45. Zero Landfill Initiative: How It Started and Where It's Going with Patrice and Justin La Vigne

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 Maj 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 Maj 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 Maj 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 Maj 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 Maj 202247min

In episode 33 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we are talking about shoes. This episode was actually born from a listener question! I had someone message me and ask: “Can you do a post or an episode about shoes? Specifically tennis shoes for people who are on their feet a lot, like runners or nurses. I find that I want new shoes every 3-6 months as a nurse. Is that the normal lifetime for shoes? Can you tell me which materials are best and what might last longer or be better for the Earth?” This is a really hard topic honestly, and there isn’t necessarily a cut-and-dry answer. Luckily, I had a chance to talk with Steven Sashen of Xero Shoes about his journey in the shoe industry and what he recommends we look for. If you remember, Steven joined me in one of my most popular episodes, “Greenwashing in the Outdoor Industry.” He had so many great insights and the listener response has been great, which is why I’m happy to welcome him back. For those that haven’t listened to that episode, Steven Sashen is a serial entrepreneur who has never had a job, a former professional stand up comic and award-winning screenwriter, and a competitive sprinter -- one of the fastest men over 55 in the country (maybe the fastest 55+ Jew in the world!). He and his wife, Lena Phoenix, co-founded the footwear company Xero Shoes, creating "a MOVEMENT movement" which has helped hundreds of thousands of people Live Life Feet First with happy, healthy, strong feet in addictively comfortable footwear. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book YOUTUBE: @theoutdoorminimalist ------------------------- XERO SHOES: https://xeroshoes.com/go/OUTDOORMINIMALIST XERO SHOES INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/xeroshoes

25 Apr 202249min

In episode 32 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we are talking about sustainable adventure tourism. Now, this is a fairly broad topic, so in this episode, we are mostly focusing on how guides and guiding companies can best equip themselves to teach and advocate for best practices when recreating outdoors. To help me do that, I’d like to introduce Xenia Brundin. Xenia is the co-founder of SUMMIT Adventure Academy and knows how powerful the role of a guide is in spreading knowledge and creating relationships between nature and guests. At SUMMIT Adventure Academy, they are educating a new generation of outdoor guides that are skilled but also environmentally and socially conscious to support the future of adventure travel and the outdoor industry. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book YOUTUBE: @theoutdoorminimalist ----------------------------- SUMMIT Adventure Academy WEBSITE: https://www.summitadventureacademy.com/ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/summitadventureacademy INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/summit.adventure.academy/ ----------------------------- EARTH MONTH GIVEAWAY DETAILS Mentally prepare to read the trashiest post you’ve ever seen for… our EARTH DAY GIVEAWAY! 🌎 @thegroundskeepers work isn't pretty. In fact, it's downright dirty work. We do it for our #1 (mama 🌎) and to encourage others to leave it better. We never place any sort of judgment on how trash came to be in our wild places or neighborhoods, we just take care of it (almost 30,000 pounds since 2017!). E N T E R: Pick up at least 3 pieces of trash Take a selfie or photo of your trash (vertical format) & DM it to @granitegear Follow all of our amazing Grounds Keeper sponsors and be entered to win S I D E N O T E S The giveaway ends at midnight PST on 4/21 Open to U.S. Residents only * Winners will only receive a DM from the official @granitegear account.

18 Apr 202237min

In episode 31 of the Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we are tackling the topic of recycling. This isn’t necessarily niched to the outdoor industry, but it is a topic that I get a lot of questions about so it felt fitting to discuss how recycling works in many areas and how you can learn more about what is and isn’t recyclable where you live. We did chat a bit about things like fuel canisters and other common outdoor industry consumables that many people throw away, but you can recycle. So, stay tuned for those tips near the end of the episode! Joining me today, I had the pleasure of hosting Courtney Lane. Courtney is an outdoor professional who has been in the industry for about six years now, with a primary focus on outdoor and environmental education. She takes pride in trying to be the best steward of the environment that she can by trying to understand her own overall consumption and also by educating future generations by sparking curiosity and connection for the outdoors. In her spare time, she is an amateur lifestyle blogger and photographer. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/ WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/ ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book YOUTUBE: @theoutdoorminimalist ----------------------------- COURTNEY LANE WEBSITE: https://wastelandcreates.wordpress.com/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/__courtneydanielle__/ LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-lane-4a9975224/ EPISODE RESOURCES Types of Plastics and Their Recycling Codes How To Recycle Metal Fuel Canisters How To Refill Camping Fuel Canisters Patagonia Worn Wear North Face Renewed Metamorphic Gear Green Guru CragDog

11 Apr 202233min