OPL Spotlight: A Love of Nature Sparked a Focus on Sustainability for Yvonne Dwyer

OPL Spotlight: A Love of Nature Sparked a Focus on Sustainability for Yvonne Dwyer

“It’s not something I have to force” is how Yvonne Dwyer describes her focus on sustainability.

 

For Yvonne Dwyer, sustainability has become an extension of a lifestyle immersed in nature. As a Master Naturalist and writer for One Planet Life, Dwyer places particular importance on sharing how the natural world can enrich our lives.

“This is stuff that I’ve been interested in my entire life,” she said. “I can remember back to when I was five, six years old, creating my own fort out of bifold doors in the woods.”

While working for REI, Dwyer found joy in having an outlet to share her love of the outdoors. When the Pittsburgh store where she was employed closed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, it was time to reinvent herself. Lorie Buckingham, a lifelong friend of Dwyer, asked if she would like to write for her new sustainability-focused website, One Planet Life.

“I was applying for the Pennsylvania Master Naturalist program, so it seemed to be a good fit,” she said. “It makes us more credible to people than just sharing information. We are doing the things that we’re talking about. It’s important to be authentic and genuine in whatever you do.”

And it’s easy to see that Dwyer carries that authenticity into her work.

Sharing the Good News About Nature

As a naturalist, Dwyer aims to create stories that inspire positive messages. Getting out into nature is her best method.

“There’s research now where doctors are prescribing nature instead of medicine; that’s so wonderful,” she said. “Taking in the woods, the smell of the Balsam. You can’t recreate that. You’re using all of your senses.”

Enjoying the journey – not just the destination – when taking a walk in nature can be one of the best ways to encourage sustainable living because you’re experiencing the beauty at stake. 

“People go from point A to point B, or I’ll say point A to point C and totally miss what’s happening in point B – the journey,” she said. “The red newt salamander you might see on the ground or a mushroom – there’s always something unusual happening in the woods, no matter what time of year you’re going there. It doesn’t have to be in the woods; you can be in a city park or your neighborhood.”

Yvonne on a hike
Dwyer encourages a “big picture” perspective to get the most out of outdoor adventures.

“The big picture for me is to use all of my senses, create a story, and inspire others to go out and take it all in,” she said. “Just to go out and explore and see what happens. See what your senses pick up.” 

She’s also found inspiration in the naturalists who have come before her, women like Robin Wall Kimmerer and Anne LaBastille.

“Women like that inspire me,” she said. “It’s not that John Muir and [Ralph Waldo] Emerson and [Aldo] Leopold don’t – they inspire me to, but it’s cool to listen to what women are doing, their journeys, and how they’re affecting things that are happening. They’re not just sitting by; they’re on the park agency committee or a land trust committee. When we work together with everybody in diversity across the board, we all win.”

Nature offers a wonderful path toward more sustainable living. There is a tremendous amount of free information from naturalists like Dwyer, who are eager to share what they know. And there are inspiring online communities like One Planet Life and other apps. 

“There are more ways than ever to educate and inform people about what is happening in our natural world, share that, and hopefully inspire others to go out and observe – maybe use iNaturalist or eBird, one of these apps. They can easily become citizen scientists, helping with climate change or bird migration.”

Committing to a Natural (and Local) Lifestyle

When Dwyer had her first child over 30 years ago, she focused on providing as much natural sustenance for her family as possible. 

“We ate naturally. Our water was filtered, and I grew my own vegetables,” said Dwyer. “One of the reasons why it became important to grow my own vegetables is because the baby food company we bought our food from had glass in it. So I grew the vegetables, pureed them, put them in little ice cube trays, and froze them. That spurred my love for gardening.”

She remembered the guidance her grandmother offered as well. 

“My grandmother was a big inspiration for my cooking,” she shared. “She told me, ‘When you get married, you never feed your family from a box.’ I never did.” 

The One Planet Life Team
What she couldn’t grow on her own, Dwyer sourced as much as she could from local farmers.

“I think what started me on my journey shopping locally is that my oldest son was diagnosed with leukemia when he was three and a half,” she shared. “At the time, commercial farmers were putting in antibiotics and growth hormones. I wasn’t aware of what was being injected into our animals and how that would have an effect. So I found a farm near us.” 

