Explore every episode of the podcast Second Nature
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
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| Skip the Greenwashing: What to Look for in Sustainable Fashion | 27 Nov 2024 | 00:43:50 | |
When you’re trying to live more sustainably, fashion can be hard to navigate. The industry is ripe with greenwashing that masks exploitative practices for people and planet. But sustainable fashion is an expansive, exciting world of circularity, repair, and trustworthy, responsible brands. On this episode (our season 2 finale!), we’re coming face-to-face with the cost conversation when it comes to sustainable fashion, getting real about overconsumption, envisioning a practical future for the industry with fashion expert Samata Pattinson, and finding out what sustainable fashion means to you. Plus, we’re talking to Commons’ Carbon Strategy Manager Sophie Janaskie about what to look for in a sustainable brand. ➡️ If you’re struggling to find sustainable fashion brands that you can trust, we got you. The Commons team has researched and rated hundreds of fashion brands so you can skip the greenwashing. Check it out here: thecommons.earth 🌎 For photos of our contributors and further reading, check the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Season 3 submissions coming soon! 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| Buy Less, Eat More: How to Reduce Food Waste | 20 Nov 2024 | 00:39:30 | |
A third of the food we produce goes to waste, and a shocking amount of that waste happens in our own homes. The good news is that fighting food waste is easy with a few life hacks up your sleeve. And even better, it'll save you money too. In this episode, we hear what types of food our community struggles with and get their tips to curb the waste. We're asking plastic-free, low-waste chef Anne-Marie Bonneau about her recipes and tips to eat our food before it becomes waste. We're also reckoning with the amount of money we're tossing out with our food waste and finding out some surprising upsides to food delivery. 🌎 For photos of our contributors and further reading, check the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| Season 2 of Second Nature is Coming Soon! | 04 Sep 2024 | 00:02:17 | |
Trying to live more sustainably? Looking for motivation to keep at it? If you’re looking for personal stories, practical tips for sustainable living, a weekly dose of climate optimism, or you just want to feel in community with others, this is the show for you. Every Wednesday, hear how listeners around the world take action every to combat climate change and create the kind of world they want to live in. We'll get expert answers to your burning climate questions and calculate the potential carbon impact of collective action. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode!
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| We Want to Hear From You for Season 2! | 11 Aug 2024 | 00:02:52 | |
Thanks so much for being part of the Second Nature community. We can’t wait to hear from you! Fill out this form to start your submission to Second Nature: https://j09c5.app.link/kOYGSJD7XLb After you fill out the form, you'll receive questions based on the topics you chose, with details about how to submit your audio. At the end of this call for submissions, you heard the voices of listeners Mac Hansen, Rozalia, Rachel Sirwatka, Jonathan Cheng, Amea Wadsworth, and Larisa Jitaru.
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| My biggest obstacle to plant-based eating? My family. | 17 Jul 2024 | 00:31:41 | |
We heard from listeners that one of the top barriers to eating plant-based is who we eat with. So much of our food is rooted in culture and tradition, and breaking from the norms of our social circles may create some dinner table friction. But we’re here to help! On this episode, you’ll hear:
📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram.
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| The Prime Effect: How Amazon Has Us Hooked on Convenience | 10 Jul 2024 | 00:37:45 | |
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our use of Amazon has skyrockted, making the company the second biggest U.S. parcel carrier after the US Postal Service. Amazon has become the poster child for convenience culture, but the time we save for the sake of convenience is putting us in financial and carbon debt. In this episode, we're grappling with our fraught relationship with our Amazon Prime subscriptions and getting practical tips to break free from convenience culture and start shopping more sustainably. On this episode, you'll hear:
📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram.
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| Every Job Can Be a Green Job | 03 Jul 2024 | 00:32:52 | |
Tired of working 9-5 at a job or a company that's not focused on sustainability? We've got good news. You don't need a sustainability degree to get a green job. There are green jobs out there for any skillset, and in this episode, we're going to help you find them. On this episode, you'll hear:
📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram.
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| Composting Is for Everyone | 19 Jun 2024 | 00:35:38 | |
Composting is one of the easiest climate actions and there are so many ways to do it! On this episode, you'll get a straightforward explanation of how composting works and all the inspiration and guidance you need to start composting — no matter where you live. Listen in to hear:
📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram.
