ECO CHIC

We're comparing passenger train travel between the US and Europe: why does Europe do rail so well? We're overviewing a handful of regional and intercity routes that do train travel well, and pointing out what American communities could learn from - investments, political will, high-speed rail, and much more. We're also discussing scenic routes and trains as part of the trip, rather than simply a means of transportation. I share the triumphant, community-advocated-for Winter Park Express, from Denver, CO to a nearby ski resort. Episodes to revisit: The Death of the Third Place Urban Revitalization + Sustainable Development | Alan Sneider Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Virginia Chamlee is an artist, writer, and author of the best-selling book, Big Thrift Energy. She joins us for a conversation on finding your personal style, the best tips for shopping secondhand for furniture and unique homewares, and curating a home that feels truly *you*. Find Virginia on TikTok @virginiachamlee and Instagram @vchamlee Thanks to our sponsor! Get started at $1.49 per meal at EveryPlate.com/podcast and use code 49EcoChic Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are joined by Katie Gatti of Money With Katie, financial literacy blogger, podcast superstar, and one my favorite people on the internet!! We are discussing today what Katie calls "the hot girl hamster wheel" - the never-ending beauty maintenance that women often feel financially and socially committed to. Today's conversation explores beauty consumerism, female-targeted marketing, and what it means to reject the norms we've never collectively considered optional. Truly one of my favorite conversations we've ever had on this show!! Find Katie on MoneyWithKatie.com, The Money with Katie Show, and her new show, Bossy Read Jessica DeFino's new column, Ask Ugly in The Guardian Thanks to our sponsor! LumeDeodorant.com with code ECOCHIC Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're rewinding on one of our most buzzy topics: fast furniture. When did we start thinking of furniture as disposable? Today we're discussing the under-exaggerated problem of fast furniture: cheap, low quality, and mass-produced pieces designed to be dumped. We're breaking down (ha) two iconic fast furniture items, and exploring tips for your next point-of-purchase furniture decision. More for you: Ep 196: Creating Thoughtful Spaces | Amanda Gunawan, OWIU Designs ‘Fast Furniture' Is Cheap. And Americans Are Throwing It in the Trash. (NY Times) Fast furniture: what's wrong with it and 7 ways to make better choices (for you and the planet) (Heidi Bischoff, 2019) Ikea keeps price of popular Billy Bookcase the cheapest in Euro zone (Independent UK) Thanks to our sponsor today! EveryPlate.com/podcast and use code 49ecochic Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're joined by Shannon McNamara of Fluenty Forward for today's profiling of Les Wexner: the billionaire businessman behind *all* the mall brands. Wexner is credited with mainstreaming fast fashion marketing techniques, and targeted consumers through his ownership and acquisition of brands like The Limited, Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works, Abercrombie & Fitch, and many, many more. Wexner also was the primary billionaire client of Jeffrey Epstein, with the Victoria's Secret brand playing a major role in Epstein's story. Wexner is the longest serving CEO of a Fortune 500 company, with 57 years upon his retirement. Today's conversation explores the advent of fast fashion marketing, as well as Wexner and L Brands' impact on the culture of the 1990s and early 2000s. Thanks to our sponsor! JustThriveHealth.com/ECOCHIC or use code ECOCHIC for 20% off your 90 day supply - try the probiotic and Just Calm!! Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our final episode for 2023, we're reflecting on the "ins" and "outs" for the year: the themes we hope continue strong and those we're happy to see go! Reflecting on how our conversations have shifted this year around conscious consumption, personal climate action, and mental health, today's conversation hopes to refresh and reset as we enter the new year, eco chic. For episode recaps of the year's most loved, most viral eps: EC Wrapped: Best of 2023 The Death of the Third Place And mentioned: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce romance is bad for the planet. Couple burns a whopping $70,779 jet fuel in the last three months (Economic Times) Thanks to our sponsor! JustThriveHealth.com/ECOCHIC or use code ECOCHIC for 20% off your 90 day supply - try the probiotic and Just Calm!! Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The world's biggest climate change conference recently wrapped, and we're excited to speak today about the successes of the historic two weeks! We're joined by Charly Frisk, Director of Climate Action at Time for Better, to discuss the on-the-ground energy in Dubai, the outcomes, and how mainstream media can continue community building around historically exclusive climate events. Thanks to our sponsor! JustThriveHealth.com/ECOCHIC or use code ECOCHIC for 20% off your 90 day supply - try the probiotic and Just Calm!! Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why is everyone healing their gut? Tina Anderson, CEO and co-founder of Just Thrive, joins us to talk all things gut health: from Big Pharma to modern agriculture. Today's conversation explores connections from the gut to chronic disease, our moods, and cognitive health. We're discussing the science behind spore-based probiotics, and how natural remedies and modern medicine can go hand-in-hand for holistic healing. Visit justhrivehealth.com with promo code ECOCHIC for 20% off - try the Probiotic and I also love Just Calm!!  Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is less common that ever to be a "regular" - which feels so good to be, because it means you're a stable fixture in a community. If your home and workplace are your first and second places, respectively, what can you call your third place? Today, we're discussing some of the reasons we've seen a rapid decline in third places (is it social media? affordability? the suburban dream??) and better understanding their value in social sustainability. For more: The Power of Walkable Cities Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Data time - we're revisiting some of our most shared, most loved, + most viral conversations from the year! 2023 was such a special year of growth, learning, + reflection. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to engage in these!!  Total Ethics Fashion | Emma Hakansson, Collective Fashion Justice Imperfect Environmentalism | Megan McSherry Urban Revitalization + Sustainable Development | Alan Sneider We're Finally De-Influencing Green Jobs + DEI in Sustainability | Kristy Drutman, Brown Girl Green, Green Jobs Board Everything About the Western Water Crisis, with WesternWaterGirl | Teal Lehto Finding Community, Plastics Policy, + Sustainable Storytelling | Lauren Bash Thanks to our sponsor today!! CarawayHome.com/ECO for up to 20% off Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Black Friday episode this year is an opportunity for us to indulge in pop culture - we're discussing how some mega-celebrities have made sustainability such a central part of their platforms. It's like a new take on the tabloid classic series, "Celebs, They're Just Like Us!" - we all care about the planet, and it's so cool to see people platforming causes they're passionate about. We're overviewing icons like Jane Fonda and Pamela Anderson, and hopefully giving you an opportunity to loop your environmental activism into pop culture conversations throughout the season. Also check out: Conscious, Creative Gift Guide Thanks to our sponsor today! YouCanBeam.com/ECOCHIC for 10% sitewide Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Green jobs are a huge discussion already on the presidential campaign trial - and young people have never been more motivated to secure a job ensure a climate-positive future. We're breaking down what a green job even is, and why we want to invest in them. We're also overviewing the American Climate Corps, a green job training program funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), aimed at upskilling 20,000 young people in its first round. More episodes on green jobs: Green Jobs + DEI in Sustainability | Kristy Drutman, Brown Girl Green, Green Jobs Board Crafting Climate Careers | Yesh Pavlik Slenk, Environmental Defense Fund Resources: FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Launches American Climate Corps to Train Young People in Clean Energy, Conservation, and Climate Resilience Skills, Create Good-Paying Jobs and Tackle the Climate Crisis Thanks to our sponsors today!! CarawayHome.com/ECO Babbel.com/ECOCHIC Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Without even realizing, sustainability can quickly slip from our priority list around the holidays. We're walking through some frameworks to consume more consciously throughout the season, and walking through my sustainable gift guide: from experience-based giving, to thoughtful physical gifts. This episode will hopefully allow us to go into this season, typically overflowing with hyper-consumption, with clear ideas and values driving those purchases. Leave me a voicemail about your sustainable holiday tips and traditions!!! SpeakPipe.com/EcoChic Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we think of fast fashion, we probably think of the online mega-retailers (cough cough, SHEIN). Fast fashion has become such a norm of consumption that we sometimes fail to recognize brands that are employing the same techniques, ignoring the ethical and environmental wrongdoings, to produce obscene amounts and turnover inventory quicker than ever before. Today we're exposing some "secretly" fast fashion brands - places we may shop because we're more comfortable than the brands we associate with hyperconsumption, but that we may not realize are competing with such at the best of their abilities. More eps for you: The True Cost of Free Shipping and Returns Total Ethics Fashion | Emma Hakansson, Collective Fashion Justice 5 Ways to Spot Fast Fashion Thanks to our sponsor today! FactorMeals.com/ecochic50 Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Actress and comedian Cheryl Hines joins us to share her personal sustainability journey: from humble Florida childhood to stretching every dollar as an aspiring entertainer, sustainability