Explore every episode of the podcast Characters

A new show by Laura Diez, on the characters we love to consume. Exploring the portrayals of real people on reality tv, fictionalized women that stay in our memories, and pop culture legends. Characters premieres February 17, 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're comparing passenger train travel between the US and Europe: why does Europe do rail so well? We're overviewing a handful of regional and intercity routes that do train travel well, and pointing out what American communities could learn from - investments, political will, high-speed rail, and much more. We're also discussing scenic routes and trains as part of the trip, rather than simply a means of transportation. I share the triumphant, community-advocated-for Winter Park Express, from Denver, CO to a nearby ski resort. Episodes to revisit: The Death of the Third Place Urban Revitalization + Sustainable Development | Alan Sneider Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Data time - we’re revisiting some of our most shared, most loved, + most viral conversations from the year! 2023 was such a special year of growth, learning, + reflection. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to engage in these!!  Total Ethics Fashion | Emma Hakansson, Collective Fashion Justice Imperfect Environmentalism | Megan McSherry Urban Revitalization + Sustainable Development | Alan Sneider We’re Finally De-Influencing Green Jobs + DEI in Sustainability | Kristy Drutman, Brown Girl Green, Green Jobs Board Everything About the Western Water Crisis, with WesternWaterGirl | Teal Lehto Finding Community, Plastics Policy, + Sustainable Storytelling | Lauren Bash Thanks to our sponsor today!! CarawayHome.com/ECO for up to 20% off Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’ve taken an unintentional hiatus recently, largely due to some recent heightened climate anxiety… so today, we are defining climate or eco- anxiety, and breaking down some tips from the American Psychological Association on how to best combat these feelings. We’re talking burnout, dissociation, and making sure we’re setting ourselves up best to regularly support our mental health around this climate crisis, not just when we’re getting big waves of doom-and-gloom. Episodes mentioned: 126: Climate Anxiety: How to Turn Worry into Compassionate Action with Dr. Renee Lertzman 141: Climate/Sustainability Careers Chic Chats Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re joined by four friends of the pod today to discuss experiences within the queer community and environmental spaces!! Our LGBTQ+ -focused episode is value-packed with arguably the most vast range of topics + perspectives of any call-in episode yet. We’re speaking with Isaias of @QueerBrownVegan, who breaks down the framework behind queer sustainability. Emerald discusses the value in safe queer communities, from climbing to hiking and other recreational experiences. Izzy shares the ethical concerns around pride merch, following her article with Fashion Revolution, ‘Who Made My Pride Merch.’ Lastly, Jackson discusses his experience whole-heartedly accepting his queer identity while establishing boundaries to prevent tokenism; he also shares excellent insight on how to respond when someone comes out to you. Special thank you to our speakers today for their transparency, empathy, + willingness to share their stories! I really loved putting this episode together because it was deeply personal while being deeply educational. I would love to do another collection similar to this one again soon, because the LGBTQ+ community is so diverse and it would be just about impossible to claim I’ve included all experiences/perspectives in today’s episode. More: * Listen to Isaias Hernandez on Ep 139: Eco Education, Environmental Justice, Content Creation * Who Made My Pride Merch? by Izzy McLeod for Fashion Revolution* Why Queer Liberation Is an Environmental Justice Issue by Lisa Pradhan for Earth Justice Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are discussing the sustainable fashion favorite, The Conscious Closet by Elizabeth Cline, with Moji Igun. The Conscious Closet is a highly recommended, holistic guide to building a more mindful wardrobe – from closet audits, living wages, truly sustainable garments, and everything in between surrounding the fashion revolution. This conversation gets into the environmental, ethical, and emotional sides of clothing: how can we do good *and* look good? Moji is a zero-waste expert and founder of Blue Daisi Consulting, zero-waste consulting and eco-conscious solutions for supporting more mindful businesses. Other episodes + resources mentioned: * 140: How Luxury Lost Its Luster | Book Club with Megan McSherry* Megan McSherry’s ebook, Make The Most of What’s In Your Closet* 143: The Case For Appointing A Fashion Czar | Elizabeth Segran* Dr. Liz Segran’s article, President Biden, Appoint A Fashion Czar on Fast Company* A Brief Guide To Fabrics (by me!) on instagram* NYTimes expanding on the mentioned ethical issues within Everlane: Everlane’s Promise of ‘Radical Transparency’ Unravels* Glossy article expanding on the mentioned ethical issues within Reformation: The Rise And Fall of Reformation Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are continuing our Climate 101 education with a timely summer topic: the current heat waves, wildfires, and massive droughts being experienced in the American West. We’ll figure out what a heat waves actually is, plus learn about the nuances contributing to our 20+ year megadrought. Spoiler alert: climate change is worsening natural occurances. We also better understand wildfires: how they start and what is making them so severe and frequent. Fun, educational, and full of reminders (and my personal soapbox) about water subsidizes and camping responsibly. Mentioned + additional articles: * The Western Drought Is Bad. Here’s What You Should Know About It. (New York Times)* Why the intense U.S. drought is now a megadrought by Mark Kaufman* ‘Megadrought’ persists in western U.S., as another extremely dry year develops (National Geographic) Thank you to Aspiration for sponsoring today’s episode – learn more about how you can earn up to $200 by opening an account at aspiration.com/eco. Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We read Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy in May… and we LOVED it. Jessica Clifton shares how she strategically crafted her career as a sustainability influencer, we chat about our reading habits, and then thoroughly unpack what has been named one of the best novels of 2020. Migrations centers around Franny Stone, a women who seems constantly on the run, as she follows what is believed to be the final migration of the Arctic terns. The novel has been discussed as ‘climate fiction,’ and both Jessica and I found that label totally believable as we unpack themes of mass extinction, overfishing, conservationism… so nicely packed into big stories of love, loss, and personal evolution. We discuss the book’s so-well-picked, intentional symbols, timeline hopping, and of course the wild ending!! Our episode has spoilers (there was just so much to discuss!) and glowing reviews. Next month we are reading The Conscious Closet by Elizabeth Cline with Moji Igun. Set the scene for yourself with my latest, Episode 150: Why Is The Arctic Warming So Quickly? Thank you to Aspiration for sponsoring today’s episode – learn more about how you can earn up to $200 by opening an account at aspiration.com/eco. Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Arctic is warming almost twice as fast as the rest of the planet… yikes! There are more headlines each day about the rapidly rising average temperatures – as of this month, early June, almost all of the Arctic is at or above freezing. This isn’t the only issue though (dare I say it’s just the tip of the iceberg??) … we’re going to better understand how warmer winters make way for more problematic, otherwise typically warm summers. We’re defining the albedo effect, or polar amplification, and the feedback loop that keeps this Arctic warming constant. Another shocking news bit is big ice sheets breaking off – how does glacial calving happen? We’ll get clear on the difference between icebergs and glaciers (and why the Titanic hit one and not the other)…. and wrap up with some fun facts that will hopefully win you a point or two at trivia night: why skiiers always seem to be sunburned, and how Antartica is actually the world’s biggest desert. Thank you to Aspiration for sponsoring today’s episode – learn more about how you can earn up to $200 by opening an account at aspiration.com/eco. Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re sharing one of our most personal, coming-of-age episodes yet – we’re speaking beauty standards, acne and skin “flaws”, and coming-of-age realizations of body dismorphia (tw). Carolyn Yachanin is the creator of Copina Co, plant-based collagen boosts. Collagen is often touted as the wellness additive you just need in your beauty routine – but if your beauty supplements are coming from animals, that’s a whole other can of worms to come to terms with with an ethical, healthy lifestyle. Carolyn discusses her journey to creating a product, one of the firsts of its kind, and how she has hustled Copina Co into shops like Erewhon, Anthropologie, and Urban Outfitters. We also discuss the need for a revamp of our collective definition of “beauty” – instead, let’s focus on treating ourselves well, feeling our bests, and staying happy and confident in our own skin. This episode is jam-packed with business tips plus some deeply vulnerable conversations on beauty and self-love. If you’d like to check out Copina Co for yourself, use code ECOCHIC for 15% off at copinaco.com Also check out: * Ep 138: Holistic Skincare with Dr. Mamina Turegano* Ep 133: The Science of Skin + Myths of the Beauty Industry with Jessica DeFino Thank you to Aspiration for sponsoring today’s episode – learn more about how you can earn up to $200 by opening an account at aspiration.com/eco. Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In April we read Bill Gates’ latest: a manual on climate change for the general public, How To Avoid A Climate Disaster, with environmental justice advocate + influencer (and my friend!) Zahra Biabani of @Soulful_Seeds. The nonfiction work has received lots of press and praises from mainstream outlets, so we were intrigued – but the climate and sustainability community online was largely outspoken in its distaste for a billionaire-authored book on the climate crisis. Zahra shares a bit of insight on the influencer controversy with the book, and we share similar sentiments of ickiness. We critically break down what we liked and didn’t like; we discuss energy poverty, agriculture, environmental justice, geoengineering… all of it. We finish with our out-of-5 ratings and review of the book. Next month we will be reading Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy – our first fiction book club pick! Migrations is a novel about a researcher in Greenland following the migration of Arctic terns (birds – I’m already obsessed) + evolves into her story of love, family, + crime. 👀 This book has it all!! @Goodreads describes it as “an ode to a disappearing world and a breathtaking page-turner about the possibility of hope against all odds.” We will be reading with Jessica Clifton of @ImpactForGood. Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re joined by one of my very first guests and very favorite people in the sustainability space – Ashlee Piper!! Ashlee is a TV personality, sustainability consultant, and author of Give A Shit: Do Good. Live Better. Save The Planet – which has become quite the golden ticket, go-to guidebook for both aspiring and seasoned sustainability advocates. We talk all about influence, and how to communicate with audiences both online and IRL, and what it means to be an ‘influential’ person online in this special, relatively new world of eco-activism. We speak about greenwashing and misconceptions in the movement. I ask the burning question: how did you write a book? Ashlee, the realest woman around, gives us all the details from conception to publishing, and how the reception of her book has continued to evolve over time. Lastly, we speak about the individual action in sustainable living, versus collective, policy-driven action – should it be one or the other? Thank you to Aspiration for sponsoring today’s episode – learn more about how you can earn up to $200 by opening an account at aspiration.com/eco. Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are speaking to the thoughtful, empowering, badass woman behind the most fabulous, transparent, ethical beauty brand I’ve known yet – Abena Boamah-Achempong, founder of Hanahana Beauty! Hanahana began as a line of whipped shea butter, created through Abena’s own desire for a moisturizer that both reflected her cultural roots and wasn’t full of weird filler ingredients. Abena shares with us her childhood in a Ghanian household, her impactful travels to Ghana, and how she continues to support her community through her business. Her time as a public school teacher influenced Abena’s understanding of ethics and access, and she’s since ensured that Hanahana holds itself to high standards: fair wages, ethical sourcing, and holistic sustainability. We learn how shea butter is made (honestly, wow!) and how the beauty industry has watered down such a cultural precious ingredient. Plus, we chat about how Abena practices self-care and boundary setting as an innovator and industry leader. This conversation was seirously so much fun (lots of laughs) and so jam-packed with value – Abena and Hanahana are likely the best examples of true sustainability I’ve learned from. Thank you to Aspiration for sponsoring this episode! To learn more about managing your money for a better planet, and get up to $200, check out Aspiration.com/eco. Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Black Friday episode this year is an opportunity for us to indulge in pop culture - we're discussing how some mega-celebrities have made sustainability such a central part of their platforms. It's like a new take on the tabloid classic series, "Celebs, They're Just Like Us!" - we all care about the planet, and it's so cool to see people platforming causes they're passionate about. We're overviewing icons like Jane Fonda and Pamela Anderson, and hopefully giving you an opportunity to loop your environmental activism into pop culture conversations throughout the season. Also check out: Conscious, Creative Gift Guide Thanks to our sponsor today! YouCanBeam.com/ECOCHIC for 10% sitewide Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Earth Week episode has me fired up about the topic that first brought many of us into sustainable living: the plastic crisis! We’re joined today by Emma Rose Cohen, the CEO and founder of Final, creators of FinalStraw—the world’s first reusable, collapsible straw that raised nearly $2 million on Kickstarter. We’re talking all about the product idea that that totally took the internet by storm: resourcefulness, building community, and of course, everything about fighting single-use. We also chat about our collective qualms with the recycling economy, greenwashing, corporate sustainability, and innovative plastic alternatives. Prior to launching Final, Emma earned a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from University of California, Santa Barbara and received a Master’s Degree from Harvard in Environmental Management and Sustainability. She then spent four years working in