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| Can We Overcome Overconsumption? | 12 Jun 2024 | 00:29:20 | |
Becoming more conscious consumers is a pivotal step in building a more sustainable economy, but how do we deconsume in a consumerist world? When we buy less, we save money, cut down on clutter, and lower our emissions. This collective shift has another big impact — helping us to steer the economy away from disposable products, unsustainable resource use, and dangerous supply chains. On this episode of Second Nature, we hear listeners' take on overconsumption and their tips for deconsumption. We also chat with climate activist and educator Lauren Bash about Buy Nothing groups, Repair Cafes, and her own deconsumption journey. Plus, we find out who's doing all this overconsuming and the impact it's having on the rest of the world. 🌎 To see photos of our contributors as well as citations, and further reading, check the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. A great way to cut down on overconsumption is to get a handle on what you’re consuming. If you want a sustainable spending buddy to help you track the emissions of every purchase and gives you personalized tips, try the Commons app.
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| How to Grow a Little Food in the Big City | 05 Jun 2024 | 00:35:23 | |
Stoops, balconies, and windowsills are ripe for growing food. Today, we're riding out the ripple effect that urban gardening can have on our lives and the planet.
🌎 To see photos of our contributors and their gardens as well as citations, and further reading, check the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Second Nature is a podcast by Commons, the sustainable spending app that tens of thousands of people use to track their footprint. Earn rewards for climate-friendly purchases and find new, action-based content in the app every week. Download the app and join our June Collective Challenge: Sustainable Transit.
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| The Cure for Fast Fashion | 29 May 2024 | 00:36:18 | |
Fast fashion is cheap, but the low cost to customers comes at a high cost to garment workers, communities, and the environment. So, how do we break free from the fast fashion cycle? Second Nature is your community for practical, sustainable living. On this episode, we're commiserating with listeners over the allure of fast fashion and getting real tips to break free from it. Plus, we're doing the math on the impact of buying less fast fashion and talking to Kestrel Jenkins (journalist and host of Conscious Chatter) about the human cost of fast fashion. On this episode, you'll hear:
🌎 To see photos of our contributors, citations, and further reading, check the full show notes. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram.
Episode credits
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| Does it Really Matter If I Eat Less Meat? | 22 May 2024 | 00:28:07 | |
Plant-based eating is one of the most impactful climate actions we can take, but changing our diets can be overwhelming. How can we get started and stick with it? Second Nature is your community for practical, sustainable living. On this episode, we're hearing from listeners about how they've started adding more plants to their plates, finding inspiration in delicious recipes, and getting motivated by the carbon impact of collective action. On this episode, you'll hear:
🌎 For citations and further reading, check the full show notes. Second Nature is a podcast by Commons, the sustainable spending app that tens of thousands of people use to track their footprint. Earn rewards for climate-friendly purchases like plant-based restaurants, and join collective challenges. Download the app and join this month's collective challenge, Secondhand Shopping. Episode credits
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| The Beef with Beef: How It’s Affecting Our Bodies and the Planet | 13 Nov 2024 | 00:40:59 | |
We’re eating way too much meat. An unsustainable, unhealthy amount of meat. If you’re looking for one way to drastically improve your health and carbon footprint — plant-based eating is it. But even if you’re not going fully plant-based, reducing your meat intake is a huge step in the right direction. In this episode, we hear how our community has noticed a difference in their health since eating more plant-based, how much of an emissions impact we can make by eating fewer hamburgers, and we’re talking to Professor and Nutrition Scientist Christopher Gardner about exactly how meat impacts our bodies. 🌎 For photos of our contributors and further reading, check the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| Welcome to Second Nature | 22 Apr 2024 | 00:01:57 | |
Can we live sustainably in an unsustainable world? Second Nature is a new podcast from Commons exploring how sustainable choices impact our lives and the planet. Every week, hear how listeners around the world take action every to combat climate change and create the kind of world they want to live in. We'll get expert answers to your burning climate questions and calculate the potential carbon impact of collective action. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! | |||
| Buy Nothing Groups Put Community Over Corporations | 06 Nov 2024 | 00:17:53 | |