was an unconscious way of life. She shares with us her new brand, Hines + Young, founded with her daughter Kat: an everyday luxury brand, plastic-free and all natural. We discuss how her awareness of environmental issues grew over time and how Hines + Young's partnership with the Waterkeeper Alliance is core to their grassroots, community-oriented brand philosophies. This episode was an absolute treat for me!! Thanks to our sponsors today! Carawayhome.com/ECO Babbel.com/EcoChic Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The thrift queen is here!! Macy Eleni (of @blazedandglazed) is a content creator, internet personality, soon-to-be-published author, and the ultimate secondhand fashion superstar. Today we discuss her early exposures to the fashion industry (do you remember Teen Vogue University??), her thrift philosophies, and her upcoming book. We also discuss our qualms with online pressures of hyperconsumption and the ethical implications of "loving fashion." This conversation is chatty, full of laughter, so deeply honest, and bursting with tips not only to get you thrifting but also to reframe your relationship with the fashion space. Find Macy on TikTok, instagram, + YouTube Thanks to our sponsor today! YouCanBEAM.com/ECOCHIC Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's ep is peering into my inner thoughts on clean beauty - a topic I was once deeply passionate about, which now feels like a co-opt term that doesn't mean much. I've talking through my personal perspective on the clean beauty marketplace today, as well as why I feel consumers are drawn to purchase these products, even if they themselves aren't totally eco chic. While I am an advocate for sustainable brands, I'm dissolutioned with how many brands are claiming to be such. Greenwashing is alive and well, but we've also allowed ourselves to lean into marketing narratives around terms like "non-toxic" and "natural" that deserve more nuance. More on what I mentioned: The Kosas Mold Debacle Isn't as Wild as It Sounds (Allure) Does “Clean” Beauty Have A Mold Problem? (Refinery29) Fear of Preservatives? (Credo Beauty) Thanks to our sponsor today! TryFUM.com/ECOCHIC Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oliver English is a filmmaker, photographer, chef & food advocate. He serves as the co-founder and CEO of Common Table Creative, an impact-driven production & hospitality company. Prior to launching Common Table Creative, Oliver led his family company, The Olive Group's, international restaurant development sector. Today, Oliver joins us for a discussion around how we gather, how we eat, and how our food systems can be fundamentally rethought to support regenerative, plant-conscious futures. Oliver shares stories from his childhood to Feeding Tomorrow, Common Table Creative's upcoming documentary on how education, healthcare, and policy intersect with our food systems. Today's conversation is deeply personal and inspires us to more often ask: where did my food come from? Thanks to our sponsor today! Babbel.com/ECOCHIC for 55% off Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's no such thing as free ... not even two day shipping from Amazon. Today we're discussing a consumer norm we very often forget has environmental and supply chain impacts: free shipping and free returns. We discuss the immediate emissions and packaging waste, of course, but also textile waste - where do our return things truly go? Resources: TEDTalk by Arana Mehta, "Where do your online returns go?" Why ‘free' shipping isn't free (CNBC) Why your online returns may end up in landfill—and what can be done to fix it (Fast Company) The unsustainable cost of free returns (Vogue Business) Why fashion brands destroy billions' worth of their own merchandise every year (Vox) Thanks to our sponsors today! FactorMeals.com/ecochic50 for 50% off CarawayHome.com/ECO for 10% off Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fall always feels like back-to-school season, no matter what age we're at - perfect time to get organized and learn something new. Today, we're overviewing five nonfiction books I'm excited to read this fall focused on climate, waste, outdoor recreation, and more. Most of the books mentioned on today's episode are very recently released and are receiving great reviews - I tend to gravitate towards memoirs and books with beautiful settings, so today's list reflects books I anticipate to be really engrossing! Also listen to: ECO CHIC Summer Reading List Climate Optimism | Zahra Biabani Thanks to our sponsor today!! TryFum.com/ECOCHIC Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are rewinding to a conversation with Dr. Samantha Montano all about disaster management, in response to our recent episode on the concept of disaster capitalism. We get into everything you've ever wanted to know about living with stronger hurricanes, tornados, heatwaves… and just how we can protect our communities. Dr. Montano and I discuss her interest in disaster recovery in New Orleans immediately following Hurricane Katrina and the Levee Failure. Samantha educates of the phases of Disaster Management (and what can go right or wrong in each one!), and gaps in our current legal and political systems when it comes to actively preparing for and mitigating events that are often incorrectly referred to as ‘natural disasters.' We also dig deeper into the mismanagement of the covid catastrophe response. This episode was originally published December 2021 under the title "Disasters Aren't Natural: Managing Catastrophes + The Climate Crisis. Dr. Montano is an assistant professor of emergency management at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. She is the author of Disasterology: Dispatches from The Frontlines of The Climate Crisis published by Park Row. She earned her B.S. in Psychology from Loyola University New Orleans and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Emergency Management from North Dakota State University.  