the Waste Minimization Department at Los Alamos National Laboratory. In the last decade, Emma’s passion for sustainability motivated her to help found a nonprofit, Save the Mermaids, with a mission to educate children about the harmful effects of single-use plastics. Since 2018, Emma has grown Final from a one product company to a company with an entire line of convenient, sustainable alternatives. Waste is just a design flaw. Emma and the Final team are on a mission to change that. Thank you to Aspiration for sponsoring our show! To learn more about Aspiration, visit aspiration.com/eco. Find me on: Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are gossiping today about environmental scandals! We’ll start off breaking down last week’s events at Piney Point, a resovoir in Florida holding toxic phosphate mining byproducts that began leaking. We then discuss America’s first Superfund site, Love Canal, NY – and why Superfund sites must be discussed through the lens of environmental racism. Then, we’ll detail water contamination in Hinkley, CA, the largest class action lawsuit in American history and the sceanario that inspired the film Erin Brockovich. Lastly, we discuss oil spills: the 2010 Deepwater Horizon, the largest oil spill in history, and the Exxon Valdez. We wrap up discussing the ‘value’ in scandals, regulation, advocacy, and what we’re still waiting on. Listen to our episode with Erin Brockovich here: 123: Water, Public Health, + A Julia Roberts Film Let’s chat!! I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Thank you to Aspiration for sponsoring today’s episode! Learn more about a better way to bank at aspiration.com/green. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are speaking today with Elizabeth Segran, senior staff writer at Fast Company, about her February article, “President Biden, Appoint A Fashion Czar!“. The article gained wild amounts of attention and support from fashion advocates online, and we’re discussing today why this concept makes so much sense given the lack of transparency between brands and consumers. We discuss garment workers, sweat shops, pollution, emissions, global coordination… all the nuances to solving the fashion crisis. We also dive deep into what policy mechanisms may be used to support such government regulation and oversight to the industry. Elizabeth Segran is senior staff writer at Fast Company, whose work has appeared in a range of publications including The Atlantic, Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, and more. She received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in the field of South and Southeast Asian Studies with a Designated Emphasis in Women, Gender and Sexuality. She is a global nomad who grew up in Brussels, Paris, Singapore, Jakarta and London before moving to New York to attend Columbia University.  Let’s chat!! I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We talk about ethical, ‘clean’ beauty, but today we’re taking it one step further and learning about the tools on our vanities: brushes. We’re learning about fibers (did you know brushes were historically animal fibers?!), self-love, sustainable supply chains, and more with beauty pioneer Anisa Telwar Kaicker of ANISA International. As the #1 global manufacturer of your favorite make-up tools since the 1990’s (think Estée Lauder, NARS, Tom Ford, Shiseido, TooFaced and more), Anisa has been a pioneer in clean beauty and fair trade in both her products and factories. She spearheaded initiatives like using synthetic fibers instead of animal hair in make-up brushes, and reducing her company’s landfill waste by 20% each year – we’re discussing innovation and the value in owning both of her manufacturing facilities! We also explore the necessity efficient, ethical supply and chain processes, any always ensuring employees and brush artisans (a 90% female workforce) are paid fairly and well taken care of.    Utilizing her ethical and clean beauty manufacturing model, Anisa launched her first B2C brand in October 2019, ANISA Beauty, focusing on functional skincare brushes designed with real consumer needs. Anisa is committed to educating consumers on healthier skincare habits, through partnerships with experts like celebrity MUA Sean Harris and influencers Rose Siard and Allison McNamara, and resources on the website such as the Brush Finder (my personal favorite resource!). Thank you to ANISA Beauty for partnering with me on this episode. You can use the code ECO50 for 50% off your purchase of ANISA Beauty brushes at anisabeauty.com ! Let’s chat!! I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re joined by five brilliant, trailblazing, superstar listeners to learn about their careers in climate and sustainability! I also share some insight on my career in local government and podcasting. We chat with: Julia, a clean tech journalist turned communication professional in renewable financing; Corinne, a park ranger and conservationist; Jaiko, a sustainability analyst focused on the built environment; Victoria, a retail/education professional for a sustainable lifestyle brad; Meagan, an ESG professional for a large tech company. The central message of today’s episode is that there is room for everyone in the climate fight – whatever your career, background, calling in life, there is some opportunity for sustainability advocacy. It’s an exciting time to get into sustainability, but it’s also an exciting time to get into *anything* and make sure your values of climate action are incorporated in your day-to-day. Next CHIC CHATS will be focused on sustainability in communal living spaces (roommates, family, significant others) – if you’d like to share your experience with compromises, changes over time, how you’re managing remote work, etc., reach out to me on instagram! This month’s book club pick with Hood Feminism: Notes from Women The Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall. Let me know what you think! How do you like book club? I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to book club!! This month we read Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster by Dana Thomas with supply chain professional and fashion blogger Megan McSherry of @Acteevism. We discuss the “democratization” of luxury fashion, consumer psychology, celebrity product placement, “it” bags, perfumes… everything that you’ve ever wondered about the behind-the-scenes of the luxury fashion industry, this book got into. We also share some of our favorite iconic luxury fashion moments, retrospective disdain for trends, and the value of artisanship. Spoiler alert: we discuss why we don’t believe an Hermes Birkin Bag should fall into the same vague “luxury” category as a Louis Vuitton. Just kidding – there are no true spoilers in this episode as we are reading a nonfiction, research-based account. While you will get more out of our chatty conversation if you read Deluxe, you certainly do not have to read with us to participate and get value out of Book Club episodes. We will be reading Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall next month. Let me know what you think! How do you like book club? I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are joined by eco educator extraordinaire (and my friend!) Isaias Hernandez, creator of Queer Brown Vegan. @QueerBrownVegan is a space where Isaias creates introductory forms of environmentalism through colorful graphics, illustrations, and videos. He seeks to provide a safe space for like-minded environmentalists to advance the discourse around the climate crisis. We discuss his environmental, nature-facing background, education, academia, and current career as a content creator focused on topics like zero waste, environmental justice, veganism, and intersectionality. Find me online: I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. I’m also on clubhouse as @lauradiez ! Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Thank you to our sponsor, Ettitude! Use code ECO15 for 15% off their breathable, silky, sustainable bedding Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Mamina Turegano is a triple board certified dermatologist, internist, and dermatopathologist. Dr Mamina’s content has in recently months completely taken the internet by storm, because she provides bite-sized educational moments, focusing on the science of skincare and research backed answers to rituals or products. She also shares content featuring her mom, which I love and we discuss, the natural, more anecdotal, cultural skincare practices that have been passed down, in conjunction with her medical background. Dr. Mamina has a unique interest in connecting how things beyond medicine influence skin health, and her practice and teachings evaluate how nutrition, lifestyle, sleep and environmental factors can play a significant role in inflammation, aging, chronic disease… She takes us through her whole medical journey, and how she came into this complex multifaceted niche. And we also talk about skincare topics like acne and anti-aging – ingredients, mistakes, and when you really should see a professional. Dr. Mamina gives us the guidelines to think more critically about ingredients, especially regarding “natural” skincare; when over-the-counter products meet your needs as prescriptions might; and what to do for your skin beyond products and prescriptions. Find me online: I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Thank you to our sponsor, Ettitude! Use code ECO15 for 15% off their breathable, silky, sustainable bedding Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are celebrating Inauguration Day 2021 with Dr. Gretchen Goldman! Today, Gretchen and I speak about what happened to environmental protection during the Trump Administration, and then start to set the scene for what we can expect from the incoming Biden Administation. We discuss Cabinet appointments and the specific qualifications of a few notable positions, and we also talk about barriers by Congress and the Courts to certain priorities. We also talk about environmental policy and climate action check points, looking at the Biden Administration’s clear commitments already to climate and environmental justice.  Dr. Gretchen Goldman is the research director for the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists. For nearly a decade, Dr. Goldman has led research efforts at the nexus of science and policy on topics ranging from federal scientific integrity to fossil energy production, climate change, and environmental justice. Dr. Goldman has testified before Congress and currently serves on the 500 Women Scientists Leadership Board and the Air and Climate Public Advisory Committee for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. She also serves as an expert on the Public Health Rulemaking of the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) of the Department of Conservation and the UNESCO/AAAS Consultation Group on the US science ecosystem. Her words and voice have appeared in Science, Nature, The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, NPR, and the BBC. Also mentioned: * Dr. Goldman on Ep 106, discussing public health and EPA rollbacks* Erin Brockovich on Ep 123 on Public Health, Water, EPA, and the Julia Roberts film bearing her name Find me online: I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Thank you to our sponsor, Ettitude! Use code ECO15 for 15% off their breathable, silky, sustainable bedding Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are opening up our year by acknowledging what must come before we can reasonably expect people to care about the environment: social sustainability. At its core, social sustainability looks at the societal structures in place that allow people to live healthy, happy lives: equity, culture, job opportunities, safety, wages, and all the other things we believe to be indicators of a “good” community. We also touch today on economic sustainability and go through a handful of case-study thought exercises: why do people buy fast food? what conditions may support crime? how are we organizing our communities? Caring about climate change is a privilege, and until we create more just, stable societies, we can’t expect everyone to be enthusiastically on board with supporting eco-conscious activities. Find me online: I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Green jobs are a huge discussion already on the presidential campaign trial - and young people have never been more motivated to secure a job ensure a climate-positive future. We're breaking down what a green job even is, and why we want to invest in them. We're also overviewing the American Climate Corps, a green job training program funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), aimed at upskilling 20,000 young people in its first round. More episodes on green jobs: Green Jobs + DEI in Sustainability | Kristy Drutman, Brown Girl Green, Green Jobs Board Crafting Climate Careers | Yesh Pavlik Slenk, Environmental Defense Fund Resources: FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Launches American Climate Corps to Train Young People in Clean Energy, Conservation, and Climate Resilience Skills, Create Good-Paying Jobs and Tackle the Climate Crisis Thanks to our sponsors today!! CarawayHome.com/ECO Babbel.com/ECOCHIC Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aja Barber is a celebrated writer and stylist focused on the intersection of fashion and equity issues. We touch on two of her recent conversations: #IQuitFastFashionBecause, and the myth of fast fashion existing “for poor people,” when it is actually fueled by the middle class. We also touch on consumerism during the pandemic, marketing tactics, and holiday shopping pressures. What are we telling ourselves to justify supporting this exploitive, oppressive industry? Aja is one of the strongest, most insightful voices on ethical fashion and intersectional feminism, and I am thrilled to share this conversation with you – let me know your thoughts via social media! Find me online: I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are joined by superstar science communicator Danni Washington! Danni Washington is a TV host and Science Communicator who is also the first African-American woman to host her own science television series. She is sharing her tips on how to be an effective science communicator, how to maintain the momentum of the climate movement in politics, and the importance of equity and inclusion conversations in science. Miami native with Jamaican roots, Danni Washington is deeply passionate about our oceans and science communications. Currently, Danni is featured as a correspondent on a weekly nationally syndicated CBS series called Mission Unstoppable with host Miranda Cosgrove. Danni has also hosted Xploration Nature Knows Best on FOX, a STEM educational TV series that featured the latest advancements in bio-inspired technology and design — making her the first African-American woman to host her own science television series. A special thank you to Climate Power 2020 for facilitating this conversation. Additional episode recommendations: * 111: Intersectional Environmentalism; How Race and Culture Impact Your Identity as an Environmentalist | Leah Thomas, GreenGirlLeah | Leah Thomas* 84: UN Sustainable Development Goals, How Humanitarian Concerns Are Tied To Climate | Claudia LaRue I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jessica DeFino is a beauty reporter covering supportive, sustainable skincare based in science and spirituality. She has made a serious name for herself as a beauty reporter firstly specializing in clean beauty, which is a niche, and furthermore as a beauty reporter than does not actively participate in beauty routines and products. Her work aims to break down the mystery of products and brands and beauty trends by discussing ingredient efficacy and skin science – she gives you the research to say whether or not something is really going to work, or if it’s just nice packaging. Her can be found in The New York Times, Vogue, Teen Vogue, Harper’s BAZAAR, Allure, New York Magazine’s The Cut, ELLE, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Glamour, SELF, Coveteur, Man Repeller, HelloGiggles, Business Insider, The Zoe Report, Fashionista.com, and more.  