When we need or want something, our first thought is often, "Where can I buy it?" But what if our first thought was: "I wonder if my neighbors have it?" Buy Nothing groups and free groups are community-rooted solutions for overconsumption and how much overconsumption costs us and the planet. Whether you're looking for empty plastic containers for a craft or you want to give away an old Kindle you don't use, these groups are a great way to realize the resources and generosity of our neighbors. On this Community Voices episode of Second Nature, we're diving into the generous, thrifty, free world of free groups and Buy Nothing groups to discover new opportunities to connect with community and find new value in our stuff. 🌎 For photos of our contributors and further reading, check the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| Can We Vote Our Way Out of the Climate Crisis? | 23 Oct 2024 | 00:42:30 | |
Government seems to move slower than the pace of climate change, so do our votes for climate candidates and policies actually make a difference? In this episode, we're connecting the dots between climate and policy and hearing from people around the world about how their governments’ policies are affecting their lives and their regions. We're also catching up with HEATED editor-in-chief Emily Atkin to hear how climate reporting has changed over the past couple of presidential terms and how she keeps her head above water after a decade of reporting on climate. We'll also talk to Commons founder Sanchali Seth Pal about climate policies around the world that have actually worked. If you're looking for resources to help you vote for the planet in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, or any upcoming U.S. election, here are some resources that could help: Vote Climate U.S. PAC's Voter Guide, Climate Cabinet's Climate Scorecard, League of Conservation Voter Scorecard. 🌎 For photos of our contributors and further reading, check the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| Can We Learn to Love Plant-Based Cheese | 16 Oct 2024 | 00:34:31 | |
Plant-based cheese is better than ever, but can we expand our expectations of cheese to ease our reliance on Big Dairy? Cheese is delicious. Even aspiring vegans find cheese hard to quit. But making dairy cheese is not only rough on the planet — the dairy cows’ lives aren’t great either. In this episode, we’re getting the full picture of the impact of dairy cheese, including the United States’ decades-long surplus cycle with the cheese industry and how it’s connected to Pizza Hut’s Summer of Cheese. We’re chatting with famed vegan chef and cheese icon, Miyoko Schinner about how far plant-based cheese has come and her favorite plant-based cheese bases. We’re learning practical tips to learn to love plant-based cheese, and having our very own cheese taste test. 🌎 For photos of our contributors and further reading, check the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| Sustainable Gifting is Easier (and Cheaper) Than You Think | 09 Oct 2024 | 00:35:31 | |
Gifting isn't easy for everyone, and it certainly isn't cheap. On top of that, unwanted gifts can be wasteful and lead to piles of returns or trash. But becoming a more sustainable, low-waste gifter will make you a better gifter and save you money! In this episode, we give you dozens of great gift ideas from our community, and all of them are backed by the research of leading Dr. Julian Givi. We'll also talk about the carbon (and waste impact) of big holidays like Christmas. If you want more gift ideas, we've got you covered! The Commons team curated gift guides for everyone on your list with over 300 unique, memorable gift ideas, including vintage items, experiences, and DIYs. 🌎 For photos of our contributors and further reading, check the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Read the episode Click here to view the episode transcript.
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| Community Voices: How We’re Coping With Climate Anxiety | 02 Oct 2024 | 00:13:42 | |
Whether it's from a catastrophic storm, a brutal heat wave, or dying coral reefs, we're all dealing with the effects of climate change. All that stress and sadness can lead to climate anxiety (aka eco-anxiety). If you've felt anxious about the state of our climate, you're not alone. In our first-ever Community Voices episode of Second Nature, we're focusing all on you, our listeners, to hear various ways to cope with climate anxiety through nature, community, and gratitude. If you're looking for more resources to help with climate anxiety, we highly recommend this list from the team at All We Can Save. 🌎 For photos of our contributors and further reading, check the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| Ripple Effects: How to Convince Your People to Live More Sustainably | 25 Sep 2024 | 00:29:11 | |
Can you convince others to take climate action without being a nag? When you do what you can live sustainably, there inevitably comes a time when you want to spread the gospel and share your practice with others. It's a fantastic way to expand your low-carbon impact, but how do you communicate with people in a way that they'll actually be receptive to? On this episode, you’ll hear:
🌎 For resources, photos of our contributors, citations, and further reading, check the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram.
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| Should We Have Kids in a Climate Crisis? | 18 Sep 2024 | 00:34:13 | |
There are a lot of factors that go into the decision to have kids. Creeping up on that list is climate change. In the first episode of season 2, we’re diving into this tough topic with the help of community stories, data, and professional research from Dr. Jade Sasser. On this episode, you’ll hear:
🌎 For resources, photos of our contributors, citations, and further reading, check the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram.
