A Little Greener

Greening Your Bathroom Routine

One way to make your lifestyle a little greener is to focus on one area at a time to see what changes make sense for you. This week, Casey and Sara zero in on the bathroom. From showers to shaving and toothpaste to toilet paper, they discuss ways to reduce water and electricity and suggest some sustainable swaps that might work for your routine. 

Minisode: Updates on Life and News

Has your week been as hectic as ours? This week, Casey and Sara take a break from full-length episodes to bring you some life updates and share some recent news related to past episodes. Take a few minutes to relax and enjoy our first "minisode" and don't forget to get some time in nature this week!

Conserving Hope

From plastic pollution to climate change to animal extinctions, environmental issues can sometimes leave us feeling overwhelmed and discouraged. This week, Sara and Casey discuss how we can hold on to hope and stay positive in spite of the challenges, as we all keep working to be a little greener. Casey also gives a review of Drilled, a true-crime podcast about climate change. Resources for this episode can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/algep116

Protecting Marine Mammals

Whether it's the "cute factor," their intelligence, or the mysterious nature of their lives under the sea, marine mammals capture our attention. Unfortunately, these amazing animals (this group includes everything from sea otters to manatees to whales) also face a wide variety of threats. But there's good news here! This week, Casey and Sara discuss the Marine Mammal Protection Act here in the United States, as well as other international regulations and agreements that are protecting marine mammals worldwide. Show notes for this episode can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/algep115

Plastics 101: The Good, The Bad, and The Future

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past several years, you've likely heard a thing or two about plastic pollution. This week, Sara and Casey discuss why plastics receive so much attention from conservation and environmental groups and look ahead to what the future of plastic production might be like. Casey also gives us a review of the OXO .75 gallon compost bin, and your hosts discuss some of their favorite sustainable lifestyle changes. Show notes for the episode can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/algep114

Building a Sustainable Closet

When you put together an outfit, you're probably thinking about things like the fit, the feel, and the functionality, and not so much the environmental impact. But, the production and disposal of our clothing contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and human rights issues, among other things. This week, Casey and Sara talk about the impacts of "fast fashion" and how to reduce, reuse, rethink, and recycle our way to a more sustainable (but still fashionable) wardrobe. Sara also shares a review of the Seek app. Some of the resources used for this episode can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/algep113

Insect Apocalypse?

While insects might not be high on the list of favorite animals for many people, these small but mighty creatures are vital pollinators and decomposers, not to mention an essential part of the food web as both predators and prey. However, you may have seen recent articles warning of a looming “insect apocalypse.” No, we’re not talking about swarms of insects rising up to destroy humanity. In fact, just the opposite. The articles suggest we are seeing drastic declines in insect populations that could have catastrophic results for our planet. But, is this what the data is truly showing? This week, Sara and Casey discuss what we know about insect populations, the inherent challenges of insect conservation, and what we can all do to help our six-legged friends.  They also share their favorite and least favorite animals, and Casey gives us an overview of the Bird Names for Birds movement. Show notes can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/algep112

Wildlife and Roads

Why did the turtle cross the road? Well, probably to find a mate, nesting site, or to get back home. Unfortunately, crossing roads is no joke for wildlife and can have a big impact on a wide variety of species. This week, Casey and Sara discuss how roads affect wildlife and some ways that we can try to reduce the impact. Sara also shares a review of the Netflix documentary Chasing Coral.

Why We Love Bats

On the 10th episode of ALG, Sara and Casey discuss why they love bats--and why you should, too! Learn about some of the unique traits of bats, discover how these furry fliers benefit the environment, and get introduced to "the happy bat." Casey also gives a review of the book Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery. You can find some of the resources for this episode here: https://tinyurl.com/algep110 

An Episode about Beef

At some point in the past few years, you've probably heard something on the news about the impact of beef on the environment. Why is that? Why do we hear so much about beef compared to other types of meat? How does beef production tie into climate change? Casey and Sara break some of this down in this week's episode, as well as what we can do to lessen our impact (and no, you don't have to give up your holiday weekend barbecue). Casey and Sara also share some of their nature adventures from the week, and Sara gives us a review of the television show Wild Kratts. Resources for this episode can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/algep109