162. Best of 2024

In episode 41 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we get to talk about plants. More specifically, we do a deep dive into plants within a desert ecosystem and how to recreate in a way that respects the native flora and fauna. To educate us on this important topic, I had the pleasure of hosting a dear friend of mine, Jessica Esplin. Born in the heart of Southern Utah. Her family instilled a sense of wonder and respect for the outdoors while adventuring on the outskirts of Zion National Park. Working in the Outdoor Industry created a platform for her to travel for work and play. She soon realized another passion lay in the ecology of her home environment, the desert. Currently working and living in Flagstaff, Arizona, Jess works with The Arboretum to preserve, conserve and showcase the Colorado Plateaus flora & fauna. Through her fieldwork she has seen, more than ever, the need to preserve the fragile environments we all love. Whether you raise cattle, off-road, climb, or camp, we all play a part in these ecosystems. From the Sandstone Towers of the Colorado Plateau, the great cacti of the Sonoran, and the wonders of the Mojave, Jessica's unique perspective can teach us about the importance of preserving these lands. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book YOUTUBE: @theoutdoorminimalist ------------------------- Use the code OUTDOORMINIMALIST for 10% off every Neo Bites order. ARBORETUM AT FLAGSTAFF Seeds Jess is Currently Collecting in the Mojave: Baileya multiraidata, Desert marigold Lupinus odoratus, Mojave lupine Chylismia brevipes, Yellow cups Astragalus layneae, Widow's milkvetch Opuntia basilaris, Beavertail cactus Larrea tridentata, Creosote ------------------------- EPISODE RESOURCES Environmental Conservation Species Search USFWS Section 6 Program on Endangered Plant Species Association of Zoological Horticulture The Wilderness Society Native Plant Societies Sierra Club California Desert Protection Act Plant Conservation Alliance

20 Jun 202232min

In episode 40 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we discuss the process of becoming minimalist. Minimalism is very much an individual journey, but many people will experience overlapping challenges and hurdles along the way. Although I’ve talked about this in previous episodes to some extent, to share her story and give some practical advice on sustaining a minimalist lifestyle, I had the pleasure of hosting Aaron Owens Mayhew. Aaron is a registered dietitian and ultralight long-distance backpacker with nearly 20 years of experience as a hiker and nutrition expert. In 2017, she quit her job and began preparing for her first thru-hike. During this process, Aaron realized how uniquely qualified she was to plan and prepare meals for outdoor athletes and decided to put her skills to the test. That same year, she founded Backcountry Foodie, an online ultralight recipes and meal planning platform. Since then, Aaron has dedicated her career to helping thousands of hikers enjoy delicious food and improve their performance in the backcountry. She focuses on ultralight, low-volume recipes and meal plans specially formulated for endurance athletes. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book YOUTUBE: @theoutdoorminimalist ------------------------- Lava Linens Discount Code for 15% off your next purchase: OUTDOORMINIMALIST BACKCOUNTRY FOODIE WEBSITE: https://backcountryfoodie.com/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/backcountry_foodie/ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/backcountryfoodie YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/BackcountryFoodie ------------------------- Plastic Film Recycling: https://www.plasticfilmrecycling.org/

13 Jun 202227min

In episode 39 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we get to talk about eating insects. While I’d love to do an episode on insect proteins in a human diet, today we are going to focus on insect proteins, our pets, and the planet. There is a lot to be said about dog nutrition and the impact our pet’s diets have on the environment. To help make this topic a bit more palatable, I had the pleasure of chatting with Wesley Cooper, the co-founder of Neo Bites. Neo Bites is a company on a mission to accelerate the shift towards sustainable animal nutrition through insect protein. Neo Bites is the product of Wesley’s desire to play a pivotal role in the fight against climate change. During his time working in the food and beverage industry in NYC, his life-long passion for sustainability led him to learn more about the climate impact of our chosen protein sources. It was during this time that he was introduced to insect protein, and Neo Bites came to fruition shortly after. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book YOUTUBE: @theoutdoorminimalist ------------------------- Use the code OUTDOORMINIMALIST for 10% off every Neo Bites order. NEO BITES WEBSITE: https://eatneobites.com/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/eatneobites/?hl=en FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/eatneobites/ EMAIL: woof@eatneobites.com The Pet Food Industry is Destroying the Planet

6 Jun 202232min

In episode 38 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we do a deep dive into a topic that I’ve been wanting to learn more about for quite some time but wasn’t sure where to look. We are discussing solvent-based coatings. These are the waterproof and abrasion resistant coatings that we apply on a lot of our outdoor textiles from tents to backpacks, pants, and more. Solvent-based coatings have quite the impact environmentally and socially. Luckily I had the pleasure of talking with someone that is working to help shift the industry away from toxic solvent based coatings to a safer alternative. Gabriella Whittaker is a relatively new member of the outdoor industry professionally, but she has been an avid participant in the outdoors since before she could walk. She grew up skiing and climbing in the mountains of Washington and Idaho, and her time spent in nature fueled a passion for protecting these environments. Now, she has found a space for her love of sustainability to make an impact on the outdoor industry through PolyCore Solutions. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book YOUTUBE: @theoutdoorminimalist ------------------------- Lava Linens Discount Code for 15% off your next purchase: OUTDOORMINIMALIST POLYCORE SOLUTIONS WEBSITE: https://polycoresolutions.com/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/polycoresolutions/ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/PolyCoreSolutions/ LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/polycoresolutions/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCif_rqcK12vmUWELQoQh4Rw/featured ------------------------- EPISODE RESOURCES BlueSign Restricted Chemicals The Story of Paint Other EPA Paint Bans What Are VOCs?