Thanks to our sponsor today!! CarawayHome.com/ECO for 10% off Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've heard that the most sustainable item is the one you already own - but when you *are* acquiring something, around here, we like to shop secondhand first. Even if you're a seasoned thrifter, there are plenty of areas we don't usually think of shopping secondhand. Today's episode will hopefully help us expand our mindsets around shopping pre-loved - from your home to your hobbies, whatever you want is almost certainly already circulating in the marketplace. Mentioned resources: ECO CHIC Ep: What is Fast Furniture? Ray-Ban, Oakley, Chanel Or Prada Sunglasses? They're All Made By This Obscure $9B Company (Forbes) Thanks to our sponsor today! Babbel.com/ECOCHIC for 55% off Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As recovery efforts are underway on the island of Maui, there's been more discussions around the threat of predatory real estate practices - unfortunately, this isn't the only way the rich and powerful can profit off a disaster. We're overviewing today the topic of disaster capitalism, a term coined by Naomi Klein referring to the very real exploitation around crises. We're also zooming in a bit to better understand disaster capitalism in practice through the case study of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. We acknowledge that most recovery efforts, whatever the crisis, are in good faith - it's a few powerful actors that are taking advantage of a community in chaotic times. However, knowing that natural disasters are becoming more intense under climate change, we're familiarizing ourselves with how these potentially predatory practices that can pop up in any disaster. Resources mentioned: Help Maui Families (community fund and toolkit) ECO CHIC Episode 160: Disasters Aren't Natural: Managing Catastrophes + The Climate Crisis | Dr. Samanta Montano How White People Pushed Out Hawai'i's Monarchy (Teen Vogue) Naomi Klein: how power profits from disaster (The Guardian) Brad Pitt foundation agrees on $20.5m settlement to owners of faulty post-Katrina houses (The Guardian) Brad Pitt and the Bizarre Charity Mess That's Left Katrina Victims Stranded Again (The Hollywood Reporter) Thanks to our sponsors!! TryFum.com/EcoChic for 10% off the Journey Pack HelloFresh.com/50ecochic for 50% off plus free shipping Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Patel is a powerful, eloquent, solutions-oriented environmental youth activist based in Los Angeles. At just 12 years old, he began a peer learning program aimed at solving food injustices within his community of South Central LA. He went on to found the first Mayor's Youth Climate Council, and serves currently on the Los Angeles County Youth Climate Commission. Kevin is Founder and Executive Director for the youth-led climate movement, OneUpAction International. Today we discuss his early exposure to activism and community building, and how he has quickly scaled solutions to support climate activists around the world, accelerating climate policy and platforming young leaders. Kevin recently graduated with his Bachelor's in Political Science and Government from Loyola Marymount University. Thanks to our sponsors! CarawayHome.com/ECO FactorMeals.com/EcoChic50 Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lauren Bash is a sustainability content creator, storyteller, and producer. With a particular passion for advocacy around ocean conservation and plastics pollution, Lauren shares how she became involved with her local Surfrider chapter, and how she's become involved through that community in shaping legislation banning single-use plastics. Lauren shares about her family openly, and today shares a special, thoughtful tribute to her late father, whom we all loved as TikTok's Dad. Lauren shares actionable tips on finding community and being your most authentic self in your environmental advocacy. Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all *love* getting outdoors - but sometimes you don't have the time (or desire) to take a hike or spend the weekend camping. Today we're solo chatting about ideas for how to connect with nature when you're in a city - connecting with your community, supporting local, taking little walks into new or familiar neighborhoods... you'll leave with lots of ideas for tiny ways you can incorporate the outdoors into your summer. Thanks to our sponsor today! Babbel.com/EcoChic for 55% off Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carissa Cabrera is a marine biologist and content creator dedicated to connecting people with conservation! We sit down for a conversation on all things ocean: how she became a marine biologist, the links between the ocean and climate change, and the role of content creators in sharing solutions. Carissa also shares perspectives from her home in Hawaii on ethical conservation tourism and conservation entry points - experiences like snorkeling, or reef-safe sunscreen, or watching a sea turtle hatching that encourages *you* to care more about the environment at large. Find Carissa on TikTok @carissaandclimate + Instagram @carissaandclimate Find FutureSwell on Instagram at @FutureSwell Listen to FutureSwell's Sustainability & The Sea Podcast here on Apple Related episodes: Reef Safe Sunscreens: Are They Truly Better? Conscious Travel + EcoTourism | Sophia Toomb Thanks to our sponsors today! HelloFresh.com/EcoChic50 and use code EcoChic50 for 50% off + free shipping AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code EcoChic for up to 39% off or up to $300 off Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jessica Clifton is a sustainable lifestyle content creator and public lands enthusiast (like me!). On this very chatty episode, we talk about our favorite National Parks and how Jess recommends folks begin participating in more outdoor recreation - we talk about camping, involving friends and family, and her favorite parts about spending a weekend outdoors. Jess hosts Eco Retreats, where she brings a group with her to spend a week in a National Park with the goal of connecting with themselves, others, and nature. We talk all about the impact and success of these retreats - she has a few spots left for one she's leading to Zion this fall! Learn more about Jess' Eco Retreats here. Thanks to our sponsor today! CarawayHome.com/ECO for 10% off Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Attempting today to tackle the classic environmentalist debate: is plastic bad? We're going through a brief history of plastic - from its accidental discovery to the WW2 utility of polythene, to how it ended up in American households (plus: Tupperware parties' influence on modern feminism). We're then reviewing how single use plastics became so prevalent in our world, and what how we as consumers should react to their negative environmental impact. We also highlight microplastics, the value of recycling plastics (or not?), and single-use plastic ban policies. Thanks to our sponsor today! JoinCrowdHealth.com, code EcoChic Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the orange haze coating NYC this week, there's been a lot of discussion about the unusual wildfires on Canada's east coast - while communities in the west worry about wildfires year-round, climate is becoming more unpredictable, so it's time to normalize these conversations from coast to coast. Today's episode is your introduction to wildfires - how the start, why they start, and how we work to prevent them from becoming too destructive. You'll leave with a great basis to discuss current events and a deeper understanding of how every natural event is clearly tied to a warming planet. Thanks to our sponsors! CarawayHome.com/ECO for 10% off HelloFresh.com/EcoChic16 and code EcoChic16 for 16 free meals + free shipping Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friend, content creator, and eco fashionista Megan McSherry (@acteevism ig / @acteevism tt) joins us today to discuss her slow fashion journey - including her data driven approach to closet audits (and why she's tracking her outfits every day this year!). Megan also opens up about her experience being diagnosed with Lyme disease, and how living with chronic illness influenced her sustainability habits and beliefs. We close discussing fashion policy she's excited to see gaining momentum across the US. Thanks to our sponsor today! JoinCrowdHealth.com and use code ECOCHIC Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you're in a reading rut or just trying to add some environmental themes onto your TBR, today's episode definitely has you covered. We're discussing *lots* of books - fiction, non-fiction, and my personal favorite genre, memoirs. Themes include climate change, fashion, business, and personal growth... something for everyone picking their next read. More bookish episodes for you: Book Club with Jessica Clifton: Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy Book Club with Zahra Biabani: How to Avoid A Climate Disaster by Bill Gates Book Club with Morgan Cook: Consumed by Aja Barber Book Club with Kathleen Sheppard: Let My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard Book Club with Sameera Polavarapu: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer Influence, Book Deals + Individual Action with Ashlee Piper Thanks to our sponsor today! GreenChef.com/EcoChic60 + use code EcoChic60 for 60% off Check out Book of the Month here, first book is $5 - not an ad! Just something I mentioned and love receiving each month! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alán Sneider is the Director of Impact for Primestor Development, a socially conscious urban real estate firm, keenly focused on equitable, sustainable, community-driven revitalization. Through the lens of Los Angeles, Alán discusses the value of public transportation - how it's currently organized, and the opportunity to massively rethink it. We learn about redlining, and how it has continued to impact communities despite no longer being formally enforced by government. We also discuss green spaces, food deserts, and successful community engagement. We close with our reflections on what it means to be a truly sustainable community. Alán Sneider earned a graduate certificate in Sustainable Cities and Communities from Harvard Extension School. He earned his M.S. in Sustainability Management from Columbia University. Alán also earned his undergraduate degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in real estate from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business. Links for you: The Lasting Legacy Of Redlining (Ryan Best and Elena Mejia; FiveThirtyEight) Opinion: Want to tear down insidious monuments to racism and segregation? Bulldoze L.A. freeways (Matthew Fleischer, LA Times) California's History of Poor Public Transit Affects the Working Class (Santa Clara University Journalism) Thanks to our sponsor today! GreenChef.com/EcoChic60 + use code EcoChic60 for 60% off Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sophia Toomb (@sophiaxverde) joins us to discuss all things sustainable travel, an often hush-hush activity in the world of environmentalism. Sophia gives actionable tips and reflections for planning a conscious travel experience, from where you're staying to the activities you're choosing while at your destination. We also get into some controversial topics, like voluntourism, Airbnb, and corporate give-back programs. Today's conversation is chatty, funny, and full of immediately helpful guidance on how to become a more ethical, environmentally-focused travel. Find Sophia on TikTok @sophiaxverde and Instagram @sophiaxverde. Listen to Sophia on our episode 166: Sustainable Weddings: Chic Chats. Thanks to our sponsor today! CarawayHome.com/ECO or use code ECO for 10% off Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With warmer months upon us, we're discussing a hot topic in the marine sustainability space: reef safe sunscreens. We're overviewing the 'why' behind these products, and what motivates cities to enact policies supporting these SPFs, plus what to look for when you're making a purchase. We're also discussing some of the controversy surrounding these products... spoiler alert: companies love greenwashing tactics! More on reef safe sunscreens: Your Guide to Reef Safe Sunscreens (Surf Rider Foundation) The Truth About 'Reef Safe' Sunscreens (Consumer Reports) Opinion | Is Your Sunscreen Poisoning the Ocean? (New York Times) Thanks to our sponsors today! AirDoctorPro.com/EcoChic for up to 39% off or $300 off PeaceCoffee.com/EcoChic for 40% off + free shipping Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Earth Day! We're walking through 5 tips on how to elevate your sustainable habits - if you're already living an eco-conscious lifestyle, today's episode will help you level up those hobbies and routines. Whatever your inclinations may be, this episode aims to support you in how you travel, eat, shop, learn ... and everything else. Thanks to our sponsor today! GreenChef.com/EcoChic60 and use code EcoChic60 for 60% off Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zahra Biabani joins us (again!) for a conversation around her first book, Climate Optimism: Climate Wins and Creating Systemic Change Around the World. We discuss biases around climate that lead to doomism, Global South innovations, and how individuals can influence systemic change. Zahra is a youth climate activist, entrepreneur, and influencer. She is the CEO and Founder of In the Loop AI (which she discuss on this episode of ECO CHIC!) Order Zahra's first book Climate Optimism here! Thanks to our sponsors today! CarawayHome.com/ECO or use code ECO for 10% off peacecoffee.com promo code ECOCHIC40 Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kristy Drutman, founder of Brown Girl Green and Green Jobs Board, is joining us (irl!) to share perspectives on the green economy, especially through the lens on diversity, equity, and inclusion. She is also sharing an incredible trove of tangible tips on navigating this rapidly changing career field - how to find allies and 'win' within traditional workplace structures; how to find a mentor; how to know what kind of green job is right for you; and so much more. Thanks to our sponsor today! peacecoffee.com promo code ECOCHIC40 Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zahra Biabani joins IRL to share the behind-the-scenes of newly launched In The Loop AI, an artificial intelligence tool making secondhand shopping more accessible to buyers and sellers. Pre-order Zahra's first book Climate Optimism here! Thanks to our sponsor today! CarawayHome.com/ECOCHIC or use code ECOCHIC for 10% Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

