What if stepping into a refill shop for the first time could change the way you see your whole community?

This week, I’m joined by Julie Darrell, owner and founder of Bring Your Own Long Beach. Since 2017, Julie has been helping her community cut down on single-use plastics, rethink consumption, and find approachable ways to live more sustainably.

We talk about what really happens inside a refill shop — from the first-time nerves to the “aha” moment when you realize how easy and empowering refilling can be. Julie also shares what it’s like raising teens in a low-waste household, how she’s built community through local partnerships, and what keeps her grounded through the ups and downs of running a values-based business.

It’s a conversation about small steps, local action, and the quiet power of community care — a reminder that systems change starts with the choices we make every day.

Takeaways

• Refill shops make low-waste living simple, practical, and community-driven
• Refilling can be intimidating at first, but it’s easy and empowering once you try
• Sustainable living doesn’t have to be expensive — it’s about using what you have
• Teaching teens about consumption and waste builds lifelong awareness
• Community partnerships strengthen local action and keep small businesses resilient
• Burnout is real in sustainability work, but community and purpose help you keep going

Connect With Julie

BYO Long Beach (Website)

Bring Your Own Long Beach (Instagram)

BYO Long Beach (Instagram)

Resources

Algalita Marine Research and Education

Circular Economy Month

How to Refill in Your Own Containers (Blog post)

How to Have a Zero Waste Birthday Party for Kids (Blog post)

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Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio

If you enjoyed this episode, I’d love it if you followed the show, shared it with a friend, or left a rating and review. Every little bit helps more people find Sustainable in the Suburbs — and live a little greener.

Halloween is supposed to be spooky, but the real horror might just be the mountain of waste it leaves behind. Costumes that only last one night, piles of plastic candy wrappers, cheap décor that lasts one season, and millions of pumpkins sent straight to landfill. It’s expensive and wasteful — but it doesn’t have to be that way.

In this episode of Sustainable in the Suburbs, I’m sharing how to celebrate Halloween in a way that’s festive, affordable, and low waste. You’ll hear ideas for costumes, candy, decorations, and pumpkins that cut back on trash while still keeping the spirit of Halloween. And as always, it’s about picking what feels doable for you — practical, budget-friendly shifts that reduce waste without losing what you love about the season.

Takeaways

• How Halloween has become one of the most wasteful (and expensive!) holidays of the year.
• Costume ideas to save money and reduce waste
• How to hand out treats without all the plastic.
• Eco-friendly décor tips and why you should skip fake spider webs.
• What to do with your pumpkins after Halloween

Resources

Zero Waste Halloween (blog post)

What to Do With Your Pumpkin After Halloween (blog post)

Seasonal Decor - Making a Trash Pumpkin (blog post)

Ethical Candy to Try This Halloween (Fairtrade America)

Pumpkin Parades (City of Toronto)

TerraCycle - Halloween Treat Wrappers

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Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio

If you enjoyed this episode, I’d love it if you followed the show, shared it with a friend, or left a rating and review. Every little bit helps more people find Sustainable in the Suburbs — and live a little greener.

What if noticing a chickadee, or spending Sunday offline, could change the way you see your neighbourhood — and yourself?

This week, I’m joined by Matt Howard, a wildlife biologist, writer, and engaging voice on how we connect with the natural world. Matt has worked everywhere from a tiny island in Alaska to California wind farms, and he now brings that deep ecological knowledge into everyday conversations about birds, frogs, and even the gear we think we need to enjoy the outdoors.

We talk about everything from chickadee calls and suburban bird feeders to wildlife road crossings, community science, and why stories matter just as much as data. Matt also shares how his “Log Cabin Sundays” digital detox practice has shifted his perspective, and what it means to navigate being a middle-aged “influencer” in the sustainability space.

This conversation is both funny and hopeful — a reminder that connecting with nature doesn’t have to be complicated, and that the choices we make in our own backyards and communities really do matter.

Takeaways

• Storytelling can help people connect with science and see nature differently
• Bird feeders and native plants can create vital suburban habitats
• Community science projects let anyone contribute to conservation
• Wildlife road crossings save countless animals and need ongoing support
• Noise pollution is a hidden but powerful threat to wildlife
• Log Cabin Sundays show the value of slowing down and unplugging
• Buying outdoor gear second-hand is one way to enjoy nature without feeding consumerism

One Small Shift

Matt suggests making your next outdoor adventure a little greener by choosing secondhand gear. Whether it’s borrowing from a friend, checking a thrift shop, or repurposing what you already have, enjoying nature doesn’t have to come with new stuff.

Connect With Matt

Instagram

TikTok

Threads

Patreon - Howie's Everything Club

Substack - Log Cabin Sundays

YouTube

Resources

Merlin Bird ID (app)

Safe Nesting Materials for Birds (blog post)

Beaverland: How One Weird Rodent Made America - Leila Philip (book)

Silent Spring - Rachel Carson (book)

No New Things - Ashlee Piper (book)

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Connect With Me

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Support the Show

Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio

If you enjoyed this episode, I’d love it if you followed the show, shared it with a friend, or left a rating and review. Every little bit helps more people find Sustainable in the Suburbs — and live a little greener.