Shopping for pasture-raised meat, eggs, and dairy at a little farm store provided Dywer with transparency and freshness not often available at the supermarket. 

“Our country exists on small businesses,” she said. “If we don’t protect small businesses, we are going to be locked down with the big businesses, their costs, and all the things that go along with it – our selection of choices may be lowered, protection for our workers, our natural resources. We can’t have a monopoly. We need to protect our small business owners to help preserve them.” 

Joining Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs), shopping for what is currently in season, and learning ways to preserve fresh food at home through freezing and canning are great ways to lower your carbon footprint when it comes to eating sustainably.

“I try to encourage people to join CSAs because you’re not only helping the farmer, you are also saving money in the end,” Dwyer said. “If you go to your local farmer or CSA, you won’t pay as much as you do in the big box grocery stores. It’s going to be fresher because it came from right here.”

She tries to encourage others by giving them samples to try. Once tasting the difference in freshness, it’s easy to make the switch to local.

“If you’re buying in season, you’ll be getting the freshest food,” she added. “It can be sustained if you buy extra, put it in your freezer, or make a soup out of it, put it in your freezer, and you can have it during the winter months when produce selection is a little bit lower.”

And the best part of it all?

“It’s relationship building,” Dwyer said. “You never know who you’ll meet at one of these little places that might become your best friend, someone to walk with. There are a lot of people from COVID who are still wary of going to these big box stores. You go into smaller businesses and somehow feel a little bit safer. You feel a little bit more welcome.”

Through a lifetime love affair with the outdoors, a keen interest in learning about the natural world, and dedication to providing her family with fresh, natural meals, Dwyer’s sustainability journey has been decades in the making.

“All the things that I do, it’s natural,” she said. “It’s not something I have to force.”

And that mentality shouldn’t seem so difficult – returning to our roots. After all, our climate crisis has only been accelerating within the past few decades. If we all make an effort to support our local food chain, consume the plethora of free resources available from experts, and revel in the wonder of the outdoors, a sustainable lifestyle could quickly become “natural” for all of us.

 You can read more about Yvonne’s Sustainability Journey here:

My Journey to Reduce My Carbon Footprint Started With Trash

An Easy Guide to Backyard Composting

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and REFILL to Benefit the Planet

The staff at One Planet Life are serious about sustainable living. That’s why we decided to share the struggles and successes of our individual sustainability journeys. We will share tips directly from our team members, curated through authentic personal experience. We hope that by sharing our stories, we can help foster a community committed to helping each other – and the planet!

Read about One Planet Life Founder Lorie Buckingham’s sustainability Journey.

Packing It Out: Learning More About “Leave No Trace”

Packing It Out: Learning More About “Leave No Trace”

The Leave No Trace (LNT) principle brings attention to the conservation, preservation, and protection of our parks and ecosystems.

The Leave No Trace (LNT) idea dates back to the 18th century and has increased in popularity in recent years as we have become more aware of the impending climate disaster Earth is facing.  

Since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic, many have found solace in heading outside to release stress and anxiety and find joy in nature and recreation. It’s a wonderful feeling to experience the natural world around you: crisp air, beautiful vistas, and the quiet humming of wildlife as you embark on your outdoor adventure.  Excursions are great for your physical and mental well-being – an opportunity to reflect and be mindful of the planet that sustains you.

But the peace and wonder you feel can quickly be interrupted by the sight of trash along your path. Your mind may begin racing with questions about how the rubbish came to be abandoned.  You may feel frustrated with how humans treat our planet or concerned about the short- and long-term consequences litter will have on our ecosystem.  

Refuse Decomposition: A Sobering Reality

Litter decomposes differently depending on the material.  Below are a few examples of commonly-abandoned trash and how long they will linger:

  • Glass, Styrofoam, and tin foil never decompose.
  • Plastic can take two to one million years to decompose, depending on its composition.
  • Aluminum cans take 80 to 100 years to disintegrate.
  • Conventional chewing gum – the world’s second most common form of litter – is not biodegradable and can take hundreds of years to decompose due to the synthetic plastic polymers used in its creation.
  • Animal poop in a knotted bag can take ten to twenty years to decompose.
  • Paper products will disintegrate in two to six weeks.
  • Fruit and their skins will decompose from six months to two years.
  • Rubber tires in a landfill will decompose within fifty to eighty years.