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| Call for Submissions: Contribute to Season 3! | 23 Dec 2024 | 00:03:21 | |
We're excited to hear from your for season 3! Fill out this form to start your submission to Second Nature: https://j09c5.app.link/e/KfZvWw9izPb After you fill out the form, you'll receive questions based on the topics you chose, with details about how to submit your audio. At the end of this call for submissions, you heard the voices of listeners Jordan Webb, Cindy, and Artie Sadahiro.
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| Why Don't We Fix Things Anymore? | 23 Apr 2025 | 00:40:05 | |
Planned obsolescence and perceived obsolescence have us in a disposable consumption cycle. But it hasn't always been this way. When and why did we stop thinking things were worth fixing? In this episode, we get a history lesson in planned obsolescence, visit Adrienne Ferre, who is helping run a Makers Hub in LA, complete with a tool library and repair cafes. And we catch up on Right to Repair legislation with Commons' founder and CEO Sanchali Seth Pal.
📞 We'd love to hear from you! Season 3 submissions coming soon! 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| Can We Overcome Overconsumption? | 16 Apr 2025 | 00:30:15 | |
This episode originally aired on June 12, 2024. Becoming more conscious consumers is a pivotal step in building a more sustainable economy, but how do we deconsume in a consumerist world? When we buy less, we save money, cut down on clutter, and lower our emissions. This collective shift has another big impact — helping us to steer the economy away from disposable products, unsustainable resource use, and dangerous supply chains. On this episode of Second Nature, we hear listeners' take on overconsumption and their tips for deconsumption. We also chat with climate activist and educator Lauren Bash about Buy Nothing groups, Repair Cafes, and her own deconsumption journey. Plus, we find out who's doing all this overconsuming and the impact it's having on the rest of the world. 🌎 To see photos of our contributors as well as citations, and further reading, check the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. A great way to cut down on overconsumption is to get a handle on what you’re consuming. If you want a sustainable spending buddy to help you track the emissions of every purchase and gives you personalized tips, try the Commons app. Episode credits
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| Harvesting Hope in Community Gardens | 09 Apr 2025 | 00:17:17 | |
Help us win a Webby! It only takes a minute to vote. Vote here! Often on urban lots, behind chain link fences, adorned with hand-painted signs, plots burgeoning with fruits, vegetables, and flowers, flanked by compost piles — the humble community garden feels like a salve for so much that ails us. On this Community Voices episode, we're going from Los Angeles to Brazil to hear how community gardens have brought people much more than fresh fruits and vegetables. With food prices on the rise and so many of us losing touch with the abundance of our communities, we thought it’d be nice to hear how community gardens have helped you, our community.
📞 We'd love to hear from you! Season 3 submissions coming soon! 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| What Actually Happens to Your Clothing Donations? | 02 Apr 2025 | 00:37:58 | |
The secondhand clothing market isn't equipped for textile recycling. So when your donated clothes don't sell, where do they end up? With the rise of overconsumption and fast fashion, clothes have piled up in thrift stores, landfills, and incinerators around the world. Countries like Ghana and Chile are dealing with fashion waste from countries like the U.S., UK, and China, and the impacts are vast. Mountains of clothes lead to fires, polluted waterways, dying ocean life, and lost livelihoods. So how do we stop the cycle? How can we donate with purpose and dignity, and get fashion brands to actually take accountability for the full lifecycle of their clothes? Listen to hear what our community does with their used clothes, how a new law could force companies to clean up their act, and how Los Angeles's Suay Sew Shop is dealing with the untenable amount of clothing donations from wildfire relief. ➡️ If you want to support Suay Sew Shop, you can browse their site here and contribute to their Textiles Aren't Trash fire relief campaign. By the way, you can earn rewards for Suay purchases and donations in the Commons app! 🌎 See photos of our contributors and find further reading in the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Season 3 submissions coming soon! 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| Can We Have Ethical Consumption Under Capitalism? | 26 Mar 2025 | 00:35:56 | |
In a capitalist society, value is measured in dollars and cents. But the resources we take from planet Earth can't be repaid in any kind of financial currency, and we're already paying the price for the debt we owe. So the question on many people's minds is "Can we even have ethical consumption under capitalism?" In this episode, we find out that despite having differing opinions on the answer to that question, we often agree on the solutions for what comes next. Listen to hear how our community answers the title question, economist and sociologist Juliet Schor helps us plan for what comes next, and Commons founder and CEO Sanchali Seth Pal explains how modern and historical boycotts can be tools for collective action. ➡️ If you want to vote with your dollar, join our April challenge in the Commons app (available in U.S. and Canada) This Earth Month, we're avoiding the brands spending millions to block climate progress. 🌎 See photos of our contributors and find further reading in the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Season 3 submissions coming soon! 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| Here's What's Coming Up in Season 3! | 12 Mar 2025 | 00:03:27 | |
Feeling bummed out by climate setbacks? Or maybe you're outright angry? We're here for you. With 40% of Americans starting to align their money with their views, it's clear that we're ready to push back on recent climate challenges. In season 3 of Second Nature, we're balancing hope and action — from company boycotts to community gardens. With the help of community voices from around the world, top-tier experts, and a dose of history and data, we'll give you all the motivation and inspiration you need to take climate action that matters. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode!
