S03 Episode 132 | RENEE PETERS + MODEL4GREENLIVING

In episode 132, Kestrel welcomes Renee Peters, the founder of Model4GreenLiving, to the show. A fashion model, lifelong animal lover and nature enthusiast, Renee’s interests have inspired Model4GreenLiving, which showcases practical tips and everyday actions that help encourage mindful, sustainable living.

In this episode, Renee shares her insider insight on the modeling industry, from its challenges to its perks to its abusive nature. She also talks about where she is now in her career - at 29 - and how she can already see that the end of her modeling days are in sight.

Kestrel + Renee also talk about Project Drawdown, the book edited by Paul Hawken, that outlines solutions that reduce greenhouse gases by avoiding emissions and/or by sequestering carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere.

For Renee, she believes strongly that if you are an environmentalist, you should be a feminist. As it’s outlined in Project Drawdown, supporting the empowerment of women and girls is listed as the 6th and 7th most impactful way to reduce climate change.

The below thoughts, ideas + organizations were brought up in this chat: 

• The Model Alliance says that according to one survey, 29.7 percent of female models have experienced inappropriate touching at work.

• “What It’s Truly Like To Be A Fashion Model” - video story by the New York Times that Renee was featured in

• Project Drawdown: according to Project Drawdown, supporting the empowerment of women and girls are the 6th and 7th most impactful ways to drawdown carbon emissions

• “Always leave the place better than you found it” - something that Renee learned from her 10 years of being a Girl Scout, and something that still impacts the way she thinks about her actions today

• The True Cost film was monumental in Renee’s journey, and ignited her desire to want to learn as much as possible about the issues of the fashion industry to use her position as a model for good; listen to Conscious Chatter’s episode with Andrew Morgan, director of True Cost here >

• “I was unsure about who I was, and fast fashion only perpetuated that confusion." - quote from Renee’s post called “Why Giving Up Fast Fashion Is One Of The Best Things I’ve Done”

• Elizabeth Suzann, one of Renee’s favorite brands

• Reformation, one of Renee’s favorite brands

LA EVENT ALERTGALERIE.LA + international online magazine MOCHNI are partnering for Happy Hour | A sustainable fashion networking event on Wednesday, September 19th from 7 - 9 pm at GALERIE.LA's store at ROW DTLA.

Get Your Ticket Here.