FUN FACT:

You can find gum that is better for the environment and made with natural ingredients, similar to what the ancient Mayans made from chicle, a form of rubber that is biodegradable and can disintegrate in two weeks. 

There is a way you can help, and it starts with awareness of the Leave No Trace principle.

Take Only Pictures, Leave Only Footprints.  There are seven main tenants of the Leave No Trace principle: 

  • Plan ahead and prepare.  Before you go on an excursion, consider what you need to protect yourself and the place you are visiting. For tips, check out our OPL blogs about Planning for a Successful Outdoor Adventure. What to Wear and What to Pack.
    • Select clothing and gear to protect yourself from outdoor elements.
    • Avoid traveling alone, as unexpected things can happen. 
    • Always leave a message with a family member or friend about your outdoor plan, the time you plan to return, and what to do if you do not return as scheduled.  
    • Carry a lightweight, waterproof tarp or emergency blanket to use as an emergency shelter.  
    • Carry extra food and water. Trail food such as nuts, dried fruit, dark chocolate, hard salami, and hard cheese cubes are good options to take with you on an excursion.
    • Do not take any unnecessary risks, especially if the weather turns foul, daylight is nearing an end, or you or someone in your party becomes ill.
    • If you think that you are lost, stay where you are and try to remain calm. Only continue traveling once you know where you are.  
    • Three of anything (shouts, whistles, flashes of light, etc.) is a standard distress signal. Only use these in emergencies.
  • Travel and camp on durable surfaces. Stay on marked trails to prevent unnecessary scarring of the landscape and avoid damaging vegetation, organisms, and waterways. 
  • If camping, choose a surface that is durable
  • Dispose of waste properly.  Ensure that any waste you generate is carried with you (also referred to as “packing it out”) and deposited in a waste receptacle at the end of your hike.
  • Leave what you find. Enjoy the wildflowers, plants, fungi, and trees but do not collect them without permission.
  • Minimize campfire impact.  Become familiar with fire safety and containment, and ensure that fires are never left unattended.
  • Respect wildlife. Quietly view wildlife and birdwatch without disturbing them.  You can use the eBird app to help you identify them and help scientists track the habits of these animals.  Never feed wildlife.
  • Be considerate of others.  Refrain from shouting or making loud noises on the trail.  Make space for other groups to pass if your party stops to take a break.

As individuals, we can be a part of the Leave No Trace solution by showing respect and care for nature and seeking to educate others on the harmful effects that rubbish has on our health, wildlife, and our environment.

At One Planet Life, we share our adventurous journeys on the OPL app, and use our knowledge to inspire, educate, and create energy for your own joyful experiences. We would love for you to share your venture with us. 

Make Simple Changes to Drastically Cut Waste Generated in Your Kitchen

Make Simple Changes to Drastically Cut Waste Generated in Your Kitchen

Put Eco-friendly Alternatives to Work for You to Cut Waste in Your Kitchen.

Do you find yourself pulling several paper towels off the roll for every mess? How about reaching for single-use plastics like water bottles and plastic wrap more often than not? Is your trash overflowing with smelly food scraps? You’re not alone. Thankfully, there are many ways to reduce the amount of waste in your kitchen.

Explore the Eco-Friendly Alternatives. 

Did you know that the average American uses seven trees a year in paper, wood, and other products made from trees? This amounts to about two billion trees per year, according to data from Middle Georgia University. The amount of wood and paper we throw away each year would be enough to heat 50 million homes for 20 years.

Paper towels are a huge source of unnecessary waste that falls into that category. Americans use 13 billion pounds of paper towels a year, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. It’s not surprising when you consider families go through an average of nearly two rolls a week. A whopping 110 million trees are downed annually to produce paper towels alone.

Thankfully, there are many eco-friendly alternatives to help clean up messes in the kitchen and beyond.

Cloth towel rolls, often made of flannel or cotton to easily stick together and include a simple stitch along the edges to prevent fraying, are super easy to make for the novice seamstress. If sewing isn’t your thing, we recommend the ones pictured here from Cheeks Ahoy.  A quick search on Etsy can deliver plenty of variations to choose from – plus, you’re supporting a small business!  

Cheeks Ahoy Unpaper Towels
Swedish Dishcloths have taken the sustainability world by storm.

By adding a few of these absorbent little squares to my kitchen, I’ve been able to nearly cut paper towels out of my life. They are super absorbent, compact to store, and easy to keep clean for everyday use. 

“Invented by a Swedish engineer in 1949, the rags are made of 100 percent naturally biodegradable cellulose or a combination of wood pulp and renewable cotton,” writer Ashlea Halpern noted. “They are superabsorbent, able to soak up 20 times their own weight in liquid. They are soft and pliable when wet but dry quickly in between uses.”

Looking for a cheap and simple solution to replace old paper towels? Cut your old bath towels and cotton t-shirts into squares. Not only will you be giving this fabric a second life, but well-used cotton is ultra absorbent! This is a completely cost-free solution you can implement immediately. 

Still not sure if this Joyful Change will make an impact? Think again. If each American household swapped just one roll of paper towels for a recycled version, nearly 54,000 trees could be saved each year!

Plastic wrap is another culprit for unnecessary trash in the kitchen.

That sticky, flimsy plastic cannot be recycled because it contains PVC. Considering that 5.3 million Americans used ten or more rolls of plastic wrap in 2020 alone, landfills are filling up fast. When sent to the dump, plastic cling film can take about 450 years to decompose. That’s where beeswax wraps can save the day. Instead of breaking out the roll of harmful, single-use plastic, invest in a few different sizes of beeswax wraps – fabric squares, often organic cotton, coated in naturally produced beeswax that you can rinse off and use over and over again. 

Speaking of flimsy plastic, we all know how intrusive plastic grocery store bags have become in the environment.

Make the switch to a canvas tote or foldable tote bag instead. Stash one in your car, purse, or backpack so you always have one available for those spur-of-the-moment stops at the local grocery store or farmer’s market. Do you have some flimsy bags tucked in a drawer at home? Do some research on where you can take these to recycle since most curbside recycling can’t utilize them. A lot of grocery stores have drop-off bins available for these items.

Canvas Tote Bags
Do you find yourself packing plastic water bottles and single-use cutlery into your family’s lunches?

These items are notorious for overloading landfills and aren’t easily recycled. Instead, opt for a water filtration system and encourage reusable water bottles in your household. Filtration systems give you that same fresh taste, and reusable bottles will often keep water cold for much longer. To cut down on single-use cutlery, try substituting a washable set, like the pouch sets we have available in our eco-store.              

Give Composting a Try.

We’re all trying our best to combat the food waste problem. However, we inevitably end up with bits and pieces of food that get tossed into the trash can – potato peels, coffee grounds, or the moldy cucumber that never made it to our lunchtime salad. Before you toss this waste into the trash can, consider composting it. 

What exactly is composting? According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, composting entails the following:

“A controlled, aerobic (oxygen-required) process that converts organic materials into a nutrient-rich soil amendment or mulch through natural decomposition. The end product is compost – a dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling material. Microorganisms feed on the materials added to the compost pile during the composting process. They use carbon and nitrogen to grow and reproduce, water to digest materials, and oxygen to breathe.”

By composting anything from kitchen scraps to yard trimmings, you are implementing a resourceful habit of managing waste in a more sustainable way. All you need to get started is a compost bin in your kitchen. In no time, you’ll be able to generate free, high-quality soil for your houseplants or garden.

If you have space to set up a compost pit in your backyard, be sure to allow for enough room to turn over your compost regularly for even decomposition. If you live in an urban area, check out our map of curated composting services nationwide to get started.  

Composting is an easy and rewarding sustainable practice; you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner!

Pro Tip: Add some earthworms to your compost pit, “Vermicomposting,” to help speed up the decomposition process!

Save electricity in your kitchen.

In the market for a new kitchen appliance? Look for the blue “Energy Star” designation for energy-efficient models. The United States Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency has even teamed up to create a free online resource to search for efficient models. 

If your refrigerator is over 15 years old, consider looking for a new one. It’s likely using twice the amount of energy than a new Energy Star certified model! Make sure to recycle your old one, too; by properly recycling your old refrigerator and replacing it with a new Energy Star-certified version, you can save more than $260 over the 12-year lifetime of the product. 

Dishwashers are another appliance worth upgrading in your kitchen. A standard-sized Energy Star certified dishwasher costs about $35 per year to run and can save you about 3,800 gallons of water over its lifetime. 

In 2020 alone, Energy Star certified appliances helped save more than 520 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and avoid $42 billion in energy costs. These savings resulted in associated emission reductions of more than 400 million metric tons of greenhouse gasses, roughly equivalent to more than 5% of U.S. total greenhouse gas emissions. 

Food production constitutes 8-16% of the total national energy consumption in the US, according to the Yale Environmental Review. Cooking accounts for 20% of consumers’ energy use. Refrigeration and dishwashing evenly split the remaining energy demand.

Is a gas or electric oven more efficient? The typical gas stove in America is only 40% efficient, whereas its electric counterpart is 80%, according to a 2013 study, “Review Energy consumption during cooking in the residential sector of developed nations: A review.  However, when you take a more holistic view of how each form of energy is generated, researchers determined that electric stoves powered with gas are the more efficient choice by approximately 20%. 

Cooking methods can affect the amount of energy we use in the kitchen. Curious as to whether specialty appliances, like rice cookers and electric kettles, are more efficient? Most studies determined that these specialty appliances are more efficient than ovens and stovetops.

“The microwave showed trends that were less clear, but seems to emerge victorious for small portions and foods with short cook times,” the Yale Environmental Review reported.  

Simple practices, such as cooking in large batches, putting a lid on a pot during cooking, and cooking food in full pots, are easy habits that can make a big difference in cutting energy waste in the kitchen.

The Energy Saving Trust recommends a few additional tips to implement when preparing meals:

  • Only use as much water as you need – boiling extra takes more time and energy.
  • Always cover your pots and pans – the water will boil faster and use less energy to heat your food.
  • Turn off the heat a couple of minutes before your food is fully cooked – particularly if you’ve got an electric hob, as they take some time to cool down and will continue to cook your food.
  • Don’t open the oven door repeatedly – you’ll let out hot air and waste energy. If you can, take a look through the glass door instead.

These tips are just a few simple ways your family can contribute to creating a more sustainable space. With a room as versatile as the kitchen, the possibilities are truly endless. Be sure to track and measure your efforts to reduce waste in your kitchen. Get the One Planet Life app and select the Reduce Waste Journey.

Written by Carley Kimball

Written by Carley Kimball

Freelance Journalist and OPL Content Contributor

“I’ve always tried to implement planet-friendly practices in my life but didn’t quite realize just how much of an impact individuals can make until I was introduced to One Planet Life. I’m so excited to be able to utilize my professional skills to contribute valuable information and positive personal experiences to help make the world a better place.”

My Journey to Reduce My Carbon Footprint Started With Trash

My Journey to Reduce My Carbon Footprint Started With Trash

The journey to reducing my carbon footprint through reducing, recycling, reusing, and repurposing has evolved over several years.

It all began by reducing the amount of rubbish that went into our trash cans. I began shopping more mindfully, looking for products with less packaging and thinking about what happened to my family’s trash after it was “thrown away” and how long it would take to biodegrade fully. This led me to compost, which takes natural, easily biodegradable materials out of trash bags, allowing them to break down entirely and then reunite them with the earth as a natural nutrient-rich fertilizer.

Composting has become a way of life for my family.

We add everything possible that can break down – such as grass clippings, leaves, food waste, unsoiled pieces of pizza cardboard boxes, and shredded paper bags – and with time, our efforts are rewarded with rich brown dirt full of terrific nutrients.  This dirt is then placed in our flower, vegetable, and herb garden beds, nourishing the plants, so they bear fruit that is far more delicious than its grocery store cousins. Thanks to composting, we have successfully diverted valuable waste from landfills, super-charged our gardens, enjoyed the mental and physical health benefits of gardening, and produced beautiful fruits and veggies for our nourishment – all for free!

