Tater Talks : Health, Earth, and Society

The Roll Effect: Toilet Paper and Our Planet

In this episode, we take a closer look at the hidden impacts of one of our most everyday products: toilet paper. We'll explore how our demand for toilet paper affects Canada's boreal forest, Brazil's eucalyptus plantations, and the forests of the southern United States. But the story doesn't end with trees. Many toilet paper products also contain potentially harmful contaminants, including PFAS ("forever chemicals") and chlorine-based compounds, raising important questions about their impact on both human health and the environment. The good news? There are better options. We'll break down what you need to know about recycled and bamboo toilet paper, bidets, mullein leaves, and a few other surprising alternatives that could make your bathroom routine a little more sustainable.

Lace Up - What Your Shoes Aren’t Telling You

In this episode, we’re stepping into the world of shoes. But first—what if we didn’t wear them at all? Walking barefoot: more natural, cheaper, and maybe even healthier. Still, for most of us, shoes are a daily essential. So what are they really doing to our bodies? From high heels to running shoes to flip-flops, we break down the health impacts of what we put on our feet. Then there’s the environmental side. We buy a lot of shoes—and all those plastics, dyes, and synthetic materials add up fast, leaving a much bigger footprint than we might think. But it’s not all bad news. A wave of innovative, sustainable brands is changing the game—rethinking how shoes are made, from safer materials to better working conditions. We’ll explore alternatives like cotton, bamboo, cork, natural foams, and more—solutions that are easier on the planet, kinder to workers, and that don’t rely on animal exploitation. Because in the end, the choice is yours: what kind of footprint do you want to leave behind? References: Shoe consumption per age https://www.restonyc.com/what-age-buys-the-most-shoes/ [https://www.restonyc.com/what-age-buys-the-most-shoes/] Bare feet, minimal footwear and conventional footwear health impacts https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11899058/ Effects of footwear on biomechanics of the body https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025012514 [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025012514] The effects of grounding, walking barefoot https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4378297/ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4378297/] Hill shoes health issues https://footwearmagazine.com/cleveland-clinic-high-heels-foot-problems/ [https://footwearmagazine.com/cleveland-clinic-high-heels-foot-problems/] Flip flops health isuues https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5862437/ CO2eq emissions per product https://www.co2everything.com/a-z [https://www.co2everything.com/a-z] CO2 emissions of shoes production https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/14/6094 [https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/14/6094] Environmental impacts of shoes https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/49925/20220315/the-impact-of-the-shoe-industry-on-the-environment.htm [https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/49925/20220315/the-impact-of-the-shoe-industry-on-the-environment.htm] Kangoroos killed for leather for shoes The Truth About Leather & How it is Made | Animals Australia [https://animalsaustralia.org/our-work/farmed-animals/truth-about-leather/] Nine major athletic brands end kangaroo leather use in historic win [https://www.sgieurope.com/csr-and-sustainability/nine-major-athletic-brands-end-kangaroo-leather-use/118795.article] Eco friendly solutions Materials : 10 Eco-Friendly Materials Used In The Making Of Sustainable Shoes | GreenSmartEco.com [https://greensmarteco.com/eco-friendly-living/10-ecofriendly-materials-for-sustainable-shoes/] Brands: 15 Best Sustainable Shoe Brands For 2026 - The Good Trade [https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/sustainable-shoes/] Rain boots : 9 Sustainable Rain Boots For Naturally Green Puddle Play [https://www.sustainablejungle.com/sustainable-rain-boots/]

Sowing the Future: A Gardener's choice

In this episode, The Choice is Yours team looks into seeds. As a consumer, a gardener, which seeds should I plant ? F1, hybrid, heirloom, home made, GMO? How our gardens can help protect biodiversity? What is the Seed banks' work? Is Seed Savers Exchange a good option ? What is Bill Gtes doing with seeds in Africa? How bad are the seeds from the supermarket? All that and more.  References :  About Eating to Extinction: The World’s Rarest Foods and Why We Need to Save Them, by Dan Saladino. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/17/dan-saladino-food-diversity [https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/17/dan-saladino-food-diversity] The productivism point of view https://betternutritionnews.com/can-people-eat-more-today-than-20-years-ago/ [https://betternutritionnews.com/can-people-eat-more-today-than-20-years-ago/] Key messages from FAO’s International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/42209587-33f1-4546-9f56-35947af496b8/content [https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/42209587-33f1-4546-9f56-35947af496b8/content] English Royal Botanic Garden and seed bank podcast https://www.kew.org/about-us/virtual-kew-wakehurst/unearthed-kew-podcast About Bill Gates continuing the GMO crusade in Africa https://www.thenation.com/article/world/new-colonialist-food-economy/ [https://www.thenation.com/article/world/new-colonialist-food-economy/] https://mg.co.za/africa/2024-09-03-bill-gates-plays-god-in-africas-agriculture-and-gets-it-wrong/ [https://mg.co.za/africa/2024-09-03-bill-gates-plays-god-in-africas-agriculture-and-gets-it-wrong/] https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinero/2024/09/02/why-african-groups-want-reparations-from-the-gates-foundation/ [https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinero/2024/09/02/why-african-groups-want-reparations-from-the-gates-foundation/] Here is a clip of Vandana Shiva talking about Bill Gates and his role in seed banks : https://www.instagram.com/reels/DU19gQ1FULO/ [https://www.instagram.com/reels/DU19gQ1FULO/] Article by Vandana Shiva https://navdanyainternational.org/one-empire-over-seed-control-over-the-worlds-seed-banks/ [https://navdanyainternational.org/one-empire-over-seed-control-over-the-worlds-seed-banks/] A healthy microbiome comes with diversity https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4837298/ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4837298/] About GMO https://www.nongmoproject.org [https://www.nongmoproject.org], cornell.edu [http://cornell.edu] healthline.com [http://healthline.com]   Iamcountryside.co [http://countryside.com]m  rivieraproduce.com [http://rivieraproduce.com]

Foam up and smell the consequences - Coffee shops

In this episode, we trace how coffee fueled the rise of industrialization and capitalism — keeping factories running and workers awake — before diving deep into the world of modern coffee shops. From cozy local cafés to global corporate chains, we unpack what’s really brewing behind the counter: union battles and worker strikes, slavery investigations in supply chains, the staggering amounts of added sugar in popular drinks, and even the pesticides found in certain blends. All that, and more, in your daily cup.

Wake up and smell the consequences - Coffee

In this episode, Doro, Dani, and Sheila take you on a journey through the world of coffee — from its origins in Ethiopia to the realities of deforestation and modern-day slavery in Brazil. Next month, we’ll focus on coffee shops. But for now, we’re starting at home with ground coffee. Who are the biggest ground coffee brands in the U.S., and how sustainable are they? Which certifications can you trust? Is truly sustainable coffee even possible? What’s the story behind “shade-grown” coffee? How to save birds through buying your coffe ? And is coffee actually good for your health? All that — and so much more — in this deep dive into what’s really in your cup.