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| How to Grow a Little Food in the Big City | 05 Mar 2025 | 00:36:27 | |
This episode originally aired on June 4, 2024. We're about to break ground on season three, the soil outside is warming up and we're ready to get our hands in the dirt. So we wanted to revisit this episode as we prep our gardens for spring. Second Nature is your community for practical, sustainable living. On this episode, we're getting inspiration and practical tips to start small, fruitful home gardens in urban spaces. We're also talking about the carbon footprint of home gardens and realizing the ripple effect that growing our own food can have on our lives and the environment. 🌎 To see photos of our contributors and their gardens as well as citations, and further reading, check the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Second Nature is a podcast by Commons, the sustainable spending app that tens of thousands of people use to track their footprint. Earn rewards for climate-friendly purchases and find new, action-based content in the app every week. Download the app and join our June Collective Challenge: Sustainable Transit. Episode credits
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| The Prime Effect: How Amazon Has Us Hooked on Convenience | 26 Feb 2025 | 00:38:42 | |
This episode originally aired on July 9, 2024. As more and more people are boycotting big brands like Amazon, we thought it was the perfect time to bring back this episode about how ditching convenience culture can actually make us more sustainable citizens. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our use of Amazon has skyrockted, making the company the second biggest U.S. parcel carrier after the US Postal Service. Amazon has become the poster child for convenience culture, but the time we save for the sake of convenience is putting us in financial and carbon debt. In this episode, we're grappling with our fraught relationship with our Amazon Prime subscriptions and getting practical tips to break free from convenience culture and start shopping more sustainably. On this episode, you'll hear:
🌎 For resources, photos of our contributors citations, and further reading, check the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode credits
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| The Cure for Fast Fashion | 19 Feb 2025 | 00:38:24 | |
This episode originally aired on May 29, 2024. As we're prepping for season 3, we're revisiting this episode in honor of our February Collective Challenge in the Commons app: Boycott Fast Fashion. Join us! Fast fashion is cheap, but the low cost to customers comes at a high cost to garment workers, communities, and the environment. So, how do we break free from the fast fashion cycle? Second Nature is your community for practical, sustainable living. On this episode, we're commiserating with listeners over the allure of fast fashion and getting real tips to break free from it. Plus, we're doing the math on the impact of buying less fast fashion and talking to Kestrel Jenkins (journalist and host of Conscious Chatter) about the human cost of fast fashion. On this episode, you'll hear:
🌎 To see photos of our contributors, citations, and further reading, check the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Second Nature is a podcast by Commons, the sustainable spending app that tens of thousands of people use to track their footprint. Earn rewards for climate-friendly purchases like plant-based restaurants, and join collective challenges. Download the app and join May's collective challenge, Secondhand Shopping. Episode credits
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| Is the Patriarchy Fueling Climate Change? | 30 Apr 2025 | 00:34:11 | |
The climate crisis has a way of making hard things even harder — and that includes gender disparities. From their professional lives to their personal lives, climate change has left many women vastly under-resourced and at risk, all while taking on the heavy toll of caring for their families and communities through climate mitigation and resilience. In this episode, we hear how the climate gender gap is affecting our community, talk to WOCAN founder Jeannette Gurung about how women continue to work through vast climate inequities around the world, and we hear from Commons' founder and CEO Sanchali Seth Pal about how health disparities women face as a result of climate disaster.
📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| Is There a Sustainable Future for Flying? | 22 Apr 2026 | 00:39:03 | |
The aviation industry has gotten twice as fuel-efficient since 1990, and emissions have still quadrupled. In this episode, we reckon with the guilt of flying, tracing it from economy class all the way up to private jets, where a handful of ultra-wealthy passengers emit up to 500 times more carbon than the average person annually. Plus, we dig into sustainable aviation fuel with Alyssa Norris from Aether Fuels and what it would actually take to make flying something we don't have to feel guilty about. Episode rundown:
📱 Want to make your money count? Download the Commons app . 🌎 Find citations and further reading in the full show notes. 📞 Want to submit to the show? We'd love to hear from you! 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| It's Time to Kill Your Lawn | 15 Apr 2026 | 00:47:16 | |
Lawns cover more American soil than any other irrigated crop — but who decided they should look this way, and at what cost? In this episode, we trace the centuries-old aristocratic tradition behind the modern lawn, expose the billion-dollar industry profiting from invasive grasses and toxic chemicals, and with the help of nature educator Jason Wise (aka Journeyman), we’ll explore how your patch of green could become something far more prosperous. If you've ever questioned the monoculture outside your front door, this one's for you. Episode rundown:
📱 Want to make your money count? Download the Commons app . 🌎 Find citations and further reading in the full show notes. 📞 Want to submit to the show? We'd love to hear from you! 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| A No-Buy Challenge Might Just Change Your Life | 07 Jan 2026 | 00:21:37 | |
Do you feel like you’re drowning in advertisements, clutter, or debt? A no-buy year could help. In a capitalistic society, we're brainwashed to default to buying our way out of our problems. That's what makes a no-buy challenge so much more than a New Year's resolution or an extreme budget. A no-buy or low-buy challenge not only gives you permission to hop off the buy-buy-buy hamster wheel — it also makes you more privy to sneaky marketing and helps you put your money toward what actually makes you happy. These are the kinds of mental shifts that could stick with you for life. In this episode, we hear from listeners about the different ways to do a no-buy or low-buy year, and what they've learned about themselves and their finances in the process. 🌎 Find citations and further reading in the full show notes. 📞 Want to submit your Community Classified? We'd love to hear from you! 📱 Want to try no-buy challenge join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram.
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| What Actually Happens to Your Clothing Donations? | 31 Dec 2025 | 00:38:49 | |
[This episode originally aired April 2,2025] The secondhand clothing market isn't equipped for textile recycling. So when your donated clothes don't sell, where do they end up? With the rise of overconsumption and fast fashion, clothes have piled up in thrift stores, landfills, and incinerators around the world. Countries like Ghana and Chile are dealing with fashion waste from countries like the U.S., UK, and China, and the impacts are vast. Mountains of clothes lead to fires, polluted waterways, dying ocean life, and lost livelihoods. So how do we stop the cycle? How can we donate with purpose and dignity, and get fashion brands to actually take accountability for the full lifecycle of their clothes? Listen to hear what our community does with their used clothes, how a new law could force companies to clean up their act, and how Los Angeles's Suay Sew Shop is dealing with the untenable amount of clothing donations from wildfire relief. ➡️ If you want to support Suay Sew Shop, you can browse their site here and contribute to their Textiles Aren't Trash fire relief campaign. By the way, you can earn rewards for Suay purchases and donations in the Commons app! 🌎 See photos of our contributors and find further reading in the full show notes. 📞 Want to submit your Community Classified? We'd love to hear from you! 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| Can We Recycle Our Way Out of the Plastic Crisis? | 24 Dec 2025 | 00:45:36 | |
From the halls of government to the depths of the ocean, how deep does the plastic crisis go, and can we recycle our way out of this mess? Plastic has completely permeated our existence, and its effects are far-reaching, from soil to glaciers. Recycling was supposed to take care of this mess — or was it? Episode Credits
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| Putting Planet Over Profits: How to Spot and Avoid Greenwashing | 17 Dec 2025 | 00:40:47 | |
We see greenwashing everywhere — from product labels to fossil fuel ads. But it goes even deeper than that. Greenwashing gets in the way of climate policy changes too! On this episode of Second Nature, we’re hearing how our community dodges greenwashing, talking through 4 questions to ask yourself to see if a brand is greenwashing, and we’re talking to Dr. Mara Einstein about how greenwashing has evolved with the rise of social media.