215: With so much public outcry this week around the Willow Project, we're zooming out to ask how these new oil and gas lines are still being funded - who's supplying the proposed $8 billion? We discuss big banks, divestment, and the Biden Administration's shaky commitment to climate goals as the world races to keep warming below 1.5C. More for you: Ep 200: Voting on Climate | The Girl & The Gov Ep 191: Divesting, Philanthropy + Value-Driven Spending | Sharon Schneider Climate advocates are rallying against the Willow Project. The White House is eyeing concessions to soften the blow (CNN) Fossil Fuel Finance Report 2022: Banking on Climate Chaos (Rainforest Alliance Network + others) Willow Fact Sheet (ConocoPhillips) Patagonia's Official Comment on the Willow Project (Patagonia) Sign the Change.org petition opposing Willow Project Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Teal Lehto (@WesternWaterGirl) is a science communicator superstar with 54K+ followers on TikTok, where she breaks down some of the most significant challenges surrounding the western water crisis. Today, we're doing our best to explore the multi-faceted problem: where is all the water actually being used, and why haven't we solved this problem yet? We discuss the weird history of water rights and aversion to conservation, plus the long-ignored needs of Indigenous communities. The Colorado River Basin consists of seven states plus the country of Mexico - how are there are millions of people cautiously waiting for the western water system to collapse? Teal also discusses social media activism, her platform, and the role of recreation in bringing environmental issues to the masses. More episodes for you: Ep 178: The Drought: Water Policy, Fires, + Solutions for the American West | Gabrielle Canon 152: Heat Waves, Mega Drought, and Wildfires, Oh My... Books recommended by Teal: The Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko Where The Water Goes by David Owen Thank you to our sponsor today! CarawayHome.com/ECOCHIC or use code ECOCHIC for 10% off Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're rewinding to our first ever book club: a conversation with Megan McSherry on the iconic, juicy, insider look of the luxury fashion industry as told through Dana Thomas' Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster. We discuss the “democratization” of luxury fashion, consumer psychology, celebrity product placement, “it” bags, perfumes… everything that you've ever wondered about the behind-the-scenes of the luxury fashion industry, this book got into. We also share some of our favorite iconic luxury fashion moments, retrospective disdain for trends, and the value of artisanship. Spoiler alert: we discuss why we don't believe an Hermes Birkin Bag should fall into the same vague “luxury” category as a Louis Vuitton. More for you: Ep 181: The Evolution of the It Bag: Stuff for Status Thanks to our sponsor! EarthBreeze.com/ECOCHIC for 40% off Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

De-influencing is the TikTok trend we've been waiting for! Conscious consumption is finally getting its mainstream moment - or is it here to stay? We're breaking down the two major benefits of being de-influenced - why is it actually amazing we're spending less money and acquiring less stuff? We're also brainstorming how content creators may "capitalize" on this moment to actually create more impactful, authentic relationships. Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When did we start thinking of furniture as disposable? Today we're discussing the under-exaggerated problem of fast furniture: cheap, low quality, and mass-produced pieces designed to be dumped. We're breaking down (ha) two iconic fast furniture items, and exploring tips for your next point-of-purchase furniture decision. Thanks to our sponsor today! Use code ECOCHIC at CarawayHome.com for 10% off. More for you: Ep 196: Creating Thoughtful Spaces | Amanda Gunawan, OWIU Designs ‘Fast Furniture' Is Cheap. And Americans Are Throwing It in the Trash. (NY Times) Fast furniture: what's wrong with it and 7 ways to make better choices (for you and the planet) (Heidi Bischoff, 2019) Ikea keeps price of popular Billy Bookcase the cheapest in Euro zone (Independent UK) Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The news of a major nuclear fusion breakthrough seemed to break the internet last month - we've all got questions, and we're all so excited about this new potential renewable energy source. I'm deeply honored to be joined by Dr. Tammy Ma, Lead Scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility, to discuss this scientific milestone. Dr. Ma explains the significance of this ignition reaction for the scientific and energy communities, challenges to scale, and the incredible potential benefits of energy access worldwide. Dr. Tammy Ma earned her bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from Caltech in 2005, then received her master's degree in 2008, and Ph.D. in 2010, both from the University of California, San Diego. Following graduate school, she completed a postdoc at LLNL before becoming a staff scientist in 2012. Ma was recently awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Science and Engineering, the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on early-career science and engineering professionals. She also received the American Physical Society 2016 Thomas H. Stix Award for Outstanding Early Career Contributions to Plasma Physics Research. Articles for your nuclear fusion curiosities: Scientists Achieve Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough With Blast of 192 Lasers (NY Times) Why nuclear fusion is so exciting (Harvard Gazette) DOE National Laboratory Makes History by Achieving Fusion Ignition (US Dept of Energy) Thanks to our sponsor! Use code ECOCHIC60 for 60% at GreenChef.com/ECOCHIC60 PS - I'm hiring! Email your resume to me at laura@lauraediez.com with a blurb about why you'd feel you'd be a good fit to support ECO CHIC's PR/marketing. Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emma Hakansson is the Founding Director of Collective Fashion Justice, a not-for-profit working for a fashion system that upholds total ethics: prioritizing justice for animals, people and the planet. Emma and I discuss leather, exotic animal skins, and the shifting role of both fashion houses and consumers in accelerating a more just fashion industry. We also discuss Emma's viral TikTok protesting outside an Hermes store for the #DropCroc campaign, and how to eloquently encourage those around you to consider more ethical fashion choices. Collective Fashion Justice is actively releasing reports in a four-part series called Under Their Skin. The latest new report, ‘Leather's Impact on the Planet' is a fabulous collection of data and research surrounding the destruction linked to cattle skin and leather production, tanning, and product manufacturing. Last call! Fill out the survey ECO CHIC end-of-year survey here - should take you only a minute and helps me out so much! PS - I'm hiring! Email your resume to me at laura@lauraediez.com with a blurb about why you'd feel you'd be a good fit to support ECO CHIC's PR/marketing. Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tis the season to set our New Years Resolutions! I'll admit I love setting these goals for the year - I am sharing tips + frameworks for how to actually achieve your goals (whatever time of year it is), and sharing some examples of where you can zoom in on your much broader commitment to "be more sustainable." Fill out the quickie end of the year survey here!!! Help us make (and keep) ECO CHIC your favorite podcast. Thanks to our sponsor! TryBite.com/ECOCHIC for 20% off Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carinne Chambers-Saini is the founder and CEO of Diva (formerly DivaCup). She is an iconic trailblazer in the menstrual health space, with an industry disruptive brand that has mainstreamed menstrual cups worldwide. Carinne is a passionate advocate for period equity, and has made menstrual care eco-friendly, clean, and comfortable to talk about. We speak intimately today about menstrual education, how she has created a company culture of care, and the early days of entrepreneurship with such an innovative new product to the sanitary care aisle. You can watch Pandora's Box: Lifting the Lid on Menstruation here on YouTube. Thanks to our sponsor today! Use code ECOCHIC for 20% off at Everlywell.com Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The annual quickie Black Friday episode! We're all feeling the pressure to shop for ourselves, to shop off TikTok gift guides, to overbuy when we're starting early.... today's conversation will hopefully help us think more mindfully around what we're giving and how we're navigating sales. Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heidi Harmon is the former Mayor of San Luis Obispo, CA and currently serves as Senior Public Affairs Director of Let's Green CA!. She discusses impactful climate policies from her time in office, including affordable housing, sanctuary cities, and fighting utilities in phasing out methane gas in buildings. We also talk about electrification - personal vehicles, infrastructure, public transportation... imagining a world of climate-positive "public luxuries." Thanks to our sponsor! TryBite.com/ECOCHIC Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are overviewing the top climate solutions across four major sectors demanding major overhaul to heavily decarbonize: Transportation, the Built Environment, Food/Agriculture, and Electricity. As we are awaiting climate commitments from the currently-underway COP27, let's understand all the interwoven opportunities to meet our goals of keeping warming below 2C. Sectors discussed + resources: Ep 157: All About COP: Climate Commitments + Inequities at the UN Conference of Parties Transportation Ep 203: The Power of Walkable Cities Press release: DOE and DOT Launch Joint Effort to Build Out Nationwide Electric Vehicle Charging Network (US Dept of Energy, US Dept of Transportation) Transportation Electrification (Western Resource Advocates) Built Environment Alternate Cement (Drawdown) Ep 196: Creating Thoughtful Spaces | Amanda Gunawan Food/agriculture Examining America's Farm Subsidy Problem (CATO Institute) This is how much meat and dairy hurt the climate (Vox) How composting can reduce our impact on the planet (UN Environmental Programme) Electricity Ep 168: Why Does Texas Lose Power During Storms? Power Grid 101 + The History of Electricity in the US Emissions by sector: IPCC AR5 WG3 Page 7 Electricity sector page (Drawdown) Thanks to our sponsors today! Everlywell.com/ECOCHIC for 20% off (I got the food sensitivity test!!) ShedTheSilence.com Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at laura@lauraediez.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices