Second Nature

We heard from listeners that one of the top barriers to eating plant-based is who we eat with. So much of our food is rooted in culture and tradition, and breaking from the norms of our social circles may create some dinner table friction. But we’re here to help!On this episode, you’ll hear: Listeners share how they’re family reacted when they started eating plant-based. Tried and true advice on how to eat in harmony with meat eaters. How Isaias Hernandez’s family reacted when he became vegan and what his vision of a more equitable plant-based future looks like. Data-backed responses to the most common questions you mat get as a first-time plant-based eater. 🌎 For resources, photos of our contributors, citations, and further reading, check the full show notes.📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show.📱 To join the Commons community, download the app.📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram.Episode creditsListener contributions: Amea Wadsworth, Daria Panova, Diana Holguin, Drew Crabtree, Jacqueline Elliott, Joëlle  Provost, Kellie Rana, Kimberly Foley, Lawrence Hott, Sameera Mokkarala‍Featuring: Isaias Hernandez and Sanchali Seth Pal‍Editing and engineer: Evan Goodchild‍Hosting and production: Katelan Cunningham

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our use of Amazon has skyrockted, making the company the second biggest U.S. parcel carrier after the US Postal Service. Amazon has become the poster child for convenience culture, but the time we save for the sake of convenience is putting us in financial and carbon debt. In this episode, we're grappling with our fraught relationship with our Amazon Prime subscriptions and getting practical tips to break free from convenience culture and start shopping more sustainably. ‍On this episode, you'll hear:‍Listeners share their complex, conflicted feelings about using Amazon. MIT research scientist Erez Yoeli shares how we can have a more sustainable relationship with Amazon and how to close the action vs intent gap.How Amazon gets you to buy so much stuff and how its fast-paced shipping comes at the cost of workers' health and pay.🌎 For resources, photos of our contributors citations, and further reading, check the full show notes.📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show.📱 To join the Commons community, download the app.📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram.Episode creditsListener contributions: Daria Panova, Diana Holguin, Freya Dumasia, Karen Jean and Rachel  Martinson, Katee Hui, Kimberly Foley, Lawrence Hott, Miriam Jornet, Nicole Collins, Rozalia Agioutanti‍Featuring: Erez Yoeli and Sanchali Seth Pal‍Editing and engineer: Evan Goodchild‍Hosting and production: Katelan Cunningham

Tired of working 9-5 at a job or a company that's not focused on sustainability? We've got good news. You don't need a sustainability degree to get a green job. There are green jobs out there for any skillset, and in this episode, we're going to help you find them. ‍On this episode, you'll hear:‍How listeners are adapting their job into a green job, or starting fresh in a new industry. Kristy Drutman (aka browngirlgreen), the co-founder of the Green Jobs Board talk about hiring, representation, and resources in the green jobs spaceThe job numbers in the climate spaceAnd how a green jobs are a crucial part of a more sustainable economy🌎 For resources, photos of our contributors citations, and further reading, check the full show notes.📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show.📱 To join the Commons community, download the app.📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram.Episode creditsListener contributions: Caitlyn Luitjens, Freya Dumasia, Grace Kenworthy, Natalie Pullen, Paula Tanscheit, Willa Stoutenbeek‍Featuring: Kristy Drutman and Sanchali Seth Pal‍Editing and engineer: Evan Goodchild‍Hosting and production: Katelan Cunningham

Composting is one of the easiest climate actions and there are so many ways to do it! On this episode, you'll get a straightforward explanation of how composting works and all the inspiration and guidance you need to start composting — no matter where you live. Listen in to hear:Listeners' firsthand advice for composting in any living situationYour composting questions answered by Dr. Sheridan Ross of Compton Community GardenThe carbon impact of composting our food wasteIf you want to get personalized recommendations for composting in your area, try the Composting action in the Commons app.🌎 To see photos of our contributors as well as citations, and further reading, check the full show notes.📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show.📱 To join the Commons community, download the app.📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram.Episode creditsListener contributions: Nicole Collins, Joëlle Provost , Lindsay Kerns, Bo Meisl, Sameera Mokkarala, Melissa Athina, Yolanda Gonzalez, Gracon Ladd, and Daniel Goh‍Featured guests: Dr. Sheridan Ross and Sanchali Seth Pal‍Editing and engineer: Evan Goodchild‍Hosting and production: Katelan Cunningham

Becoming more conscious consumers is a pivotal step in building a more sustainable economy, but how do we deconsume in a consumerist world? When we buy less, we save money, cut down on clutter, and lower our emissions. This collective shift has another big impact — helping us to steer the economy away from disposable products, unsustainable resource use, and dangerous supply chains. On this episode of Second Nature, we hear listeners' take on overconsumption and their tips for deconsumption. We also chat with climate activist and educator Lauren Bash about Buy Nothing groups, Repair Cafes, and her own deconsumption journey. Plus, we find out who's doing all this overconsuming and the impact it's having on the rest of the world.🌎 To see photos of our contributors as well as citations, and further reading, check the full show notes.📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show.📱 To join the Commons community, download the app.📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram.A great way to cut down on overconsumption is to get a handle on what you’re consuming. If you want a sustainable spending buddy to help you track the emissions of every purchase and gives you personalized tips, try the Commons app.Episode creditsListener contributions: Alyssa Barber, Amea Wadsworth, Andrea Reno, Caitlyn Luitjens, Daria Panova, Jonas Schäfer, Mac Hansen, Madeline Streilein, Nicole Collins, Rachel Orenstein, Timmin Vooijs, Willa Stoutenbeek‍Featuring: Lauren Bash and Sanchali Seth Pal‍Editing and engineer: Evan Goodchild‍Hosting and production: Katelan Cunningham

