94. How Do Bear Canisters Work? with Holly Jaleski
In episode 94 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we discuss the importance of proper food storage when hiking and camping in bear country. If you haven’t had a chance to listen yet, I recommend going back and tuning into episode 85, where I interview a wildlife biologist specializing in bears from Glacier National Park. He shares some great tips on safely recreating around bears and avoiding an encounter altogether. So, to build on that topic and focus on one of the primary ways bears and humans collide, I was excited to interview Holly Jalenski, the co-founder of Grub Can, about how she and her husband created a bear-safe food canister that’s comfortable to carry. You’ll hear us chat about what inspired them to design a new bear canister, how they’re tested, and if they actually work when a bear gets their hands on them. Holly Jaleski and Jim Corning are a husband and wife backpacking duo. They've both been backpacking all over the US for over 40 years. They created Grubcan out of a desire for a bear-resistant container that fits comfortably inside or outside backpacks and opens easily without tools. Grubcan’s are handmade in Flagstaff (and we love visitors!). Holly is the CCO at Grubcan. She is trained in wildlife rehabilitation and is the Director of a rescue ranch. Her parents instilled in her a respect and love for nature from an early age. She has been on the BLM Resource Advisory Council for many years as an advocate for preserving nature for the good of all. She is also a novelist and writes environmental fiction. Jim is an Aeronautical Engineer and has been designing and manufacturing airplane parts out of carbon fiber for 26 years; now, he’s used his expertise to transform the bear-resistant container market. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book VENMO: @OutdoorMinimalist --------------- Grub Can Website: https://tuffystuffy.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildiproducts Instagram: @grubcan --------------- Episode Resources IGBC Website: https://igbconline.org/ #85 A Bear Biologist's Tips For Respecting Wildlife and Being Bear Aware Use of an approved canister is mandatory in some national parks and wilderness areas. This list includes: Yosemite National Park (entire backcountry except a few sites where food lockers are in place) Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks (selected areas; food boxes in place in numerous locations) Grand Teton National Park (entire backcountry except where food lockers are in place) Rocky Mountain National Park (all backcountry campsites below treeline) North Cascades National Park (selected areas) Olympic National Park (selected areas) Denali National Park (selected units) Glacier Bay National Park (all treeless areas) Gates of the Arctic National Park (most areas) Inyo National Forest, eastern and central Sierra Nevada, California (selected areas) Eastern High Peaks Wilderness Area, Adirondack Mountains, New York (between April 1 and Nov. 30, all areas)
10 Juli 202338min
93. How to Identify Your Gear Needs with Alisha McDarris
In episode 93 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we are returning to some of the foundational topics of the show: outdoor gear and equipment. If you’ve read the book, you’ll know that a big chunk of the text revolves around product materials, gear picks, gear repair, and gear needs. So, for this episode, we’re covering a topic I’ve wanted to discuss since the start of this podcast: how to identify your gear needs. To give us some insights into how we can all make better gear choices, I sat down to chat with Alisha McDarris. Alisha is the founder of Terradrift.com and the site’s accompanying YouTube channel, where she and her husband Josh share gear reviews, outdoorsy how-to’s, guides, and more, including a full backpacking course for beginners. She is also a freelance journalist and photographer specializing in writing about sustainable travel and outdoor adventure for publications like Popular Science, Backpacker, Outside, Roadtrippers, and more. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book VENMO: @OutdoorMinimalist --------------- Alisha McDarris Website: https://alishamcdarris.com/ Terradrift: https://terradrift.com/ Backpacking 101 Course: https://terradrift.com/how-to-backpack/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/terradrift Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terradrift Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terradrift/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@terradrift --------------- Related Episodes #3 How to Identify Sustainable Product Materials #7 Renting vs. Owning Gear #11 Greenwashing in the Outdoor Industry #24 Identifying Your Needs: Adventure, Gear, and Safety #35 Tips for Making More Ethical Gear Purchases #69 What is Greenwashing? (and How to Identify It)
3 Juli 202348min
92. Making Hunting and Fishing More Accessible with Erin Crider
Hunting and fishing are seemingly popular outdoor activities, but how easy are they to learn when you didn’t grow up doing them? In episode 92 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we are reentering the arena of hunting and fishing. While I work indirectly in this space, these specific outdoor activities are ones that I have had very minimal experience with but want to bring more voices from hunters and anglers onto the show, especially those helping underrepresented groups thrive in a world designed for sportsmen. Uncharted Outdoorswomen and their female guides are passionate about creating space for women in the outdoors. Erin Crider founded the company in Colorado and has expanded to Wyoming, Montana, and Oregon. The Uncharted Team creates opportunities for women and other unlikelies to learn outdoor skills like hunting, fishing, and other survival skills. All classes, camps, and retreats are taught and guided by women. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book VENMO: @OutdoorMinimalist --------------- Uncharted Outdoorswomen Website: https://unchartedoutdoorswomen.com/ Instagram: @uncharted_outdoorswomen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnchartedOutdoorswomen/ --------------- Related Episodes #10 Prioritizing Experience and Place Over Equipment and Possessions #18 Finding Minimalism and Connection Through Fly Fishing #19 Deer Hunting, Sustainability, and Conservation #25 What is Lead Free Fishing? #46 Hunters and Vegans Have More in Common Than You Think #73 Wild Horse Conservation: What's the Problem and How Can We Fix it?
