While screen-time might be the last thing you think you need when building a successful farm, it’s actually what you need the most.

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by a child in my community. She was working on a project for school where she could choose anything she wanted to focus on, and she chose to study female farmers and how to open her own farmstand. So she chose me, a first generation female farmer who raises pastured chickens and produce through permaculture methods on five acres in Southeastern Wisconsin. To say I was touched was an understatement, I felt like I had won a ticket to the moon.

After a short tour of the farm, we chatted in my living room. Her first and most important question was, “How do you find your customers for your farm?”

I stopped to think about it. Then it hit me. We find all of our customers for our farm online.

For all our earth-friendly cat moms and dads out there, we have got the purr-fect episode for you. If you have been wondering how to care for your kitty in a sustainable and toxin-free way, Roberta Donaldson of The Millennial Cat Mom is here to help. In this episode, we learn why cats are true carnivores and how to source ethically raised meat for the healthiest and most sustainable feline diet possible. We also cover everything from eco-friendly litter box care to zero-waste cat toys.

Roberta Donaldson is an Environmental Scientist and Conservation Biologist by day and passionate pet parent by night. She is the creator of the blog Millennial Cat Mom and is the pet parent of her two beautiful fur children, Loki and Lambeau. Roberta’s goal is to inspire pet parents everywhere to take their pet's health into their own hands by providing knowledge and resources about the monster that is the pet food industry. She was born and raised in Milwaukee, WI, but is now lost in the mountains in Denver, CO.

• Why cats are true carnivores and how to keep them healthy
  
• The ethical and sustainable issues in the pet food industry
  
• What types of food options exist for sustainably-minded cat parents
  
• How Roberta went from feeding Friskies to pastured chicken hearts
  
• Pet Fooled Documentary and the Talk To Us Campaign
  
• Holistic Pet Radio
  
• What eco-friendly litter options exist and their pros and cons
  
• How to make the litter box transition for your kitty
  
• What zero-waste cat toys are out there
  
• Our cats, because Roberta and Kelsey are crazy cat ladies
  

• Feline Nutrition Organization
• Raw Feeding University
• Truth About Pet Food
• Karmavore Nutrition
• Perfectly Rawsome

• Vital Essentials
• Answers Pet Food
• Orijen
• Primal Pet Foods
• Steve’s Real Food
• Stella and Chewies

• Stainless Steel Litter Box
  
• Stainless Steel Litter Scoop
  
• Loft 312 Biodegradable Bags
  
• Branch Basics for cleaning
  
• Boxie Cat Litter
  
• sWheat Scoop Litter
  
• Simply Pine Natural Litter
  

The Millennial Cat Mom
@LokiTheKittyKing
@LambeauMiniAussie

This week on The Positively Green Podcast we have organic skincare formulator Emma, founder of The Sunday Standard. As someone who has dealt with acne-prone skin her whole life, chatting with Emma about her nourishing facial oils was so enlightening. I've been implementing the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM) for nearly six years and Emma took my understanding of why it works to a whole new level. If you've been curious how OCM works or you have been trying it for a while and want to take it a step further, this episode is for you!

​The Sunday Standard is a beauty brand based in Milwaukee, WI. Emma's products are made with non-toxic, plant-derived ingredients and are formulated to heal blemish-prone skin from the inside out.

• How Emma became interested in clean and natural beauty
• Why facial oils are so beneficial for our skin (especially acne-prone skin!)
• What the “oil cleansing method” is and how to properly do it
• The most effective way to layer your skincare products and how to avoid wasting your money!
• Why Emma started her own skincare line and more about the products
• Challenges with natural formulas + more about Emma’s Formula Botanica diploma in Organic Skincare Formulation
• How Emma practices sustainability with her business and the importance of sourcing high-quality ingredients
• What’s next for The Sunday Standard
• 5 Simple Dietary Changes for Better Skin
• What the F is GLA? A guide to the importance of fatty acids in skincare.

• The Sunday Standard's Website and Blog
• Follow Emma on Instagram @ThisIsTheSundayStandard
• The Sunday Standard Facebook Page

Four years ago when I started practicing conscious consumerism, I had the darndest time finding sustainable shoe companies I could trust. So many footwear brands didn’t openly talk about where their materials were from, how their shoes were made, and how they treated their workers. The opaque quality of the fashion industry is starting to be chipped away thanks to nonprofits such as Fashion Revolution and trending hashtags like #WhoMadeMyClothes.

Transparency is what I look for first and foremost when assessing if companies are eligible for these sustainable posts. If companies aren’t openly sharing how they treat their workers and what they are doing regarding buffering their effect on the environment, it’s a hard pass. 

Next, materials used to make the shoes is assessed. If there is no open statement on their website about where they source their materials then it's a pass. I look for eco-friendly, regenerative or sustainable, and organic materials being used.

Lastly, how comfortable and versatile the shoes are comes into play. I won't lie, I think Toms are hella uncomfortable! Maybe my feet are extra sensitive. Rest assured, I won't be sharing any companies that may work hard to be transparent and eco-friendly, but fail to consider the customer's comfort level.

So let’s dive into the top three sustainable shoe companies I’ve found and why they rock!