Today Jessica and I are talking about her career, and finding this very specific, stand-out in beauty reporting, it’s a fascinating path from music videos to the Kardashians, and then we start discussing some of those myths that we’ve heard as beauty consumers (“Drink more water! Use hyaluronic acid!“). We talk product dependency and the sustainability side of beauty, single-use products, waste and supply chains. We talk about regulation and greenwashing, some of our favorite topics on the show. Jessica is an expert in the industry and that can really sift through the data and research behind all of these claims, and really allow consumers like myself to say yes or no, I support this or I don’t. It also helps put boundaries on this need to try everything – I only need one moisturizer, one eye cream, one whatever. I don’t need shelves full of tiny bottles. Overall today’s conversation with Jessica is an empowering, educational discussion about the science of skin, and when you should or should not accept what the beauty industry is telling you (or selling you).  Other episodes mentioned: * 96: Regulating The Cosmetics Industry; Influencing Better Beauty Policy | Lindsay Dahl, SVP of Social Mission at Beautycounter* 99: Food for Skin; Natural Health Tips; Holistic Wellness | Dr. Mona Vand episode         I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter. Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The annual Black Friday episode! Holiday sales are here, our inboxes are flooded, and we are all wondering: how much is *too* much to spend this year? In this episode we are reflecting on what we’ve learned this year: mindful spending means reassessing why you’re feeling pressured to buy, where you want your money to circulate, and maybe even reassessing your spending habits and relationship with your finances. Supporting small, BIPOC-owned, ethical brands means asking yourself questions around the value of your purchase and double-checking that you’re not accidentally buying fast fashion. Also mentioned: Last year’s Black Friday episode: Ep 83: 3 Tips For Conscious Consumption During The Holidays Ep 129: Sustainable Minimalism: How to Declutter and Set Boundaries for Eco-Friendly Living | Stephanie Seferian, Sustainable Minimalists Podcast Ep 127: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before An Impulse Purchase Find me online! I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter, and if you’d like to email me: laura@lauraediez.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kendra Kolb Butler, founder of Alpyn Beauty, traded NYC for Jackson Hole five years ago and never looked back. Today, she’s sharing what she’s learned about skincare, the potency of plants, starting a beauty brand in Wyoming, and making your dreams a reality. A former Manhattanite and 20-year beauty industry veteran, Kendra first created Alpyn Beauty for the clients at her Jackson Hole apothecary, Alpyn Beauty Bar. She’s led sales, marketing and public relations initiatives at leading luxury beauty companies from Givenchy and Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare to Clarins and Coty, yet her proudest achievement to date has been finding the courage to trade her high-power NYC lifestyle for (quite literally) greener pastures. The WY forests of arnica, chamomile, lavender, and sage… became the basis for Alpyn Beauty. Alpyn Beauty is the first sustainably sourced natural skin care line formulated with wildcrafted and hand-cultivated alpine botanicals grown in the mountains surrounding Jackson Hole, WY. At the core of each Alpyn product is the PlantGenius™ complex, a proprietary blend of wildcrafted actives sustainably sourced in our home laboratory. Plants are genius—and wildcrafted ones, which have fought for their survival, and flourished and become stronger as a result, even more so. If you’d like more on foraging/wildcrafting, check out ECO CHIC Episode 112 with Rosalee de la Foret: Kitchen Herbs, Natural Medicine, + How To Eat More Plants Find me online! I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter, and if you’d like to check out our store closing sale, shop totallyecochic.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are joined by secondhand expert Emily Stochl of Pre-Loved Podcast! We are discussing the global and domestic secondhand economy; supporting garment workers and the Garment Workers’ Protection Act; scratching the surface of the gentrification of thrift; and tips on shopping for vintage or pre-loved items. I am on Pre-Loved Podcast this week! Also check out: Episode 90: How to Shop for High-End + Luxury Pieces Secondhand; Designer Resale; Making Money from Vintage Finds | Meredith Fineman Find me online! I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter, and if you’d like to check out our store closing sale, shop totallyecochic.com!Audio Player Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re joined by Stephanie Seferian of Sustainable Minimalists! Stephanie of Mama Minimalist is a mom inspiring others to reevaluate their “stuff” without compromising on their environmental commitments. Stephanie and I discuss her philosophy of the sustainable minimalism lifestyle; she shares how to declutter, plus types of clutter we may be emotionally attached to. Stephanie also gives tips for navigating the holidays while supporting this lower-waste lifestyle; how to set boundaries and expectations for receiving, and also how to give in a more minimal way. Find me online! I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter, and if you’d like to check out our store closing sale, shop totallyecochic.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re joined this week by Taryn Rasgon of Vegetaryn! Vegetaryn is a vegan lifestyle brand based in positive, welcoming plant-based activism. Taryn herself is an excellent example of an entrepreneur that is very truly living her values through every business decision and lifestyle change.  Taryn and I discuss: her vegan journey and her subsequent vegan entrepreneurship journey; welcoming, happy activism; social media; design theft; running a small business during the pandemic; conscious consumption and supporting other small businesses. Mentioned: Episode 75 with Christina Vidal of Jetet Christina: When a Fast Fashion Brand Steals from a Creator Find me online! I’m on Instagram @ecochicpodcast + @lauraediez, on Facebook, Twitter, and if you’d like to check out our store closing sale, shop totallyecochic.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Between Prime Day, upcoming holiday season, and Instagram ads… it can sometimes be challenging to keep your values of conscious consumption and sustainability in mind before impulse shopping. Today, I’m sharing ten quick questions you can ask yourself before “adding to cart.” We’re considering who you’re buying from, why you’re buying, and how you can replace that urge to purchase with a little creativity and tapping into your circles. Let’s hang out! Instagram is @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, + I am now on Twitter, @lauraediez. We’re on Facebook, ECO CHIC Podcast. Sign up for my Monday newsletter at: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. You can shop our store closing sale at totallyecochic.com – our shop is currently liquidating, so prices are significantly reduced!