Ever wondered if your daily cup of coffee is sustainable? Ever multiplied it by 1 billion, then asked again?

This week on Greenish, we hear from environmental activist and “extremist”  turned corporate sustainability specialist, Emily Stolarcyk.

Emily shares what sustainability means to her personally (e.g. burnout from nonprofit work, grassroots organizing, outrage, oh and death threats) and professionally as she tries to make the phrase “less unsustainable” happen. We get into the nitty-gritty of LCAs (life cycle assessments), greenwashing, and the meaning of trade-offs in sustainability using some concrete examples. Maybe most importantly, we talk about what makes her hopeful for the future.

TMI WARNING: This episode includes many answers that begin with “It depends, “ and enough shades of gray to make your head explode. Don’t be discouraged. In this case, all information is good information and consumer education IS moving the needle at a corporate level!

Everything we learn from Emily confirms a few simple truths we can cling to:

🌱buy local

🌱 less > more

🌱repair > replace

🌱walk or ride > drive

🌱naked > packaging

🌱USE your reusables > single-use

🌱organic and fair trade certs > not

🌱share, compost, recycle, upcycle, less > waste

Terms and Definitions:

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) "a report mandated in the US by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), to assess the potential impact of actions “significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.” This requirement under NEPA does not prohibit harm to the environment, but rather requires advanced identification and disclosure of harm."  - Read the complete description from  AmericanBar.org
NEPA - 

LCA - Life Cycle Assessment is a detailed analysis of the impact a product has from raw material extraction to production, transport, use, and end of life. It provides a framework for thorough evaluation and requires peer review.  

Resources and Helpful Tools:

Consumer Apps We Love

Learn more about the habitat preservation work of the Eyak Preservation Council  in Cordova, AK

"Defending Alaska from the Department of Defense" Greenpeace Blog