Day 2479 Protecting the future.

28th May 2024

Sustainability is a word that often gets thrown around, and even mixed into environmental and climate change discussions, but I have always believed that it is vital to conserve and replenish the resources we have.

Sustainability’s definition is:-

“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

I was brought up at a time when I had to clear my plate before I could leave the table. Rationing had just finished, but the idea of wasting food was not acceptable. It had stuck with me since, I hate waste and try to conserve as much as possible.

I had just watched a film about a young furniture designer who has made sustainability the core of his business. He uses coppiced timbers extensively in his designs and uses the waste to make into brickets that he sells for log burners. He is also experimenting with a fungus that he adds to wood chips to “ Grow” products.

Most woodworkers rarely throw away off-cuts until they can’t move, which is my case.

In the US the thought of driving fuel efficient automobiles never crossed their minds, although today’s prices has made them think.

Electric cars are not the answer, there aren’t countries that could generate enough electricity to power them. We seemed to be coaxed into believing that it’s the only alternative, but there are thousands of vehicles parked in fields awaiting customers.

Industry is trying to follow sustainable principles by using reprocessed plastics in furniture and textiles, but often this costs more than virgin materials. I am excited that plastic waste from the oceans are now being used, and communicating the message in their marketing material.

I was always concerned with the amount of chipboard that was sent to landfill, I even suggested developing “Green line” products that utilised board sizes better and minimised waste.

Worktops would have been smaller, and cheaper. The idea was poo pop’d, as not practical, but it saddened me to see the bins still full of usable material.

Both myself and Kelli get a kick out of what we do, sustaining the life cycle of a simple dresser may be a small thing, but keeps our conscience clear.