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are talking climate anxiety, trauma, and validating our feelings with Dr. Renée Lertzman, a renowned psychologist, author and sustainability strategist who uses psychological insights to change our approach to the environmental crisis. Applying her training as a psychosocial researcher specializing in deep human insights, Dr. Lertzman uses frameworks and methods that empower people to take action (which she shares with us!). Renée is the founder of Project InsideOut, a unique resource hub launching this week that brings together activists with clinical psychologists to drive sustainable behavior change for our planet. Her TED Talk, ‘How To Turn Climate Anxiety into Action,’ completely shifted my own feelings and validated my sometimes-overwhelming sense of eco-guilt. Dr. Lertzman works with companies, nonprofits and governments looking to strengthen climate and sustainability initiatives, develop more effective campaigns, and harness the creativity and innovation needed to solve big problems. Her perspectives have appeared in  CNN, Rolling Stone, NPR, The Ecologist, Climate Access, Sustainable Brands, and on the stage via her TED Talk. She has also designed and taught courses on the psychology of climate change and environment since 2001, and is a founding member of the Climate Psychology Alliance. Let’s hang out! Instagram is @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, + I am now on Twitter, @lauraediez. We’re on Facebook, ECO CHIC Podcast. Sign up for my Monday newsletter at: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. You can support our shop at totallyecochic.com – our shop is currently liquidating, so prices are significantly reduced!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Without even realizing, sustainability can quickly slip from our priority list around the holidays. We're walking through some frameworks to consume more consciously throughout the season, and walking through my sustainable gift guide: from experience-based giving, to thoughtful physical gifts. This episode will hopefully allow us to go into this season, typically overflowing with hyper-consumption, with clear ideas and values driving those purchases. Leave me a voicemail about your sustainable holiday tips and traditions!!! SpeakPipe.com/EcoChic Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re talking with about our cultures, our upbringings, and what sustainability looks like in our families – things that are not the beautiful minimalistic images we’re seeing on Instagram. Five community members join us today to share stories and cultural values, plus how those practices have influenced their adult, grown-up choices. Sustainability is personal, because it’s a lifestyle, and it’s not fair to say that sustainability needs to look a certain way to be done “correctly.” I am thankful to be joined today by: * Sabina – she is Australian; we discuss the home her family built and her low-key hippie parents (so fun!) * Eyra – she is Salvadorian; we talk about immigrating to the U.S., poverty and the financial necessity behind some so-called sustainability practices* Ashley – she is Mexican-American;we talk about food, family traditions, how some cultural practices (like capsule wardrobes) weren’t trendy before they were marketed as sustainability* Michelle – she is Salvadorian, and first generation American; we talk about little things at home like how you use your kitchen and how you maintain some of those sustainable practices as you assimilate into American culture* Bea – she is Filipino; she shares her experiences comparing and contrasting how she lives in the Phillipines versus in California, plus some take-home tips for you if you’re interested in adopting some additional sustainability practices Let’s hang out! Instagram is @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, + I am now on Twitter, @lauraediez. We’re on Facebook, ECO CHIC Podcast. Sign up for my Monday newsletter at: https://mailchi.mp/f9324e3609e4/eco-chic. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. You can support our shop at totallyecochic.com (code ECOCHIC gets you 10% off!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julia Jackson joins us to discuss the interdisciplinary solutions that could save us *today* from the climate crisis! Julia Jackson is the founder of Grounded.org, and is committed to bringing together the brightest minds and leading solutionists to foster greater collaboration, drive mass awareness and scale game-changing solutions to urgently address the climate crisis. As a second generation proprietor of Jackson Family Wines, Julia shares the value of land stewardship and strategic philanthropic giving. Through Grounded, Julia has dedicated herself to positively impacting our planet’s trajectory and has worked to forge strategic partnerships between leading climate-focused organizations such as One Earth, Sea Legacy, Amazon Frontlines, and many others. Julia and I discuss her background and the founding of Grounded; the value of interdisciplinary collaboration; regenerative agriculture, ecocide, and the importance of indigenous knowledge; carbon sinks; today’s fires on the West Coast of the us… Julia is so open, vulnerable, and shares such a holistic understanding of the climate crisis and climate solutions. Let’s hang out! Instagram is @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, + I am now on Twitter, @lauraediez. We’re on Facebook, ECO CHIC Podcast. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. You can sign up for our newsletter + support our shop at totallyecochic.com (code ECOCHIC gets you 10% off!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am deeply honored today to be joined by the one, the only, Erin Brockovich. Erin Brockovich is consumer advocate, environmental activist, and legal clerk who, despite her lack of education in the law, was instrumental in building a case against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company of California in 1993. Perhaps you’ve heard of this case before… because the case inspired the 2000 film, Erin Brockovich, in which Erin is portrayed by Julia Roberts. It’s a fabulous film and true story – the Hinkley settlement, at $333 million, is the largest class action lawsuit in US history. Erin and I today are speaking about her new book, Superman’s Not Coming: Our National Water Crisis and What We The People Can Do About It. We speak about the film’s influence on her career, the worldwide response about communities concerned about their own drinking water, and what we should be watching out for today (spoiler: chemicals like PFOS and PFOA, the largest emerging contaminants in our water!). We additionally discuss the EPA and Erin’s public health mapping platform helping bridge the gaps between public health and legislation. Let’s hang out! Instagram is @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, + I am now on Twitter, @lauraediez. We’re on Facebook, ECO CHIC Podcast. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. You can sign up for our newsletter + support our shop at totallyecochic.com (code ECOCHIC gets you 10% off!