Sustainable in the Suburbs

Back in 2020, I was a guest on the now inactive podcast Practical(ly) Zero Waste, hosted by Elsbeth Callaghan. At the time, my kids were little, the zero waste movement online was deep in its “trash jar” era, and many of us were trying to figure out what sustainable living looked like outside of perfectly curated Instagram squares.
Six years later, a lot has changed.
Kids are older, life looks different, and both of us have let go of a lot of the pressure and aesthetics that surrounded zero waste in those early online days. But underneath all of that, the values are still very much the same.
In this full-circle conversation for Episode 50 of Sustainable in the Suburbs, Elsbeth and I talk about what sustainable living looks like now: parenting teenagers and young kids, balancing low waste goals with real life, navigating burnout and social media, building community, and why consistency matters a whole lot more than perfection.
We also talk about what we’ve kept, what we’ve let go of, and how many of the “small shifts” we started years ago have quietly become lifelong habits.
Takeaways
Why sustainable living looks very different after years of actually living it
The shift from perfection and aesthetics toward values and consistency
Raising eco-conscious kids through everyday habits rather than pressure
How composting, secondhand shopping, and reusables became family routines
The connection between sustainability, community, and raising responsible citizens
Why slowing down is often the most sustainable choice
How “eco-frugal” living can save money while reducing waste
Navigating low waste living with celiac disease and accessibility needs
One Small Shift
You can always start again.
Even if you’ve fallen out of old habits, even if life looks completely different now, small intentional changes still matter. Start with one thing that feels manageable and build from there.
Resources
Practical(ly) Zero Waste
PZW - Ep. 69: Raising Eco Kids
Inkwood Print Shop
Related Episodes
4: How to Conduct a Household Waste Audit
11: Money, Enoughness, and Community Care with Women’s Personal Finance
12: How to Quit Using Amazon (and Why You Should)
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Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d love it if you followed the show, shared it with a friend, or left a rating and review. Every little bit helps more people find Sustainable in the Suburbs — and live a little greener.

In this episode, I’m talking about what sustainable living with kids actually looks like in real life. Not the Instagram version — the real version. The conversations, the habits, the overwhelm, the convenience culture, and the small shifts that slowly become part of how your family moves through the world.
Takeaways
Kids learn consumption habits by watching us
Sustainable living with kids is about buying less, not buying “eco” products
Convenience culture is deeply connected to overwhelm and mental load
Small habits shape how kids think about waste, spending, and consumption
Involving kids in the “why” helps sustainability become a mindset
Sustainability conversations naturally deepen as kids grow
It’s never too late to start having these conversations as a family
One Small Shift
Have a family conversation about consumption, waste, or sustainability this week. Ask your kids what they notice, what they care about, and what ideas they have. You might be surprised by the answers.
Resources
10 Tips for Going Zero With Kids
How to Do a Trash Audit With Kids
Thrift Shopping for Kids
How to Prevent Food Waste With Kids
Becoming a Zero Waste Family
How to Pack a Zero Waste School Lunch
Related Episodes
Ep. 16: Sustainable Living with Kids — Save Money and Reduce Waste with Jessica Nakamura
Ep. 17: How to Raise Eco-Friendly Kids with Talayna Zacharias
Ep. 22: From Refills to Resilience — Simple, Real-Life Sustainable Living with Julie Darrell
Ep. 32: Overstimulation, Overconsumption, and the Pressure to Do More with Gillian Gabryluk
Ep. 40 – How to Host a Zero Waste Birthday Party for Kids 
Ep. 46: How to Talk to Kids About Climate Change with Brittany Jefferson
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Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d love it if you followed the show, shared it with a friend, or left a rating and review. Every little bit helps more people find Sustainable in the Suburbs — and live a little greener.