30 Mai 202225min

Is a zero-waste backpacking trip possible? What about a zero-waste thru-hike? Well, you are about to find out. In episode 37 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we get to hear tips on how to have a low-waste thru-hike from someone that has done it: Ana Lucía Valencia Ana Lucía (aka Eco) is a hiker from Mexico who in 2021 set out to complete a zero-waste thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. Her love for being outdoors has made her develop a close and respectful relationship with nature; she wishes to share and inspire others to do the same. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book YOUTUBE: @theoutdoorminimalist ------------------------- Lava Linens Discount Code for 15% off your next purchase: OUTDOORMINIMALIST WASTE FREE PCT: https://www.instagram.com/wastefreepct LEARN MORE ABOUT ANA'S JOURNEY: https://cascademountaintech.com/blogs/news/waste-not-want-not-how-i-hiked-the-pacific-crest-trail-zero-waste https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/hiking-and-backpacking/trash-thru-hiking-waste/ https://youtu.be/bojDoswlfsw BACKPACKING MEALS: https://www.fernwehfoodco.com/

23 Mai 202239min

In episode 36 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we discuss how you can start building outdoor time into your daily life and how spending more time outdoors could be good for you and the planet. To help me do that, I had the pleasure of hosting Amy Bushatz. Amy Bushatz is the host of the Humans Outside podcast, a project inspired by her ongoing personal experiment to test what happens if you spend a certain amount of time outside every single day. With more than 1,600 days of that habit logged and counting, Amy shares her experiences and connects listeners with inspiring outdoor-minded guests from her home in Palmer, Alaska. Amy and her husband Luke are joined on their outdoor adventures by their two sons and two dogs. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book YOUTUBE: @theoutdoorminimalist ------------------------- Use the code OUTDOORMINIMALIST for 10% off every NeoBites order. HUMANS OUTSIDE WEBSITE: https://humansoutside.com/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/humansoutside/ PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/humans-outside/id1492759297 CHALLENGE: https://humansoutside.com/challenge/

16 Mai 202239min

In episode 35 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we discuss what constitutes an ethical gear purchase and how consumers can make those decisions easier. One of my earliest episodes featured Mary Swanson of Lava Linens, and she shed light on identifying sustainable product materials. Although this is a stand-alone episode, I recommend listening to episode 3: how to identify sustainable product materials, for even more tips on being a conscious consumer. To help break down how we as consumers can make more ethical purchases in every area of our life, but outdoor recreation, in particular, I am excited to introduce Marie Wilson. Marie Wilson is an outdoor and environmental writer. Her writing focuses on the intersectionality of sustainability, climate action, and the outdoor industry. She works to make sustainability in the outdoors more accessible while also highlighting the environmental responsibility that comes with exploring outdoor spaces. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book YOUTUBE: @theoutdoorminimalist ------------------------- Lava Linens Discount Code for 15% off your next purchase: OUTDOORMINIMALIST MARIE WILSON WEBSITE: https://www.mindfulpeaks.com/ LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-wilson-417723137/ ------------------------- EPISODE RESOURCES The Environmental Costs of Synthetics change.org Good on You REI Good & Used Patagonia Worn Wear CragDog Green Guru Textile Exchange Outdoor Industry Association

9 Mai 202234min

In episode 34 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we are talking about dogs once again! Usually, when we are on the trail, we are used to seeing large or medium-sized dogs, but dogs of all sizes enjoy hiking and playing outside. If you are someone with a small dog and you want to integrate them into your outdoor activities, this is the episode for you. As you know, I am a very proud dog mom to three large dogs, and although I might have a few tips about hiking with dogs, I’m definitely not an expert and I am very uneducated when it comes to working with smaller breeds. That’s why I was excited to sit down and chat with Jessica Williams and get her tips for taking small dogs on outdoor adventures. Jessica has been camping and hiking with her Dachshunds for over 15 years and worked in the environmental conservation field for over 18. Ten years ago, Jessica launched the award-winning blog You Did What With Your Wiener?, merging her passion and experience with Dachshunds, outdoor recreation, and the environment. Since then, she has inspired small dogs and their owners around the world to explore the outdoors and put more adventure into their lives. In 2012, she took the leap from the corporate world to become a full-time blogger, earn her Masters of Communication in Digital Media from the University of Washington, and coach other aspiring professional bloggers through Niche Blog Biz. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book YOUTUBE: @theoutdoorminimalist ------------------------- Use the code OUTDOORMINIMALIST for 10% off every NeoBites order. JESSICA WILLIAMS INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/youdidwhatwithyourwiener/ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner/ LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicarhaew/ NICHE BLOG BIZ: https://nicheblogbiz.com/ YOU DID WHAT WITH YOUR WEINER?: https://youdidwhatwithyourweiner.com/ PET TALK MEDIA: https://pettalkmedia.com/blog/ ------------------------- EPISODE RESOURCES The Essential Guide to Hiking with Dogs by Jen Sotolongo Fido Pro Rescue Sling

2 Mai 202247min