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“We don’t need a few perfect vegans, we need millions of people actively reducing their consumption of animal products.” We’re breaking down why the perfectionist stigma around veganism isn’t helpful: I discuss greenhouse gas emissions savings from encouraging plant-rich diets, plus touch on health implications of cutting back on animal products. We also discuss privilege around certain kinds of veganism, considering the financial barriers, access barriers, and we even define food apartheid. We also discuss how everyone makes mistakes on their ‘vegan journey’ – I even share a personal slip-up story! Shaming occasional omnivores, or putting perfect vegans on some sort of weird moral pedestal only pushes people farther away from the movement… if we’re serious about decarbonization and supporting *everyone* in our environmental movement, veganism must be inclusive and accessible. Let’s hang out! Instagram is @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, + I am now on Twitter, @lauraediez. Follow us on social media! @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, on Facebook, ECO CHIC Podcast. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. You can sign up for our newsletter + support our shop at totallyecochic.com (code ECOCHIC gets you 10% off!). More episodes you may enjoy: * 107: Fashion, Food, and the EcoRenaissance; How We’re Evolving into a More Conscious, Sustainable Society | Marci Zaroff* 101: Plant-Based Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Supply Chains, Whole Food Wellness | Brooke Harris, Goodmylk* 97: Plant-Based Businesses, Animal Advocacy, Ethical Investing | Daniella Monet* 74: Eating Locally, Regenerative Agriculture, Empowerment Through Food | Wen-jay Ying, Local Roots NYC* 55: Eco-Conscious Beef: How Animal Agriculture Can Be Done Sustainably | Diablo Trust Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re speaking with three listeners about their experiences and perspectives intersecting religion and climate conversations. Lizzi speaks on approaching conversations with denialists, and why caring for the planet is definitely linked to Christian values; Anne speaks about leading with values like empathy and compassion in your decisions (and even ties it all to fast fashion!); and Olivia speaks about institutional support from the Catholic church for climate action. Each speaker touches on similar topics but shares very different, thoughtful insights on how they more closely align their values in faith-based environmentalism. Let’s connect! Instagram is @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, + I am now on Twitter, @lauraediez. Follow us on social media! @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, on Facebook, ECO CHIC Podcast. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. You can sign up for our newsletter + support our shop at totallyecochic.com (code ECOCHIC gets you 10% off!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elizabeth Tran is the first pageant contestant to compete in evening gown with a dress she made completely out of garbage. Is that not the definition of ‘eco chic’? We’re talking sustainability couture: trash fashion, using her pageant platform to promote sustainability, and how we’d like to see the fashion industry evolve. Plus, we talk about her nonprofit work and constantly growing within a passion project. Elizabeth started her non-profit, Teens Go Green, when she was just 12 years old (13 years ago!) encouraging minimal waste practices. Elizabeth also participates in Model4Miracles, the largest charity modeling event in Florida, and with her mother has raised over $130,000 for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Elizabeth has participated in some wild opportunities, like showcasing trash fashion at New York Fashion Week 2.0 and Disney’s Friends for Change, where she worked with icons like Zendaya and Jane Goodall (which she gives us the whole scoop on!). Find Elizabeth on Instagram here @misselizabethtran Let’s connect! Instagram is @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, + I am now on Twitter, @lauraediez. Follow us on social media! @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, on Facebook, ECO CHIC Podcast. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. You can sign up for our newsletter + support our shop at totallyecochic.com (code ECOCHIC gets you 10% off!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re continuing our conversation from Tuesday with Wawa! Wanjiku “Wawa” Gatheru ia a brilliant environmental justice scholar passionate about empowering BIPOC communities. This portion of our conversation centers around the idea of Self-Love as Environmental Education. Wawa shares her experience as a Black woman, growing to know and love her natural hair, and we discuss how natural hair education has evolved in recent years through means like YouTube. We talk about inclusivity in cosmetics, through means like shade ranges and simply ‘cleaner’ products. We discuss environmental racism and community-level environmental hazards that the sustainability movement is advocating justice for. We end on a very positive note: we’re all beautiful. Take care of yourself, take care of your temple, take care of the planet. Let’s connect! Instagram is @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, + I am now on Twitter, @lauraediez. Follow us on social media! @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, on Facebook, ECO CHIC Podcast. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. You can sign up for our newsletter + support our shop at totallyecochic.com (code ECOCHIC gets you 10% off!). Wanjiku “Wawa” Gatheru is a recent alumnus of the University of Connecticut, and a Rhodes scholar set to attend Oxford in the Fall to continue her intersectional environmental studies. She has had two recently published pieces shake the Internet: her piece in Vice titled “It’s Time for Environmental Studies to Own Up to Erasing Black People,” and in Glamour, “Want to be an Environmentalist? Start with Antiracism.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re joined by Wanjiku “Wawa” Gatheru, a brilliant environmental justice scholar passionate about empowering BIPOC communities! Wawa is a recent alumnus of the University of Connecticut, and a Rhodes scholar set to attend Oxford in the Fall to continue her intersectional environmental studies. She has had two recently published pieces shake the Internet: her piece in Vice titled “It’s Time for Environmental Studies to Own Up to Erasing Black People,” and in Glamour, “Want to be an Environmentalist? Start with Antiracism.” Our conversation today covers a lot of ground, primarily stemming from this ideal of white environmentalism: we discuss racism + social justice in the conservation movement, and also in how BIPOC communities experience outdoor recreation; the whitewashing of environmental studies and histories; unpaid internships +  tokenism, especially when it comes to making big nature-focused organizations into more diversity. Wawa speaks honestly about generational trauma and violence against Black folx, and criminalization still present today; this leads us to the topic of accessibility to the outdoors for non-white students. We close out the conversation discussing colorism and the role that self love and beauty standards play in the outdoor experience, particularly for black women… that deeper dive will come in a separate episode this upcoming Friday! Let’s connect! Instagram is @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, + I am now on Twitter, @lauraediez. Follow us on social media! @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, on Facebook, ECO CHIC Podcast. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. You can sign up for our newsletter + support our shop at totallyecochic.com (code ECOCHIC gets you 10% off!