#114: Reducing Waste with Colleen Patrick-Goudreau for Earth Month

How can we live sustainably when excess and waste are all around us? Today’s joyful guest shows us how to flip the switch from the overwhelming “there’s so much to do” to the empowering “there’s so much we CAN do!”

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Happy April!

With Earth Month here, we can’t think of anyone better to bring on the show than Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, affectionately known as the Joyful Vegan, to share on all things low and zero waste.

She is a recognized expert and thought leader on culinary, social, ethical, and practical aspects of living compassionately and healthfully.

She has been an animal advocate for 30 years and vegan for 24 years, and is a bestselling author of eight books - including several cookbooks, and hosts one of the longest running vegan podcast called the Food for Thought Podcast which has been going strong for 17 years.

From her vast experience, Colleen speaks on how we can move to a zero waste lifestyle in very doable ways. She shares her own journey towards conscientious living, modeling how that can develop over the years into something truly powerful.

She also breaks down terms and concepts that can often be confusing in the sustainability discussion, such as what zero waste means and how it’s even achievable, or the myths and realities of recycling, the numbers on plastic, and the unseen toxic outputs of the plastic industry.

Most importantly, Colleen shows each of us what it looks like to take simple and meaningful steps and where you can start, regardless of where you already are. Discover everything from:

  • Easy options for food waste and composting you may never have considered
  • Foods you can easily make from scratch to reduce packaging, even with limited time
  • Where to go to begin advocating in ways that can make bigger changes than you can imagine
  • All sorts of simple swaps that are so easy & make life easier along the way!

Do your part to give back to the earth today, by listening in to find one or two takeaways you can put into action today!

You’ll be amazed at how each small step can lead you to a more considerate and sustainable life that brings joyful simplicity and satisfaction as you save money, save resources, and save our planet!

♡ Toni & Michelle

 EPISODE SHOW NOTES

  • Toni & Michelle’s recent personal efforts to live sustainability in daily life
  • Colleen shares her journey towards conscientious and sustainable living and how her lens shifted to move even beyond that to aim for zero waste
  • How the term “zero-waste” was coined, what it means, and how it can even be achieved
  • The myth of recycling plastic and what the numbers in the little triangle mean
  • Practical steps to reduce food waste and multiple options other than throwing food in the trash
  • What sell-by dates have to do with marketing and consumerism
  • Foods you can easily make from scratch to reduce packaging and use food scraps, even if you have limited time
  • The habits you need to build to have reusable products on hand when needed
  • How looking for the next thing you can do is better than aiming for perfection
  • Where to advocate for change to make the differences you can’t make on your own
  • A whole list of simple swaps to make around the house

RESOURCES

ZERO WASTE LIVING GUIDES

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

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