reverse search and find their work. Not knowing is not accepted as being an excuse in the courts! The user is expected to track down the real source of every image used. Diane was recently paid a sum which Getty collected from the illegal use of one of her images on the web. In the world of advertising and graphic design, it is NOT OK to simply take an image and cite the source!  Professionals just don't work that way. You cannot copy a copyright image and simply give a SOURCE. Only the copyright holder has the right to use the images. All Rights Reserved means just that. The copyright holder owns ALL rights, so permission must be given to the user, regardless of whether a source is cited or not. The problem with sites like Pixabay etc. is that that they take the word of the persons uploading an image. If they say that they own the copyright and that they are waiving copyright ownership, Pixabay and similar companies will accept that.  However, this is not always the case. Now, this is important to know: Pixabay is not liable, but the person uploading AND THE END USER are liable for any infringements. Another problem with using images from Pixabay etc. is that many do not understand the world of model and property releases. The images may have been uploaded by the person who has taken the photos, some properties may not be used without a property release. Certain buildings may not be used at all in stock images, but the photographers on Pixabay probably don't know those restrictions. It is illegal, for example, to license images of the Eiffel Tower at night. The same holds true for many city skylines and for anything related to Disney. Using images of people is particularly troublesome because the end user has no idea whether legitimate model releases were obtained from the models. Also if people are taking images off the web and not getting them from the proper stock source, they have no idea what restrictions there are on the use of those images. This could lead to some nasty legal entanglements. Images are licensed for specific usage when they are Rights Managed Images. Royalty Free Images may be re-used by the licensee WITH CERTAIN RESTRICIONS. If you are simply taking an image off the web, you have no idea what those restrictions are! Links to all of photographer Diane Macdonalds agencies can be found at her website: dianemacphoto.com She is a member of the Copyright Alliance: http://copyrightalliance.org/ Most of this article was written by Diane and is used with permission.   Claire and Mark Claire is back, this time with her husband Mark, for the second segment of her Homesteading section of the Sustainable Living Podcast.  In this segment, we not only meet Mark but find out a bit more about their history and how they are planning to move forward. Right now, the top priority is their house - but listen in to hear about badgers showing up, calfs being always born when Mark is at work and so much more.   Find Us on Steemit Diane @dmcamera Claire @fishyculture Mark @longsilver Marianne @mariannewest The Podcast @sustainablelivin

Emily and Art geek out on all the options available for tiny house construction. Both are in favor of clear regulations so costly mistakes can be avoided. Lots of tips and facts for anyone interested in the Tiny House Movement.   Post by Emily Gerde:   I had a wonderful interview with Art, where we discuss all things tiny houses from a builder’s perspective. Art mentions tiny homes being one of the great options to minimizing our environmental impact due to the few materials, utilities and space needed for them in society. Art started gaining construction experience in his youth working with family businesses, spending the summers working on roofing, siding and other construction on the east coast. Since then, Art has gained invaluable knowledge and experience in many different facets of construction.  Art has experience with concrete and pier foundations, wood and steel framing, outdoor structures, decks, complete renovations, building additions, geodesic dome construction, and now – building the best Tiny House Shells you can find. Art is the builder for Einstyne Tiny Homes, and a geek for “building science”, airtight construction, green building and always striving for ways to ensure the greatest quality builds for the customer. sArt is an avid animal advocate and loves spending time with his pets, volunteering with animal organizations and is very excited to bring this event to Adams County Fairgrounds for a second year.   We discussed the ways in which tiny houses are a sustainable option for the future by using yes utilities and more efficient heating and cooling, as well as green construction. Art recommends looking into Building Science White Papers to keep up to date on best practices and resources. Find more info here https://buildingscience.com/.  When thinking about building a tiny house, Art recommends taking the time to be in a tiny house, and talking with people who are living the lifestyle. Whether it’s a camper or a tiny house, get an insiders perspective and ask lots of questions. Art builds shells and often has a model available for people to step into, but he highly recommends getting into a finished home to get the best idea of what you want in your design. We both agreed that tiny house festivals are a great way to step into several tiny homes, get to know several builders, and network with vendors.   We discuss the exciting future for the tiny house movement and how many builders are moving to IRC codes that specifically align with Appendix Q. Having standards to follow is a great step in the right direction to ensure tiny home builds are safe. We dive into the discrepancy of pricing with tiny homes. Art explains that material quality is the key. Material costs have increased creating a jump in building costs. He explains that there are also differences in cost depending on your location and energy codes.  There is a misconception that tiny homes construction is easier but Art explains why that isn’t the case.   Art goes into his passion for the DIY crowd and ways he can provide a safe and up to code shell, while still allowing for the creativity and lower price of finishing your own home. He is an expert in air-tight construction and explains on how important air quality is for any home. We dive deep into insulation and the best green options and how to best insulate for your situation. Art has great tips on gutters, siding and ways to keep the weight of your tiny home down.   We go into the details of the Colorado Tiny House Festival, including what to expect, how many tiny homes will be available to tour and activities to enjoy. I (Emily) will be speaking at the festival and discussing how tiny living has changed our lives forever! Art will be there representing Einstyne homes so be sure to check him out! Art finishes up with some wisdom to not give up on the tiny house movement. He asks that you get involved in your local community and meetups to work towards getting tiny houses legalized and build beautiful communities.   You can find more about Art here http://einstynehomes.com/   And More about the Festival here http://coloradotinyhousefestival.com/

Emily and Marianne catching up. Emily recently moved from Minnesota to Colorado to help build the tiny house community she wants to live in. Right now, she, her family, and pets live in a camper. Soon, their tiny home will arrive in Colorado driven there by an experienced tiny home mover.   Emily's Update on Tiny Home Living and More Marianne & I (Emily) had a great conversation where I update her on our exciting adventures since our last interview in episode 116. We start with my new book that is now out and available wherever books are sold. Minimalist Living For a Maximum Life is available on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Minimalist-Living-Maximum-Life-Simple/dp/1944833390, I am working on getting it as an audiobook and an online version. In the book, I share our journey to minimalist living and simplifying our lives. I also discuss ways to live a mindful, organic, holistic lifestyle that heals your mind body and soul.  I share our new journey to Colorado from Minnesota and our vision of starting a tiny house community. We discuss my vision for a cooperative community that has larger lots, community gardens, playground, library, community space, etc. I discuss our vision to build beautiful communities close to the city to offer another option for affordable and sustainable housing. In the interview we discuss a non-profit community, which may or may not change as our discussions with the council members evolve, but we will continue our vision of a collaborative, intentional community. For those interested in the tiny house life, we share the specifics of how to get your home, vehicles, and life moved to a spot where you can park your tiny home. We discuss ways to move your tiny house and some options available. We love our tiny house driver who is insured and experienced. You can contact  Steve at 507-456-0281. I share how our vision has evolved not only for sustainability, but also a passion for affordable housing for all.  We discuss the current paradigm where the general public thinks we can just live in RV or mobile home parks and I discuss how that differs from the life many tiny home dwellers are looking for. We are noticing a shift in availability of tiny home spots in RV parks from several to very few spots for parking when they can make more money from season RV travelers.  I bring up the amazing tiny home community that was started here in Denver that will be interviewed in a later podcast. You can find them here at https://belovedcommunityvillage.wordpress.com/. We talk about the need for housing for the homeless and how the tiny house movement can play a role in that as a place where people can get back on their feet and find their confidence again with some autonomy and privacy. Marianne and I discuss the value of home ownership and how it can add value to your life.  We discuss the shift in the movement as Appendix Q has now been adopted in the IRC building code and how the industry is shifting to more standardized, safe and inspectable tiny home models and design. We talk about the goal of making the process for tiny home certification more streamlined and accessible. Marianne mentions the importance of getting involved with your community and becoming a council member or working with council members to change the shape of affordable housing in your area. We talk about ways tiny home communities can shift the idea of community to spending money in the community instead of on our mortgages. She inspires e to get more involved in my local government and definitely got me thinking about getting more involved.  She mentions the importance of involvement in local government as being the easiest and most effective way to promote change. Marianne brings up a catalyst in the permaculture and social change movement Starhawk and you can find her information here http://starhawk.org/. As a final note, we discuss the importance of embodying the change we want to see in the world. To spend your money on companies that support change and the values you want. On a fun note… It’s almost time for planting, so get together with your neighbors to create some beautiful organic food. Thank you, listeners, for all your support and input. Let us know more of what you want to hear and share your story of sustainable living here http://sustainablelivingpodcast.com/contact-us/ You can keep up to date on our tiny house journey on Instagram at www.instagram.com/mindfulminimalistmama or at my website www.mindfulminimalistmama.com 

Pia and Claire are new voices who are joining The Sustainable Living Podcast. Pia will be talking about sustainable travel and Claire about homesteading and aging. Both will have regular segments in the future. The New Voices on The Sustainable Living Podcast As you know, there are new voices at The Sustainable Living Podcast. When Jenise decided to give up podcasting for now, I got excited about the idea of adding a variety of new voices to our program. Sustainable Living is such a large topic and many of us are trying our best to become knowledgeable about the many aspects of creating a more sustainable life. But try as we might, we always will know more about one aspect than another. Adding new voices with expertise in different topics seems like a good idea. For the past weeks, you have heard from Emily Gerde who loves Tiny House living, is a mom of a young child and promotes the minimalist lifestyle. Today, you will meet two new voices who will be regulars on the podcast. Meet Pia Piscitelli When I first met Pia Piscitelli, she had just returned from a week-long Climate Reality Leadership Corp Training. We had been online friends for a while and Pia was also a listener of our podcast.  Of course, we had to schedule a workshop right away where Pia was going to share what she has learned at the conference. This is how we advertised the workshop: Community by community, we are demanding action on climate change. Join us for a workshop on its impacts, solutions, and what you can do to take action. That day, it turned out that Pia was giving a workshop for one - me. But that was perfect since we had time to talk about our goals and our work on and for this planet. A couple of days after our meeting, Pia set out on a journey East to give Minneapolis a try. That was last summer. Fast forward to now and Pia has lived through a winter with ice and snow and got inspired to start a podcast of her own and a sustainability club!! How great is that! But wait, it gets better!! She also agreed to be part of the Sustainable Living Podcast.She is one of our new voices. We are so happy to have her! Pia will be contributing a monthly segment on sustainable travel. In this episode, you will hear the very first segment - all about the rent-a-bicycle programs which are sprouting up all over. Find out about Pia's podcast and the club on her website.  Her new enterprise is called the Greenie Group. I had the great honor to be one of Pia's guests on her podcast and hope that you will give it a listen. Find our episode here. Credit for the Music on Pia's segment goes to:  Dot Wiggin Band http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Dot_Wiggin_Band/Live_on_WFMUs_Miniature_Minotaurs_with_Kurt_Gottschalk_Jan_10_2014/Banana_Bike   Meet Claire Cox This is what Claire wrote: My name is Claire Cox, I was born and raised in Ohio I moved to Oregon at age 17, where I met and married my husband, Mark. He is an RN at the hospital "near" us, almost an hour away. We have 2 grown children and 5 grandkids, and 5 cows. About ten years ago we moved to the boondocks and we have been trying to live as self-sufficiently as possible. We have dabbled in permaculture, aquaponics, fodder feeding and many more innovative gardening concepts. It has been an incredible journey, lots of blood, sweat, tears, and laughter, and we even learned a thing or two along the way. We are nearing "retirement age" for my husband now, and so taking a long, hard look at the reality of growing old and homesteading. We need to make some changes... we invite anyone who is interested to tag along as we wander along! Claire has become my friend via a different social media platform called steemit. she blogs about homesteading, of course, but also about her other interests such as gold and silver, singing kareoke with her husband and much more. Find Claire's blog here Her name is fishyculture on Steemit.   Please tell us what you like to hear on the podcast. We always love to hear from you. You can leave a comment on this post or send an email to [email protected].   We always love your support on Patreon  

Zoe became a Yoga Instructor when 17 years old. She had practiced from an early age and Yoga helped her to deal with a stressful childhood. She used to have severe stomach issues caused by anxiety. After beginning her Yoga practice, she did not suffer from that anymore.   Emily Gerde conducted this interview and wrote: I had the pleasure of interviewing Zoe Who Erickson. As a recent graduate from Northwester Health Science University, she displays wisdom beyond her years and inspires us to live sustainably through the mindfulness of yoga. Zoe became a yoga instructor at age 17 and since then she has mastered her craft with unique class structures, meditations and individualized instruction. She notes Eckhart Tolle’s books as a catalyst in bringing even more mindfulness into yoga and allows her to live in the present moment, rather than the past or future. By doing so she has been able to heal herself and assist in healing her clientele by embodying living in the present.   Zoe reminds us that age does not matter when it comes to making your dreams come true. She encourages youth to put themselves out there and practice makes perfect. Taking small steps to accomplishing your goals and using mentors to guide you is key to success. We discuss the different types of yoga and how they vary and which ones serve which purpose. From more intense yoga to restorative yoga, you will get an idea of what yoga works for you. Zoe and I compare at home yoga and classes and the benefits of both.   With Zoe’s new adventure in Chinese medicine, we dive into nutrition and how her past of counting calories turned into simple, clean eating. Taking a relaxed attitude with your diet. She encourages us to listen to our bodies and enjoy the ride instead of stress about every little calorie. By eating whole, unprocessed, organic food and being sure she gets in her vegetables and fruits she found herself in better health. Zoe continues to enjoy teaching yoga at Lifetime Fitness and is looking for more wonderful opportunities in the Twin Cities area. You can connect with Zoe on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/zoewhoyoga/ or on her Lifetime Page.

Stephanie Kubes is a single mom who is a Certified Veterinary Technician and spent 5 years planning and researching for her build before proudly becoming a Tiny Homeowner in the fall of 2017. She and her 5-year-old daughter now live in their tiny home, The Willow Tree, and refer to themselves as Two Girls and a Tiny. Stephanie began as a client with Midwest Tiny Living but quickly evolved into the Project Manager for the company. She plans to transition her career full-time into helping build Tiny Homeowners!   In our discussion, Stephanie describes her inspirations for building a tiny house, which focuses on the desire to acquire home ownership. Going with the flow during your design and build can save you a lot of stress, according to Stephanie’s experience. Asking for help was an essential piece on her journey. She reveals her secret to finding a parking spot and how she made a place to call home happen for her.   Stephanie talks about key design features and that your design ultimately comes down to your needs. She also emphasizes having some foresight in your design by trying to think about what the future may bring so your design can grow with you and your dreams. Her larger bathroom was an essential part of her build, along with a very functional kitchen. She also did an amazing job bringing nature and lighting to her house with an emphasis on big windows.   Her biggest take away from the experience is not to be afraid to ask for help. There are so many amazing people in the tiny house community, as well as friends and family who are more than willing to help.   You can find Stephanie on social media @twogirlsandatiny on Instagram and Facebook, or on her webpage, www.twogirlsandatiny.com   Get a video tour through The Willow Tree with tips and tricks for tiny house living https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPv-DbT0uuk Visit The Sustainable Living Podcast's website at http://sustainablelivingpodcast.com/ And follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Join us on Steemit.com and earn while you have fun https://steemit.com/@sustainablelivin

Claudia, Bonnie, and Marianne exploring the importance of women's retreats and how to create a business which promotes happiness and fulfillment for all involved. Claudia is a clinical psychologist and Bonnie worked as a Hospice Nurse, is a Homeopath and a Nutritionist. Both wanted to create a business that included a lot of laughter and fun. And what could be better than a women's retreat?  But it is not all about having fun. The connections women (and men) can and will make at retreats are an important part of creating a network of support we all need to live a happy life. In the interview, Claudia and Bonnie are sharing a lot of tips on how to create a similar event anywhere. However, if you are in the San Diego Area, check out Full Moon Retreats and join in. Bonnie Bertano, CEO, is a 10th generation California-born native. She’s the mother of two amazing humans, devoting many years to full-time parenting while also working part-time so she has a deep understanding of work-life balance and self-care, having learned the hard way. Bonnie worked as a nurse then became certified in nutrition and homeopathy, selling herbs and homeopathic remedies at an integrative pharmacy. She offered educational workshops, published a beautiful cookbook, and managed a wellness center of holistic practitioners. Bonnie loves yoga, rowing crew, eco-friendly products, integrative medicine, healthy food, and great friends.    Claudia Franzosi, CEO, MFT, MPEC,  was raised in Italy.  As soon as she graduated from the university, she danced with wolves for a bit, learned and forgot Thai (the language), Tai Chi (the martial art), shamanism, and rock climbing in the Alps, and then settled in San Diego, California.  She is a Psychologist in Italy and a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Master Personal and Executive Coach in California.  She has been in private practice since the year 2000.  Claudia is a serial entrepreneur, musician, and visionary, constantly cooking up some new idea or adventure.  Her last one took her around the world in 7 months.  She called that a “sabbatical.”  We call it “play,” something we are very fond of at Full Moon Retreats. www.facebook.com/fullmoonretreats  Visit the Sustainable Living Website     

Ryan Ott is a professional builder and has helped many people to fulfill their dream or a tiny house. In this interview with Guest CoHost Emily Gerde, we learn about the cost involved to build a tiny house and much, much more. If you are dreaming to own one in the future, this interview will prepare you to ask all the right questions and make a plan before you spend any money. Best to do it right from the beginning.   Visit our website for more tiny house information and lots of Sustainable Living info.    Ryan Ott is the owner of Midwest Tiny Living LLC. Based in Minnesota, Ryan brings a lifetime of experience and experiments to the tiny house community. His approach is to custom build homes for the clients he serves which helps them make the transition in a way that works best for them. This technique, he feels, is the best way to ensure a successful transition from living in large rooms to living in a large world.   We discuss all things tiny houses including pricing, planning, building, and parking. Ryan gives us an insider view of tiny house building and inspires us to think about the tiny house movement as a bigger goal of home ownership.  Ryan gives practical advice on how to plan efficiently and what to consider before finalizing your design. He does a great job explaining the difference between RV’s (which I accidentally call mobile homes), and tiny houses. From insulation to size and practicality, Ryan gives us the insight you need to make an informed decision about building a tiny house. With personal experience in living in a tiny house and camper, I can attest to his assessment of the pros and cons to both.   We dive into what it takes to make a tiny house and why prices vary from state to state. There is a growing confusion with tiny houses prices with most information coming from tiny house television shows. Ryan gives a step-by-step explanation of the cost of materials and how quickly they add up but also assures potential tiny homeowners costs can be decreased easily with used materials, sweat equity, fewer windows, smaller trailer and used appliances. He encourages you to build to the 98% of your life, by making sure your daily needs are met. He gives a great example of a bathtub being an unnecessary item if you take a bath twice a year or a huge kitchen if you only seat more than a few people on holidays. His practical planning advice will assure you design the tiny house that best fits your needs and wants.   Financial freedom is a big part of the discussion as we discuss how tiny houses will save you a lot of money in the long run with no mortgage, small utility bills and low maintenance costs. Tiny homes are one piece of the puzzle for finding new ways to offer affordable houses. This may require some trailblazers to get zoning regulations changed in their area, as well as finding ways to build them up to a specific code to allow more parking spot options. When it comes to parking Ryan believes we all deserve to follow our dreams and live where we want to live and thrive.   You can find Ryan on his website at https://midwesttinyliving.com/optin-17461619   You can also find him on Instagram and Facebook @Midwesttinyliving    

It is with great pleasure that we are introducing one of the new team members of the Sustainable Living Podcast. We are excited to bring even more voices from the Sustainable Living Crowd to you all. Here are Emily's words of introduction: Emily Gerde is an up and coming author with a background as a public school teacher, gymnastics coach, daycare provider, tiny house dweller, and holistic health enthusiast. Emily will provide an inside look into a minimalist lifestyle and how downsizing can forever change your life. She will also dive into mindfulness practices, organic farming, gentle parenting and how sustainable living can be applied in all areas of your life. Emily’s new book, Minimalist Living for a Maximum Life, gives you in in depth look at her family’s journey to healing the mind, body and soul through minimalist, sustainable and mindfulness practices. "The Peacemaker taught us about the Seven Generations. He said, when you sit in council for the welfare of the people, you must not think of yourself or of your family, not even of your generation. He said, make your decisions on behalf of the seven generations coming, so that they may enjoy what you have today." Oren Lyons (Seneca) Faithkeeper, Onondaga Nation   Emily is excited to be a part of the Sustainable Living Podcast team as she interviews guest from all walks of life and discovers what humanity is doing to ensure our children will have a beautiful healthy planet for generations to come. Join us every month and be inspired to make the changes you want to see in yourself, so the world will follow your example.  Emily explains her mission as follows, “I am here to inspire women to heal themselves, so we have a generation of children who will thrive and create a new world where humans, technology and nature live in harmony.”   As always, you can find us on our website  And on most social media under the name The Sustainable Living Podcast. Join us on Steemit and support the podcast with your vote.

