Outdoor Minimalist
by Black-Footed Ferret Productions, LLC
Latest episode
When Outdoor Recreation Becomes an Extractive Industry with Bill…
When Outdoor Recreation Becomes an Extractive Industry with Bill…
About this podcast
A podcast raising awareness through conversation, information, and mindfulness regarding some of the most important environmental issues of our time. The goal of Outdoor Minimalist is to give outdoor enthusiasts and outdoor companies tools they can use to change their behavior when engaging in outdoor recreation to lower their overall environmental impact.
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/
WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist
Episodes
The newest 50 of 300 episodes
- When Outdoor Recreation Becomes an Extractive Industry with Bill Hedden · 39 minThe past two years have brought significant challenges to America's public lands, but these threats have also revealed their power to bring people together across political…
- 234. Why Aren't More Brands Recycling Down Insulation? with Debbie Read from RAB · 29 min · Season 1 Episode 234The outdoor industry talks a lot about sustainability. But what happens when a jacket or sleeping bag finally reaches the end of its life? Even materials that can be recycled…
- Vote for Climate and Public Lands in the 2026 Midterms · 34 minWith the 2026 midterm elections approaching, how can we make sure our votes reflect our values? In this episode, we explore why civic engagement matters and how understanding…
- 233. How Freeze-Dried Food Became a Backpacking Staple with Mountain House · 19 min · Season 1 Episode 233• Freeze-dried meals are a backpacking staple, but their story began long before they landed in outdoor gear stores. In this episode, we explore how freeze-dried food evolved…
- What is Missing from Outdoor Media Today? · 17 minAt the end of September, I attended the annual Outdoor Media Summit in Asheville, NC. It is the largest gathering of outdoor media professionals in the country, and during the…
- 232. Tick Season Is Changing. How to Stay Safe Outdoors with Dr. Richard Horowitz · 40 min · Season 1 Episode 232Tick-borne illnesses are, unfortunately, something many of us who love spending time outdoors have a personal relationship with. If you haven’t had one yourself, you likely can…
- Mining Lease Cancelled for the Boundary Waters and Public Lands Advocates Meet with Lawmakers in DC - Public Lands News (September 13 - 20) · 22 minIn this week's public lands news briefing, we only had time for two stories: 1. Minnesota DNR cancels one of Twin Metals' mining leases in the Rainy River watershed just outside…
- 231. The Future of Outdoor Gear Starts with Old Ropes with Tobias Steinegger from Mammut · 37 min · Season 1 Episode 231When you hear the brand name Mammut, what product do you think of? I wouldn’t be surprised if most of you said: Ropes. Founded in 1862 in Switzerland, the company initially…
- Data Center Construction Halted and What's in Store for Our National Forests - Public Lands News (August 31 - Sept 7) · 30 minIn this week's public lands news briefing, we are covering three main stories: 1. The first data center approved on public lands near Boulder City, Nevada, was halted by a…
- 230. What 3500 Miles on a Bike Teaches You About Owning Less with Taylor Nichols · 40 min · Season 1 Episode 230Something I’ve always loved about human-powered adventures is that they can teach you a lot about what you really need to live a happy, fulfilled life. Access to safe and easy…
- Big Bend Bulldozers Paused, Mining Claims in Grand Staircaise and Bears Ears, and a Win for the Boundary Waters - Public Lands News (August 17 - 24) · 31 minIn this week's public lands news briefing, we are covering three main stories: 1. Minnesota's Governor Tim Walz signed an executive order using the power he has to help protect…
- 229. The History and Future of America's Public Lands with Will De Man · 38 min · Season 1 Episode 229When the political moment feels overwhelming, what role do public lands actually play? Are they a luxury issue or something more fundamental to democracy itself? These are some…
- How You Can Fight Back Against Data Centers Where You Live with the Food and Water Watch · 39 minThe Bureau of Land Management recently approved the Townsite Data Center, a project that would construct a data center on 88.5 acres of public land near Lake Mead in southern…
- 228. Why Wolf Recovery Is So Controversial with Tommy Serafinski · 45 min · Season 1 Episode 228Last week on the show, we covered major changes to the Endangered Species Act here in the United States, including the rescission of the definition of "harm." Simply put, this…
- Chaco Canyon Protections Waiver, ESA Definition of "Harm" Rescinded, and What the BWCA Fires Tell Us About Fire Management - Public Lands News (July 18 - 27) · 35 minIn this week's public lands news briefing, we cover three stories: 1. Fires in Northern Minnesota continue to burn, including in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness ft…