26 Juni 202334min
91. The Rise of Overlanding and Its Environmental Impact with Beth Brennan
In episode 91 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we are diving into a topic: overlanding. Offroading and using motorized vehicles to travel from place to place and across public lands has existed for a long time, but it’s grown in popularity within the last decade. With this boom of interest in overlanding and offroading, there has also been a rise in concerns regarding the environmental impact of this type of outdoor recreation. To help me explain and explore this topic in more depth, I had the pleasure of interviewing Beth Brennan. Beth is the GM of TREAD Agency. She's a marketer and project manager with over ten years of experience in the outdoor industry. Beth is a brand marketer specializing in the overland space, working for Tepui Tents, The Thule Group, and Go Fast Campers. Beth sits on the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association) Businesswomen's Select Committee and recently participated in their All-Female Build with Ford Motor Company. Beth resides in Bozeman, Montana, is involved in Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, and advocates for conservation and public land access. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book VENMO: @OutdoorMinimalist --------------- TREAD Agency Website: https://treadagency.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tread-agency/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/treadagency/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treadagency/ --------------- Related Episodes #24 Identifying Your Needs: Adventure, Gear, and Safety #26 Parkscriptions: Your Prescription to Get Outside #32 Sustainable Adventure Tourism: Guide Education and Resources #55 What Does Good Stewardship Marketing Look Like? #84 Take Ownership of Your Influence Through Action
19 Juni 202331min
90. Move Beyond Surviving: Empowering Breast Cancer Survivors with Nature with Dr. Kelly McLean
In episode 90 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we get a look into the healing power of nature from Dr. Kelly McLean, a Surgical Oncologist specializing in treating Breast and Melanoma Cancer at the Christ Hospital in Cincinnati, OH. Kelly is the founder and Board President of Move Beyond Surviving, a non-profit organization designed to help breast cancer survivors move beyond their diagnosis and treatment by challenging themselves in nature. When not operating or spending time outside, she enjoys playing tennis and hanging out with her cats. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book VENMO: @OutdoorMinimalist --------------- Move Beyond Surviving Website: https://movebeyondsurviving.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083498284683 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/move-beyond-surviving/ --------------- Related Episodes #54 What We Need Nature #57 Max Your Inspiration, Not Your Impact #76 Grow Where You Are #81 How Do You Define Adventure? #82 Creating a More Adaptive Hiking Space #84 Take Ownership of Your Influence Through Action
12 Juni 202331min
89. A BioBased Backpacking Food Packaging That Actually Works with Eric Boxer
In episode 89 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we are returning to the topic of food packaging. If you’ve listened to previous episodes, you know that we talk a fair bit about trail food on the show. While ingredients come up in discussion, the primary goal of my conversation with Eric Boxer, the Chief Sustainability Officer and Head Chef at RightOnTrek, Inc., was to learn more about how RightOnTrek chose their biobased packaging and how other companies can learn from their pursuit towards a more sustainable backpacking lifestyle. Eric has been a life-long outdoor enthusiast for extended excursions on the road less traveled via bicycle, canoe, skis, and on foot. In previous career journeys, he commercialized his own line of energy bars that used sustainably-farmed ingredients and consulted on energy efficiency for buildings and industrial processes. Eric is passionate about helping people experience food and the great outdoors with minimal impact to the environment. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book VENMO: @OutdoorMinimalist --------------- RightOnTrek Website: https://rightontrek.com/backcountry-meals Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RightOnTrek/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rightontrek/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rightontrek/ --------------- Episode Resources Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari --------------- Related Episodes #37 Tips for a Low Waste Thru Hike #63 An Inside Looking Into Changing Product Packaging Design #68 A Backcountry Dietitians Tips for Prepping Backpacking Meals #79 The Environmental Impact of Backpacking Meals #86 Homemade Backpacking Meals for Special Diets
5 Juni 202326min
88. What is a Refillery? And Why We Need More of Them with Kerry Jones
In episode 88 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we do an overview of what a refillary is, why they should be more prevalent in the United States, and how Kerry Jones started Suds Refillery when she saw the need for more sustainable innovations in her community. Refill shops or refilleries are popping up all over the country. Suds Refillery is an eco friendly shop located, in the Kansas City area, providing refillable products for your home and body, in an effort to help folks reduce their household plastic waste. Most refilleries focus on non toxic products and products that are packaged in refillable or compostable containers. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book VENMO: @OutdoorMinimalist --------------- Suds Refillery Website: https://www.sudsrefillery.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sudsrefillery Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sudsrefillery/ --------------- Related Episodes #2 7Rs: Reduce, Refuse, Rethink #5 Saving Money Living Sustainably #9 Eliminating Single Use Plastic in the Outdoor Industry #31 How Do You Know What You Can Recycle? #45 Zero Landfill Initiative: How It Started and Where It's Going #70 What Happens After We Recycle #77 What is Eco Anxiety?
29 Maj 202336min
87. Using Minimalism to Reduce Stress with Becca Ploener
In episode 87 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we are returning to the foundational concepts of minimalism and mindfulness. Minimalism looks different for everyone, and our life experiences impact our lifestyle choices. To dive deeper into how minimalism can change how we live our lives and how minimizing your life can effectively reduce stress, I had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting with Becca Ploener. Becca is a whitewater kayak instructor, health and life coach, She works with women who feel overworked, burnt out, and like they have no time for themselves. She helps bring intention back into folk's lives so that they can reconnect with their true, adventurous, authentic selves and get back to doing the things they love. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book VENMO: @OutdoorMinimalist --------------- Becca Ploener Website: https://rploener.wixsite.com/beccaploener Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mynormalface/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becca-ploener-1b7105266/ --------------- Related Episodes #18 Finding Minimalism and Connection Through Fly Fishing #40 Becoming Minimalist: Downsizing for Life #53 How to Talk About Outdoor Minimalism #77 What is Eco Anxiety #84 Take Ownership of Your Influence Through Action
22 Maj 202328min
