During the time that humans have existed on this planet, we have gone through multiple transitions. Each of those transitions have changed the course of humanity and ultimately improved our standard of living. It has also made our lives just a little bit easier. In our modern culture, we no longer have to provide for ourselves. You can have anything you want with one click. In fact, ease and convenience is top of the list for most people, not the impact they are having on the planet. But when it comes to a sustainable lifestyle convenience is not the king. It is our addiction to convenience that is one of the common roadblocks to sustainable living. So join me for episode 176 where I continue to discuss how to overcome some of the common roadblocks to a sustainable lifestyle. Patrick

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast Episode 175 A Green Foot Forward: Overcoming the Roadblocks to Sustainable Living If you happen to have in-depth training or knowledge in a particular area it is easy to forget that many others do not have that same expertise. For example, the knowledge I have about the care of animals is second nature to me. Sometimes I forget there are many people who just do not understand the basics. But the same holds true when it comes to sustainable living. Such a lifestyle is second nature to me. Yet I see so many people who are interested but do not take the first step. Why is that? To answer that question I decided to focus the next few episodes on the barriers and roadblocks to leading a sustainable life and how to overcome them. So join me for E 175 The Barriers and Roadblocks to Sustainable Living Part One.

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast Episode 174 Habits for Success: The Little Things Make a Difference Have you ever wondered why people spend so much time on social media and then get depressed because they compare and despair? Have you ever wondered why 75% of our population feels that it is important to focus on living a sustainable life but they never take the time or put out the effort to make it happen. Has there ever been a time in our life that you risk everything in order to accomplish any one thing? When is the last time you stepped outside your comfort zone? When is the last time you set a big goal and achieved it? Yet such things are common place in the lives of successful people. So join me for E174 Habits for Success; the Little Things Make the Difference.

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast Episode 173 How to Vote with Your Dollars You have likely heard me say that our choices make changes. This is because our choices drive the market place. Now you may not think that your individual choices can make a difference. But, it is the cumulative results of the individual choices of the 7.8 billion people on this planet that has gotten us to where we are today. One of the easiest things you can do as a consumer is make better choices with the dollars that you spend. From the consumer goods you buy, to where you shop, to your choice of diet, to where you do your banking, there are numerous ways to vote with your dollars. So join me for E173 How to Vote with Your Dollars Patrick

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast Episode 172 Would We Be Naked Without Synthetic Fabrics? What exactly is a Spinning Jennie? Have you even heard of it? Few people these days own a sewing machine but surely we all have a concept of what it is and what it does. And even though not all of us have taken a chemistry class, we have some concept of a chemical concoction? But do you know what all of these things have in common? Certainly there can be no argument that advances in technology have dramatically changed our lives. New technology affects every single aspect of what we do, how we do it, and even right down to the clothes that we wear. But have you ever given any thought to what your clothes are actually made of. Are they natural, artificial, or synthetic? Do you even know the difference? So stay tuned for E Would We Be Naked Without Synthetic Fabrics?

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast Episode 171 Simple Rules Are All We Need I so often marvel at the complexity of our society. It seems as if things were so much simpler when I was a kid. Even when I first moved to Colorado and was working a construction job, life was pretty simple. Now it seems as if there are rules, rules, rules and so many other things that complicate our lives. And everyone seems to complain about it. But are all these rules really necessary or is it simply the result of our complicated society? As it turns out, simple rules lead to complex behavior both in animals and in people. And that is what I want to explore in this episode. The simple rules that lead to complex behavior and how that relates to sustainability. So join me for E171 Simple Rules Are All We Need.

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast Episode 170 The Cost of Convenience Few people would believe that I lived without running water and electricity for over 15 years. But I can tell you from first hand experience when you live that way it changes how you think. But the same is true with our modern conveniences. It changes how we think, or should I say don’t think. We no longer have to put any thought or energy into many of our daily activities. However, for that convenience we do pay a price. In our pursuit of over consumption we sacrifice our money, our physical health, our mental health, the environment, and simply the ability to problem solve for ourselves. Many would ask me about the true cost of sustainability. But I would ask “What is the true cost of convenience?” So join me for E170 The Cost of Convenience.