- 227. What Waste Free Product Design Actually Looks Like with Ruffwear · 40 min · Season 1 Episode 227In 2024, the world generated an estimated 120 million metric tons of textile waste. That's the equivalent of every person on Earth throwing away about 33 pounds of clothing and…
- Forest Service Proposal Reduces Public Input, Mining in the Porkies, and Threats to Utah Monuments - Public Lands News (June 22 - July 13) · 29 minThis week in the Outdoor Minimalist public lands news briefing, we're unpacking three stories: 1. At the end of June, the Forest Service proposed a rule that could limit when the…
- 226. Is Dr. Bronner's Really Sustainable? with Greening Up My Act · 46 min · Season 1 Episode 226Dr. Bronner's has long been considered the gold standard of sustainable soap. It's a staple in outdoor kits, zero-waste homes, and camping gear lists thanks to its versatility…
- 225. Can the Outdoor Industry Really Call Itself a Climate Leader? · 26 min · Season 1 Episode 225In this solo episode, I reflect on my experience attending the Switchback Event and unpack a question I can't seem to shake: Can an industry built on perpetual growth truly call…
- Does It Matter If I Pick Up My Dog’s Poop or Not? with Rose Seemann [REPOST] · 30 minThis episode was originally posted on November 13, 2023. In episode 112 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we will be talking a whole lot of shit. Our focus today is on a topic…
- Mike Lee's Roadless Rule Amendment, NPS Funding Diverted, and ORV Access Expands - Public Lands News (June 8 - 15) · 32 minIn this week's public lands news briefing, we covered four stories: - Mike Lee pushes the latest effort to repeal the Roadless Rule, a landmark conservation policy protecting 58…
- 224. Finding Joy in a World of Bad News with Liz Crandall · 1 h 17 min · Season 1 Episode 224It can feel impossible to find joy when the headlines never seem to let up. From attacks on public lands and environmental protections to growing uncertainty for the people who…
- Cyanide Bombs Return, MN Mining Push Continues, and Bill to Stop Firings Introduced (Public Lands News - June 1) · 28 minIn this week's public lands news briefing, we cover three stories: 1. Republican-controlled Congress includes mining leases for Twin Metals in Northern MN in the Fiscal Year 2027…
- 223. The Outdoor Literacy Gap No One Talks About with Natalie Teboul · 31 min · Season 1 Episode 223In episode 223 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we explore the connection between outdoor literacy, geography education, and environmental stewardship with educator and creator…
- Hiking in Bear Country? Bear Biologist, Sydney Stephens, Wants You To Learn to Coexist [REPOST] · 42 minEpisode 140 featuring Sydney Stephens was originally posted on July 1, 2024. This episode is a repost. Now, two years later, hearing how to safely interact with bears feels more…
- Burgum Struggles to Defend Budget, DOI Transfers 1.4M Acres to State, and Controversial Predator Control Program Resumes - Public Lands News (May 4-15) · 32 minThis week’s public lands news briefing covers: 1. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum returns to Congress to defend the Trump administration’s FY27 Interior budget proposal 2. The…
- 222. Circular Economy or Greenwashing? How Gear Trade-In Programs Really Work with Pancho Gomez · 41 min · Season 1 Episode 222At the beginning of April, I published an article for SFGATE asking a simple but complicated question: Do clothing take-back programs actually reduce clothing production and…
- 221. This CEO Wore One Shirt for 60 Days to Prove Its Performance with Casey Hyde · 36 min · Season 1 Episode 221The clothing brand TEREN was built on a simple idea: pack less, adventure more. Now, their first hire, Casey Hyde, has stepped in as CEO to lead the brand’s next chapter. In…
- Old Growth Logging in the Tongass, Steve Pearce En Bloc Vote, and FY27 Budget Hearings - Public Lands News (April 20 - May 1) · 23 minThis Friday, we're covering: 1. Doug Burgum defends the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget for the Department of the Interior before Congress 2. Senator Martin Heinrich questions Brooke…
- 220. Eco Anxiety, Burnout, and the Path to Sustainable Activism with Laura Hartley · 36 min · Season 1 Episode 220In 2023, we released an episode about eco-anxiety that quickly became one of the most listened-to conversations on this show, and landed us our first award. But honestly, that…
- Big Bend Border Wall Lawsuits, FY27 Budget Cuts for BLM, and Boundary Waters Mining Protections Revoked - Public Lands News (April 6-17) · 29 minThis week’s public lands news briefing covers: 1. Recent Big Bend border wall lawsuits with Laiken Jordahl (Center for Biological Diversity) 2. The proposed FY2027 Department of…
- 219. Is Renting the Missing Link in an Outdoor Industry Circular Economy? with Reet Singh · 32 min · Season 1 Episode 219What if the most sustainable outdoor product… is one that you never buy in the first place? The outdoor industry has spent years talking about circularity—repair programs, resale…
- 218. Telling Stories of Crisis Without Despair: Making The Plastic Detox Documentary (Now on Netflix) with Josh "Bones" Murphy · 38 min · Season 1 Episode 218Plastic has infiltrated every facet of our lives. It is essentially inescapable. And while plastic is now a normalized material that we interact with every day, the health…