🌎 Find further reading and citations in the full show notes. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| What Are We Going To Do Now? | 10 Dec 2025 | 00:28:45 | |
For the past three seasons of the Second Nature, hundreds of you have shared climate actions you take in our own homes — composting, avoiding overconsumption, eating less meat. These practices give us a strong foundation for what comes next. This season, we’re focusing our energy outward and making our efforts bigger by proxy with the help of community. This first episode serves as a mission statement for our season of community and connection, and we are extremely honored to have our first guest of the season be the one and only Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. Be sure to listen to the end of the episode to hear our first-ever Community Classifieds — an audio bulletin board of community climate efforts to join around the world. Want to submit your Community Classified? We'd love to hear from you!
📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| Coming up in Season 4! | 06 Dec 2025 | 00:03:26 | |
Season four is coming soon, and this season, we're thinking big. Like the ever-connected mycelium networks beneath the world's greatest forests, we're reaching out to one another and finding ways to sync up with community and make efforts bigger than ourselves. This season, we're coming together to focus our we're efforts where we have the most collective impact — from boycotting greenwashing to building resilience in climate disaster. With perspectives of our worldwide community, top-of-their-field experts, and of course some history and data, we're going to make this a season to remember. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! | |||
| Why Don't We Fix Things Anymore? | 26 Nov 2025 | 00:41:15 | |
We're one week out from a new season of Second Nature! Before our season 4 launch, we wanted to bring it back to one of the community's favorite episodes from last season: Why Don't We Fix Things Anymore? Planned obsolescence and perceived obsolescence have us in a disposable consumption cycle. But it hasn't always been this way. When and why did we stop thinking things were worth fixing? In this episode, we get a history lesson in planned obsolescence, visit Adrienne Ferre, who is helping run a Makers Hub in LA, complete with a tool library and repair cafes. And we catch up on Right to Repair legislation with Commons' founder and CEO Sanchali Seth Pal. 🌎 See photos of our contributors and find further reading in the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Season 3 submissions coming soon! 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| Call for Submissions: Contribute to Season 4! | 23 Oct 2025 | 00:02:37 | |
Season 4 is underway! We’re hard at work on the new season and we can’t wait to hear your contributions. For the best shot at getting on season 4, please send in your submissions before November. But feel free to continue submitting through November as well. Submitting to the show is easy!
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| Are the Kids Alright? Raising a Sustainable Generation | 25 Jun 2025 | 00:44:53 | |
-> Short Survey: Tell us what you think of Second Nature Whether you're a parent, an auntie, a coach, a godfather — there's a lot to think about when it comes to raising a more sustainable generation. How can we raise young people to take better care of the planet than the generations before them? For our last episode of season 3, we're looking into the future to see how younger generations are thinking about climate change. From plant-based eating to civic engagement, we’re talking to our community, Moms Clean Air Force, and Commons founder Sanchali Seth Pal to find out how folks are raising kids to take action.
📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| Your Local Library is Fighting Climate Change | 18 Jun 2025 | 00:20:18 | |
-> 🚨 Tell your U.S. reps not to cut federal funding for public libraries. Libraries are icons of the sharing economy. When we borrow books, media, and tools from the library, we save ourselves from needing to buy new stuff. But did you know that libraries are also community hubs for climate resilience? From heatwaves to hurricanes, thousands of people have used libraries as free spaces to escape the elements and find respite. In this community episode, we're everything that our listeners get from their local libraries. 🌎 See photos of our contributors and find further reading in the full show notes and citations. 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| Next Season, We're Following the Money | 08 Apr 2026 | 00:03:14 | |
Season 5 is coming very soon and this season, we're talking about the thing that's on everyone's mind (whether we like or not) — money. Maybe you've heard that Native American proverb, “Only when the last tree has been cut down, the last fish been caught, and the last stream poisoned, will we realize we cannot eat money.”