Sustainability advice is everywhere — and even when you care, even when you’re trying to pay attention, it can be hard to know what actually matters.
In this episode, I’m joined by Alexa Pavan of Go Green With Alexa, a climate communicator and copywriter who’s focused on making sustainability more understandable, more approachable, and a lot more connected to real life.
We talk about what it looks like to move through all of that information — how to figure out what’s credible, what’s actually helpful, and how to take those bigger ideas and bring them into your day-to-day life.
From composting and food waste to media literacy and community action, this conversation is about finding your footing in a space that can feel overwhelming and remembering that sustainability doesn’t have to be complicated to matter.
Takeaways
Sustainability advice can feel overwhelming — slowing down and checking sources helps you build confidence in what you’re seeing and sharing.
Food waste is one of the most impactful places to start, both environmentally and financially.
Composting is a powerful way to reduce waste, especially when it’s supported at a larger, community level.
Sustainable living looks different in every household — it needs to fit your life to stick.
Small, everyday choices can extend beyond the home and shape communities and local systems.
Civic engagement is part of building greener communities.
Creativity and problem-solving are part of sustainable living.
One Small Shift
Start paying attention to what’s around you. Get curious about the life cycle of an object near you. Building awareness is the first step toward making more intentional choices.
Connect With Alexa
Website
Instagram
YouTube
Resources
Household Waste Audit Workbook (free resource)
How to Prevent Food Waste With Kids (blog post)
11 Ways to Reuse Food Scraps (blog post)
Related Episodes
24: 5 Sustainable Living Mistakes to Avoid (and What to Do Instead)
45: Food Waste Is Costing You — How to Spend Less on Groceries with Chelsey Schmuland
46: How to Understand Climate Change (and Talk About It With Your Kids) with Brittany Jefferson
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Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d love it if you followed the show, shared it with a friend, or left a rating and review. Every little bit helps more people find Sustainable in the Suburbs — and live a little greener.

Bathroom swaps are one of the most common entry points into sustainable living — but they can also be one of the most overwhelming.
There are so many products, so many recommendations, and so much pressure to replace everything all at once.
In this episode of Sustainable in the Suburbs, I’m talking about what it actually looks like to approach sustainable bathroom swaps in a way that’s doable, practical, and budget-friendly. The focus is on using what you already have, reducing repeat purchases, and making changes that actually stick in real life.
We dig into how much waste is coming from the bathroom, why so many of these items are designed to be used and replaced quickly, and how shifting your approach can naturally reduce both waste and spending over time.
I also walk through what has (and hasn’t) worked in my own routine — from bar soap and toothpaste to deodorant and other everyday products — and why simplifying your routine can often be more impactful than swapping everything out.
Takeaways
Why the bathroom is a major source of household waste 
Start with what you already have instead of buying new “eco swaps”
Which sustainable bathroom swaps tend to work in real life (and which don’t always)
Simplify your routine instead of adding more products
How small, consistent changes can reduce waste without overhauling everything
One Small Shift
Take an inventory of what you already have in your bathroom and focus on finishing those products first. From there, you can make more intentional choices about what you actually want to replace (and what you don’t).
Resources
Eco-Friendly Bathroom Swaps (blog post)
Related Episodes
4: How to Do a Household Waste Audit
8: 5 Easy Plastic-Free Kitchen Swaps for Sustainable Living
9: Skincare, Sustainability, and Self-Care with Rebecca Ogilvie
10: How to Refill in Your Own Containers for a Plastic-Free Pantry
22: From Refills to Resilience — Simple, Real-Life Sustainable Living with Julie Darrell
38: Things I Don’t Buy Anymore — Eco-Frugal Shifts That Reduce Waste and Save Money
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Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d love it if you followed the show, shared it with a friend, or left a rating and review. Every little bit helps more people find Sustainable in the Suburbs — and live a little greener.

We spend a lot of time talking about climate change — but not nearly enough time understanding it.
Most of us were never really taught how to understand it, especially in a way that connects it to history, systems, power, and the everyday decisions we’re making.
This week, I’m joined by Brittany Jefferson, an educator and founder of EJ EDU, to talk about climate literacy — what it means, why it matters, and how it shapes the way we think about everything from education to environmental justice.
We talk about why climate can’t just live in science class, what’s missing from how it’s typically taught, and how understanding the bigger picture can change the way we approach sustainability.
We also bring this into everyday life — from raising kids and navigating climate anxiety to having conversations at home and taking local climate action.
Takeaways
What climate literacy actually means 
Why social studies, history, and systems thinking are essential to understanding climate change
Environmental justice and who is most affected by the systems we live in
The role of education as a climate solution
How kids are already engaging with climate — from curiosity to overwhelm
Ways to approach climate conversations at home in age-appropriate, grounded ways
Navigating the tension between individual action and systemic change
One Small Shift
Download the Climate Venn Diagram. It’s a simple but powerful way to figure out where your skills, your interests, and the needs of the world overlap — and where you can focus your time and energy.
Connect with Brittany
Instagram
Patreon
Teachers Pay Teachers
Resources
All We Can Save – Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (book)
What If We Get It Right? – Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (book)
How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change - Harriet Shugarman (book)
Earth Matters (educational game)
Related Episodes
Ep. 5: How to Navigate Climate Emotions with Jen Knoch
Ep. 7: Rethinking Zero Waste with April Dickinson
Ep. 42: Overwhelmed by Climate Change? The Climate Venn Diagram Can Help
Support the show
Connect With Me
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Support the Show
Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d love it if you followed the show, shared it with a friend, or left a rating and review. Every little bit helps more people find Sustainable in the Suburbs — and live a little greener.