Steven Cornett has the farming bug!! He happily works many hours to get his backyard farm off the ground. Until not too long ago, he also worked a regular job - a job he actually liked. But, he says, he quit that job a few month ago and never has been happier. It all started 6 years ago when he and a friend decided to give farming a try. Both worked part-time jobs and spend the rest of their time building their farm. There was no time for girlfriends or parties. They were too busy following their passion and loving it! Steven tells us about their journey turning absolute awful San Diego soil into a market garden which brought them an income. Hint: It helps to know people who need to get rid of animal bedding from a county fair. Another example how waste can be turned into a valuable resource. After a couple of years of farming with his friend, Steven went to teach English in Korea. There, he did a lot of reading and found Masanobu Fukuoka's book The One Straw Revolution. Mind blown!! Reading this book and learning more and more about Permaculture set Steven on his path to becoming a soil farmer. His focus is to build soil. The veggies and other products are an extremely valuable side effect. Steven can be found online as Nature is Always Right. Here are links so you can find him easily. YouTube  Instagram Facebook Twitter Website Visit our website- The Sustainable Living Podcast and we appreciate your Support on Patreon

Wishing you the best for 2018. We are going through some changes. Jenise has too many obligations and will no longer be co-hosting the podcast. Marianne shares some ideas how to go forward from here. Visit our website and find out how you can become part of the future of this podcast. No worries, the podcast will keep on and will strive to serve you better all the time.

Jenise and Marianne wishing you all the best for the Holidays. Hannuka, the Winter Solstice, Christmas, New Year, Kwanzaa and many might have other celebrations. We are wishing you joy, health, and happiness.     Marianne shares some of her winter garden adventures and challenges. She also invites you to take some time to practice gratitude for the small things in our lives. Of course, for the big events as well. Here is the challenge. Let's express our gratitude by planting trees. We can create a ceremony for the planting or simply say or think the gratitude we want to infuse into the tree. Of course, you can buy a tree and plant it in your yard. Or maybe this is a good time to propagate one. Maybe from seed, maybe from cuttings. A lot depends on your climate zone and what kind of trees will grow in your area. Many cities have tree programs. They give free trees to promote cleaner air. But tree stewards are needed to not only plant the tree but water and care for it until it is established and can live on its own. Let us know what you come up with! [email protected]    

@taskmaster4450 is explaining the basics of blockchain technology and cryptocurrency. He is sharing many different applications of this new technology and we are exploring what that means to people who do want to life a more sustainable lifestyle. Some of the options already available to everyone are several applications where Cryptocurrency can be earned. One example is bitrad.io. Earn by listening. So easy. Please use this link to start your own account  http://bitrad.io/?ref=97511 We do get a small benefit if you use it. Another platform to earn cryptocurrency is steemit.com Marianne shares an event that happened on this platform and turned out great for her. Please send your questions to [email protected] We will have regular segments on this subject in future podcasts.

Matt Duncan is an educator who is also concerned about the future of our planet. He was babysitting the young son of a friend who had just moved to the country and had brought very little with them. There weren't many toys but pretty soon they all had fun playing with toys the had made from items in the recycle bin. The idea of making toys by upcycling materials everybody not only has in their house but typically throws away. A year later, their first book is for sale on Amazon and the online upcycle toy club is thriving. Making toys together is not only cheaper than buying, helps to save the planet, and brings the family closer together. Listen and find out how you can win a one-year membership to the upcycle toy club. Deadline to enter the giveaway is December 15, 2017. www.UpcycledToys.Club Visit our website 

Joel Salatin is maybe the most famous farmer of today. Many who want to farm sustainably are learning from Joel. He is a farmer, an author, a speaker and a great person all around.

Marianne talks about the need for less perfectionism, more breaks, cancer, Steemit and freewriting.

It has been too hot to do any extra work - the garden and the plants demanded extra attention. But great interviews with Joel Salatin and Matt Duncan were recorded and will be published soon.

A solo show by Marianne. The Big Bear Yoga Festival is such a great example how the action of one person can impact so many lives. Big Bear Yoga is run by two women as a love offering to the community. A few years back, they decided to also offer a yearly Yoga Festival.   This year, it was a one-day affair and it was free to the public.   Almost 600 people RSVPd.   We could leave it here. That many people got to have a full day of yoga free and have the opportunity to be exposed to so many different aspects of Yoga.   Here is a link to the webpage http://www.bigbearyogafestival.com/   But the impact went way beyond the fact that many people spend a day together practicing self-care.   Many of the participants came from cities several hours drive away and opted to spend one or maybe more rights in Big Bear. Of course eating out and maybe shopping is part of the mini vacation. All bring benefit to the community.   Vendors came too. Over 30 different booths had all kinds of interesting offerings. From Vegan food to organic yoga wear. From energy healing to psychic readings. From jewelry to non-profits supporting individuals who want to develop a product for sale.   Let’s not forget the connections individuals were making. In one of our sessions, a local activist in need of a kitchen connected with a child care provider who has such a kitchen and needed help. A trade made in heaven. Help time was traded for time in the kitchen.     Remember the non-profit I mentioned. They are working with all kinds of people who want to bring their cottage industry item to market - and the use of a commercial kitchen is often required.   The class we were teaching was on Permaculture. All these connections were like taken from the handbook on Permaculture design. Staking functions! The kitchen provides healthy food to the child-care kids which can be leveraged to get a healthy start grant.  It also can provide an extra income by renting it out. And the owner can make a product herself from the yield of the land surrounding the daycare.   And there are many more possibilities.   I am sure that many more connections were made during that day who will bring about events in the future. All this was possible because two women decided to have a Yoga Festival.   Let us know what you think! Give us feedback and tell us topics you like to hear from us. Let us know!!! Email us at [email protected]   Support us on Patreon!  How to reach us: Website: Sustainable Living Podcast We appreciate your support! You can do so on Patreon. Here is how. Go to the Patreon Homepage. Create an account. You will need a name (can be an avatar), an email address, a password and a credit card. This should only take a few minutes. Then look for us and pledge away. Thank you! Join our Facebook group Sustainable Living Tips, Tools and Tactics. Apple Podcasts: Please Rate, Review and Subscribe Facebook Page Instagram Twitter YouTube Channel Google+ LinkedIn  

Jenise and Marianne met after a long time at Jenise's house in Big Bear. Jenise talks about why she needed to take a break and the impact of being a care-giver. We also talk about the podcast and who we are going to interview. And about Steemit and crypto currency.

Emily, her husband, her child, her dog, and four cats moved from a 2000sf home to a 325sf tiny house. They never were happier and found freedom from debt and freedom to do the work their heart desires.   Can you imagine moving your family from a 2000 sf house to a 325 sf tiny house? Emily Gerde and her husband could. And they did. In many ways, that was a radical act. Emily didn't grow up dreaming of living in a very small house some day. On the contrary, she followed what many might call the American dream: Go to College, fall in love, get married, buy a house, and have a child. Sounds great, right? Can you see the happy family in their big house, relaxing, entertaining and in general having a good time? Well, the reality for Emily and her husband were working two jobs each, and him going to Grad-school on top of it. They hardly ever saw each other and didn't have any time to enjoy their house or yard. Emily's health started to suffer. Being busy and stressed all the time manifested a hyperactive Thyroid. Then, one day, Emily's sister in law introduced them to the concept of the tiny house. Their ears perked up and right then and there, Emily and her husband decided to find out more. Luck had it that they were able to visit a tiny house not too far away from them. That visit sealed the deal. They loved the tiny house from the minute they stepped inside. It didn't feel small or cramped or claustrophobia-inducing. On the contrary. That tiny house felt like a home to them. Comfortable. Like a place that they could live in.  to read more and see many pictures and videos, click here Reach Emily via social media

Liza Moiseeva and her partners started a social business called GlobeIn to support artisans all over the world and make a living at the same time. While nonprofits have their place in alleviating poverty, Liza believes that businesses will have a greater impact on the lives of the local population in the long-term. GlobeIn provides subscription boxes with items made by artisans all over the world. GlobeIn provides subscription boxes with items made by artisans all over the world. We are proud to be affiliates for GlobeIn. If you decide you want to support a good cause with your $$ and get beautiful handcrafted items for a great deal click here. Enter the code WELCOME for $10 off your subscription.   Visit our website for pictures and links to videos and more.   Let us know what you think! Give us feedback and tell us topics you like to hear from us. Let us know!!! Email us at [email protected]   Support us on Patreon!   How to reach us: Website: Sustainable Living Podcast We appreciate your support! You can do so on Patreon. Here is how. Go to the Patreon Homepage. Create an account. You will need a name (can be an avatar), an email address, a password and a credit card. This should only take a few minutes. Then look for us and pledge away. Thank you! Join our Facebook group Sustainable Living Tips, Tools and Tactics. Apple Podcasts: Please Rate, Review and Subscribe Facebook Page Instagram Twitter YouTube Channel Google+ LinkedIn    

Is Self Care a Radical Act?   Brodie Welch is offering our listeners a great deal! Brodie offers many programs.    The discount of 15 % off is for the 12 Treasures Qigong and Basics of Chinese Medicine.   Use the coupon code "SUSTAIN" for 15% off Scroll to the end for clickable links.     Our podcast guest Brodie Welch is saying without doubt in her mind that self care is a radical act!   Why should we believe her?   Because Brodie knows her stuff. She has studied and worked in the health field for over 20 years and has helped countless people to take that step towards better health.   Here is Brodie Welch’s bio   Brodie Welch is a Licensed Acupuncturist, board-certified herbalist, Chinese Medicine expert, group coach, and self-care strategist. She’s the founder of Life in Balance Acupuncture in Corvallis, Oregon, where she has been treating patients since 2003.   In addition to her clinical practice, Brodie helps caring, high-achieving, women put themselves on their own to-do lists so they can trade stress and burnout for energy, joy, and vibrant health. She has helped thousands of clients improve their digestion, sleep, and mood; dial in a regular bodymind practice, and step into the next version of themselves. She’s also the creator and host of A Healthy Curiosity: the podcast that explores what it takes to be well in a busy world.   Now that you know Brodie’s credentials, let me tell you some about our interview. To get all that Brodie shared, you do have to listen to the podcast. You can click on the player above or subscribe via your favorite pod catcher.   Self Care - A Radical Act   Why is that a true statement?    Self care requires the radical act to care about yourself enough to do it!!   Breath that in and sit with it for a little bit. What does that mean?   Let’s take one example many of us can relate to. Good health requires a certain amount of hours of sleep. Actually, Brodie explains that we need to be asleep at 11pm for our body to be able to its work of restoring and detoxing. But more about that later.   We need sleep. But there is a pile of work waiting to be done. Maybe there is a deadline looming. A paper or a report is due.   Do you choose your health and go to bed? Or do you stay up until the early morning hours, finish that project and get only a few hours of sleep?   If you are like me, you stay up and finish. Then pay for it the next few days with being tired and distracted.   So, in this case, radical self care could mean that you go to bed, don’t do the work which needed to be done and deal with the consequences.   That probably backfires a bit. For one, it is doubtful you get a good nights sleep and the consequences might have a long term effect.   So, that means we have to approach this differently. We do it for this one time, and now figure out how to be able to meet that need - sleep - in the future.     I am sure that most of you think first of time management as the solution. And that is part of it.   But how about looking at through a whole system approach.   Is our mind functioning clearly so we don’t over commit in the first place. Are we tired all the time and don’t get enough done during our waking hours. Is our body feeling strong and healthy. Do we feel happy about our life or are we overwhelmed.   All of this doesn’t seem to have much to do with an unmet deadline. But it does.   The ancient wisdom system, as Brodie calls them, Chinese Medicine and Ayuveda, look at the whole person - not the symptoms or specific actions.           Let’s look into that a bit more before we come back to the missed deadline. If you do a quick google search on definition of Ayuveda, you might find this:   “Ayurveda's fundamental approach to well-being is that you must reach your unique state of balance in your whole being—body, mind, and spirit.”   or this   “The foundation of Ayurvedic nutrition is based on the idea that you are the result of what, when, where, how and why you eat.”   or this   “Ayurveda is a holistic healing science which comprises of two words, Ayu and Veda. Ayu means life and Veda means knowledge or science.”     If you google Chinese Medicine you find this:   “Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) originated in ancient China and has evolved over thousands of years. TCM practitioners use herbal medicines and various mind and body practices, such as acupuncture and tai chi , to treat or prevent health problems.”   or this   “TCM, or Traditional Chinese Medicine, is a profound pathway to create the life you truly want to live, the life you were born to live.”     or this     “Chinese medicine treatments address imbalances using food therapy/diet, acupuncture, herbal remedies, Chinese exercise, and meditation.”     Just reading these few statement that both systems address the whole being. There is far more to it then finding the right pill or herb or getting a better time management plan.     Everything we do, including perpetually being overworked, late on projects or tired are an expression of something in us being out of balance.     Brodie teaches courses   When I set out to do this interview, I just knew that Brodie’s expertise fits right into our theme of Inner Sustainability and Health as an important part of sustainable living.   Then I found out that Brodie is teaching online courses people can take from anywhere in the world.   The more we talked, the more I got excited about her courses and I asked Brodie if she can offer a discount to you, our listeners and readers. And she did!! I am so happy that you all can get a 15% discount on her courses.   I wanted to tell you this right now, because I know that not everyone is reading to the end of blogposts. :)         Highlights of our Conversation   But first, let me share some highlights of our conversation.   Self care requires the radical step of valuing it enough to do it. It becomes the solid foundation from which you can stand strongly on this platform from which you can do your work in the world with clarity and efficiency.   Remember that looming deadline? When we function well, we don’t overcommit and can do the work required in a minimum of time and still producing excellent results.   Here is an example which makes this point even clearer. If you cut a tree and have a dull saw, it might take all day to finish the job. But if you take the time to sharpen the saw, or even better, sharpen the saw before starting to work on the tree, the job will be done in no time.   So, spending the time to take care of ourselves is time well spend. It is not a selfish act. It is a necessity.   Here is a hack to become an expert in self care: Schedule your you time early in the day! Something will always come up if you wait for later in the day.   Sounds easy, right? we can go with the Nike slogan “Just Do It!”     Change and Habits     But change is not easy. Creating a new habit or letting go of one which no longer serves us requires effort and the will to do it.   Brodie explains this in the following way.   Habits have a circuit.   A trigger or cue The habit or behavior Rewards you get from doing that behavior   These are the 5 most common cues or triggers.   Time of the day Place The Person you are with Preceding action Emotional state     The key to change is finding out the reward or the result. Then ask the question: What can I do instead?   One of the prerequisites to change is a deep desire and being in alignment with the person you want to be next year.   To keep yourself on track to give birth to the next version of yourself requires attention to who you are now and who you are becoming.   This can take a lot of courage! How many of us are making excuses for gaining those extra 20 lbs, or eating food we know is not really good for us. And how many of us haven’t really looked in the mirror for many years.   Changing habits, giving birth to the self we want to be requires to really be honest with ourselves. Who we are and who we want to be.   Mediation can be an excellent tool to come to that clarity. Brodie offers a free breath medication which I did right before our interview and really liked.   Change is hard for the person wanting to change. But for people around that person, it can be outright scary! Often, the best friend or the husband/wife can become the worst saboteurs! Watch out for that!!     So, if you undertake a shift in your life, make sure you surround yourself with a support system. Meetup can be a great place to find in person support - there is a group for just about anything.   Social media can be a great place as well. When we did the Gerson Therapy, the daily interaction in a private Facebook group with people on the same path helped me through many difficult days.   Or join a paid online community.   Brodie offers programs like that starting next month. And, as I said, she is offering you a 15% discount (In case you are wondering, we do not earn anything on this. We asked for this for you!)   The discount is offered for the 12 Treasures Qigong and Basics of Chinese Medicine.   Use the coupon code "SUSTAIN" for 15% off   Brodie’s website: http://brodiewelch.com Other great offerings: Calm and Centered Bundle: http://brodiewelch.com/opt-in-bundle/ Free 5-minute breathing meditation: http://brodiewelch.com/breathing-break/ Podcast page: www.brodiewelch.com/podcast What’s Your Chinese Element? http://brodiewelch.com/chinese-element-quiz/ Podcast website: www.brodiewelch.com/podcast Brodie On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrodiewelchLAC Podcast on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/a-healthy-curiosity/id1133292360# A Healthy Curiosity Podcast on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ahealthycuriosity/ A Healthy Curiosity Podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ahcuriosity

Amy Oestreicher turns her personal hardships into successful plays, artworks, and books. She uses her creativity to deal with her pain from the many years of recovery from a severe illness and from sexual abuse. But she also uses it to help others.   Visit our blog for more info http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/   The article about Amy's new play: http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/13739704 More info: amyoes.com/flicker You can help to make the full production happen with any kind of donations here: patreon.com/amyo Gutless and Grateful: amyoes.com/gutless Amy's programs and presentations at amyoes.com/ptsd Amy's TEDx talk: amyoes.com Twitter: @amyoes Facebook.com/amyoestr Amy's book: amyoes.com/book Here are the guidelines for #LoveMyDetour guest posts: https://amyoes.com/lovemydetour-guest-post-guidelines-for-why-not-wednesday/

You are the agent of social change. You, our listener, and you, our fellow podcaster. If you are interested in gender or racial justice - we need you! If you are interested in food justice, green living or polite discourse - we need you! If you are interested in gay rights, saving the rainforest or feeding the world through Permaculture - we need you. We are formulating an action plan how we all can work together and support each other reaching our goals which are all parts of the puzzle - social change. Please join the discussion!! Reach out.   Judithe Registre from the Non-Profit Inclusivus and Marianne are sharing about their Panel at Podcast Movement 2017. Their session, Podcasts: Untapped Resource for Social Change is the start of a collaboration of podcasters with a different focus area in this genre. For more detail and a full blog post, visit our Website: Sustainable Living Podcast   Please send your ideas and Feedback to [email protected]   How to reach us: Website: Sustainable Living Podcast We appreciate your support! You can do so on Patreon. Here is how. Go to the Patreon Homepage. Create an account. You will need a name (can be an avatar), an email address, a password and a credit card. This should only take a few minutes. Then look for us and pledge away. Thank you! Join our Facebook group Sustainable Living Tips, Tools and Tactics. Apple Podcasts: Please Rate, Review and Subscribe Facebook Page Instagram Twitter YouTube Channel Google+ LinkedIn  

A solo episode about life priorities and that sometimes we can't keep up with a schedule - even if it is full of projects and tasks which bring us joy. Jenise needs a bit of a break. She is a caretaker for her elderly mother and that takes so much time and energy. Marianne is at the same examining where she can do less in the different areas of her life - and at the same time add more to her plate. A constant shifting of focus and priorities. Visit our blog/website at http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/ If you like our show, we appreciate your support of any amount on Patreon

We are at Podcast Movement and learning every minute. A new episode will be there for you next week. Have a wonderful week!! We love you!!