- Potential Drilling Near Chaco Canyon, Joint Resolution Threatens Grand Staircase-Escalante, and the USDA Forest Service Reorganization Moves Forward - Public Lands News (April 3) · 24 minIn this week's public lands news briefing, we cover three main stories: 1. The Trump administration has begun the process of potentially reversing federal protections for the…
- 217. How AllTrails Is Using Trail Data to Protect Public Lands with Pitt Grewe · 33 min · Season 1 Episode 217In recent years, more people than ever have been heading outdoors—discovering new trails, exploring public lands, and connecting with nature in ways that are shaping the future…
- 216. How to Use a Walk in Nature as a Meditation Practice with Brian Berneman · 39 min · Season 1 Episode 216What do you think of when you think of meditation? Many people think of meditation as only sitting still and clearing your mind, but in reality, mindfulness can happen through…
- Oak Flat Transferred to Multinational Mining Company and Big Bend Border Wall Pushes Ahead - Public Lands News (March 9-20) · 26 minDuring this week’s public lands news briefing on the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we have two feature stories for you. What we cover this week: 1. Oak Flat, a sacred indigenous…
- 215. What You Didn't Know About Trawling in Alaska with David Bayes · 38 min · Season 1 Episode 215What happens when one of the world’s largest industrial fishing fleets operates alongside small coastal communities that depend on the same fish to survive? In Alaska, trawl…
- 214. We Are Losing the Climate Crisis Narrative Fight with Maya Lilly · 38 min · Season 1 Episode 214Climate change is one of the biggest stories of our time—but the way we tell that story hasn’t always kept up with how people actually consume media today. As younger audiences…
- US/Israel's Holy War with Iran Explained with Leigh Larson · 40 minHoly war? Resource war? Either way, it's illegal. In this special bonus episode on the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, I am joined by Leigh Larson, who breaks down how and why…
- 213. Are We Ready for the AI Energy Surge? What Communities Need to Know About Data Centers and the Grid with Dr. Naeem Turner · 30 min · Season 1 Episode 213AI has seemingly taken over our lives in so many ways. Personally, I’ve seen a huge shift in the writing and journalism field for both staff and freelance writers. But one thing…
- Building the Border Wall in Big Bend, Steve Pearce Stumbles During Hearing, and 2.1M Acres Open in Dalton Corridor - Public Land News (Feb 23-27) · 29 minDuring this week’s public lands news briefing on the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we have three feature stories for you. And no, this is not all that’s happened with public lands…
- 212. Is Zero-Waste Backpacking Possible? with Alisha McDarris · 36 min · Season 1 Episode 212Is zero-waste backpacking possible? Well, in a lot of ways, yes, and in some ways, not really. We saw this play out when a previous guest of ours, one of our earliest guests…
- Steve Pearce to Lead BLM and the Senate Awaits CRA Vote - Public Lands News (Feb 16-20) · 13 minI know I said that we would only be releasing Friday public lands news episodes every other week, but we have a special episode for you today covering two of the most pressing…
- 211. We Can Solve the Plastic Pollution Crisis with Judith Enck · 28 min · Season 1 Episode 211By now, we know that our society has a problem with plastics. They seem to have made their way into every aspect of our lives. They’re inescapable, but this is a problem that…
- Progress on the Ambler Road, Threats to the Tongass National Forest, and a Delayed CRA Vote in the Senate - Public Lands News · 27 minWe expected the Senate vote on H.J. Res. 140, which would overturn the 20-year mining ban protecting the BWCA, to occur this week, but it was postponed until after their upcoming…
- 210. The Pet Industry Has An Overconsumption Problem with Spencer Williams · 32 min · Season 1 Episode 210You know full well that I am a dog lover, and I know that many of you are dog lovers, or just pet lovers in general. They are our family, and much like humans, our domesticated…
- 209. We All Play a Role in the Resistance · 25 min · Season 1 Episode 209Where do we go from here? Where are the leaders? Why does it feel like no one is doing anything? In this solo episode of The Outdoor Minimalist Podcast, we work to dismantle one…
- Congress is After Resource Management Plans in Minnesota and Utah, Sage Grouse Protections Changing - Public Lands News (January 2026) · 31 minA lot has been happening this year already, and while many Americans are focused on ICE terrorizing US citizens in places like Minneapolis, attacks on public lands have not…
- 208. Your Trail Running Shoes Are Shedding Microplastics with Dr. Tim Keyes · 30 min · Season 1 Episode 208When we think about environmental impacts in the outdoors, we often focus on things we can see: litter left behind, eroded trails, overcrowded trailheads. But some of the most…