Our society doesn’t run on money, it runs on the earth— water, soil, plants, air. As of late — we’ll call it the past 300 years — we’ve had a pretty one-sided relationship with these essentials we need to live and that largely has to do with the fact that what we value and the way we value it is measured in dolla dolla bills. This season we’re talking about —
Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! 📱 Want to make your money count? Download the Commons app . 📞 Want to submit to the show? We'd love to hear from you! 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| Microplastics: How Do They Get Into Our Bodies? And What We Can Do About It? | 11 Jun 2025 | 00:41:01 | |
Microplastics seem to be everywhere, inside and outside our bodies. These micro and nano particles are shedding from our clothes, our tires, food packaging — basically anywhere there's plastic. People, animals, and plants are consuming these microplastics, thereby complicating the issue and contributing to health problems. But what health issues? And how do we avoid them? The science is still a work in progress, but today, we're finding out what we know so far. We’re going to find out from an actual scientist what we know and don’t know about the health implications of microplastics and what we can do about it. And we’re going to try our best to find our way to a place of understanding without complete overwhelm.
📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| How We’re Coping With Climate Anxiety | 04 Jun 2025 | 00:14:37 | |
NOTE: An early version of this audio has an error around 4:50. If you hear that error, it's likely because your podcast player downloaded the first version. Please re-download the episode to hear the correct version! And forgive us, as we're merely human beans 🫘 . Is climate news stressing you out? Same. We're experiencing funding cuts to environmental agencies, while climate disasters like heatwaves and storms persist, and wildlife and environmental protections are at risk. It's a tough time to be an environmentalist, and all this stress and sadness can lead to climate anxiety (aka eco-anxiety). If you've felt anxious about the state of our climate, you're not alone. We thought it was a perfect time to bring back this episode from last season, where we hear from you our listeners, to hear various ways to cope with climate anxiety through nature, community, and gratitude. If you're looking for more resources to help with climate anxiety, we highly recommend this list from the team at All We Can Save. 🌎 For photos of our contributors and further reading, check the full show notes. 📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show. 📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| We Need to Talk About AI | 28 May 2025 | 00:36:04 | |
🔗 TAKE ACTION: Stop State AI Regulation Ban in the "One Big Beautiful Bill" Act When you ask ChatGPT to write a cover letter, make your grocery list, or edit an image, what's actually happening in the real world? As AI gets bigger by the day, it's requiring more and more energy, water, and land in communities around the world. Tech companies are investing billions of dollars in data centers and technologies to power AI, but are they also investing in sustainable and equitable resources to keep it going? Today, we’re going to take a step back from the chatbots to understand the true impact of AI, how we’re tracking and regulating that impact, and we’ll find out what it will take to build a sustainable future for AI with Shalolei Ren — associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of California Riverside whose work focuses on AI for good.
📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Episode Credits
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| Connection and Resilience Through Local Food | 21 May 2025 | 00:40:19 | |
Farmers market season is upon us! As we've started seeing spring crops here at markets in the Northern Hemisphere, we're thinking about the power of locally grown food. As our food supply chains have gone global — we’ve gained more access to nutritious foods in areas where they may be hard to grow — but we’ve lost touch with seasonality and the source of our food. And we’ve lost touch with plenty of foods altogether. Locally grown food not only gives us more nutrients, but done right, it can bring biodiversity to local land, build climate resilience, and even offer diversity and economic resilience in our communities. Today we're reconnecting to local food through our global community, learning more about how our food system favors big agriculture, and with connecting the dots between food justice and equity Tagan Engel — a chef, food justice organizer and host of the podcast/radio show Table Underground.
📱 To join the Commons community, download the app: https://www.thecommons.earth/second-nature 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram @secondnatureearth Episode Credits
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| Conscious Chatter: A Scientific Lens on the Links Between Fast Fashion, Toxicity, & Microplastics | 07 May 2025 | 00:50:41 | |
Microplastics are seemingly everywhere, even our clothes. From production through wash days, synthetic fabrics are shedding microplastics into the air and water. It's a big issue that's going to take shifts from manufacturing to our own homes, and we wanted to start tackling this big discussion with the help of our friends at the podcast, Conscious Chatter. Earlier this year, host Kestrel Jenkins spoke with Dana Zhaxylykova. Dana is an environmental scientist and microplastics researcher, who's originally from Kazakhstan and currently based in Germany. She uses Instagram to share practical and actionable tips about microplastics through a scientific lens.
📱 To join the Commons community, download the app. 📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram.
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