Let us know what you think! Give us feedback and tell us topics you like to hear from us. Let us know!!! Email us at [email protected]   Support us on Patreon!   David Perrodin, PhD left a high paying, high-status position without a plan. He shares his personal story of transformation for the first time. David went from an angry and very unhealthy man with a great paycheck to a happy and healthy person. He found many opportunities and experiences coming his way he never imagined possible. And he does not miss that high paycheck and status at all. The life he now has allows him time to spend with his family and time to pursue things he enjoys. David hosts his own podcast, has co-written and co-produced a movie, rides his bike and is writing a book. He finds time to help his neighbors and can't wait to see what other adventures will present himself. David Perrodin, PhD, worked twelve years as a Director of Student Services before exiting the profession in 2014 to focus exclusively on researching school safety and high-stakes decision-making in conjunction with his doctoral dissertation at the University of Wisconsin - Madison.  As an expert in safety preparedness and response, Dr. Perrodin has presented on television, in schools and at conferences.  In 2016, he partnered with Pulitzer Prize-winning author and producer David Obst to write and direct a script involving an intruder in an elementary school setting.  Dr. Perrodin produces a weekly safety show called "The Safety Doc Podcast".  He is under contract with publishing house Rowman & Littlefield to author a book about the remarkable rescue of 500,000 people from Lower Manhattan on September 11, 2001.  The book, titled "Lessons of Lower Manhattan" will be released in early 2018.   Follow Dr. Perrodin:   SoundCloud  https://soundcloud.com/user-186592129 iTunes  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-safety-doc-podcast/id1209802253?mt=2 SUBSCRIBE to “The Safety Doc” YouTube channel  https://youtu.be/FOKS89Vfaa4 The 405 Media  http://the405media.com/the-safety-doc/ PERRODIN’S SAFETY BLOG  https://crisisprepconsulting.wordpress.com/ SAFETY DOC WEBSITE   safetyphd.com Follow David & The Safety Doc Podcast on Twitter   @SafetyPhD Email Dr. Perrodin   [email protected]   How to reach us: Website: Sustainable Living Podcast We appreciate your support! You can do so on Patreon. Here is how. Go to the Patreon Homepage. Create an account. You will need a name (can be an avatar), an email address, a password and a credit card. This should only take a few minutes. Then look for us and pledge away. Thank you! Join our Facebook group Sustainable Living Tips, Tools and Tactics. Apple Podcasts: Please Rate, Review and Subscribe Facebook Page Instagram Twitter YouTube Channel Google+ LinkedIn  

Episode 109 Are homesteaders just moochers living off of "civil" society? A recent opinion piece in Forbes magazine suggests that they are. And a brilliant homesteading blogger named Daisy Luther of The Organic Prepper blog, articulately countered the argument on Zero Hedge. I read Daisy's article and thought it would make for an interesting discussion on our latest episode of the podcast. But first Marianne and I share a little bit about how we are "mooching" on our respective homesteads! August Update Marianne is tired of hand watering her plants and is making plans for installing a watering system in her garden.  She wants to create a watering grid to "just hydrate everything." And she talks about a sustainability-oriented company she's considering for sourcing this watering system. I'm excited about my recent sheet mulching project. Looking at all the weeds in between my raised beds got old.  So after collecting cardboard from friends and neighbors, I covered the weeds with it. Then I topped the cardboard with lots of straw. If you'd like a gander at how it turned out, check out my posts on our Facebook Page and on our Instagram account. Now on to the diatribe against homesteaders. Reality TV vs Reality Like so many articles out there these days, the Forbes piece on homesteaders seemed outrageous, incendiary and ill-informed. And it was posted in a "reputable" publication - Forbes magazine. As Marianne and I note, basing your opinion of a group purely on the caricatures painted by so-called "reality" T.V. shows, might not be such a great idea. The author of the Forbes piece, an economist named Adam Ozimek, summarizes his case in this paragraph: "If we all lived “self-reliant” lives like Tony often implores us, spending most of our time on basic agricultural subsistence, then modern hospitals couldn’t exist. It’s only because most of us choose to not live agrarian “self-reliant” lifestyles that this care would be available to Tony, Amelia, and perhaps someday, their children. And what if both of them become too injured to work the land anymore? Would they starve to death, or would they survive off of the social safety net our government provides, like food stamps?" One might also conclude that if we all lived "healthy" lifestyles then modern hospitals couldn't exist.  But should we all endeavor to be ill so that hospitals can continue on? Health, Happiness and "The Economy" A more advanced society might encourage whatever it takes for people to be healthier and happier, even if it's at the expense of large institutions such as hospitals and big Pharma. In such a case, health care might very well be transformed into something much less costly and much more effective. And smaller communities of people, who know and help each other on a regular basis, might find their own ways of taking care of less fortunate community members, in a much more heart-centered manner. From what I've seen homesteaders are by and large, happier than the majority of the population.  But this happy lifestyle is threatening to our established system. As Daisy Luther puts it in her rebuttal: "The fact is, the less we require from society, the less power that society has over us. Our lifestyles give us some distance from the hustle and the bustle. We don’t have to make as much money because we don’t live in the consumer matrix that engulfs so much of society. We are content to live simply instead of hustling from one non-productive activity to another." And this makes us happier. But should we give up this happiness so that the system can continue? Homesteaders & Freedom The truth is, homesteaders generally contribute to the "system" just like everyone else. We pay our taxes and, to varying degrees, choose to partake in government and institutional programs like the rest of the population.  The difference is, we have more freedom to choose what we participate in and support. I believe a populace that is free to choose, is an empowered populace - an important check on government and corporations and a powerful aspect of our future as a society. And the freedom to do things differently is vital if we want our species and our planet to evolve. What do you think?  Are homesteaders mooching? Are they the pioneers of the future?  Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Let us know what you think! Feedback and topics you like to hear from us. Let us know. Email us at [email protected]   Support us on Patreon!   Candida van Rood aka Candy Spender has become a friend via social media and now even more so through this podcast. We connected through expressing strong feelings about how to mother children and found so much more common ground.    Our fathers fought in the second World War and were prisoners of war. We grew up with a resource aware attitude.  We are both Geminis We feel that children deserve a village to raise them. We read many of the same books. Permaculture and so much more       I f you want to reach Candy, visit our website for contact info  How to reach us: Website: Sustainable Living Podcast We appreciate your support! You can do so on Patreon. Here is how. Go to the Patreon Homepage. Create an account. You will need a name (can be an avatar), an email address, a password and a credit card. This should only take a few minutes. Then look for us and pledge away. Thank you! Join our Facebook group Sustainable Living Tips, Tools and Tactics. Apple Podcasts: Please Rate, Review and Subscribe Facebook Page Instagram Twitter YouTube Channel Google+ LinkedIn  

Episode 106 The future of humanity may very well rest on the success of the small, sustainable farm. If that sounds like a severe exaggeration to you, consider the following: Industrial agriculture uses excessive amounts of chemical pesticides, herbicides and hormones that end up in what we eat, drink and breathe Factory farms and industrial slaughterhouses often create unsanitary conditions that cause food contamination, sickening 76 million people in the U.S. yearly. Topsoil erosion and aquifer depletion caused by industrial agriculture undermines genetic diversity, and pollutes air, water, and soil with toxic chemicals, causing $34.7 billion in environmental damage annually in the U.S. alone. Management of animal waste at factory farms often contaminates nearby  soil and water with pathogens, heavy metals, and excess nutrients that can sicken neighboring residents. Industrial agriculture contaminates ground and surface water with toxic pesticide and fertilizer runoff, hormone and antibiotics residue, heavy metals and harmful pathogens. Industrial farming often results in dead soil due to extensive plowing, constant planting and reliance on toxic chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Routine use of toxic pesticides by industrial agriculture  pollutes air, soil and water, and damages human health. Antibiotics regularly fed to industrially raised animals to promote growth and keep them alive in unsanitary conditions contributes to the creation of antibiotic resistant bacteria, an increasing threat to human health. Hormones routinely fed to livestock in factory farms have been linked to illness in animals and humans. Genetically engineered monoculture crop systems favored by industrial farms drain nutrients from the land, allow pests and disease to flourish and undermine genetic diversity. Large amounts of fossil fuel are required to plow fields, transport foods over long distances, and produce fertilizers on industrial farms. Factory farmed animals are  subjected to cruel and unsanitary conditions that cause widespread disease and aggressive behavior. Factory farms hire as few workers as possible and do little to support the local economy. Industrial and factory farm workers often endure unhealthy and dangerous working conditions for unlivable wages and are denied access to unions, overtime pay, safety training and worker compensation. The Small, Sustainable Farm It's clear that damage done to humans, animals and Mother Earth by industrial farming is massive and if left unchecked, could spell disaster for all three. But small, sustainable farmers are changing this paradigm. In her book "Why We Farm: Stories of Farmers from the Capay Valley" Elvira Di'Brigit shares accounts of small farmers drawn to a Northern California community to grow food as serious "stewards of the land." In this episode of the podcast, Elvira and I discuss how these amazing farmers have found success using sustainable growing techniques and non-traditional business models that connect them directly to consumers. Farming is hard work and small farmers face many obstacles not shared by their industrial counterparts. But these folks revel in it and enjoy their lives in the Capay Valley. It makes me wonder why.  Is it the joy of using their ingenuity to solve problems in novel ways? Is it the satisfaction of knowing their work is helping to heal people and the planet? Or is it just the peaceful, bucolic life in the Capay Valley? Perhaps all three. If you'd like to learn more about these fascinating farmers, you can pre-order Elvira's book here. You can follow Elvira's work and connect with her online at the following sites: Facebook.com/WhyWeFarm Facebook.com/CapayValleyGrown Instagram.com/CVFarmStories WhyWeFarmCapay.com  

Let us know what you think! Feedback and topics you like to hear from us. Let us know. Email us at [email protected] Support us on Patreon!   Our News and Listener Tips for July 2017   We couldn’t sleep. Both Jenise and I couldn’t sleep last night. For very different reasons.   I was up with my solar charged flashlight prowling the yard. Not once, not twice, but three times. Each time, my crazy little dogs woke me from a deep sleep by barking like there is no tomorrow.   Why I never figured out. But since we lost a bunch of chicken last Christmas morning to one of the friendly- or rather not so friendly- night time wildlife visitors, I can’t go back to sleep without investigating.   We have since build a chicken fortress for my girls to spend the night. But the last few nights, I have brought the 12 babies and their mom close to the flock in a temporary enclosure.   Now, they are all next to each other and can get acquainted, but the babies house is not as safe as the fortress.   Ergo, I get up with my flashlight to roam the yard whenever the dogs go off.     Jenise couldn’t sleep because she had too much fun!! It was her birthday on Tuesday and she celebrates with cake and friends - doing karaoke!!   She realized that we all need to have joy in our lives. Sing, dance, laugh, run up a mountain. Whatever makes us happy. And we need to schedule time for joy!   For Jenise, that is Karaoke. Someday, I have to go with her and film her for you!   Our other news:   canning garden swales We are going to present at Podcast Movement Come and join us - use Elsie’s discount code : shepodcasts for 15 % off!! We have a giveaway!! Read about it here   Our Listener Tips   Pat Jones - via email Scarry_hairy_vampire_larry  - via Instagram Stephanie McCoy   -via Facebook sustainably.trendy   - via Instagram Kelly Beth - twigandleaf   -via Instagram Sally Olson   - via Facebook Kathe Kline  - via Voxer         How to reach us: Website: Sustainable Living Podcast We appreciate your support! You can do so on Patreon. Here is how. Go to the Patreon Homepage. Create an account. You will need a name (can be an avatar), an email address, a password and a credit card. This should only take a few minutes. Then look for us and pledge away. Thank you! Join our Facebook group Sustainable Living Tips, Tools and Tactics. Apple Podcasts: Please Rate, Review and Subscribe Facebook Page Instagram Twitter YouTube Channel Google+ LinkedIn

Let us know what you think! Feedback and topics you like to hear from us. Let us know. Email us at [email protected]   Support us on Patreon!     Linda Kelso is a podcaster, a blogger, and a business woman. She is the owner and operator of LK Landscape Design.   You might ask, why in the world have a podcaster on your podcast? Good question!! There are several answers. One is that Linda is an expert in the garden and many of us have started to grow our own food in an effort to be more sustainable. All tips and advice are welcome!   She also knows how to create environments to support pollinators and other critters who are native to a given area - even if you live in an HOA.   Another reason is that we podcasters like to support each other. You, my friend, our listener, belong to a growing, but still small group of the initiated. You know what a podcast is and how to listen to one.   Believe it or not, there is still a large percentage of the population who does not know what a podcast is. If they only knew how much fun and how much learning can be had with a podcast. Maybe, you already shared our podcast with someone you thought might like to learn about sustainable living.   Maybe, you already shared our podcast with someone you thought might like to learn about sustainable living. But you might have more friends who want to learn about gardening and gardening only.   Well, now you can share Linda’s podcast with them and another podcast listener is initiated! A win for all of us!!   In this episode: Why Linda became a Landscape Designer after 18 years in a different career Master Gardener Training Back to College How her office career helped her in starting her own business Physical Business Online Business Free Course ** Special Discount for our Listeners ** Why create habitat? Ants!!!! Use the links on our website to take Linda's courses for only $ 10 each. They usually run between $ 50 and $ 100. Thank you, Linda!! Visit Linda's website. While you are there, sign up for her free course. lklandscapedesign.com You also find her podcast there.   How to reach us: Website: Sustainable Living Podcast We appreciate your support! You can do so on Patreon. Here is how. Go to the Patreon Homepage. Create an account. You will need a name (can be an avatar), an email address, a password and a credit card. This should only take a few minutes. Then look for us and pledge away. Thank you! Join our Facebook group Sustainable Living Tips, Tools and Tactics. iTunes: Please Rate, Review and Subscribe Facebook Page Instagram Twitter YouTube Channel Google+ LinkedIn      

Episode 103 Marissa Vicario is a certified integrative nutrition coach who is helping people to embrace holistic health. She is the author of the best-selling, award-winning book, Your Holistically Hot Transformation: Embrace a Healthy Lifestyle Free of Dieting, Confusion and Self-Judgment  - about her own journey to wellness and the unique philosophy she uses in her coaching practice to teach women how to trust themselves to make slimming, nutritious and energizing choices without resorting to fad diets. In this interview she shares some valuable tips to help us all create healthier habits. Overcoming self-doubt One of the biggest challenges to anything you want to accomplish is self-doubt. How do we overcome the negative self-talk that keeps us from doing the things we want? Drowning out the noise and paving your own individual wellness journey is, according to Marissa, the true essence of the phrase "holistically hot". In our discussion, she shares a bit about how she overcome her own self-doubt.   I can really relate to this because in my younger years I was virtually paralyzed by self doubt. As a result, I rarely tried anything new and if I wasn't immediately successful at something, I would quit and move on to the next thing. Well, when my kids were born, I realized I didn't want to set that type of example.  So I started to work on taking risks and being okay with failure.  As you'll hear in our discussion, I played mind-games with myself, at first, just so that I wouldn't beat myself up when things didn't turn out the way I wanted. Healing your relationship with food You have a relationship with food?  Of course you do!  We've all made judgments about food, based on what others are saying and our own experiences.  As Marissa states, there really are no good or bad foods, some foods just work better for some people than others. Each person is different and we all need to find our own way on this.  But healing how we view food, in general, is the first step. This involves uncovering our thoughts and biases regarding food and then using some techniques to create a more healthy view of food.  Marissa mentions visualization and discussion as useful tools.  I actually used mantras for this. Holistic health and sustainable self-care We women give a lot to others, which makes us happy.  But too often we forget to give to ourselves and as we all know, if we don't fill our own pitcher up, there is nothing to pour out to others.  If we want to live a healthy life, taking time for ourselves must not be considered a luxury.  Self-care is an absolute necessity. Stress, in particular, has an extremely negative effect on our health. So reducing it, or at least counter-acting it needs to be a priority. During our discussion, Marissa also shares valuable tips for: Avoiding pitfalls like fast food Meal planning in minutes How to green your diet and detox naturally with food

Episode 102 I embraced feminism at an early age.  It seemed like a no-brainer. Women should have the same rights as men. Period. I honor and appreciate all the pioneering women who came before me and through their efforts, made it possible for me to vote and choose to have the career that I want.  Many continue fighting for our rights to this day and I am grateful. The Big Picture Somewhere along the line, though, I began to wonder if, perhaps the cause was a little short-sighted. What I mean by this is, though I believe women and men should have equal rights, the problem is bigger than that. Our society values traditionally masculine activities and attitudes much more than it does the feminine versions. And to be healthy, we need a mix of both. This was highlighted for Marianne when she recently listened to a podcast for working moms. To be clear, both Marianne and I believe we women should be able to choose our own paths, unencumbered by oppressive practices designed to  control those choices. But, as you'll hear in our discussion, we both are also big believers in attachment parenting. We believe the more time kids can spend with their parents, particularly in those first five years, the better off they are.  I would add, that society is much better off when that happens as well. Unfortunately, childrearing has traditionally been considered more of a feminine activity and thus has not been given the status it deserves. Feminism and Our Future If the raising of children (in essence the caring for and nurturing of society's future) were valued as much as it should be, parents would have MORE choices in terms of pursuing a career, not less. There would be much more flexibility in the workplace including: more parental leave time; more part-time and job-sharing options; more opportunities for working from home; and more child-friendly workplaces. The more all of us have to work to fit into a masculine-oriented system in which career and childrearing are mutually exclusive, the more we all suffer and the less sustainable our society is. What do you think? We would love to hear your thoughts about this. Please leave us a comment or email us at [email protected].