We live in a culture of over abundance. Unless you travel abroad, most of us have no concept of the level of poverty in the world. Yet 9.2% of the worlds population live on $2.15 a day. On a global basis 1.1 billion people live in poverty and in some countries as much as 80% of the population. But the question is do the people who live in wealthy countries bear some responsibility for those that are less fortunate? After all, part of the sustainability equation includes people. If we are to truly build a sustainable future we have to include everyone, even the most marginalized populations. So join me for episode 169 which is called To Whom Much is Given. Always remember to live sustainably because this is how we build a better future. Patrick

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast Episode 168 Can We Live Without Trees How many times per day do you walk by a tree and never give it any thought. It is almost as if we take trees for granted. They have always been there and we never think that there may come a time when they are gone. From my previous episode you may remember how many trees we use versus how many we plant. It is obvious from those numbers we are consuming this natural resource faster than it can be replenished. And that of course is a problem because sooner or later we are going to run out. But trees serve numerous purposes other than their obvious practical and commercial value. Beyond that could we actually live without trees? If you want to know the answer then stay tuned for E168 Can We Live Without Trees?

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast Episode 167 How to Go Paperless Most people never realize that paper usage is directly related to a nation’s wealth. The US and most European countries rank the highest in the world for paper usage. And this of course has a significant impact on the environment. Although it is impossible to calculate just how many trees are cut down each year for paper, estimates range between 4 billion and 8 billion. Some of that paper usage is due to food packaging and other necessities. But there are ways that we can reduce our paper usage and perhaps even go paperless. As is typically the case, it is a matter of changing our habits. And that is the focus of this episode which is tips and tricks to go paperless. So join me for E167 Fourteen Tips to Help You Go Paperless

The three pillars of sustainability are environment, economic and social. Less formally these pillars are known as people, planet and profits. Knowing this, I do think that we fail at supporting a vital part of these three pillars. It is so easy to speak of fair pay and equal opportunity regardless of race, gender, marital status, religious beliefs, disability or political opinions. And yet this is a vital part of sustainability that often gets overlooked and consequently social injustice is deeply threaded in our culture. I would contend that not only does social injustice undermine our efforts toward a sustainable future but also the two are completely disconnected in our present society. Stay tuned for E166, The Disconnect Between Justice and Sustainability. Always remember to live sustainably because this is how we build a better future. Patrick

As you likely know by now I am a big fan of having a garden and producing as much of my own food as possible. It is the best way to be certain I am consuming fresh organic produce. Not to mention it saves me a considerable amount of money. Despite the many advantages of having a garden only 1/3 of people on a global basis engage in any sort of gardening activity. Whatever the reason may be, that portion of our global population finds it more convenient to simply purchase what they need. But as it turns out, there are some rather disturbing things about our fresh produce that most people just don’t know. If they did, they would likely have a garden. So stay tuned to E165 14 Things You Never Knew About Grocery Story Produce. Always remember to live sustainably because this is how we build a better future. Patrick

Did you know that there are now approximately 150 chemicals in our homes that are connected to allergies, birth defects, psychological disorders as well as cancer. And this is actually old news. I have now met three different people who had numerous health problems, were on multiple medications, and were even given a poor long term prognosis for survival. But instead of accepting what their doctors said they took matters into their own hands. Each of them moved into a rural area, gave up all processed foods, ate only organic, and eliminated all toxic materials from their households. Within a year each one of these people said they were taken off all medications and their physical ailments completely disappeared. And if you want to learn more, then join me for E164 How to Detox Your Home. Always remember to live sustainably because this is how we build a better future. Patrick

If so often hear the question “What is the world coming to these days?” And while I would contend that the world is not coming to anything other than what the world has always been coming to, I do think that people are more fearful today than ever before. And there are several reasons for this. Part of the challenge in our modern society is that most of us are not taught to think and live independently. Everything we need is easily available and we are completely unsure of what to do if something goes wrong. Consequently, we are loosing our self confidence and that makes us insecure. A big part of being sustainable is being self reliant. A secondary benefit to self reliance is self confidence. So join me for E 163 How Self Reliance Builds Self Confidence. Always remember to live sustainable because this is how we build a better future. Patrick

Being sustainable often means providing a certain amount of things for yourself. Providing for yourself also has the added benefit of increasing your personal independence. A certain amount of independence also means more personal security. And few things provide more security than growing you own food. With the majority of our population now living in urban areas, most people have the impression that they cannot have a garden because they do not have a lot of space. If you are one of those people then think again. It is possible to produce a significant amount of you own food in as little as 6 x 8 foot space by having what is called a container garden. So stay with me for E162 which is called Tips and Tricks for Container Gardening. Always remember to live sustainably because this is how we build a better future. Patrick

There was a time when I went to the supermarket three to four times per week. Now I go maybe twice a month. It is astounding how much I used to spend on groceries compared to what I spend now. So how exactly did I drastically reduce my supermarket trips and how do I now save so much money. My success is a matter of growing a lot of things at home, having access to organic game meat, and being very careful not to waste anything at all. You may think this success is because we live on a homestead. But, many of the things we do can be accomplished no matter where you live. There are numerous ways to be creative including growing vegetables from scraps that you commonly throw out. So join me for E161 Don’t Pitch It Out! Plant It! Always remember to live sustainable because this is how we build a better future. Patrick

With working farms in my family self-reliance was not something we talked about because it was just how we lived. Presently because the homestead is somewhat isolated, a certain degree of self reliance is mandatory simply because help is not instantly accessible. But in our modern culture the average person is no longer self reliant nor do they see the need to live that way. But I would contend that despite our modern culture there is even more insecurity than ever because our world changes so rapidly, almost week to week. Consequently, self reliance is needed more than ever. But how did we get away from it? And if it is so necessary, how can we get it back? And that is the subject of this episode. How are we losing our self reliance and how can we get it back. Always remember to live sustainably because this is how we build a better future. Patrick

As you have likely heard me say before, I do not tend to pay a lot of attention to the trends of society and public opinion. This is because such things swing like a pendulum right along with our values. Additionally most of the time I tend to focus my attention on entirely different things than the typical concerns of the average person. That said, there is one societal trend that certainly has my attention. More and more people are making sustainable choices especially when it comes to their food. This is great news of course. But is this a short term cultural change or a foundational shift in perspective. And that is what I want to explore in this episode. So join me for E159 The Rising Demand for Sustainable Food. Always remember to live sustainably because this is how we build a better future. Patrick

Most likely you do not know that it was the discovery and manipulation of fire that was the first step in humanity’s separation from nature. Among many other things fire enabled humans to use biomass as a source of fuel. Eventually our comfort level increased to the point that nature was viewed as a resource instead of a place to live. We are now more separated from nature than ever before. The vast majority of us never stop to think about, much less appreciate how every single thing we do is connected to the natural world either directly or indirectly. And yet everyday we go about our business destroying the very thing we depend on. But there is something we can do about it. So join me for One Nature, One Future: the Five Biggest Threats to Our Natural World Always remember to live sustainably because this is how we build a better future. Patrick

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast Episode 157 A Cultural Transition: What the Fossil Fuel Industry Doesn't Want You to Know Throughout human existence there have been several significant transitions which have truly defined our history. Although these transitions have often improved our standard of living such things have always been met with resistance. This is because typically someone has something to lose. Whether it be an individual, a big business or the government, losing your position of advantage is typically troubling. We are now once again on the verge of a significant cultural transition. It is possible for us to have a green circular economy that is sustainable and we have the technology to back it up. But the fossil fuel industry has something to lose and there are a lot of things they simply don’t want you to know. So join me for E157 A Cultural Transition and What the Fossil Fuel Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know.