Stoops, balconies, and windowsills are ripe for growing food. Today, we're riding out the ripple effect that urban gardening can have on our lives and the planet.Second Nature is your community for practical, sustainable living. On this episode, we're getting inspiration and practical tips to start small, fruitful home gardens in urban spaces. We're also talking about the carbon footprint of home gardens and realizing the ripple effect that growing our own food can have on our lives and the environment.🌎 To see photos of our contributors and their gardens as well as citations, and further reading, check the full show notes.📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show.📱 To join the Commons community, download the app.📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram.Second Nature is a podcast by Commons, the sustainable spending app that tens of thousands of people use to track their footprint. Earn rewards for climate-friendly purchases and find new, action-based content in the app every week. Download the app and join our June Collective Challenge: Sustainable Transit. Episode creditsListener contributions: Sameera Mokkarala, Lindsay Kerns, Daria Panova, Brian Stancheski, Tara Haug, RooeyFeaturing: Nelson ZêPequéno and Sanchali Seth PalEditing and engineer: Evan Goodchild‍Hosting and production: Katelan Cunningham

Fast fashion is cheap, but the low cost to customers comes at a high cost to garment workers, communities, and the environment. So, how do we break free from the fast fashion cycle?Second Nature is your community for practical, sustainable living. On this episode, we're commiserating with listeners over the allure of fast fashion and getting real tips to break free from it. Plus, we're doing the math on the impact of buying less fast fashion and talking to Kestrel Jenkins (journalist and host of Conscious Chatter) about the human cost of fast fashion. ‍On this episode, you'll hear:Practical guidance from real-life, former fast fashion shopaholics. An interview with journalist and Conscious Chatter host Kestrel Jenkins about the human cost of fast fashion and how to recenter the supply chain in our buying habits. What happens when get this right? Commons CEO and founder Sanchali Seth Pal does the math on how ditching fast fashion can make a real carbon impact.  🌎 To see photos of our contributors, citations, and further reading, check the full show notes.📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show.📱 To join the Commons community, download the app.📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram.Second Nature is a podcast by Commons, the sustainable spending app that tens of thousands of people use to track their footprint. Earn rewards for climate-friendly purchases like plant-based restaurants, and join collective challenges. Download the app and join May's collective challenge, Secondhand Shopping.Episode creditsListener contributions: Alyssa Barber, Drew Crabtree, Freya Dumasia, Hattie Webb, Kellie Rana, Lawrence Hott, Madeline Streilein, Miriam Jornet, Romina Román, Rozalia Agioutanti, Tavia Anon, Willa Stoutenbeek Featuring: Kestrel Jenkins and Sanchali Sate PalEditing and engineer: Evan GoodchildFact checking: Sophie Janaskie‍Hosting and production: Katelan Cunningham

Plant-based eating is one of the most impactful climate actions we can take, but changing our diets can be overwhelming. How can we get started and stick with it?Second Nature is your community for practical, sustainable living. On this episode, we're hearing from listeners about how they've started adding more plants to their plates, finding inspiration in delicious recipes, and getting motivated by the carbon impact of collective action. ‍On this episode, you'll hear:Motivation and practical tips from listeners across the plant-forward spectrum: flexitarians, vegetarians, and vegans.An interview with food writer Alicia Kennedy about how the food industry needs to reckon with the environmental impact of meat, plus delicious plant-based recipes to try.How our collective shift to more plant-based meals can impact the meat industry.📞 We'd love to hear from you! Submit to the show.📱 To join the Commons community, download the app.🌎 For citations and further reading, check the full show notes.📷 Follow Second Nature on Instagram. Second Nature is a podcast by Commons, the sustainable spending app that tens of thousands of people use to track their footprint. Earn rewards for climate-friendly purchases like plant-based restaurants, and join collective challenges. Download the app and join this month's collective challenge, Secondhand Shopping.Episode creditsListener contributions: Amea Wadsworth, Caitlyn Luitjens, Daria Panova, Drew Crabtree, Jacqueline  Elliott , Joëlle  Provost , Kimberly Foley, Lawrence Hott, Melissa Athina, Timmin Vooijs, Willa Stoutenbeek Featuring: Alicia Kennedy and Sanchali Sate PalEditing and engineer: Evan GoodchildFact checking: Sophie Janaskie‍Hosting and production: Katelan Cunningham

Can we live sustainably in an unsustainable world? Second Nature is a new podcast from Commons exploring how sustainable choices impact our lives and the planet. Every week, hear how listeners around the world take action every to combat climate change and create the kind of world they want to live in. We'll get expert answers to your burning climate questions and calculate the potential carbon impact of collective action.Subscribe so you don't miss an episode!