Self sufficiency, tiny homes, sustainability, renewable energy, or simple self reliance, are all things we hear about more and more these days. Personally I am happy to see this level of interest in self reliant living because it is the focus of so much of my life.

While its exciting to talk about theses things, for so many people that is exactly where it stops. Nearly 80% of our population now lives in urban areas, and that percentage is increasing every year. If you are one of those people that does not have acreage or you cannot live in a rural area it is still possible to create a small homestead. In todays world, the modern homestead truly needs to be completely redefined.

So join me for E219 Redefining the Modern Homestead.

Certainly we all remember the time in our lives when we were kids and told our parents how we couldn’t wait until we were all grown up. We thought all about being independent, making our own decisions, going where we wanted when we wanted. We just couldn’t wait to be independent, self reliant, and make our own decisions.

But at that time we were not old enough to even know what we didn’t know. And once we were “all grown up” it doesn’t take long to realize it’s not exactly all it’s cracked up to be. Being an adult comes with responsibilities and financial obligations. As it turns out, doing whatever we want and being self reliant requires money.

But beyond that, if you want to find out a different path to being self reliant, join me for episode 218.

Given the world we live in today, you may be having thoughts of living in some remote place to get away from it all. But as romantic as it may sound, running off into the wilderness and living off the land may not be the best option. You simply may not be able to sustain yourself long-term unless you are extremely creative.

But, if that is not an option where could you live and do the same thing? As it turns out, you could actually stay in an urban area. Not only that, it may be easier to have a sustainable life in the city because of the easy availability of resources.

But how do you choose the best place? So join me for E217 How to Choose a Sustainable Place to Live.

How and where we live are some of the biggest and most important choices that we all have to make in our adult lives. When choosing a place to live we have to consider availability of amenities, how far we have to travel for work and school, entertainment options and even the availability of medical care.

While location is important for many reasons we also have to consider the impact of our choices on the environment and the planet. Is it better to live in the city or in a more rural area. Which lifestyle has the least impact while also providing a satisfying way to live?

So join me for E216 The Sustainability Question: Rural vs Urban Living

Skipping the plastic straw may make you feel good about yourself, but its not enough. While every small change we make is truly a contribution to the big picture, we need to make substantial changes in how we live and what we do if we are going to truly reduce our personal impact on the planet.

While our individual choices for how and where we live is a deeply personal thing, we often take for granted the environmental impact our lifestyles have on a day-to-day basis. But there are a few things we can do that will make a significant difference on how each of us influences the future of our planet.

So join me for E215 Eight Lifestyle Changes With the Biggest Impact

There is no doubt that we often find ourselves swimming in a sea of information about the questionable future of our planet. Big business and big government, while suppling us with most of our basic resources, continue to destroy the planet. More and more people want to live sustainably but we are too often at a loss for ways to help the planet that are both meaningful and impactful.

At this point it should be no surprise that plastics have become the bane of our existence. Plastic pollution can now be found on very corner of the planet. Furthermore plastic production will likely double by the year 2050.

So join me for E214 Twelve Single Use Plastics You Can Eliminate From Your Life Right Now

Public opinion swings back and forth like a pendulum. That is why I never pay attention to it. But occasionally I see something that gets my attention because I get curious as to why people are suddenly so concerned about that one particular thing. This is the case with the plastic straw.

Depending on which study you look at, humanity produces approximately 350 to 430 million metric tons of plastic waste annually. Plastic straws only make up two and a half percent of that total waste. So is the anti-plastic straw parade just another distraction? Or should we actually pay attention to it because this campaign produces something of value.

So join me for E213 Should We Really Ban Plastic Straws?

The only chips I purchase on a regular basis is tortilla chips. It is because I make my own salsa. But when I go to the supermarket, there are literally 15 different brands of tortilla chips. But the same is true with so many other things that we deal with everyday. From supermarket food choices, to menu options, to the clothes we wear, to what insurance to purchase, and even our health care options. There is always an over abundance of choices.

But is this a good or a bad thing? Does it improve how we eat? Does it influence how we take care of ourselves? Are we more or less likely to develop good or bad habits because we have so many choices. Does it make us more or less sustainable?

So join me for E212 Is Choice Overload the Bane of Our Existence