#114: Reducing Waste with Colleen Patrick-Goudreau for Earth Month
How can we live sustainably when excess and waste are all around us? Today’s joyful guest shows us how to flip the switch from the overwhelming “there’s so much to do” to the empowering “there’s so much we CAN do!”
LISTEN HERE OR ON SPOTIFY OR APPLE PODCASTS
Happy April!
With Earth Month here, we can’t think of anyone better to bring on the show than Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, affectionately known as the Joyful Vegan, to share on all things low and zero waste.
She is a recognized expert and thought leader on culinary, social, ethical, and practical aspects of living compassionately and healthfully.
She has been an animal advocate for 30 years and vegan for 24 years, and is a bestselling author of eight books - including several cookbooks, and hosts one of the longest running vegan podcast called the Food for Thought Podcast which has been going strong for 17 years.
From her vast experience, Colleen speaks on how we can move to a zero waste lifestyle in very doable ways. She shares her own journey towards conscientious living, modeling how that can develop over the years into something truly powerful.
She also breaks down terms and concepts that can often be confusing in the sustainability discussion, such as what zero waste means and how it’s even achievable, or the myths and realities of recycling, the numbers on plastic, and the unseen toxic outputs of the plastic industry.
Most importantly, Colleen shows each of us what it looks like to take simple and meaningful steps and where you can start, regardless of where you already are. Discover everything from:
- Easy options for food waste and composting you may never have considered
- Foods you can easily make from scratch to reduce packaging, even with limited time
- Where to go to begin advocating in ways that can make bigger changes than you can imagine
- All sorts of simple swaps that are so easy & make life easier along the way!
Do your part to give back to the earth today, by listening in to find one or two takeaways you can put into action today!
You’ll be amazed at how each small step can lead you to a more considerate and sustainable life that brings joyful simplicity and satisfaction as you save money, save resources, and save our planet!
♡ Toni & Michelle
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
- Toni & Michelle’s recent personal efforts to live sustainability in daily life
- Colleen shares her journey towards conscientious and sustainable living and how her lens shifted to move even beyond that to aim for zero waste
- How the term “zero-waste” was coined, what it means, and how it can even be achieved
- The myth of recycling plastic and what the numbers in the little triangle mean
- Practical steps to reduce food waste and multiple options other than throwing food in the trash
- What sell-by dates have to do with marketing and consumerism
- Foods you can easily make from scratch to reduce packaging and use food scraps, even if you have limited time
- The habits you need to build to have reusable products on hand when needed
- How looking for the next thing you can do is better than aiming for perfection
- Where to advocate for change to make the differences you can’t make on your own
- A whole list of simple swaps to make around the house
RESOURCES
- Ep 61: Composting
- Food for Thought Podcast
- The Joy of Vegan Baking Cookbook
- What I Eat in a Day at Colleen’s House
- Diet for a New America by John Robbins
- Paul Palmer’s zero-waste concepts
- Reusable produce bags
- Plaine Products
ZERO WASTE LIVING GUIDES
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
Seed is becoming a huge leader in the field of gut health. They make a plant-based Daily Synbiotic with a combination of prebiotics and probiotics that are consciously-crafted and scientifically backed. And we love that they use sustainable packaging! The vegan capsules come in a refillable glass jar to minimize single use plastics. Get 30% off your first month’s supply of Seed’s DS-01® Daily Synbiotic by using code PLANTPOWERED at checkout.
We are big-time into gardening and it’s so exciting to see the seeds we’ve planted from Sow Right Seeds grow so big and strong. Sow Right Seeds is an heirloom seed company that specializes in high-quality, open-pollinated, non-GMO seeds with excellent germination rates. They offer more than 400 varieties on their website, so w hether you’re growing vegetables, herbs, greens, or flowers, they’ve got you covered! Enter code PLANTPOWERED between March 15, 2024 and May 1, 2024 to get 15% off all products on their website.
LET'S BE FRIENDS!
CONNECT WITH TONI OKAMOTO:
WEBSITE | YOUTUBE | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK
CONNECT WITH MICHELLE CEHN:
WEBSITE | YOUTUBE | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK
WANT TO SUPPORT THE SHOW?
If you love our podcast and want to help keep this free resource alive for many years to come, you can become a supporter through Patreon with a donation as little as $2 a month or by making a one-time donation through Paypal. Can't donate? You can still be a huge support to us by subscribing and leaving us a review on iTunes! Either way, we're sending you massive hugs through the screen :)
Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links, and we may earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that we've linked to these products purely because we personally use and recommend them and they are from companies we trust. There is no additional cost to you.
WATCH OUR MINI DOCUMENTARY
