Live lighter on the earth
Sustainability
Sustainability starts with knowing the people, animals, and plants in our own neighborhood. Here's where to start, locally and at home.
Support local & ethical makers
Refill & bulk stores (Southern California)
Bring your own containers and skip the packaging.
Industrial vs. ecosystem farming
Conventional agriculture leans on pesticides, excess fertilizer, long-distance transport, and factory animal operations. Ecosystem farming works with the land. Find a grower near you at the California farmers-market directory ↗.
Before you buy: a packaging checklist
- 1
How far did it travel, what is its carbon footprint?
- 2
Was it sustainably harvested?
- 3
How much recycled content does it contain?
- 4
Is it biodegradable or compostable?
- 5
Can it be reused or repurposed?
Learn more, a curated library
🎧 Podcasts
- Reversing Climate Change (Nori)
- Carbon Removal Newsroom (Nori)
- Green Dreamer (Kamea Chayne)
- The Anthropocene Reviewed (John Green)
- Costing the Earth (BBC Radio 4)
- Drilled
📚 Books
- This Changes Everything
- Braiding Sweetgrass
- Zero Waste Home
- Project Drawdown
- Silent Spring
🎬 Films
Climate: Chasing Ice, Chasing Coral, Our Planet, The Human Element, Ice on Fire, Fire in Paradise
Consumerism: The Story of Stuff, Dirty Money, Broken, The Devil We Know, Stink, Miss Representation
Food: Food Inc., Rotten, Cowspiracy
For kids: The Biggest Little Farm, The Lorax, Wall-E, Over the Hedge, Happy Feet
Our Sustainability Coordinator
Mona Benanni holds a permaculture certification and an M.S. in Global Affairs from NYU, with past work in UN water-security initiatives. Follow her at @journeyofakhalifah ↗.