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Excited to share this value-packed conversation with Stu Landesberg, Co-Founder and CEO of Grove Collaborative. Grove Collaborative is an online retailer of natural cleaning and personal care products (actually, the only plastic-neutral online retailer in the world!) and has recently vowed to go 100% plastic-free by 2025 – a promise that encompasses all the third party brands they carry as well, such as Method, Mrs. Meyers, Seventh Generation and more. Stu and I discuss his entrepreneurship journey, especially in the context of making sustainable products mainstream when they were not as plainly prevalent. We circle to the idea that businesses can do good – it’s not just about doing “less bad,” but actually contributing in a meaningful way to the conservation of natural resources and promoting more thoughtful, nontoxic homes. We also discuss why plastic is so bountiful in the consumer product space, plus some of the issues with recycling. We lastly support the community around mission-driven brands; Stu details how brands are really lifting each other up in progressing as a whole towards a cleaner, more eco-conscious consumer economy. Let’s connect! Instagram is @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, + I am now on Twitter, @lauraediez. Follow us on social media! @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, on Facebook, ECO CHIC Podcast. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. You can sign up for our newsletter + support our shop at totallyecochic.com (code ECOCHIC gets you 10% off!). Launched in 2016 as a Certified B Corp, Grove Collaborative creates innovative natural products and offers a curated selection of healthy home essentials like cleaning supplies and personal care products. With a flexible, monthly delivery model and a personal Grove Guide assigned to each customer, Grove’s platform makes it easy for people to switch to healthier, more sustainable routines. Every item Grove offers, both from their flagship Grove Collaborative brand and from exceptional third party brands, has been thoroughly vetted against strict standards for sustainability, efficacy and supply chain practices. On a mission to move Beyond Plastic, Grove is the first and only plastic neutral retailer in the world and is committed to becoming 100% plastic-free by 2025. For more information, please visit www.grove.co/plastic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The secondhand clothing economy is growing, and we’re speaking today about a new solution for those more frequent demands: children’s clothing trading market model. Jen Zuklie, founder of The Swoondle Society, brings us through her entrepreneurship journey, the issues with the children’s clothing industry, and the value of using your network. We speak also about fashion waste, and how major retailers could support consumer loyalty through similar trade-in models. Use ECOCHIC50 for 50% off your first month’s membership at swoondlesociety.com Keep in touch! Instagram is @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, + I am now on Twitter, @lauraediez. Follow us on social media! @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, on Facebook, ECO CHIC Podcast. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. You can sign up for our newsletter + support our shop at totallyecochic.com (code ECOCHIC gets you 10% off!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we think of fast fashion, we probably think of the online mega-retailers (cough cough, SHEIN). Fast fashion has become such a norm of consumption that we sometimes fail to recognize brands that are employing the same techniques, ignoring the ethical and environmental wrongdoings, to produce obscene amounts and turnover inventory quicker than ever before. Today we're exposing some "secretly" fast fashion brands - places we may shop because we're more comfortable than the brands we associate with hyperconsumption, but that we may not realize are competing with such at the best of their abilities. More eps for you: The True Cost of Free Shipping and Returns Total Ethics Fashion | Emma Hakansson, Collective Fashion Justice 5 Ways to Spot Fast Fashion Thanks to our sponsor today! FactorMeals.com/ecochic50 Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Natural personal care products are sometimes hard to pick out at the store – how can you tell you’re not a victim of greenwashing, and are those chemical buzzwords really that bad? We’re talking today primarily about sulfates and parabens, two ingredients gaining more consumer awareness in personal care aisles, among shampoos, soaps, and even toothpastes. We define some of those scary chemical words, discuss the health risks, and help you figure out if your personal care products contain these toxic chemicals. Additional episode resources: * 93: What is Greenwashing? How to Spot Misleading Environmental Claims* 96: Regulating The Cosmetics Industry; Influencing Better Beauty Policy | Lindsay Dahl, Beautycounter* 87: Why We Should Eat Lower in the Food Chain: Bioaccumulation + Biomagnification Keep in touch! Instagram is @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, + I am now on Twitter, @lauraediez. Follow us on social media! @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, on Facebook, ECO CHIC Podcast. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. You can sign up for our newsletter + support our shop at totallyecochic.com (code ECOCHIC gets you 10% off!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re new to the climate conversation, welcome! This episode will break down the basics: what is climate change, why are we more certain about climate models than weather forecasts, and what all the elusive terms like carbon pricing and budgets really mean. This episode will direct you to additional episodes on ECO CHIC that will dive deeper into topics mentioned, so there is always more to learn right here. Episodes mentioned: * 89: How Climate Change Affects Natural Disasters, Why The Australian Fires Are So Bad, Hurricanes Impacting Bahamian Islands* 82: How To Talk About Climate Change with Deniers, Conservatives | Sarah Ott, Citizens Climate Lobby, National Center for Science Education* 108: Climate Change Today, Solutions, Footprints + Communicating Climate | Dr. Katharine Hayhoe* 81: Political Prep: Carbon Pricing, Net Zero, + The Paris Climate Accord* 69: What is the Carbon Budget?* 92: Sustainable Investing, Smarter Savings, Breaking Down ESG | Charity Driggs, Morningstar Additional Starter Pack Episodes: * 86: Zero Waste Starter Pack* 103: 5 Ideas for Earth Day in Quarantine; Environmentalism at Home Starter Pack Keep in touch! Instagram is @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, + I am now on Twitter, @lauraediez. Follow us on social media! @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, on Facebook, ECO CHIC Podcast. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. You can sign up for our newsletter + support our shop at totallyecochic.com (code ECOCHIC gets you 10% off!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conscious consumption can be tricky right now, during these quarantimes – if you’re not someone who typically spends freely, perhaps you’re feeling pressure to support local businesses in capacities you don’t normally, or maybe you’re just itching to make a frivolous purchase because you’re seeing more advertisements on social media. Whatever your struggle, we are putting conscious consumption into context: how should you be spending during and post-pandemic? We are breaking down unique ways to support business and brands that align with your values, and we’re also sharing some ideas to support organizations you like without spending dollars. Topics include equity, shopping small and/or local, building community online, equity and social issues, + more. Keep in touch! Instagram is @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, + I am now on Twitter, @lauraediez. Follow us on social media! @ecochicpodcast / @lauraediez, on Facebook, ECO CHIC Podcast. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. You can sign up for our newsletter + support our shop at totallyecochic.com (code ECOCHIC gets you 10% off!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices