“The Ghost of Christmas Present’s call to action is… yikes.”
In this special Christmas Carol-themed holiday episode, Kyla and Kristen are joined by Robert Miller to discuss ethical consumption’s past, present, and future. Kristen shares the story of Florence Kelley and the anti-sweatshop White Label Campaign; Kyla canvasses 2020 for good news (yikes); and Robert imagines alternative futures.
What do banks do with your money and how can you make it more ethical? In this episode, Kyla and Kristen talk about ethical money. Topics: ethical problems in banking and finance; environment, social, and governance campaigns targeted at banks; what is ethical finance; tips for approaching banking and finance ethically.
Read More"And when I say 'generational wealth' this is a Duke, right? This dude has been inheriting wealth since, as far as we know, Camelot."
Kyla and Kristen are joined this week by Fariya Mohiuddin to talk about tax justice. Fariya has a masters degree in Global Affairs and works as the Senior Program Officer for the International Budget Partnership's Tax Equity Initiative. Topics: What is tax evasion and tax avoidance? Why is tax avoidance a problem? How big is the problem? How would a wealth tax work? How do we support businesses that pay their fair share, and what other solutions exist?
Read MoreIn this episode, Kyla and Kristen are joined by Brianna Scrimshaw Botchwey to talk about exclusion, privilege, and ethical consumption. Brianna is an aspiring zero waster and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on sustainable development and foreign aid. Kristen, Kyla, and Brianna talk about the different ways that ethical fashion companies exclude people and what you can do about it. Topics: barriers to participating in sustainable fashion; big brands and ex/inclusive sizing; sustainable fashion brands and ex/inclusive sizing; thrift shopping; ethical fashion and affordability; and solutions.
Read More"Pumpkin pie is so good, I didn't have it until like... I think the first time I ate pumpkin pie was like two years ago? Game changer, I could not believe what I had been missing for so many years."
In this episode, Kyla and Kristen take on the spookiest day of the year by challenging themselves to find ethical Halloween solutions. Topics: costumes and cultural appropriation; sustainable costumes; ethical candy; and ethical decorations.
“Does that include the people who think both of them are a hoax?” In this episode, Kyla and Kristen are joined by climate activist Robert Miller. Following another Global Climate Strike, they reflect on the California wildfires and climate activism in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics: West Coast wildfires; the climate movement in 2020; impact of the pandemic on climate activism; racial justice and climate activism; will governments choose a green recovery?
Read MoreIn this episode Kyla and Kristen spill the tea on tea production. Kristen tries to make chai and vows to leave future attempts to the experts. Kyla disses George Orwell’s formula for the perfect cup of tea. Topics: what is tea; how tea is produced; the tea supply chain; tea and the environment; tea and human rights; what to do about it.
Read MoreFor part two of the forced labour series, Kristen and Kyla discuss what consumers should do to address forced labour. Kyla is sad about how Christmas lights are made. Kristen learns about three different kinds of forced labour in rice production. Topics: forced labour in global supply chains; leading big brands; fair trade; boycott?; use your voice to promote human rights; our challenges.
Read MoreIn this episode, Kyla and Kristen are joined by Alexandra Sundarsingh to discuss the topic of forced labour. Alexandra (Lex) Sundarsingh is a second year PhD student in the department of history at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Topics: what is forced labour; the scale of forced labour; where it occurs; who is affected; and causes.
Read More“Apparently stinkbugs taste like apples.” In this episode, Kyla and Kristen try cricket powder and dig in to the subject of eating insects as food. Is this a fad, or the future of food? Topics: History of eating insects, environmental and health benefits, the ethics of farming insects, and the potential downsides of scaling up the industry.
Read MoreIn this episode, Kristen tells the story of Operation Breadbasket, one of the civil rights movement’s most successful boycott campaigns. Kristen and Kyla reflect on why Breadbasket worked and whether a similar campaign would be possible today.
Read MoreIn this episode, Kyla and Kristen are joined by climate activist Robert Miller to talk about carbon offsets. Robbie laughs when he learns that the Vatican tried to buy what he describes as climate indulgences. Kyla is shocked that Canadian forests have been net emitters since 2001. (Stupid pine beetles!) Topics: what are carbon offsets; principles of good carbon offsets programs; problems with carbon offsetting; certification schemes; should you use carbon offsets and, if so, how should you buy them.
Read MoreIn this episode, Kristen and Kyla received 5 recordings from artists discussing how the pandemic has affected their lives so far.
Read More“So instead of being the Paper Bag Princess, we’re all kind of the plastic bag Princesses.” In this episode, Kyla and Kristen try out plastic-free July. Kyla discovers that coffee cups are plastic. Kristen joneses for chips. Topics: what even is plastic; the history of plastic; common types of plastic; plastic pollution; recycling plastics; and bioplastics.
Read MoreIn this episode, Kristen interviews Michelle Desilets, the Executive Director of Orangutan Land Trust. Michelle shares her personal and professional journey in orangutan conservation, her love of orangutans, and the work of Orangutan Land Trust. Topics: orangutan conservation, the threats orangutans face, palm oil, the boycott v. sustainable palm oil debate, the future of sustainable palm oil, and what you can do.
Read MoreIn this episode, Kyla and Kristen discuss palm oil production and people, as well as what you can do about it. Topics: working conditions; Indigenous peoples; food security; the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil; boycott versus labelling; what you can do.
Read MoreIn this episode, Kyla and Kristen talk about palm oil and the environment. Kyla flummoxes two McDonald’s employees. Kristen can’t pronounce the palm derivatives in her makeup. Topics: what is palm oil; why is palm oil in everything; palm oil and deforestation, biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution.
Read MoreThis bonus episode reacts to the Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality. Kyla and Kristen share ten things that they have learned since the killing of George Floyd. Check out the research notes for this episode for facts from this episode or for resources on supporting the movement.
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