Carl was hungry and out of money when he found some onions growing. Just growing right next to a parking lot -not in a garden, not cared for, not planted by anyone on purpose. That onion tasted so good! And it was free. One little onion changed Carl’s life and that of countless others who since have learned from him. “What is he teaching?” You might ask. Carl teaches how to get rid of all bills in your life. You know the ones you have to pay every month. * house payment/rent * water * electricity * trash * and the list goes on. At one point, Carl was living in Northern California with bills totaling $5300 per month. He got that down to $ 75. Impressive!! But Carl is special, right? Not everybody can do that! Wrong! Carl took 19 families under his wings and helped all of them to reduce their bills to nothing. But they all lived in California in the one spot where there is plenty of rain all year long and tomatoes are ripening in December. That is why this can work. Carl heard the argument that his method will never work in a cold climate one time too many and did what very few would even think about. Remember the town in Michigan called Flint? The one on the news? The one where people got poisoned by their drinking water? That is the town Carl picked to move to with his family. He and his wife were fully aware of all that is wrong with Flint, Michigan. But they also knew that they have solutions for the town. They moved to teach people how to be in control of their water supply among other skills. And to show the naysayers that living bill free can be done even in a cold, cold climate. Intrigued? Listen to the podcast to hear Carl’s story (click the player above or find us in your favorite podcasting app). Then, find Carl on YouTube and start learning from him. Did I mention that he offers his teachings for free? Yup, that is the guy he is! Thank you, Carl. Find out about these topics and more when you listening to the podcast! * Ampy * Homebio gas [Homebiogas | Household Biogas Digester System](https://homebiogas.com/) * Incinerating toilets * Building a community business * Vision quests * Manabu Farms and Manabu Club * Outlaw Farmer * Precious Plastic [Home — Precious Plastic](https://preciousplastic.com/en/)   How to find Carl: How to find Carl and Manabu Farms. Blog: Manabu Farms YouTube Facebook

Episode 100 Our journey on the sustainable living path led Marianne and I to create a weekly podcast a little more than two years ago. This episode marks 100 times we've recorded and shared our thoughts, interviews and tips via the podcast. In celebration of this milestone, Marianne traveled to my Big Bear homestead last weekend to brainstorm about our future plans and to record this episode. Connecting with You We've been on a mission to connect more directly with our listeners and to share and recognize your contributions.  So we decided to build this episode around the many useful sustainable living tips you've shared with us in our Facebook Group, Sustainable Living Tips, Tools & Tactics; and on our Instagram account. We also announced the long-awaited beginning of the Sustainable Living Podcast Tribe Connector - our e-newsletter. I'm one of those people that doesn't believe in coincidences.  In my opinion, Marianne and I were meant to meet and work together.  Too many things aligned to ensure that it happened. But that doesn't mean there weren't obstacles to overcome. Challenges and Friendship Believe it or not, this was the very first time that Marianne and I have ever recorded a podcast together in the same room - in this case my back deck. The fact that we live three hours away from each other has certainly been challenging.  The technologies of the Internet, Skype and social media made our meeting and subsequent partnership possible. But technology was also a barrier for us.  Though I had years of experience as a social media marketer, both of us had to learn about podcasting - which is no small feat. Marianne threw herself into learning about everything regarding podcasting and social media marketing.  As I note in our discussion, she has even begun teaching me new things! And along the way, our friendship has grown. Meeting via Skype on a regular basis, we've shared many ups, downs.  For instance, shortly after we began the podcast, my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.  I'll never forget how supportive Marianne was, giving me helpful information that she has learned as a cancer survivor. But even the day-to-day challenges of life have been just a little bit easier because of our regular chats. I'm grateful that we have both shared a flexible approach to podcasting. Some months Marianne had a lot going on, so I posted the majority of the podcasts. Other months, she did more of the work.  We don't really count who is doing how much.  We just work together to make sure things get done - at least most of the time.  And when someone drops the ball, well we've all been there. We just do our best to make sure it gets picked up again. Our Sustainable Living Community In this episode, which we decided to live stream as a video on Facebook,  you'll hear us share the story of the birth of The Sustainable Living Podcast; favorite moments and future plans.  But you'll also hear tips from listeners like Karen Vizer, Robin Gjerde, Stephanie McCoy, Cheryl Vaught and others. We are so grateful to have you all as members of our tribe.  We appreciate your support.  But we are particularly grateful to be connected to some of the most positive, resourceful, intelligent and caring people on Earth. We learn from you everyday. The value of a community such as ours cannot be overstated. Whether we're sharing tips on how to live more sustainably or just giving each other virtual hugs during tough times, these relationships provide a foundation upon which we can build a much happier world. Marianne and I wish to thank you all for your participation in this, from the bottom of our hearts.  

Episode 99 Permaculture and agorism. Both offer methods for changing the world for the better. And both have become hot topics over the last several years, thanks to independent thinkers and alternative online media. In this week's episode of the podcast, I had the chance to engage in an exhilarating discussion about these topics with Eric McCool. , Eric is using his webisite, Permagora,  to highlight ways in which people can combine permaculture with agorism for the betterment of humans and planet Earth. Non-Agression, Permaculture and Agorism During the chat, I explain how I have been exploring the ideas of voluntaryism (sometimes referred to as anarchism) and agorism and what spurred this exploration. I've learned that, voluntaryism, is not the absence of rules. Rather, it's the absence of authority or hierarchical structures.  At its core, is the non-agression principle which decries the use of violence or coercion on others for any reason except self-defense. My "wake up" moment  came when my son, through You Tube, showed me some disturbing news that wasn't being covered on any of the main stream media channels. Thus began my increased skepticism of mainstream media, authority figures and government, in general. Too often a little online research revealed the nightly news to be questionable at best; outright lies at worst; and a tool to push political agendas. The Attraction of Self-Sufficiency My efforts to nurture the health of my family, as well as Mother Earth, were also driving me to seek a way to opt-out of the consumer lifestyle. I sought a simpler life, living closer to nature and growing as much of my own food as possible.  I wanted to be more self-reliant, but I also wanted to be part of a community with a smaller, more resilient and eco-friendly micro-economy. So I moved to my current homestead in Big Bear, California.  Like Eric, one of my fondest wishes is to help create more economic resiliency through permaculture and activities like food swaps. Creating that Better World I've also discovered fresh sources for news and information that I have found to be trustworthy.  Not all, but a significant portion of these sites are run by folks who embrace the voluntaryist philosophy.  Marianne and I have spoken of one, The Survival Podcast hosted by Jack Spirko, on previous podcasts.  In this interview, Eric mentions two of my other favorites: The Corbett Report, with James Corbett and The Conscious Resistance with Derrick Brose. During this discussion, you're likely to detect my enthusiasm.  I share Eric's passion for  highlighting new systems that have the betterment of mankind as their goal.  There truly is a LOT to be excited about at this time in history, despite the endless barrage of doom and gloom we often see on T.V. Are you currently taking action to create the world you want to live in? There's never been a better time!  Please drop us a line and share your positive news with us.  We would love to help you spread it so that more people are inspired to create that better world.

Episode 98 I'm excited about food swaps. Why? There are SO many reasons!  I mean who doesn't like fresh, locally grown food? Or building community with your neighbors? Or trading your excess garden produce for something that you really need? Start a Food Swap Those are all wonderful reasons for starting a food swap.  But perhaps most importantly, food swaps can provide some protection against economic downturns. Think about it.  If we actually do have to face a SHTF moment and items we need are no longer easy to get, wouldn't a local food swapping group be helpful? So I've decided I'm going to start a food swap here in my small town of Big Bear City, California.  But there are a few things I need to know, so I talked to Sheri Menelli of EarthFriendlyHomeowner.com about it.  Sheri attends, organizes and advertises food swaps in her local area of Carlsbad, California. Our discussion is part of this episode. I also talked to my favorite homesteading mentor who is also my podcast co-host,  Marianne West. She's an old hand at food swaps, herself. Freedom in Swapping Communities In this episode of the podcast you'll hear about the advantages of food swaps; unexpected benefits; how to start your own food swap; and pitfalls to avoid. Marianne and I feel this is is such an important topic that we are also creating a free guide for anyone interested in starting a food swap in their own community. Please keep an eye out for announcements about it in the future. Of all the subjects we cover, topics like this one, that focus on helping people to have more freedom, get me the most excited. Personally, I'm tired of having to support corporations and institutions that cause so much suffering in the world. I'm also tired of being dependent on these organizations for my basic needs. If you feel the same way, I hope you'll look for food swaps in your local area - or start one of your own.  The more we all begin to participate in exchanges that help to empower ourselves and our local communities, the more resilient and free we will all be.

Let us know what you think! Feedback and topics you like to hear from us. Let us know. Email us at [email protected]    Support us on Patreon!     Lindsey McCoy has a master’s degree in nonprofit management and spent the last 10 years working on environmental education in the Bahamas, islands full of single-use plastic.   She and her sister co-founded a company, Plaine Products, that offers shampoo, conditioner and body wash in aluminum bottles that can be returned, refilled and reused.   In this interview, Lindsey explains how plastic affects all of us. It never disappears, just breaks down into smaller and smaller particles. Much of the plastic ends up in the ocean where fish are ingesting it and so do we by eating fish. Lindsey describes her experience in the Bahamas. She also gives us insights in the trials and In this interview, Lindsey explains how plastic affects all of us. It never disappears, just breaks down into smaller and smaller particles. Much of the plastic ends up in the ocean where fish are ingesting it and so do we by eating fish.   Lindsey describes her experience in the Bahamas. She also gives us insights in the trials and tribulations of starting a company which does good for the planet.   How to reach Lindsey and Plain Products: Email Lindsey at [email protected] Visit the website and place your order at Plaine Products Social Media: Plaineproducts   How to reach us: Website: Sustainable Living Podcast We appreciate your support! You can do so on Patreon. Here is how. Go to the Patreon Homepage. Create an account. You will need a name (can be an avatar), an email address, a password and a credit card. This should only take a few minutes. Then look for us and pledge away. Thank you! Join our Facebook group Sustainable Living Tips, Tools and Tactics. iTunes: Please Rate, Review and Subscribe Facebook Page Instagram Twitter YouTube Channel Google+ LinkedIn

Let us know what you think! Feedback and topics you like to hear from us. Let us know. Email us at [email protected]    Support us on Patreon!   Sunday Conversations Usually, you don’t hear from us on a Sunday. But here it is - Sunday Conversations. For now, Sunday conversations is a three-part series sharing the stories of three remarkable people who have faced great challenges in their lives.   Each has a very different story, but they have in common that they have taken their individual challenges and turned them into an opportunity to help others.   Extra Bonus: After the interview, Dr. Adrian Cooper is answering listener questions and giving more tips on how to create a nature reserve in your community - one backyard at a time.  Today’s interview is featuring Win Charles. Win is a podcaster, a published author, an athlete, and she happens to be born with Cerebral Palsy, CP. I asked Win if she was willing to answer some questions from the perspective of a person dealing with a disability.   We often stress the importance of community building in our podcast and that needs to be an inclusive approach if we want to create a more sustainable world. Yet in reality, most communities are somewhat homogenous. We tend to look and bond with the familiar and exclude what we perceive as different.   Cities are divided by affluent and not so affluent neighborhoods or by racial or ethnic identities. Other groups have members who are all similar in age, political opinions, or interests. But is we want to work together, to figure out how we can help each other and lift each other up, we need to know and understand at least a little bit about each other.   Not that long ago, disabled children used to be either kept at home - and I mean, kept at home, hidden, not to be seen. Or they were deposited in an institution, which amounts to the same: Invisibility.   Win’s parents were advised to send her to a facility, but they refused and gave all the support they could to their daughter. And she soared and has achieved more than many of her able-bodied peers.   As a teenager and young adult, I had a friend with CP. When I pushed her wheelchair through the town, people were often staring or looking very deliberately the other way. Things have changed, but I do think that many people still feel uncomfortable around a disabled person.   The unease often comes from no exactly knowing what to do. Should I open and hold the door for a person in a wheelchair? Or is that taking their power away? Should I grab a hold of the arm of a blind person and help them cross the street? Or not?   (hint: I open the door for everyone - I say a yes on opening doors. A big NO on grabbing a blind person - from what I gather, that is one of the # 1 complaints).   During the podcast, I asked Win to share some tips how she would like to be treated. Direct your questions toward the disabled person. Not to a caretaker or other abled body person in their surrounding.   If you want to help, ask.   It made me sad that Win was saying that many disabled (differently abled) people are not used to being offered help.   Some highlights of our conversation   Win walked until she was 18. Hopes that another surgery will enable her to get off the mobility device. Every day can be completely different from the rest. She needs to work no matter what. Win schedules her workout time as a meeting in her calendar. She writes books. She has a podcast. She works full time.   Buy Win's book on amazon (affiliate) I, Win: My Journey   Find Win here: Facebook Twitter Website Win’s custom jewelry and art     How to reach us: Website: Sustainable Living Podcast We appreciate your support! You can do so on Patreon. Here is how. Go to the Patreon Homepage. Create an account. You will need a name (can be an avatar), an email address, a password and a credit card. This should only take a few minutes. Then look for us and pledge away. Thank you! Join our Facebook group Sustainable Living Tips, Tools and Tactics. iTunes: Please Rate, Review and Subscribe Facebook Page Instagram Twitter YouTube Channel Google+ LinkedIn  

Episode 95 - Healthy, Handmade Food As a child, my experiences with healthy, handmade food were few and far between. My mom would be the first to say that cooking was not her forte'.  But , thankfully,  Mr. Swanson, Mrs. Stouffers and many others provided pre-cooked meals that could be bought at the super market and stored in the freezer until needed. So, for many of us, cooking amounted to opening a package and heating a frozen or canned meal up on the stove or in the oven. Hey, it was the "modern" way, wasn't it? The Allure of Handmade Food Women had entered the workforce and needed a quick and simple way to ensure their families were fed. Convenience foods fit the bill.  And when the freezer was empty, there was always McDonalds! I experienced handmade food when I spent the night at a friend's house or on visits to my grandparents' farm in North Dakota. Because it was so rare in my world, it always seemed special to me.  And it always tasted SO good! Thus began my fascination with handmade food and from-scratch cooking.  Even as a child, many of my favorite books were cook books.  Like so many others, I learned to cook, not from other family members, but from outside sources. Of course in those days there was no Internet - no website like "The Domestic Wildflower" to teach me how to can and sew. Today, there is.  And thankfully, brilliant people like Jenny Gomes are using this technology to teach skills that used to be passed down from generation to generation. Our Lost Domestic Skills Jenny was fortunate enough to be raised in a family where canning and sewing were taught at an early age. She recalls helping her mother and grandmother by peeling the produce that was about to be canned. She was too busy for canning as a teenager, but her sewing skills sure came in handy with friends when buttons fell off or Halloween costumes were needed. When she was pregnant with her first child, canning took on a whole new meaning.  She realized it was an excellent way to ensure she had convenient, yet healthy food for her baby that didn't have any harmful additives. A natural teacher, Jenny wanted to help women who lacked the confidence to master the domestic skills she grew up with. Thus "The Domestic Wildflower" website was born. Through her website, Jenny offers classes in cooking, canning, sewing, craft making and more.  She has even rediscovered some valuable skills that had been nearly forgotten. Have you ever heard of a syrup called a "shrub?"  It's a prohibition-era method for preserving fruits and vegetables with sugar and vinegar. Jenny has brought the practice of making shrubs into the 21st century through a course you can take on her website. Our discussion reminded me that sustainable living really comes down to resourcefulness.  It's about doing whatever it takes to thrive where you are planted - much like a wildflower. Jenny Gomes is a wonderful example of this. You can sign up for Jenny's FREE Canning Basics Course here. And if you're interested in learning more about canning, check out Jenny's  Steam Canning Workshop which makes canning much faster than traditional canning.  

Episode 94 Mark Lefko, Author of Global Sustainability 21 Leading CEOs Show How To do Well By Doing Good   Please send feedback to [email protected] or join us on Facebook   We appreciate your support! You can do so on Patreon.   If you have listened for a while to our podcast, you know that we talk a lot about small steps towards a more sustainable life we all can implement. All these individual actions together have the potential to make a big difference. Mark Lefko has a different approach. His goal is to influence big companies to do better. That doesn't mean to make more money - at least not exclusively. Mark is deeply committed to teaching CEOs about the benefit of the Triple Bottom Line. Each action must be good for the people, good for the planet and bring profit. Many see big industry as the enemy. But how would the world look like if the large corporations become leaders in people care and earth care? Pretty good, I say. Here is Mark's answer to the question "What is global sustainability?"  Lefko: "For me, global sustainability means that everyone on our planet not only has the resources they need to survive but also to thrive over the long run. And if we want to do that,  we need to tackle  a  range of  issues that  include extreme  poverty,  inequality, and injustice.  That’s  why global  sustainability is  more than  just an environmental  issue:  it includes other critical aspects such as financial and social sustainability as well." Let's wish Mark lots of success in his mission. in his book, Global Sustainability, Mark interviews 21 CEOs of large companies. See the list below.  CEOs interviewed in the book: Richard Branson, Founder, Virgin Group Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever Ann Sherry, CEO, Carnival Australia Andrew Liveris, CEO, The Dow Chemical Company Cyrus Mistry, Chairman, Tata Group Guilherme Leal, Co-Chairman, Natura Walter Robb, Co-CEO, Whole Foods Market Jon Provisor, CIO, Guidance Production Mike Kaplan, President and CEO, Aspen Ski Company Mike Sangiacomo, CEO, Recology Phil Clothier, CEO, Barrett Values Centre Marc Benioff, CEO, Salesforce.com Dave MacLennan, CEO, Cargill Blake Mycoskie, Founder, TOMS Shoes Francois-Henri Pinault, Chairman and CEO, Kering Seth Goldman, CEO, Honest Tea Feike Sijbesma, CEO, DSM David Griswold, CEO, Sustainable Harvest Coffee Importers Frank Dulcich,Presidentand CEO, Pacific Seafood Company Ryan Devlin, Co-Founder, This Bar Saves Lives Tom Szaky, Founder and CEO, TerraCycle   Information about Mark from his press release: MARK  LEFKO  has  coached  and  mentored  more  than  100  CEOs  and  company  presidents, bringing  with  him  35  years  of  real-world  C-level  business  experience.  A  thought  leader  in  the fields of leadership and sustainability, Lefko serves on several advisory boards and is known for his high-energy, insightful speaking engagements. As the Founder and CEO of Lefko Group, one of  the  nation’s  leading  facilitation  firms,  he  has  led  countless  strategic  planning  retreats,corporate  think  tanks,  roundtables  and  peer  groups. “Global  Sustainability,”  Mark’s  second book, aims to inspire executives to rally around the concept of doing well while doing good.  He lives in Los Angeles, California. Learn more at http://marklefko.com and #DoWellDoingGood   How to connect with us: How to reach us: Website: Sustainable Living Podcast We appreciate your support! You can do so on Patreon. Here is how. Go to the Patreon Homepage. Create an account. You will need a name (can be an avatar), an email address, a password and a credit card. This should only take a few minutes. Then look for us and pledge away. Thank you! iTunes: Please Rate, Review and Subscribe Facebook Page Instagram Twitter YouTube Channel Google+ LinkedIn  

  Sunday Conversations Usually, you don’t hear from us on a Sunday. But here it is - Sunday Conversations. For now, Sunday conversations is a three-part series sharing the stories of three remarkable people who have faced great challenges in their lives. Each has a very different story, but they have in common that they have taken their individual challenges and turned them into an opportunity to help others. Today’s Interview is featuring Darrell Smith, also known as Big D. I let Darrell introduce himself: “My name is Darrell Smith. I am a writer, podcaster, and former postman who was taken out of my profession due to a physical condition which caused me to lose my vision. I documented my journey, as well as discussed my mental health issues in a podcast known as The Mailman's Survival Guide to The Galaxy.” I hope you will tune into Darrell’s podcast and share it with a friend who is dealing with depression.   Support us on Patreon! We love your support! Please visit our page and pledge as little as $1 to help create that world we all want to live in. Visit our Website: http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/ Find Darrell's podcast on iTunes and subscribe - and while you are there, subscribe to ours as well!       