Yvonne Dwyer Composting

Success with composting led me progressively to other areas where I could eliminate unnecessary waste, such as reusing containers and reducing single-use plastics where I could.

I tried to reduce, reuse, or recycle plastic containers in unique ways, like sending DIY college care packages to our sons in reusable containers, which we would later collect and refill for future care packages. I began using reusable shopping bags after learning how plastic bags have contributed to the widespread appearance of plastic microparticles across our planet’s waterways, aquatic animals’ bodies, and even our own bodies. I applaud states like New York, which have eliminated plastic bags in grocery stores. Shoppers are encouraged to use their reusable tote bags, purchase reusable totes for $1.99, or are charged five cents per paper bag they require. I hope other states adopt this practice to encourage mindfulness and eliminate unnecessary plastic!

I’ve also focused on eliminating plastic packaging in the pantry staples I buy.

I was discouraged that most large grocery store chains generally only offer pantry staples in plastic packaging. I began frequenting stores and co-ops where I could bring my own containers to purchase pantry staples and other personal items, freeing us further from single-use plastics. I’ve also used online shopping to buy the things I use in biodegradable packaging. I have found that many of my online packages are shipped in packaging that easily breaks down and can be composted.

My gloriously crooked sustainability journey is far from over, but I’ve been astounded at how my little changes have added up to a sustainable lifestyle. Share the joyful changes you have made to reduce your carbon footprint. We would love to hear your ideas! Check out the learning and marketing section of our One Planet Life app for more information to support your journey.

OPL Naturalist Yvonne Dwyer

This experience was shared by OPL Naturalist Yvonne Dwyer.

Learn more about Yvonne.

How will we Face Climate Change,  Sharknado, or Ministry For the Future?

How will we Face Climate Change, Sharknado, or Ministry For the Future?

Fiction is a window into our future.

While I was reading the book, The Ministry for the Future, my nephew and I watched the movie “Sharknado.” These contrasting climate stories stunned me. Our climate fiction centers around disasters with only a few people surviving, such as Sharknado. The Ministry for the Future is a story about how many people around the world take action to stay under the 1.5-degree Celcius threshold. The journey is disturbing and hopeful. Let us explore these two different future stories.

Sharkn

The cult-favorite “Sharknado” movies center around a series of severe storms that make “Sharknados” emerge, wiping out cities. Fictional sharknados are tornadoes with the power to pull sharks out of oceans into funnels and rain them down onto land. This comical series has people going about their daily activities, ignoring the bizarre weather pattern until it is too late. Only lead characters Fin and April, along with a small group, are able to save the day. 

Is this how we want to deal with climate change? Do we want to hope that there will be a couple of heroes with whom we happen to be when the disaster occurs? While disaster movies are fun, they don’t help us see a path to the future.

The book The Ministry for the Future (read our review) is science fiction rooted in science and human nature. For the next 30 years, the climate crisis is navigated – yes, terrible things happen, and many die, but humanity does survive – both terrifying and hopeful. This story engages us in thinking through how we might journey through this. If we all understand more and take action, small and big, we can be a part of getting as many people and all life through this crucial point in time. 

How will we handle this challenge? It is easy to feel powerless facing challenges that no one person can solve. 

Sharkn
We strongly believe that people can make a difference.

It is why we developed the One Planet Life app; to assist you on your journey. It works like a climate fitness app. You select actions that work for you to reduce your CO2, track your progress and celebrate everyday victories. When 16 of us reduce our CO2 emissions by one metric ton, this is equivalent to one person going net zero! Imagine 160 people making the change, then 1,600 achieving the same victory. The good news is that reducing your first metric ton of CO2 emissions is very doable.  

It will take many people acting, and we believe we will get there. If each of us takes action or joyful changes as we refer to them, they add up.  

Let’s make changes so we don’t have a “Sharknado” future! Join us today!

Written by Lorie Buckingham

Written by Lorie Buckingham

OPL Founder and Wayfinder

“Over the years, I was struck by how our lifestyles cause stress both on us and the planet.  This led me to explore and learn about sustainability and wellness.  With a deeper understanding, I began to make tangible changes in my life.  One Planet Life LLC was founded to connect with others on this journey. I hope that together we can make a significant difference for people and the planet. “

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