Guilt of Existence - Finding Peace on a Dying Planet – Details, episodes & analysis

If you're someone who's found yourself overwhelmed while looking at product labeling, this bite-sized episode is for you. I'll go over a few terms that are commonly associated with being "eco-friendly"... but not everything is always as it seems.

An ENTIRE year of GoE??? Wow! This marks a huge milestone for me so, in this episode, I take some time to reflect on what I've learned from Guilt of Existence so far.

Many of us want to be better for the planet but don't know where to start; I know, it can get overwhelming. The good news is, you don't have to do it all! You just need to get started, even if that means starting small. This episode highlights some easy actions & useful items that you can do & use to be better for the natural world.

We've all heard it before; material things won't make us happy. Unfortunately though, for most of us, that isn't always enough to keep us from making random, unnecessary purchases. Many of us know that these items will eventually end up in a landfill, or worse, waterways, wetlands, & other ecosystems, but it can be an extremely difficult habit to break. Sometimes, one purchase can spiral us into what I call a "retail relapse", which is why, in this episode, I'll give you a few tips to help curb that urge. 

It's critical that we stay positive when it comes to our environmental efforts, but let's be real; constant positivity is not realistic for most of us, especially considering what humans are doing to other humans and our natural world. If you've ever asked yourself, "do my environmental efforts even matter?", let this episode act as a reminder that it's completely normal to feel overwhelmed, upset, and angry at everything that's going on in the world. Yes, your efforts DO matter... even if it's just for one tiny starfish.

The starfish story is adapted from "The Star Thrower" by Loren C. Eiseley.

Trigger Warning: While in a vague sense, suicide is briefly mentioned in this episode.

Today, we are going to be talking about something that might make you uncomfortable, it might make you angry, it might definitely get you some weird looks if you talk about it in public to the wrong person… OR it might give you a little bit of relief that you didn’t even know you needed. 

Voluntary Human Extinction: What is it, why is it important, and if there was a magical button, would you be able to press it?

The Guardian Article: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/jan/10/i-campaign-for-the-extinction-of-the-human-race-les-knight

VHEMT Website: https://www.vhemt.org/

Stupid Chryslers? Pigs in leggings? Absolute walnuts? This episode has EVERYTHING... okay, maybe not everything, but it's good start. 

If you've ever thought about your impact on the planet and then felt guilty about it, this episode might be up your alley. We'll look at some reasons why folks feel guilty about environmental issues, with a specific focus on existential environmental guilt (EEG), in addition to offering a few tips to help manage your own EEG.   

Sorry for the audio quality on this one; I recorded it in a hotel room that had the world's loudest heating/air conditioning unit on one side of the room, and a toilet that wouldn't stop running on the other side. I promise future episodes will be better.

Anthropomorphism of Nature, Environmental Guilt, and Pro-Environmental Behavior: Tam, K.-P. (2019). Anthropomorphism of Nature, Environmental Guilt, and Pro-Environmental Behavior. Sustainability, 11(19), 5430. MDPI AG. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su11195430

The Power of Vulnerability: https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability

The Power of Empathy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jz1g1SpD9Zo

Have you ever thought about the environment and then felt guilty for... just being here? For existing? If so, this might be up your alley. Introducing Guilt of Existence, a podcast geared toward finding peace on a dying planet. Join environmentalist Sydney Holler for tips on staying positive when environmental efforts seem hopeless, guidance on how to live a more sustainable life, and information on environmental topics and news that deserve a closer look. Check out Guilt of Existence and hopefully, together, we can find some peace.

A new year is almost upon us! That makes it the perfect time to join GoE in Self Care to Save the Earth! SCSE is more than just bubble baths & fairy smut; it's about prioritizing certain lifestyle changes to help you help the environment.

If you're feeling conflicted about what to buy folks for the holidays, let this episode guide you towards some awesome gift ideas that are functional & eco-friendly... but not in a "reusable straw & beeswax wrap" kind of way. This episode also offers some alternative traditions for anyone who is tired of the consumerism that surrounds the holidays & are looking for new ways to get a lil' holly jolly without the spendy-spendy.

Pick Up Limes: https://www.pickuplimes.com/