Episode 92 - Jennifer Osuch of Self Reliant School Jennifer Osuch discovered the art of self reliance through parenting. As the mother of two children with asthma, she wanted to do whatever she could to reduce toxins and support their health. Through her research she learned techniques and lost skills that really made a difference.  She began to make healthy meals from scratch using old-fashioned techniques like canning and food dehydrating that also saved her time and money. Jennifer  and her husband Bill teach people how to do these things and more on their website, Self Reliant School.  There you can find: a whole series books Jennifer has written on the topic of preparedness  live and recorded episodes of her "Self Reliant Living Show" online courses on everything from gardening and cooking to preserving and making your own natural remedies From Parenting to Self-Reliance I stumbled on Jennifer's blog a couple of years ago (probably through Pinterest) and have been sharing her posts ever since.  So I was thrilled when she asked me to be a guest on her "Self Reliant Living" show.  Through that discussion, we learned that we had a LOT in common. For example, I too came to this path of self-reliance and sustainable living through my kids.  In fact, so did Marianne!  You can hear our stories (in which the breast feeding support group, La Leche League, played a great part) on our second podcast. Like Marianne, Jennifer chose to homeschool her kids. She shares her experiences as a homeschooling mom in our discussion. But, perhaps the most foundational view that Jennifer and I share, is the idea that humans today must place on emphasis on thinking for themselves. Embracing Autonomy & Discernment I've come to realize that modern humans have given away too much of their own autonomy.  We depend on corporations for almost everything we need to survive and that includes information about the world around us. As a child, I believed my parents when they told me this is just the way the world works.  As a young adult I began to question it, but like a fish who has no concept of water, I couldn't imagine anything else. Through my journey as a parent, I began to discover alternatives to relying on corporations for the food and medicines my family required. But it was my young adult son who finally pulled the veil aside one day, causing me to realize that our corporate-owned media was presenting a view of the world that served their own interests, not mine. As you can see, parenting is a journey of massive self-discovery that is waking folks up everyday. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed recording it. I have a feeling many of you will find you resonate with Jennifer's story. If you do (and even if you don't) please leave a comment or drop me a note at [email protected] . How has parenting affected your journey toward sustainable living? We'd love to know! Below are links to information Jennifer mentioned during our discussion: Meals in Jars   An Open Letter to Moms Thinking About Homeschooling Also Jennifer has provided this free Self Reliant School video series that you can sign up for here. You can connect with Jennifer on these social media platforms: Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/SelfReliantSchool/ Pinterest:https://www.pinterest.com/sreliantschool/ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/selfreliantschool/ Twitter:https://twitter.com/SReliantSchool    

Organic - Many of us immediately start thinking about food. But the material much of our clothing is made from has probably a much higher negative impact on the earth than the food crops have.     Nicola Syme is the designer/creator of sustainable, environmentally friendly and ethical sleepwear, loungewear and yoga wear company, Happiest Girl In The World. Her vision is to bring awareness and education to people, surrounding the negative effects the fast fashion industry is having on the planet while also providing a sustainable, high-quality clothing alternative. Through Happiest Girl In The World, Nicola aims to teach and support women of all ages, to truly love themselves, and to encourage women to create positive body image and self-confidence within themselves and remind them that they are unique and amazing JUST THE WAY THEY ARE. She is on a mission to create lasting positive change and to have a massive impact in the lives of women all around the world.   Topics of discussion: - Effects of fast fashion industry on the planet - Benefits of low tox living and choosing sustainable, high-quality products that last - Ethical, safe factory practices and supporting these factories - Creating positive body image and self-confidence in women – challenging current ‘beauty’ standards     This is How you can reach Nicola:   Website: www.hgitw.com.au   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/happiest.girl.in.the.world/   Instagram: @happiest.girl.in.the.world       How to reach us: Website: Sustainable Living Podcast We appreciate your support! You can do so on Patreon. Here is how. Go to the Patreon Homepage. Create an account. You will need a name (can be an avatar), an email address, a password and a credit card. This should only take a few minutes. Then look for us and pledge away. Thank you! iTunes: Please Rate, Review and Subscribe Facebook Page Instagram Twitter YouTube Channel Google+ LinkedIn    

Episode 90 - The Venus Project When first I learned about The Venus Project five years ago through a video on You Tube, I was blown away. It's creator, Jacques Fresco, had thought of everything needed for building and maintaining a society that actually allows humans to live the lives they long for. No more 40 hour work week at a job you hate No more waste No more pollution No more lack of food, clothing or shelter And no more oppressive governmental structures A Vision for a New Millennium Like so many before me, I was inspired by the project to begin envisioning a world that was enticingly unfamiliar. I wanted to do what I could to help make it happen. Not long after that, I met Marianne and we started this podcast. Over the past two years of interviews, I've met others who were just as inspired by Jacques Fresco's vision as I was.  Most recently, I was introduced to Saso Luznar and Jennifer Huse who work directly on The Venus Project. (Thanks again to the amazing Michael E.V. Knight.) In this episode of the podcast, Saso and Jennifer explain what The Venus Project is; its foundational concepts; and the problems it would solve. Solutions No Longer So Strange Some of these solutions, which Fresco proposed decades ago, are no longer as strange as they once were.  The move toward sharing cars, as opposed to owning them, is one example. The rise of collaboration as opposed to competition as a way to get things done, might be another. If you know nothing about The Venus Project, you'll learn about it here.  But I would encourage you to learn more by going to The Venus Project website and also checking out the video posted below. You may also wish to check out the Zeitgeist films and other videos about The Venus Project on You Tube. This kind of information gets us thinking and dreaming.  And, as more of us begin to allow ourselves to envision such things, that better world gets closer and closer to becoming our reality. You may also wish to check out the Zeitgeist films and other videos about The Venus Project on You Tube. This kind of information gets us thinking and dreaming.  And, as more of us begin to allow ourselves to envision such things, that better world gets closer and closer to becoming our reality.

Blake Akers is working on an alternative to the organic certification, USDA Organic, offered by the federal government. Not long ago, we had Grace Gershuny on our show who played a major part in the creation of the standards we follow today.   The two are somewhat in separate camps. Grace is greatly invested in a standard and certification for organics set by the government, while Blake wants to see that farmers self-regulate and that consumers enforce the standards by voting with their dollars and by making their opinion known.   In the end, the really agree on many things. For example: Both feel very strongly that the soil is the key to producing good, organic food and for that matter, to producing food - period. Both are deeply concerned that we are losing topsoil at an alarming rate. Both want to see regeneration rather than sustainability. Both want to see that farmers are able to make an income during the transition to being completely organic.   And there are many points where the disagree.   Part of our mission for this podcast Is to bring to you different world views and methods.   Blake Akers on Agritrue:   Agritrue is an online directory and certification site for beyond organic producers.     Agritrue wants to be there for start-ups and small businesses. They are offering an alternative to the USDA certification, and are at the same time more rigorous in certain aspects.   Why is it more rigorous?   You have to have a soil management system in place to become Agritrue certified. The goal is to keep the soil from eroding and to become better and better. This ensures maximum nutrition in the food and also builds topsoil on our planet.   Soil is important for the health of the plants and consequently for the health of the people.   A few highlights from the interview:   If you want to sell vegetarian fed eggs, do not apply. Why is that?   Allowing GMO feed for livestock. Why and for how long?   A transition period.   Regenerative Agriculture.   The goal is to build trust with the consumer base. The hope is to achieve name recognition on the level with USDA organic.   Blake owns a software company which developed the online tools. Agritrue is in partnership with Permaethos - an organization dedicated to education.The idea originated with Jack Spirko from the Survival Podcast.   Did you see the video of shrimp in China getting prepped to be exported to the US? Neither the film crew nor the workers knew the ingredients of the substance that was injected into the shrimp to make them weigh more.   Value added products are okay to produce. A person could buy cucumbers to make pickles and sell the pickles via Agritrue - as long as the cucumbers were grown in accordance with the standards.   Agritrue: http://agritrue.com/   Agritrue on YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBnivmgDboA   Permaethos: https://permaethos.com/   Sustainable Living Podcast: http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/   If you like our work, please support us via Patreon        

Episode 88 - Online Clothes Swap & Help for Bees An online clothes swap? What a great idea! That's what I thought when I first heard about SilkRoll, an online fashion-sharing community that aims to bring sustainability to the fashion industry. In this podcast, I interview Janet Wu and Erin Wold, the founders of SilkRoll.  (But please stay tuned after the interview for an important tip from our resident local wildlife expert, Dr. Adrian Cooper, on how to help our endangered bee populations.) Matching Resources to Needs Years ago, when the Internet was much younger, I learned about a website that matched book lovers with each other for the purpose of swapping books.  Once you joined the site, all you had to do was post what books you had available for swapping. The site matched you up with people who were interested in your books and even provided a way to download the postage you needed to send the books out to others. I was blown away with how this simple site, dedicated to matching resources to needs, sidestepped so many issues and allowed me to build a small library of  used classics at a fraction of what I would have paid for new books. I also really appreciated the ability to share my unwanted books with others who would enjoy them, instead of adding them to the landfill. Since that time, lots of websites dedicate to swapping have emerged, with varying degrees of success. Established in 2015 and still going strong, SilkRoll appears to be making it work. A Familiar Story I found the story of how Janet and Erin  met and decided to start SilkRoll reminiscent of how Marianne and I met and decided to start The Sustainable Living Podcast together.  Like us, these two sustainability-oriented fashionistas found they had a lot in common, including a desire to make a positive impact on the world around them. Though I don't have a ton of high-quality clothing to swap, the opportunity to exchange things I don't wear for quality pieces that would suit me better, is too good to pass up. I plan to give SilkRoll a try.  I'll let you know how it works out. Another way you can have a positive impact on the world is to provide assistance to endangered bee populations. Dr. Adrian Cooper offers guidance on plants you can include in your garden to help sustain the local bees.  For more from Dr. Adrian on how you can help to sustain and grow wildlife in your neck of the woods, you may wish to check out my interview, below.

Episode 87  - Homestead Update and Listener Tips In this homestead update Marianne and I discuss chickens, irrigation, garden pests, listener sustainable living tips and much more. Homesteading Tasks It's Spring and the gardening tasks are mounting.  Marianne is re-doing her chicken coop and shares how the whole process gave her an up-close-and-personal encounter with local wildlife!  Marianne's backyard garden in San Diego is the very definition of abundance after the recent California rains. She is realizing that a better system of irrigation could make a huge difference in future harvests so she has added that to her to-do list. Here in Big Bear temperatures are still dipping below freezing at night, so gardening outside will have to wait - though I am starting seedlings indoors.  My biggest concerns are gophers and a sick chicken. Seriously, just have a look at the picture below to get an idea of how bold and resourceful the gophers around here are.  I can't WAIT till Marianne writes that blog post about how to get rid of gophers!   Listener Sustainable Living Tips We are both always looking for ways to live a happier, healthier life that reduces harm and perhaps even benefits our dear Mother Earth.  So in this homestead update, we share a few tips we personally follow.  However, we are thrilled to feature some of the tips our listeners and social media community are sharing with us! For example, one of our listeners shared a great tip for making use of water used for steaming vegetables.  Another tip involves how to conserve your own personal energy. April has really been a difficult month for both Marianne and I, from a health standpoint.  And from talking to others, I have gathered it's been rough on a lot of folks.  During our discussion we also share a few practices that we use to help heal and rejuvenate. Raising Our Vibration With all the turmoil and conflict in the world right now, cultivating fun in our lives can really help to keep us from becoming sad or depressed. One of the things Marianne does to raise her vibration is Laughter Yoga.  If you didn't have a chance to listen to our last podcast, you may want to check it out. Marianne interviews Laughter Yoga Master Trainer Linda Laclerc. My favorite way to get happy is to go karaokeing with friends. How do you cultivate happiness and fun in your life?  We'd love to hear about it and we are very likely to share your vibration-raising tips on a future podcast. So please leave a comment below or send us an email at [email protected] or [email protected] .

Laughter Yoga with Linda Leclerc Linda spreads Laughter Yoga wherever she goes. A few years back, she was in San Diego for a training and we met up for lunch and to pick up a couple of items at the mall. By the time we said goodbye, Linda had brought smiles to the faces of at least a dozen people - overworked waiters, bored shopkeepers and fellow shoppers alike.   It is easy to get everyone to laugh at a Laughter Yoga session. The people there came for that reason, but it is another thing to sprinkle joy everywhere, all the time. Linda does that. And I love her for it.   What is Laughter Yoga? What is that Laughter Yoga you are talking about, you might ask. Most people think of Yoga as skinny people in tight clothing putting their bodies into pretzel like positions which seem not to be meant for humans to get into.   So, is Laughter Yoga folding into a pretzel and then laughing? The good news is that Yoga really doesn’t require a person to be super flexible to practice and the even better news is that everybody, no matter what size, or age, or ability can enjoy Laughter Yoga. It is simply intentional laughter or laughter for no reason.   That sounds so simple. Just laughing. But that simple act of intentional laughter has so many benefits for our bodies, our minds and our souls.   What does a Typical Laughter Yoga Session Look Like? Usually people come together in a group to practice Laughter Yoga, but it can also be a solitary activity.  In a typical session, the leader first explains the benefits of Laughter Yoga. This engages the intellect of the participants. Getting the mental okay to participate is important for many. Let's face it, in a Laughter Yoga session we are asking people to engage in pretty silly behaviors. Or so it might seem to the newbie.   In reality, we are  creating an environment in which we can let go off everyday worries and fears.  But our mind first has to agree to engage in an behavior that many adults perceive as more fitted to children. To do so, we first have to convince the self-critical subconscious that it is okay to engage in this not very adult-like, but very playful behavior.   That done, We stretch a bit and learn about laughter exercises, laughter cheers and the laughter mantra: Hoho hahaha. Imagine the chachacha rhythm and clap with your chanting. Hoho hahaha - you got this!!   After a good 20 or 30 minutes of laughter exercises and maybe speaking gibberish, everybody is ready for a good laughter meditation. My favorite way is for everybody to lie down on the floor. If possible, all heads pointing towards a center, but everybody has enough space that nobody is touching anybody else. Seated on chairs or on the floor works as well.   The important part is that everybody closes their eyes and nobody speaks any language they know. Gibberish, animal or other noises are okay. Then, we all start to smile, then chuckle and see what happens. Sometimes, not much. But most of the time, people start laughing and laughing and laughing. One infects the other. The group might become quiet. Then one person breaks out giggling again, and the whole group joins in.   This can go on for minutes. And the beauty of a laughter meditation is that you are not thinking of anything. You are simply laughing.   Some of the Health Benefits of Laughter Yoga   This is a list of some of the health benefits of Laughter Yoga. Deeper breath - more oxygen to the body. Beneficial to the cardiovascular system - helps regulate both, high and low blood pressure Reduces pain Aids digestion Reduces Stress Helps with depression, anxiety and psychosomatic disorders Enhances learning by stimulating both sides of the brain.     Linda Leclerc   Linda Leclerc is Laughter Yoga Master Trainer certified by Dr. Kataria who created this discipline. As a master trainer, Linda can train Laughter Yoga leaders and teachers.      Here are some quotables from our interview:   We are starting to forget how to laugh because we are taking our self so seriously. We are taking everything so seriously Everybody who is making us laugh is a social magnet. About health benefits: The social aspect of Laughter Yoga might be the best of all. If you are laughing with somebody, you connect with that person. You are no longer judging or being self-conscious. You look into each other's eyes and you see the human being and you love that human being. Linda on Laughter Clubs: A Laughter Club is a place where everybody goes to laugh. Usually, the meetings are free and everybody is welcome. Stress, it's on everybody's mind and in everybody's vocabulary. Laughter helps us relief all the symptoms of stress. We breathe deeper, endorphins are being released and pretty soon we feel better and more relaxed. Laughing every day is a choice we can make for ourselves. That doesn't mean that we never feel sad or unhappy. Or that our problems magically go away. It just means that after a certain amount of time, we decide that we want to feel differently and we use laughter to change our mood. The more we practice, the easier it gets.   Linda created an App for iPhone and Android to help to practice that laughter muscle. It is called “Let's laugh, laughter exercises.”   The Haha sisterhood page has links for both, Apple and Android users. It's only $ 1.99. I highly recommend you get it! http://hahasisterhood.com/app-add-laughter-day/   Linda’s website:   https://www.yogadurire.com/   The book Linda mentioned during the Interview: Michael Miller: Heal your Heart. http://amzn.to/2oaz7O2 (affiliate)   How to reach us: Website: Sustainable Living Podcast We appreciate your support! You can do so on Patreon. Here is how. Go to the Patreon Homepage. Create an account. You will need a name (can be an avatar), an email address, a password and a credit card. This should only take a few minutes. Then look for us and pledge away. Thank you! iTunes: Please Rate, Review and Subscribe Facebook Page Instagram Twitter YouTube Channel Google+ LinkedIn

Episode 85 - Michael Tellinger Michael Tellinger is a relentless questioner, taking no information for granted. His investigation of the ancient stone circle structures found near his home of South Africa resulted in three books: Temples of the African Gods; Slave Species of god and Adam’s Calendar. Hidden Origins In those books, he shares the research that led him to his theory about the real purpose of these structures and his conclusion that human civilization is likely much older than scientists have previously believed. I became aware of Michael by watching the Internet subscription channel, Gaia, where he can be seen on several interview shows as well as on his own series, "Hidden Origins." On these shows, Michael pulls together disparate pieces of information to weave a new tale about our ancient past as well as our possible future. His relentless questioning also led him to found the Ubuntu movement - an effort that seeks to promote a contributionist economy.  (Not long ago I interviewed Brandon Shalton who heads up the Ubuntu U.S. "One Small Town" effort.) While certainly unorthodox, Michael's work can be quite compelling and prod us to question everything we have been taught. To my mind, an idea like Ubuntu, today, could only come from someone like Michael Tellinger - someone willing to question everything as well as to entertain just about any idea. Although, you would think, most scientists would embrace such an approach, too often they don't as Charles Eisenstein pointed out in his article, "The Need for Venture Science." Ubuntu I also believe that only an outrageous idea such as Ubuntu, has a real shot at successfully replacing our current economic system. So I was absolutely thrilled when a former guest, Michael E. V. Knight, put me in touch with Michael Tellinger so that I could interview him. In this episode, we discuss the need to question what we've been taught; why our monetary system isn't serving humankind; what Ubuntu is and how it would change daily life for humans; and what Michael is doing to spread the Ubuntu message. A society which only requires a few hours of weekly work from each of its citizens in exchange for quality food, clothing, housing and health care, may seem absurd. But is it really any more absurd than working 40 hours a week at a job you hate to pay for cheap products, poisonous food, housing and healthcare that are anything but guaranteed? While I may not agree with all of his theories, I'm grateful that there are people like Michael, willing to brave public scrutiny and an entrenched academic system in an effort to uncover truth and find solutions to our most pressing human needs.      

Being a Father Brings Change   Being a Father, growing into that role, does not happen overnight. Sure, the physical part, the birth of a child, usually happens relatively fast (and often during the night), but being a father is an ever evolving undertaking.   Ideas of how to be a parent formed prior to the arrival of the baby often change rapidly when faced with the reality of having a real live little person with a mind and a personality of her own as part of the family. Sometimes, change comes about slowly. Values, expectations and life goals might change completely and are constantly in need of being reexamined as the children grow and change.   For Diego, the birth of first daughter was a bit of a shock - life changed dramatically. After the initial “honeymoon” phase with the new baby, reality hit. It is not as easy to get up and go and do whatever you want once a baby is part of the equation.        Who is Diego?   If asked that question ten years ago, Diego probably would have answered that he is a young business professional out to conquer the world of business. His priority at that time was more centered around career building and making money - lots of it. Making investments, creating a retirement, buying a house. In short, desires and goal which are considered “normal” and/or desirable for most people.   Enter children and Permaculture into Diego’s life. A complete shift of priorities happened. Today, Diego has left his corporate job behind and is building a business and a lifestyle centered around his family.   Diego is the founder of Permaculture Voices, a podcaster and an online entrepreneur.   What is Permaculture Voices?   Permaculture Voices started as a conference with the goal of bringing the great teachers in the Permaculture arena together for a conference in a place where people would want to travel to. The place was San Diego in early spring. People from cold climates surely could use the break from ice and snow and weren’t yet busy working on the land.   A conference needs promoting. And a podcast seemed like a good idea to reach people all over the world. Guess what. Diego fell in love with podcasting.   Now, several years and three major conferences later, Diego decided to let go of the large conferences and Permaculture Voices has morphed into an online business featuring podcasts and online courses as well as in-person workshops, and more.   Balancing Work and Being a Father   Diego and Marianne met at a Master Composting class when he was a brand new father. He and his wife had just purchased a house and Diego had started to be interested in growing food, composting and fruit trees. Somehow, Permaculture came to his attention and with it, his change in life philosophy and his life work.   Now, Diego has three kids - a big step from somebody who never thought he wanted any. On the day of the birth of his third daughter, Diego started a daily podcast. Part of his motivation was to leave a legacy for his children. But he also wanted to address daily issues of life in general which often are not talked about.   Diego wants to show the good, the bad and the ugly.   Starting a new show is adding even more work at the same time when a new baby is added to the family, but Diego sees this podcast almost as a form of therapy for himself.   This is his secret to getting it done: Prioritize and let go of time suckers like TV!   Adding this work turned out to be beneficial to him and helped him clarify his priorities as well as his workflow. Time with the children and with his wife is part of the scheduling - equally important as work task. This hasn’t always been the way, but evolved as Diego’s priorities shifted   Diego is driven to get things done and had to adjust to his new life as a father. At some point, he realized how quickly kids grow and he wanted his daughter to know that she came first. Not the TV. Not friends. Not the phone.   Life hack: Use your future self to hold you now self accountable.   More Snippets of Our Conversation   Cruel irony of being a parent: On the micro scale, parenting can be hell at times, but on the macro, you want your babies back when they are grown up. Our own parents were great providers, but not so present in the emotional support department Diego is laying the foundation now with his kids that they all can and will be friends their whole lives. Allowing and fostering the curiosity and creativity we think kids have to start with and which often, at an early age, get subdued by parents and teachers. Our parents were raising us the way they felt was best for us, and we did/ are doing the same - only very different. Our children’s stories are not ours to write. We agree that it is much better for an individual to be raised with confidence in themselves. Diego is leaving his corporate job. The reasons: It is one thing to spend time at a job your don’t like, but another to not like a job which also takes time and energy away from raising your kids. Diego and his wife want to homeschool their children. For one parent to handle 3 children by themselves while the other is at work is a huge job! After the birth of the 3rd baby, Diego’s wife was struggling with postpartum issues and Diego decided that it was high time for him to be home more. Both were willing to give up a lot to make it possible for Diego to leave his corporate job and be home. Money is not that important. Diego would not have thought or said that 5 years ago. But somehow, he got the message what is truly important and is acting on it. There is a difference of going through the motions or being a conscious parent. Diego says he knows, because in the beginning, he went through the motions. An example. How often is a parent on the phone when the kids want to engage or are in the same room and the kids are being given a tablet or the is TV turned on to keep them occupied. Measure up against yourself. We all know if we are trying or not. Homeschooling. Why Diego and his wife want to do this. Marianne shares from her homeschooling experience. John Holt was instrumental in the beginning of the modern homeschooling movement in the US. The first child is hardest on the dad. The second is hardest on the first child. The third is hardest on the mom. As parents are always busy- how to keep the couple relationship strong? Practice good communication. Diego acknowledges and reminds his wife often how much she is doing. Marianne thinks that acknowledgment is huge since raising children overall is a thankless job. No payment, no social security benefits, lots of work and a low status in the eyes of society. Motherhood is a 24/7 job. No breaks. No sick time. No thank you at the end of the day. Diego gives a big shout out to mothers. Diego and his wife are very clear on who is better at what. She is better at handling the kids. Diego applies project management skills. He is faster at picking up the house, cooking and other tasks. It would be a waste of time for his wife to do those tasks and would keep her away from doing the parts she is faster and better at. Diego tries to never be on his phone around his kids. He saw an article advising to never drink alcohol around your kids. Even though he wasn’t a big drinker, he took that advice to heart and stopped drinking alcohol all together shortly after that. Diego asked Marianne what she would have done differently. The answer: Let go of expectations others (like your parents or society) put in your head. Find your own way and be okay with that. Diego and his wife are in the process of defining what is right for them. How do families with 10 or more kids take care of them all? Kids are probably capable of a lot more than we think. Marianne shares how her 7 year old would plan, shop for and cook a meal once a week. We talk about the lack of life skills. Kids are learning machines. Why not challenge them to reach high. The 5 year old can operate a video camera better than Diego can. Keep providing those learning opportunities. Think about what parent you want to be. In all you do, Try to be better than average. Bottom line - let’s all try our best!   Diego mentioned this book as a life changer during our conversation: Ben Hewitt Books: Home Grown (affiliate)    How to Reach Diego   Diego's Website is your best place to access podcasts, blog posts, courses and more.   Lately, he has been posting to YouTube as well.   How to Reach Us   At the end of the podcast, Patreon came up. Diego is partly able to work from home because of the support his listeners give him through that crowdfunding site. We, Jenise and Marianne, also started to ask you, our listeners to support the Sustainable Living Podcast. $ 1 a month makes a hugs difference to us, and while you are at it, maybe you can find another $ 1 for Diego as well.   Here is how. Go to the Patreon Homepage. Create an account. You will need a name (can be an avatar), an email address, a password and a credit card. This should only take a few minutes. Then look for us and pledge away. Thank you! Sustainable Living Podcast Website iTunes: Please Rate, Review and Subscribe Facebook Page Instagram Twitter YouTube Channel Google+ LinkedIn  

Episode 83 - Community Nature Reserve Dr. Adrian Cooper is on a mission to spread a new idea which could help to save local wildlife: the community nature reserve. The term "community nature reserve" may bring up visions of national parks and there are certain similarities. Both community nature reserves and national parks are created to help support and protect wildlife. Both are also supported and frequented by nature lovers. But unlike national or government-run nature conservation projects, community nature reserves are actually created by neighbors planting wildlife-friendly plants in their own backyards. Alarmed and Frustrated Like so many of us, Adrian, a wildlife friend, scholar and speaker on the topic, became alarmed by the rapid decline in wildlife populations he was seeing. When he saw that politicians were ignoring the issue, he decided to take matters into his own hands. He connected with like-minded neighbors, and together they hatched a plan. Each neighbor would plant wildlife-friendly plants in their own yards and together they would work toward creating a local nature reserve that, added up, would equal the size of a soccer field. Dr. Adrian has seen a lot of enthusiasm for his idea, as you will learn in this interview.  His neighborhood in Felixstowe England has embraced it wholeheartedly. And as an important fringe benefit: the community has come together. Neighbors have come to know one another, and they continue to work on projects that will benefit all involved. A Symbiotic Relationship Just about all of us know the soul-rejuvenating effects of visiting a park or nature reserve.  Not so long ago, we didn't have to travel miles to experience and interact with nature. But, the advent of the industrial age brought with it in increase in city-living. And even suburb developers rarely gave a thought to preserving and protecting local wildlife. The studies that show how beneficial spending just a little time in nature can be, are numerous.  So why not create a space that helps both humans and wildlife by encouraging their interaction? Here and Now I was truly inspired by Adrian and I've become convinced that his idea is powerful. In fact, The Sustainable Living Podcast will be featuring Adrian's tips for creating your own community nature reserve on future episodes of the podcast. Be sure to listen to the very end of this episode to hear Adrian's first tip. If you are as disturbed as I am about the alarming decline in wildlife around the world, you may wish to share this idea with your own neighbors.  It's nice to know there is something we all can do to help wildlife here and now. For more information about starting a community nature reserve: https://www.positive.news/2017/environment/24915/the-nature-reserve-that-social-media-built/   For lots of hints and tips about individual wildlife friendly plants: https://www.facebook.com/FelixstoweCommunityNatureReserve  

The Suburban Micro-Farm is Amy Stross’ new book chronicling her experiences on her 10th of an acre homestead.   When Amy moved to a house with a typical suburban sized yard, she didn’t have any background in gardening, let alone suburban farming. She joined a CSA because she wanted local and fresh food. That particular CSA encouraged their members to help on the farm. This got her hands in the dirt and was her first introduction to growing food. It didn’t take long for her to realize that she really liked raising her own vegetables.   Remember that Amy started her garden experience on a farm? She, as do many others, had the idea that one needs lots of land to be able to grow food - even for a family of two. That brought her to participate in a land share program since she thought that her property was too small. She basically rented a piece of land, cultivated, planted and nurtured the crop and gave the property owner part of the harvest as payment.   Amy had to travel an hour by car each way to tend to her garden. After one growing season, Amy decided that there had to be a better way. She looked at the land around her house and made the decision to try to grow fresh veggies right at home. That was the start of her true suburban farming experiment.   But like most people when buying a house they did not base their decision on how suited the property was for gardening. Good thing that Amy likes a challenge. She was interested in finding out how to overcome difficulties such as too much shade (three big trees that pretty much shade the whole back yard) or as a sloping yard.   Since the backyard was so very shady, she decided to start gardening in her front yard.  However, Amy wanted her yard to look similar to the rest of the neighborhood even though she wanted to produce food. She and her husband were newcomers in this area and didn't want to look or be perceived as too different.   That influenced the planning of their new front yard design. They planted  a variety of fruiting shrubs such as strawberries and black berries. Even small cherry trees made it on the list. Amy’s goal was to share her bounty with her neighbors. So, she asked herself:   “Would you rather eat a Strawberry or a Turnip?”   We all know the answer to this, right?   Not only did Amy share the bounty of the garden with the neighbors, she even made strawberry jam to give away. That makes me want to be Amy's neighbor!     It didn’t take long for neighbors to view Amy's Garden as a great asset to the community. Even a dedicated lawn lover who watched the strange (in his eyes) transformation from a perfectly nice lawn to this wondrous food landscape became a believer. After taking a tour of Amy’s garden, he offered a piece of his garden to Amy to grow food on. The suburban farming operation was growing!   She jumped on this opportunity and involved the neighborhood kids with building and tending the new garden. Well, Amy did most of the work but the kids enjoyed the harvest. Again, I want to be her neighbor.   Amy planted cherry trees on the grass strip between the sidewalk and the street. Here are some of the reasons for this choice:   Why not - it was an empty space with access to sun light. Cherry trees can withstand being frequently “watered” by dogs. Cherry blooms are so pretty. It is easy to keep the trees neighbor friendly with the right pruning. Cherries don’t create a big mess like some other trees do.   The Permaculture term fruit tree guild explained. A tree in the center. Under the tree different herbs are planted which fulfill a variety of functions like attracting beneficial insects, deterring others, being used as living mulch and more. Bulbs such as daffodils planted around the perimeter might distract digging animals like gophers and even deer. Comfrey is a Permaculture favorite to plant around trees - and everywhere else. Chives repel pests and have flowers which bring in beneficial insects.   Other topics we touched on during the interview:   What to do when there are pests? Become a detective. Amy explains how she found the problem involving her cherry trees and solved it without using any pesticides whatsoever.   Nitrogen fixers are an important element of the plant guild.   Amy also shares her personal health story and how gardening and her career change helped her on her path to wellness.   Permaculture and her garden experiments inspired her to start blogging about her suburban farming experience. Her blog is called The Tenth Acre Farm and I highly recommend it.   Our conversation led us to one of my favorite topics- soil. And of course the importance of compost in the soil. Amy dedicates quite a bit of her book to these topics and you will find lots of good information.   Another of Amy’s experiments which spoke to me was the idea of a color garden. One year, everything is red, another year, everything is yellow or even purple and blue. That sounds like such a fun idea.   If you are interested in buying Amy’s book, you can do so directly from the book’s website, at your favorite book store or through the ever present standby: Amazon (affiliate). The Suburban Micro-Farm by Amy Stross   Are you involved in suburban farming? Send us your pictures and tell your story. We love to feature you on Instagram and Facebook. Website: http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/ iTunes: Please Rate, Review and Subscribe Patreon: We love your support! Please visit our page and pledge as little as $1 to help create that world we all want to live in.  Facebook Page Instagram Twitter YouTube Channel Google+ LinkedIn          

Dawn and Chris Agnos are two of the most thoughtful people you can speak with on the topic of navigating turbulent times. Running the massively popular Sustainable Human Facebook page has put them at the forefront of a strong, but sometimes disjointed, movement toward change. Chris has never shied away from taking on the controversial issues of today via social media.  Over and over again, through memes, short films and simple questions, he tries to prod his Facebook followers to reexamine popular arguments they often take at face value. As an energy healer and intuitive empath, Dawn takes the personal approach. In her work she has repeatedly  seen how a focus on external, materialistic pursuits distracts people from the inner evolution that really does lead to happiness. She works to help people regain the inner guidance and self-awareness that leads them to happier, heart-centered lives. Together, they are doing their part to make the world a better place.  But right now, the  world requires special consideration. Elections and political movements around the globe seem to have created an atmosphere of divisiveness, which has a lot of us apprehensive, if not downright fearful. It's time to take a fresh look at the world, and more importantly at ourselves so that we remain firmly on the path to creating the world we all want. In this discussion, Chris shares some of his own experiences regarding sniffing out hidden agendas; finding solutions that work for us; and a new initiative at Sustainable Human designed to assist people with their own sustainably-oriented projects and with sharing their inspiring stories. Dawn breaks down how media programming affects us negatively, the importance of integrating your mind and heart; and the importance of developing self-awareness. 3:00 - Chris on sniffing out hidden agendas 8:00 - Dawn on the importance of analyzing our feelings and intentions 12:00 - Dawn on her own journey toward self-awareness 15:00 - The value of living from the heart 17:00 - The dangers of needing to be liked 18:00 - The dangers of ignoring the heart 28:00 - A new initiative at Sustainable Human 31:00 - Crowd-sourcing for your project - Heroes and Friends http://www.heroesandfriends.com/landing 33:00 - The end of Sustainable Human gift economy website 37:00 - The importance of developing discernment 39:00 - Focusing on the highest good for all 40:00 - How survival stress keeps us from emotional integration 44:00 - The importance of being clear on your intentions 45:00 - The broken promises of capitalism 46:00 - What Dawn learned from her millionaire clients 47:00 - Misguided feminism 56:00 - Being true to yourself 1:00 :00- The mind as just another way to sense 1:05:00 - How to get help with your sustainability-oriented project 1:06:00 - A tip for navigating life more effectively                      

Weather is on our mind. Marianne has water from all over the neighborhood flowing theoretical in a culvert through her yard. In reality, the whole yard is flooded.   Jenise is being inundated with snow. As a matter of fact, the power lines are down and the city of Big Bear is without electricity. Good thing Jenise has solar set up with batteries to serve their water pump and keep the kitchen and the main part of the house going independently from the grid. Her wood stove keeps her cozy and can double to heat water and food. Storm or no storm, Jenise is prepared and comfortable.   This got us thinking about being prepared for emergencies in general. California is prone to earthquakes, other areas have tornadoes, hurricanes, prolonged drought - you name it and it is happening somewhere and people have to be ready.   Earthquakes are the most likely emergency in Southern California and can cause power outages. Our minds were on that subject anyways due to Jenise being in the middle of one as we were recording. The first thing which came to mind was that in most urban situations no power means no water since electricity is needed to keep the water coming through the pipes.   Marianne is prepared with several 5 gal containers filled with tap water, a 275 gallon rain tank and several 55 gal barrels. She has charcoal water filters and wood to make a fire for boiling water. That still is not that much water, but her neighbors pool holds thousands of gallons of water, and as long as the basin stays intact it should be a good emergency water source for the neighborhood.   That let us to explore the importance of community in an emergency situation. We both think that the time to start getting to know your neighbors and explore ways to help each other is now. Once an emergency is upon us, it might be a little late in the game.   The idea of creating an off- grid challenge came up. It is certainly something to explore and flesh out more. For most of us, it would be hard to do. For example, driving a car is not exactly an off grid activity. I many areas, that is easily avoidable. In Southern California, not so much. Everything is built around automobile use. Houses are built far from stores. Kids don’t have a safe way to walk to school even if the school is close enough.   Gardening is a great way to start cooperating. Not everybody needs to grow everything. Or seeds can be shared, and of course the bounty of the garden.   Jenise and her husband were in the big earthquake in San Francisco and had no power for days. That was pre-cell phone time and even communication was shut off. They pulled out their camping gear and were okay during that trying time.   We think that it is a good idea to have enough food for a while stored in your home. Jenise even recommends the freeze dried emergency food, Marianne rather sticks to rice and beans. We both agree that storing seeds with the idea to plant a garden in case of an emergency is a bad idea. As many a gardener knows - there is a bit of a learning curve involved to get to the desired end result of an abundant garden.   Jenise had read an article on 10 ways to prepare for an economic collapse. One of the suggestions we think is applicable for all times is to build a local economy and be more independent from needing goods from far away.   Imagine not only your food grown close by, but your clothing made by a seamstress or tailor down the street, somebody knows how to make shoes and it probably will be easy to find a home brewing enthusiast. An herbalist can take care of ailments, a massage therapist and yoga teachers all working together to keep bodies and minds healthy. I bet if we get to know our neighbors, we have lots of skills right around us.   Marianne knows that within walking distance of her house is an electrician, a plumber, a hairstylist, an alteration business, a soap maker, and several artists and hard core gardeners. That are a lot of resources and skills to draw on.   Now add the idea of bartering or an alternative currency and no matter what is going on in the world, this community could be thriving.   Diana Leafe Christian shares many ideas and tools for communities to work better in episode 75 and Nicole Bienfang offers a step by step guide to move towards working together as well.   Nonviolent Communication has come up in so many interviews lately that we feel it is time to learn this tool. We both believe that if something shows up in life over and over and over again, it is probably time to check it out. Stay tuned for a future episode in which we will share what we learned.   Nonviolent Communication Training Course Marshall Rosenberg CNVC org: The three hour version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwXH4hNfgPg The nine hour version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4tUVqsjQ2I   Chris Agnos: How wolves change rivers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa5OBhXz-Q     Small efforts combined can make a huge difference. A shout out to our listeners for being part of the change. A big Thank You to all of you!   Buying a generator is another tip from the article. This is a must if a person in the household is in need of healthcare appliances which need electricity.   Another aspect of being prepared is keeping safe during a time when some people might want to take advantage of the situation. The article suggest to know who in the neighborhood is ex military or police, a hunter or a martial arts practitioner.   Other things to consider: A community food bank Communication Medical care   Then we started to talk about the Outlander. If you have read the books and saw the show, you know why once in awhile, one just has to talk about it.   Did you know that there is a podcast? You will enjoy it! http://www.outlanderpod.com/   This is the article which inspired this episode http://www.activistpost.com/2012/12/10-ways-to-prepare-your-community-for.html   Find us on iTunes here  Please rate, review and subscribe.   Here are the many ways you can connect with us Website: http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/sustlivingpod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA73SuaMBnBIaB5OdiL_y6Q Google+ LinkedIn

Episode 79 - Bonding with Your Soil Building a good relationship with your soil may not be high on your list of New Year's resolutions. But it's key to establishing a healthy, abundant garden, according to Linda Borghi. In this episode of the podcast, Linda, co-founder of the online educational site, Farm-A-Yard,  returns to dig a little deeper into the topic of soil. Nurturing the Micro-Cosmic Community The micro-cosmic community beneath our plants has a tremendous impact on them, she notes.  And by nurturing this community, we give our plants a powerful advantage. There are so many things we can do that are simple and cost very little.  For instance, as Linda says, worms can turn your coffee grounds into a beneficial addition to your soil: worm castings.  Maintaining a worm bin is one way to produce your own castings.  But putting the worms directly into your soil can eliminate the middle man. The benefits of building healthy soil aren't limited to plant health. The direct skin-to-soil contact you get from gardening has also been shown to improve health both mentally and physically.  Linda share's her own personal story of how gardening helped her recover from a debilitating illness. Building Soil Energetically Linda learned all about nurturing soil on an energetic level through her study of bio-dynamic farming.  But then she met her partner in Farm-a-Yard, Evan Folds.  Evan has taken these ideas to a new level via what he calls, "bio-energetic" farming, which he discussed with me on a previous episode of the podcast. I have to say, as a yoga teacher and long-time meditator, nurturing my garden on an energetic level holds great appeal for me.  So I'm excited to try Evan's "Compost Tea-in-a-Box" which you can get here with 10% off by putting "lettucelady" in the Discount Code box. (The code works for any size of Compost Tea in a Box, but Linda recommends the $49.97 size because it contains an air pump and air stone.) Making compost is an art, Linda says.  But once mastered, its beneficial effects can be truly miraculous.  Just have a look at what's happening in Egypt. A Revolutionary Act Growing your own food is a revolutionary act, as we note in our discussion.  The ability to produce our own, non-toxic food can provide a significant measure of security and independence in uncertain times.  But what if you could actually make a living from it? Teaching folks how to do just that is Linda's mission.  She shares her beautiful vision of a world transformed by abundant gardens during our chat. If you're interested in building a better relationship with your soil, you may want to check out Linda and Evan's upcoming free webinar on "How to Handle a Soil Emergency" http://farm-a-yard.com/gfem/Soil_Emergency_SL   It takes place Friday February 17, at 4pm ET/1 pm PT.  I know I'll be checking it out! (Disclosure: Sustainable Living Podcast is an affiliate of Farm-A-Yard.).   Chronology of discussion points in this episode:  7:00 Soil is a living organism 10:30 Worms for improving sandy soil 14:00 Other ways to improv soil 15:00 Coffee grounds for worms 16:00 - We are not gardeners, we're soil managers 17:00 - How working with soil directly benefits human health (article about gardening soil and depression, Earthing and ions) 21:00 Bio-dynamic farming 25:00 Bio-energetic method 28:00 Compost in a box (microbe makers link) (lettucelady promo gets you 10% off) 30:00 The art of compost 31:00 Greening the desert in Egypt 33:00 The revolutionary act of growing food 35:30 The dangers of "stupid" markets 38:00 Self-reliance 39:30 - Earning a living by growing food in your yard 42:00 - Even Folds webinar on soil fertility 44:00 Soil and the transformation of the world 52:00 Benefits of developing a relationship with the micro-community 53:30 Benefits of understanding water better  

Fertilizer from Food Waste   Tinia Pina is making fertilizer from food waste. How cool is that? During our interview, we learn that Tinia was volunteering in an inner city school located in what we call a food desert - an area where access to fresh food is either non existing or not affordable to the population.   She was helping students study for an examination and noticed that most had donuts for breakfast. While they started out the day with lots of energy, after a few hours, the students were unable to concentrate while she, fueled with a healthy breakfast, had no problem to keep going.   She also noticed that New York was producing huge amounts of food waste which had to be transported far to be disposed of. These were some of the experiences which gave Tina the idea to produce fertilizer from food waste and ideally help to grow fresh produce right in the areas where none was available.   Tinia Pina’s Bio:   Tinia received her B.S. in Business Information Technology from Virginia Tech and has six years of experience in the financial services industry and five years as a business development professional in the sustainability industry.  Her experiences related to advocacy and community building through food waste management, food systems and sustainability have fueled her passion to increase our communities’ resilience, prosperity, and knowledge to help us live more conscious lives. Tinia’s pioneering business model has earned her a Huffington Post Millennial Impact Grant, the American Express Emerging Innovator award and a MillerCoors Urban Entrepreneur grant, among other honors.   Our interview   1:00  Introducing Tinia Pina and Re-Nuble 3:00  What is Hydroponics? 6:12 Different Hydroponic systems   NFT  short for Nutrient Film Technique Deep Water Pool Technique   7:00 Re-Nuble gives the same results as mineral fertilizers which is difficult if not impossible to achieve with other organic fertilizers. The best part, Re-Nuble is made from organic food waste.   7:30 Even Ikea sells hydroponic system most common crops; basil and other herbs, lettuce, tomatoes can be grown indoors or in a protected outdoor area   8:30 Why Tinia started the company Work in the financial service industry Volunteer work with New York Cares Awareness of food waste on one side and bad nutrition for the students on the other Consciences and spiritual person   12:50 New York City Ag Collective  Bringing food to underserved areas Teaching skills to High school students New York Sunworks is doing a great job already 17:25  Vertical Farming and repurposing of empty warehouse spaces 19:25  Rooftop Farms             Gotham Greens http://gothamgreens.com/our-farms/             Brooklyn Grange http://www.brooklyngrangefarm.com/ 19:52  Aquaponics            Edenworks http://edenworks.com/ 21:00 Ways to follow Re-Nuble and Tinia             Website and social media links: (1.) Company website: www.re-nuble.com (2.) Twitter: https://twitter.com/re_nuble (3.) Google +: https://plus.google.com/+Re-nuble (4.) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReNuble/ (5.) Instagram: instagram.com/re_nuble (6.) Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/renuble/   22:00  Sourcing locally and what is organic.         Sourcing from a 200 mi radius         Organic vegetable waste         Omri certified input  http://www.omri.org/   23:40 The Re-Nuble products https://www.re-nuble.com/collections/all 27:26 Biomimicry 29:56 How to obtain the Re-Nuble fertilizers 31:00 A fertilizer has to be permitted in each State, who knew?           Did Tinia’s background in the financial sector make it easy breezy to start         this business? Tina shares her experience and lots of resources for anybody who is thinking about starting their own business.            Score www.score.org/            Work full time for the first three years and around the clock on the  company and invested all her money into the project             Received some grants for research and development             Project seed money             Gust https://gust.com/             F6S https://www.f6s.com/             Setting a deadline to evaluate if it is time to go back to a full time job             Getting product into thought influencers hands to evaluate and give feedback              Future plans: Be able to serve the industrial customer             Explore interest in the process expressed by countries like Tanzania and                     Pakistan where there is an abundance of food waste, but not so much water. 39:00 Tinia turns the tables and starts interviewing me            Urban Permaculture            Toby Hemenway who sadly passed away recently             His book: Gaia’s Garden                  Links to places and organizations near and dear to Tinia:   (1.) NYC Agriculture Collective (2.) NY Sunworks (3.) Sprout By Design (4.) Skyponics       If you enjoyed this episode, kindly hop on over to iTunes and give us a rating and subscribe     How to reach the The Sustainable Living Podcast: Click here to subscribe via iTunes   Click her to subscribe via RSS Feed   Click here to subscribe via Stitcher   Website: www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com   Facebook: Sustainable Living Podcast Page https://www.facebook.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Sustainable Living Tips, Tools & Tactics Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1557990901138562/   Twitter: Jenise&Marianne https://twitter.com/sustlivingpod   Instagram: The Sustainable Living Podcast https://www.instagram.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/   U-Tube LinkedIn: The Sustainable Living Podcast   We are proud to be a member of the Better World Podcast Collective. You find a collection of podcasts in the field of business, ecology, environment and more with the common denominator to strive for a more sustainable life.     

Grace Gershuny is the Organic Revolutionary. She is the author of  the book by that very name - a memoir of her life long effort to support healthy soil for our planet and healthy food for all who live on it.   Grace was one of the people who dedicated years of their life to develop the USDA Standards for Organic. Not only was the process long, but also difficult.   The mayor companies with interest in industrial agriculture we called Monsanto in the podcast since most everybody knows what that name stands for. But Monsanto is of course not the only company producing chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and GMO crops.   Opposition from those companies was expected, but not from the organic activist crowd which apparently became quite nasty and hate mail was the new normal for Grace for a while.   To add insult to injury, politics plays a big role in Washington, including office politics. In the end, Grace was no longer part of the team writing the final standards and she feels that they were a far cry from what they started out with.   The book is her attempt to set the story straight. It took her 15 years to be able to write it as it stands today. It can take a long time to heal from feeling deeply hurt and abandoned by your peers and accepting that much better standards were intended and almost adopted. But such is life.   Grace continues teaching and advocating for agriculture providing a healthy living and working environment for the farmer and healthy food for all.   These are the topics we addressed in out interview. 1:00 Many people have misconceptions about the process of creating the USDA standards. 2:50  Activist community has many different notions of what the standard should be. 4:00 Right wing background of the organic movement 5:00 Back to the land and start of involvement  in agricultural organizations First organic certification program for NOFA Invited to write USDA guidelines in the mid-nineties A marketing program, not a bible 60s idealist realized growing vegetables doesn’t make money - you have to sell them. Grad school and TREC Book The Soul of Soil - still in print Rural Education Center: many great teachers and leaders and thinkers in the alternative movement. Bill Mollison, the founder of Permaculture among them. Funded through grands and gifts Start selling Yogurt - Stony Hills Farm Build on early Vermont experience of growing a market garden, organizing a farmer’s market and helping to start a cottage industry Farmers markets today Grace has a Masters Degree in Extension education - not offered any more at the University of Vermont The teacher Social Ecology At present: on line masters program in Sustainable Foodsystems USDA The activist community undermined a better suited writing of the standards Organic is not about the products we use, but about doing what is the best for the environment and the soil Push for GMO labeling law got derailed by Monsanto (and others like them) agreed to keep GMO out of organic. We need as many acres, farmers and eaters to go organic Organic farming, no matter which style, sequesters more carbon in the soil than even no till GMO farming   There are about 100 certifiers worldwide who set their own fees The story of Fred There are no silver bullets Gardening is a form of therapy Visit our Website for more links and information    Grace Gershuny can be found at the Organic Revolutionary   If you enjoy our show, please leave us a review on iTunes or where you get your podcast from. Also, we love to hear from you. Visit our website and leave a comment.

Episode 76 - The Transition There are lots of folks out there looking for ways to create an economic transition to a more resource-based system. They're done waiting for our government or other big organizations to take the first step.  Like our former guest, Michael E. V. Knight, they believe that real solutions will begin with individuals implementing new systems in their own lives and in their own communities. But too often, these folks are duplicating the efforts of others and re-inventing the wheel, creating needless work and minimizing their effectiveness. Wouldn't it be great if there was a place where they could find resources, education and networking opportunities to help? Gathering the Tribe There is.  The Transition seeks to unite people who are willing to take action towards enhancing and protecting all life and our environment for future generations.  It's purpose is to construct real solutions by providing the support, space and resources to do so via the community's collective knowledge and common heritage of the Earth's resources. The Transition also works towards discovering the root causes of major issues we face and proposes alternatives to the destructive systems we have in place today, supporting an economic transition. It's website platform can also be useful to those finding themselves in many different life situations such as those who live communally; those trying to create new social change groups or alternative living situations; or those already involved in growing networks of activists. Creating an Economic Transition In this episode, Nicole Bienfang discusses how The Transition helps people take action. Nicole is an entrepreneur, attention economist, interdisciplinary thinker, activist advocate, consultant, social artist, cultural creative, social architect and a founding member of The Transition. Nicole also shares a bit of her story and how she got involved with The Transition.  Surprisingly, her story begins with the same activity that woke Marc Angelo Coppola up: binge watching documentaries. 1:00 - Chronic Illness - Binge documentary watching 3:00 - The Venus Project - Resource Based Economy 6:00 - Michael E.V Knight - Build a Resource Based Economy Now Facebook Group 10:00 - Intentional Communities considered patchwork solution by Venus Project  11:15 -  Identifying common themes within the tribe  13:00 - Decided to create our own website 15:15 - Status of RBE Facebook Group now 16:30 - How the website helps people interested in taking action  18:00 - Pitfalls of too many groups trying to do the same thing 20:45 - Difference between The Transition and Transition Towns 24:15 - Top Down vs Bottom Up Approach 27:45 - Objectives of The Transition and how it takes action to meet them 29:45 - Identifying best ways to start taking action and developing "Your Action Plan" 31:00 - Matching resources to needs 32:45 - The Transition is a reciprocal organization - Stone Soup 36:45 - The powerful hidden fringe benefit of all this 39:30 - "There is no soup unless you put in some potatoes" 41:45 - Making fringe society mainstream 43:30 - Attracting and organizing volunteers and groups 45:00 - Developing a crowd-funding platform for funding member projects 47:30 - Some of the projects that are being helped by the site 49:30 - Site being used as a filter to find serious people for projects 51:00 - How can people make the best use of The Transition website? 54:45 - The importance of non-violent communication 57:30 - The importance of re- assessing the usefulness of our current system 59:00 - Ways to contribute to the Transition community and benefits of contributing 1:02:20 - Yearly conference at Twin Oaks Intentional Community                  

Intentional Communities, Sociocracy Diana Leafe Christian is author of Creating a Life Together: Practical Tools to Grow Ecovillages and Intentional Communities, about forming successful communities and ecovillages  and Finding Community: How to Join an Ecovillage or Intentional Community  She is former publisher Ecovillages, an online newsletter http://EcovillageNews.org, and formerly edited Communities magazine in the US for 14 years.   Diana Leaf Christian lives in an Ecovillage in the Mountains of North Carolina 2:55  90% of Ecovillages fail, only 10% succeed 4:23   The ingredients to Success A shared vision, mission and purpose A fair and participatory method of self-governance Sociocracy Clear Agreements in writing Communication skills - Non Violent Communication recommended Restorative circles Method of accountability Community glue Project management Clear and thorough membership process What is Sociocracy? What is consensus 13:45 It can happen that an idea will never make it off the ground if consensus is abused - premature proposal death 14:29 How to reach Diana https://dianaleafechristian.org 14:47 A bit about the San Diego event 17:27 different types of community formation 17:33 Diana’s book: Finding Community 19:00 Co-Housing neighborhoods 21:00 Shared Group Household 21:42 Eco Village 23:47 Housing co-op 25:31 A virtual neighborhood 26:34 Rural retreat and conference centers 27:47 Other kinds of rural communities - sexual orientation or interest based 28:06 Rural back to the land communities 29:00 Commune 31:00 Restorative Circles/ Restorative Justice 36:00 Event at Emerald Village in Vista, CA 37:00 Sociocracy explained 38:28 Four kinds of benefits Meetings go better Get more done Better organized, more transparency and accountability More connection and good will Brief overview of Sociocracy Governance Decision making Feedback loops 7 parts Series of circles with clear objectives Continuous improvement through feedback loops Creating proposals Considering and deciding Proposals Selecting people for roles Feedback Consenting to circle members 47:30 3 day sociocracy workshop in San Francisco Eco Village To find out more about Diana Leaf Christian visit her website Visit our website Sustainable Living Podcast Please rate and review us on iTunes, Stitcher or where you get your podcasts from. We highly appreciate that! More on the San Diego event

