Greening Up My Act: A Sustainable Living Podcast

If you have heard negative things about solar power, you might be asking yourself are solar lights eco-friendly, or not? We look at solar lights' environmental impact (from manufacturing to disposal), whether or not you can recycle solar lights, if solar lights cause pollution, and more.
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Sources
Green Home Systems (company): https://greenhomesystems.com/ 
Home & Gardens: https://www.homesandgardens.com/gardens/are-solar-lights-eco-friendly
International Energy Agency (IEA) on solar PV: https://www.iea.org/reports/solar-pv-global-supply-chains/executive-summary 
IEA on critical minerals: https://www.iea.org/reports/the-role-of-critical-minerals-in-clean-energy-transitions/executive-summary 
Renewable Energy Journal: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0960148124014757 
Conservation Law Foundation: https://www.clf.org/blog/the-truth-about-carbon-footprints/ 
Kleinman Center for Energy Policy: https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/impact-of-solar-lighting-kits-on-the-lives-of-the-poor/ 
Harvard study in Uganda: https://healthybuildings.hsph.harvard.edu/cleaner-air-changes-more-than-lungs-findings-from-rural-uganda/ 
Climate Brief’s 16 misleading myths about solar power: https://interactive.carbonbrief.org/factcheck/solar/index.html 
Solar Magazine: https://solarmagazine.com/sustainable-solar-lighting-for-the-garden/ 
Forbes, Best Outdoor Solar Lights: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/article/the-best-outdoor-solar-lights/ 
Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: greeningupmyact@gmail.com
YouTube: Greening Up My Act

Upcycled outdoor furniture is often greener than buying new — and can still be cute as hell. If an upcycled outdoor space on a budget brings up images of shabby pallet couches and crooked DIY tables, never fear. Learn simple improvements that re-use what you already own (or can get from a Buy Nothing group) to create a beautiful, enjoyable outdoor space that you actually want to hang out in.
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Sources
Emily Henderson blog 
HGTV on DIY Outdoor Furniture
Patio Living

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: greeningupmyact@gmail.com
YouTube: Greening Up My Act

If it's not data centers raising your energy bills, it's hotter days and months. Enter vertical gardens, also called green walls or living walls. We uncover whether green walls in urban spaces actually cool surface temperatures (you'll be shocked!) and whether adding them to your house could have a serious impact on your monthly bills.
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Sources
Crunchbase
Plenty on its chapter 11 bankruptcy
Nature-Based Solutions journal
Utrecht University
Grow a Living Wall: Create Vertical Gardens With Purpose, Shawna Coronado (affiliate link)
Lowe’s
EWG
AGardenPatch.com blog
The Spruce
Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: greeningupmyact@gmail.com
YouTube: Greening Up My Act

You lie awake at night and wonder if you're doing enough to help the future of the planet. But there's something very close to home that you can do to make an immediate impact: overcome your fear of insects. Tune in as we walk you through why insects are important, as well as strategies for how to overcome a fear of bugs. No more screaming or smashing needed.
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Other Episodes You'll Love
Insect Decline: Why You Should Care That Your Windshields Are Clean
Sources
Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, Douglas Tallamy (affiliate link)
Discover Magazine, Why Are We Afraid of Bugs?
How To Podcast, How To Squash Your Fear of Bugs (and Other Phobias) [more helpful]
Feel Good Now Podcast (less helpful)
Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: greeningupmyact@gmail.com
YouTube: Greening Up My Act

Bugs are disappearing, which means way more than your windshield being cleaner than it used to be. If this scares you, soothe your panic with us as you learn what you can do to help the bug population, while understanding the link between insect decline and food security.
Listen to get these answers:
Why are insects disappearing? 
Why do we need insects?
What would happen if insects went instinct? 
What can we do about it?
Buy Us a Coffee ☕ If you love our show, show your support!  
Sources
NPR: Insect populations drop even without direct human interference
Friends of the Mississippi River
Penn State Huck Institute of Life Sciences
Oklahoma State Extension
Huck Institute (again)
UC IPM

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: greeningupmyact@gmail.com
YouTube: Greening Up My Act