Becoming Less

Keep on Sewing

Wanna get into sewing? Opt for a used machine instead of buying new. The oldies are often hardier and simpler than new machines and you'll be giving it a new life, rather than see it go to landfill! 
 
Find Paul and take advantage of his services at https://www.facebook.com/PDHSewing/
 
As always, you can donate to help reduce waste at wastefree.ca

Bizz's Journal #2: Camping with Muggles

You're an environmentalist, Harry! And we perform magic! Sometimes, though, we have to walk among the non-treehuggers and can't risk exposing our world, lest we start a conflict. 
 
Pretty proud that I kept my waste down to four tea bags and a bandaid for the two-night back-country trip. But I also watched other campers throw their individual plastic meal packets directly into the fire. 
 
Donate to help reduce waste at wastefree.ca
Find all the ways to listen and connect at linktr.ee/becominglesspod

Covid and Reusables

One of the most frustrating things about COVID-19 (you know, other than the disease itself) is the fact that we can't use reusables such as mugs, grocery bags and bulk containers. This is having a terrible impact on the waste reduction movement. We are trying to protect ourselves from a current crisis, only to be contributing to a possibly even more threatening crisis in the future. 
 
Support Waste Free Edmonton here: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=DC8U8JHCPFCVC&source=url
 
Read the document about resuables being safe here: https://bioplasticsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Reusable-Safe-Statement.pdf
 
Write to businesses you [want to] patronize regularly and let them know you want reusables back! Leave reviews! Call them out on social media! Let's not get through one emergency just to create another.
 
Do your best with what you have available. I may not be eating a lot of chocolate or drinking a lot of lattes right now, but self-care is important, however that looks to you! (I have spent a lot more time exercising. Hmmm... maybe this has been good for me...)

Plastic Free July

Plastic Free July is a global movement to reduce plastic pollution. We talk about the challenge, changes we've made in our lives, how to find more information and some other little random tidbits.
 
Support Waste Free Edmonton at wastefree.ca or becominglesspod.podbean.com
 
Things we talk about include:
 
Plastic Free July - plasticfreejuly.org
Atomic Habits - jamesclear.com/books
Adidas FutureCraft: www.adidas.ca/en/futurecraft?consent-level=2
 

Getting Green Off The Ground

10 years ago getting an eco-friendly business off the ground may have been much more difficult. Karina tells us her story and talks about how her passion hasn't died, regardless of the obstacles she faced. There is a shift happening... slowly. It's so nice to see some green businesses flourishing now, even through a pandemic. 
 
Donate to support Waste Free Edmonton by going to wastefree.ca or visit us at becominglesspod.podbean.com for more episodes and other ways to reach out!
 
Greenaholic: https://www.facebook.com/Greenaholics/

6Rs of Sustainability: Reuse

When we think "reuse" most of us think of reusable items like water bottles and grocery bags, but let's talk about the impact of those reusable items and how the "reuse" branch of sustainability can be applied in other ways.
Things we talk about:
Donate to Waste Free Edmonton at becominglesspod.podbean.com or wastefree.ca
Single-Use Plastics Ban, Edmonton: https://wastefree.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/WFE-SUP-Bylaw-Provisions.pdf
Single-Use Plastics Ban, Canada: https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/1534921795978/?jwsource=cl
Embedded energy in reusable straws: https://www.appropedia.org/HSU_straw_analysis

Bizz's Journal #1: The Illusive Cable

Sometimes it can be really hard to choose between meeting deadlines and holding true to your values. I believe the pendulum of convenience has swung too far. I held true (with some amount of trepidation that people would be disappointed in the gap in episodes) to finding a used cable, rather than running out and buying one new, when I know there are so many already out in the world. 

Meet Emily, The New Co-Host!

A new co-host has joined the Becoming Less team! Emily is a Waste-Free Edmonton volunteer and is just as enthusiastic about waste reduction as I am! We talk about how we came to find our passion for reducing waste, and get to know each other a little bit, as the two of us only just met. You will be able to hear Emily's angelic voice every couple of weeks going forward. Welcome to Becoming Less, Emily!
If you would like to support waste reduction efforts, please consider donating at wastefree.ca or becominglesspod.podbean.com
 
Things we talk about include:
8:55 - Muttart Conservatory
13:50 - “Agrology is the branch of soil science dealing with the production of crops. The use of the term is most active in Canada. Use of the term outside Canada is sporadic but significant. The term appears especially well established in Russia and China, with agrologists on university faculty lists and agrology curricula.” Wikipedia
32:03 – Transcend Coffee
38:38 – Jack59
43:12 – Arturo Denim Co.
46:43 - Waste Free Edmonton

6 Rs of Sustainability #2: Reduce

Let’s hone in on the second R of Sustainability: Reduce
Some things we talk about are:
Car emission stats:
https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/greenhouse-gas-emissions-typical-passenger-vehicle
https://dashboard.edmonton.ca/stat/goals/yujd-4pdd/etge-hz36/kmuu-rpk6#:~:text=The%20City%20of%20Edmonton's%20total,of%20Edmonton%20increased%20by%203%25.
https://dashboard.edmonton.ca/stat/goals/yujd-4pdd/etge-hz36/vtyt-psky
Capsule wardrobe: https://www.tomsofmaine.com/good-matters/thinking-sustainably/what-is-a-capsule-wardrobe-who-does-it-benefit-and-how-to-adopt-#:~:text=Environmental%20Benefits%20of%20a%20Capsule%20Wardrobe&text=The%20purpose%20is%20for%20those,waste%20to%20landfills%20every%20year.
Marie Kondo: https://konmari.com/

A Trip to Korea

I chat with my eco-friend Ashley about her trip to Korea, renewable energy, and the impacts of eating meat. 
 
So it's not his Facebook page, but here is Alex Honnold's (mentioned in this episode) list of environmental book recommendations, which is probably better than Facebook anyway! 
And some more information about St Albert's Electric Buses.