Episode 74 - The Valhalla Movement Freedom culture, as defined in the Valhalla Movement video below is "a collective state of being that empowers and encourages all individuals to contribute their unique gifts to the world." It's the mission of Valhalla Movement members to live in and help to spread freedom culture around the world through online and offline efforts that focus on sustainability, community, knowledge and action. Founding member, Marc Angelo Coppola says it begins with self-sustainability. Wake up! Marc began his journey with a big wake-up period. For him it involved watching a lot of documentaries that told the story of what's going wrong in the world. We've all been there. Most of us either end up turning to some form of distraction or else we carry the weight of mild depression as a result. However Marc chose a different response. He chose to live a life that no longer perpetuates the nightmare and he chose to share his journey with others. Marc recognized early on that building a community around these ideas was essential. He began on a five-acre piece of land in Montreal, Canada with a plan to build the school he wished he could have gone to. He  gathered a group that was dedicated to realizing the same plan and igniting a global passion for sustainability, self-reliance and collaborative action. The Valhalla Movement was born. How do you change culture? I was inspired by this chat with Marc. We touched on many themes that occur repeatedly in the global awakening that is now happening: for instance, the idea that our own imaginations, when allowed to truly run rampant, often hold the solutions we are seeking. How do you change the culture? Marc says the answer is telling compelling stories, which, as you can see, The Valhalla Movement knows how to do. The organization makes expert use of digital media to show people what Freedom Culture is and to challenge and educate them to take action. "In today's world the biggest currency is not dollars and sense, it's actually attention," Marc says. "Our goal is to kind of spread the physical (Valhalla Movement) almost like a virus. It's almost like the franchise company that really just carries out the online media and then finds people who are willing to come and train with us and be a part of this movement to try and take on this big social problems." To learn more about from and about The Valhalla Movement, you may wish to check out the following sites:  superheroacademy.net buildyourwisdom.com

Julie Zuzek is the Corporate Yogi and a podcaster brining you the Conscious Business with the Corporate Yogi podcast. Julie is helping her clients to find a purpose driven business life. In our conversation, we talked about the following topics: 2:42  Listen to cues. Often fear is holding us back from what we want to do. 2:59  Julie’s podcast: Conscious Business with the Corporate Yogi 4:48  What does coaching look like? 7:09  Money and worthiness 7:49  When we as entrepreneurs are asking for money- it is based on who we are. If we are working for a corporation- it is based on what we do. 8:37  Julie has three podcasts dedicated to our relationship with money - your money blue print. There are three podcasts because money is such a huge topic for most of us. She is drawing on three books which influenced her thinking. Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker Money and the Law of Attraction by Esther and Jerry Hicks   Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill 10:22 Beliefs impact what we do. Beliefs are formed when we are young through different influencers parents teachers  life circumstances TV and other media influences Some of the beliefs we might have money is hard to earn I can’t do it money is evil people who have money are bad 11:26 The hundred $ game 13:00 Internal work 15:30 The "Shoulds" 17:00 Social media 19:00 Mastermind Julie offers two Mastermind groups: One for people who are ready to launch or are in the early stages of building a business. The other is a high growth group for people who are in business for at least 3 years. 23:03 Sangha - build community 24:20 Retreats and winks from the universe 27:30 Yoga mindset in the business world 29:10 Personal Yoga practice to foster creative thinking and solution finding for problems. 29:59 The monkey mind, the saboteur, the inner mean girl or boy 32:00 Hiding or suppressing your fear makes it blow up big at an inconvenient time 32:32 Are more women or men seeking coaching? 33:29 Free course on goal setting for 2017 for our listeners. Grab it until the end of January 2017. www.thecorporateyogi.com/goals 34:57 The goals that we write down are 42% more successful and likely to happen. 37:10 Winks from the Universe 38:20 Journaling 41:11 Yoga as a solid foundation for what we do. Visit our website for more info: The Sustainable Living Podcast Please leave us a rating and review on iTunes or where you get your podcast from. Yoga and Business, Journaling, Meditation, money, entrepreneur

Jenise and Marianne wish you a very Happy and Healthy 2017 First and foremost, we want to thank all our listeners for being part of our podcast family. We truly appreciate every single one of you and are honored that you are choosing to spend some of your time with our voices in your ears. Thank you! Marianne and Jenise love to hear from you. Email us, tweet at us, join us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, You Tube, Google Plus and let us know where else you all hang out. Let us know what you do to move towards sustainable living. Maybe you are the perfect guest for 2017. This show is short and sweet, just to say hello and share some of our end of year thoughts. This is what we touched on: Journaling Meditation Personal Growth Vision Board Thank you Contact Us: email  [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] website www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ Group: Sustainable living tips, tools & tactics https://www.facebook.com/groups/1557990901138562/ Twitter https://twitter.com/sustlivingpod and you can follow us as individuals https://twitter.com/MarianneEWest https://twitter.com/JeniseFryatt Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sustainablelivingpodcast/ You Tube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA73SuaMBnBIaB5OdiL_y6Q Google + https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/104069390129815192006/?pageId=104069390129815192006 LinkedIn The Sustainable Living Podcast iTunes find us by name and subscribe and please, leave us a review. Happy New Year to all of you from the Sustainable Living Podcast. 

Stress, Holidays, Thank You and so much more Jenise and Marianne both were sick and talking about the home remedies they used to feel better again. 3:50 Essential oils and Herbs 7:50 Ginger and Cinnamon Tea 8:21 Enough of being sick and on to the chickens 12:30 Jenise’s chickens 14:00 Any suggestions how to keep chickens from pooping in the nesting box? Please contact us and let us know! 14:15 How to reach us. 15:45 Jenise is done with her homesteading chores and is getting ready for Christmas. Exploring the questions of gifts and christmas cards 23:13 Be honest with yourself about your finances and what you can afford. 25:30 Change of government and global stress. The answer: meditation. Study about prayer effecting crime rate. 31:35 Jenise’s interviews with thinkers developing paradigms of new economy and social systems. The common thread is to create a society with less work, more community, less money, less stress and more satisfaction. 35:30 Non Violent Communication came up in one of the interviews - as it did in Marianne’s interview with Amelia. 37:22 The wind blowing at Jenise’s house. 37:50 Our twitter handle - took us a second to remember it: @sustlivingpod 38:24 #podernfamily 40:26 The MailMan’s survival Guide to the Galaxy Podcast 41:54 The Bro-ron’s Podcast 43:22 The Better World Podcast Collective If you are celebrating Holidays this month - we wish you the Best. For more information and links to the study and the podcasts we mentioned, please visit our website http://www.sustainablelivingpodcast.com/  

Episode 70 - Ubuntu In the Ubuntu model of contributionism, community members who give just 3 hours per week would in turn receive all of life's necessities and time to pursue their own interests within a supportive community It's a powerful idea that has captured imaginations worldwide. By and For The People According to the Ubuntu Planet USA website, Ubuntu seeks to create a world in which  "everything imaginable is obtained, designed, measured, planned, manufactured, implemented, built, planted, cooked, sculpted, painted or provided by the people, for the people." In this week's podcast, Brandon Shalton, Project Manager for Ubuntu Planet USA, gives us the lowdown on this worldwide movement and how it is progressing in the U.S. One Small U.S. Town Brandon is spearheading the "One Small Town" project here in the states,  under the mentorship of Ubuntu movement founder, Michael Tellinger. The project seeks to gain the participation of the mayor, the city council and roughly 20% of the population in one U.S. town, in hopes of creating a working Ubuntu model. Like some of the other economic systems we've featured here on the podcast, Ubuntu promotes a moneyless society in which members are encouraged to follow their passions. But as Brandon explains, it outlines a very practical method for transitioning from our current system to an Ubuntu system. A New Economy of Contributionism The point of contributionism is to share with everybody, he says.  Thus surrounding communities that are not specifically involved with an Ubuntu system, still benefit by what is created within the system. But, perhaps even more importantly, this sharing with outside communities spreads word of the Ubuntu system that might result in more communities adopting it. I really enjoyed this chat with Brandon and was particularly struck by his practical approach and no-nonsense business sensibilities.  They are exactly what's needed to translate such a radical idea into material reality. If you find this interview useful or have anything to add, please let us know by emailing me at [email protected] or by sharing your thoughts about it in the comments below. You may also wish to check out the following related podcasts: Open Sourcing a Sustainable Community What is a Gift Economy?

Marianne and Amelia set out in this interview to explore the importance of Permaculture Teacher Training and to talk about the training Amelia had just completed. However, very quickly their conversation went to the importance of communication and to the most important aspect: Listening.   Listening to others of course, but almost more importantly, listening to the Self. What is our Inner self telling us. Are we listening? Are we ignoring it and instead follow the "shoulds" and "musts" which are so plentiful in all of our lives.   Before we knew it, we were talking about children, preschool situations, the amount of violence children are exposed to and so much more. Here is more about Amelia:   Amelia Roache has made Ocean Beach, San Diego her home for most of 18 years. She started on a decided path of healing over 20 years ago learning the modalities of Healing Touch and Esoteric Healing. Then came T'ai Chi Chih and her accreditation as an instructor. Nonviolent Communication (Marshall B. Rosenberg) followed and became her primary focus of exploration and teaching. Soon after, she came upon Permaculture Design as happen-stance by glancing through a magazine and has been devoted to the practice ever since. Three times certified and recently teacher certified, she brings Permaculture Design "camps" to youth and families and, as a consultant and designer. She continues on the path of healer and embraces "adventurer shaman" ways in combination with soul communication services. She is excited to approach corporate environments and provide many services, including her unique tool for transformation she calls, "Ambient Movement".    www.SDrestorativepractices.com    

Episode 68 – Tools for Building a Sustainable Community If you're interested in creating or living in a sustainable community, there's a powerful resource you'll want to check out. One Community is a non-profit, world-change organization committed to creating sustainable blueprints that anyone can apply to build sustainable infrastructure and unplug from the "Matrix." Its website is a massive treasure-trove of free information on everything from food, to energy to economics and a whole lot more. The organization was founded by Jae Sabol who in 2010 committed full time as a volunteer to creating it. His background includes  70 certificates of qualification in holistic living, nutrition, and psychology in addition to other areas of study such as social change, community building, organizational management and strategic business development. Through One Community, Jae works with a large network of volunteers to empower systems that work for "The Highest Good of All."   As you can imagine, that's a profound shift  from systems that merely seek to create higher profits.   Open Source and Free Share One Community offers open-source and free-share tools, tutorials resources and do-it-yourself instructions for anyone interested in creating a sustainable community or just living a more sustainable life. The website features information  that they can be implemented either as individual components or as a complete self sufficient, self sustainable and ultimately self replicating teacher demonstration community village, city or hub. And it fosters global collaboration for like-minded groups interested in producing more sustainability models that can be replicated. All of this started when Jae began to search for alternatives to the traditional rat race life. During his journey he was fortunate to work with some highly financially successful people.  Over and over again he learned that the monetary success these folks were experiencing did not equal happiness. New Systems I was thrilled to meet and chat with Jae, as part of my series on “New Systems” that are emerging to replace our old dysfunctional systems. His One Community website is an amazing online hub for all those interested in new, more effective methods for ensuring Earthlings and Earth thrive together. I hope you’ll check out the One Community website.  I also hope that you’ll share your thoughts about this podcast and any related comments you may have below or by emailing me at [email protected] . If you’re interested in learning about emerging new systems that promote sustainable living as well as the organizations that support them

As we realize the truth, that our current economic system is unsustainable, a new vanguard of thinkers has begun to emerge promoting a healthier, more resource-based economy. One of these thinkers is Michael E.V. Knight. Michael was a real estate investor/consultant until seven years ago when two friends asked him to watch the video Zeitgeist Addendum. He watched the video and his life did a 180 degree turn that day. He now spends 50 - 80 hours a week explaining how simple it is for us to change to a world that no longer requires the use of money by anyone. A world where EVERYONE is housed, fed and educated, and poverty no longer exists. Envisioning That Better World This is a topic that I get very excited about because when I listen to stories like the ones Michael shares in this interview, I can begin to envision what lies around the corner for humanity. It's a world that has never existed, at least in our current historical memory. That's why, for many of us, it's been difficult to envision. But (and I know I'm beginning to sound like a broken record on this) we truly need to start envisioning this better world if we want it to actually come to be. It's apparent that Michael is a no-nonsense guy with solid street-smarts.  His background in real estate investing shows he has learned how to succeed financially within our current monetary system.  To me, this shows he's no sore-loser. From Feudalism to THIS? Michael just happened to wake up to the fact that within the current system we are all slaves, no matter how much money we happen to acquire. Our 40 plus hour per week jobs ensure that we rarely get what we truly want.  Over and over again we see that career success does not equal happiness. But perhaps more significantly, we rarely get the time to reflect that might help all of us to wake up to the reality of our situation. When we return from a full day of what is very often soul-sucking work, we are so tired that all we can do is plop down in front of the television. And T.V. merely serves to reinforce the false notion that our slavery is necessary for happiness. Resource-based economy? Most of us don't even have time to wonder what it means. Round and round the hamster wheel goes. But as Bob Dylan once said, "The Times, They Are A-Changin." New Systems Emerging Through his Facebook group "Build a Hybrid RBE Community Now," Michael has attracted many like minds who are working to liberate humanity with new systems.  I was thrilled when he put me in touch with several other such thinkers and have since begun a new series of soon-to-be published interviews that I'm calling, "New Systems." This all brings to mind the words of a wise teacher who has predicted that our current economic and geo-political systems are about to come to an end. However he also said that "new systems" that are more beneficial to humans and Planet Earth would be emerging to replace them. I hope you enjoy this interview with Michael, as well as our upcoming series of "New Systems" interviews. You may wish to check out the following podcast episodes: What is a Gift Economy? Shifting to a New Economy An Interview with Chris Agnos of Sustainable Human  

Rosemary Morrow has dedicated her life to getting information to people who are very poor or can’t get the information otherwise. By information she means Permaculture knowledge - the tools to dramatically improve the lives of her students. Not long ago, Rosemary traveled to Kabul, Afghanistan to teach a group of young peace activists Permaculture. The course was supposed to be via Skype, but the connection was so bad that Rosemary decided to pack her bags and go to a town in the middle of a war zone most people are trying to flee from. That is the kind of woman I got to interview for this podcast. During our hour long conversation we touched on the following: Education in Agricultural Science Working in Africa and realizing that agricultural science is not relevant to people who are hungry Finding Permaculture The author Rosemary Morrow Co-Founder of the Blue Mountain Permaculture Institute in Australia Rosemary’s recent teaching trip to Spain, Portugal and Italy Her work in war ravaged countries starting in Vietnam, Cambodia, Uganda and Afghanistan among others Training the teachers Working with refugees Eco villages for refugees World Vision Ted Talk on Architecture that is build to heal Teaching monks in the Himalayas Being cultural appropriate What can permaculture do for the coasts and deltas Sustainable cities Our own actions and their impact Social Permaculture The Blue Mountain Permaculture Website Please visit our website for more links and a more detailed blog post. Also, if you like our show, we appreciate a review and a rating on iTunes. Here is how: Head over to the iTune Store and find the Sustainable Living Podcast Click on Ratings and Reviews Click on Write Review If you are subscribed to our podcast, you might have to unsubscribe or if you are trying to do this from your phone, you have to delete the podcast from your favorite list. Please remember to resubscribe when you are done. Thank you!  

Like a lot of folks, Rob Herring was concerned about the toxic systems that produce our food, though he knew practically nothing about alternative farming methods. But through a series of events, he become involved with the campaign to label genetically modified foods in California.  From there, his journey eventually led him to making a film about solutions. The film, entitled "The Need to Grow," shares some amazing stories of people who are growing food in ways that do not include toxins; build more nutrient density; and actually help to nurture and improve the land. They wanted to focus on what can be done on a local, community level and ask, "What powers do we have at our fingertips?" The stories they uncovered open a whole new world of possibilities that are being explored, but are perhaps not being publicized as much as they should be. Rob and Ryan connected with Larry Santoyo of The Permaculture Academy in Los Angeles, who shares about permaculture, a system of design that's based on how nature works and is transforming how we grow food all over the world. They also met a powerful 9 year old activist who started a petition to get GMOs out of Girl Scout Cookies. One story led to another, organically, you might say. Thus they were led to a farm called Alegria Fresh that grows a huge amount of nutrient dense food on a relatively small parcel of land using alternative techniques with much less water and fertilizer. They also visited a place in Montana called the Green Powerhouse that diverts waste products from the landfill to create soil amendments and energy. Incredibly, the system is contained within a pyramid. Rob shares some fascinating stories from his journey, that show what average folks are doing to provide powerful solutions to some of our most vexing ecological and health problems. But Rob and Ryan need some financial help in launching the project.  If you're interested in supporting them, please go to their kickstarter page, here.

Like many of you, one of the biggest reasons I had for choosing green living as my path was because it was more in line with my values. At that time, I looked around for environmentally friendly and ethically produced products but found they were expensive and difficult to find. I would have loved to have access to "A Greener Daily Life", a website founded and run by Chet Van Wert, to connect "conscious consumers with sustainable, ethical brands." So I was thrilled when Chet agreed to come on the podcast and share his expertise on finding more environmental and human-friendly products for green living. Flowers, Power and Cars I learned a few things.  For instance did you know that cut flowers are usually drenched in pesticides? Chet's website gives alternatives. Also, too many of the products we are buying come to us via slave labor.  Personally, I have a difficult time understanding why our country continues to import these products let alone allow them to be sold here without informing the public. But thank goodness people like Chet are working to expose this and provide information about alternatives. Another thing I learned is that anyone in the U.S. can switch to wind generated power.  Chet explains how it works in this interview. Also, did you know that GM is about to debut a new car that is fully electric and will go 230 miles before it needs to be recharged?  Surprisingly it's not that expensive. I don't think you can over estimate the impact our purchasing choices have on the world around us. What we buy offers a very real, and effective method for us to influence commerce in a way that truly benefits humans and our beautiful planet. The Importance of Choosing Well Chet and his website provide a wealth of information about things we buy everyday. So I highly recommend that you check it out. Chet also reminded me of this famous Eleanor Roosevelt quote, "One's philosophy is not best expressed in words.  It is expressed in the choices one makes." Wise words to keep in mind as we go about our daily lives. You may also wish to check out the following related links: Stepping Stones to Sustainable Living 7 Steps to Start You on a Path to Simple Living Blue Jeans I Really Want   Buying Cut Flowers: Don't Inhale  

Greg Peterson's motto is: "I am the person on the planet responsible for transforming the food system." A tall order indeed. is the founder of Urban Farm U - an entity dedicated to teaching how to grow food and live in a regenerative way. Greg teaches in person classes from fruit tree growing and care to how to get started with gardening. Most of those are donation based. He also teaches online classes and has a membership site to learn all you need to know to become a successful gardener. The UrbanFarmU podcast, another of the many enterprises Greg is spearheading, is published 3 times a week and so informative.  Check it out.  In this interview we explore How Greg got started with gardening (spoiler - he was pretty young) A training program Greg took as a young man which shaped how he sees himself in the world. The start of the Fruit tree program. How gardening makes us healthy. Thinking: What if..... How to deal with the "monkey mind." The Great American Seed up. Why Greg loves his tower garden even though he has a 1/2 of an acre to plant. To find out more about Greg, visit our website and find all links to Greg's activities or visit Urban Farm U