Earth Day 2023
Re-sharing "Making Green"
Earth Day is this Saturday, April 22nd. So I decided to share this story on “Green Making” from two years ago. Yes, a recycled story on a day that celebrates recycling (along with all things good for the planet). ~JRC
Making Green (no, not that green)
Create more & waste less using these five environmental tips for makers
First published April 23rd, 2021
As a maker, I inherently consume. Wood, plastic, and metal are the foundations of what I create, and these all come at an environmental cost. If I were an enviro-purist, throwing in the towel on making would seem most wise. But I live to make, and a world where I could not create is not a world I want to inhabit.
But like many, I have been thinking more about my duty to this planet and our environment. This is our only home (for now), and we need to make the best of it. That means considering our consumer choices and working to reduce pollution and waste.
So what can be done? Reduce, reuse, and recycle, that’s what! Makers can make intelligent choices that lessen and even eliminate ecological waste. It takes a little thought and care, that's all.
Here are five ways I suggest for "going green" as we make. There are more, to be sure. But this is a good start for anyone interested in making green.
1. Plan your projects well.
Ever wonder why "reduce" is first in the conservation triad "reduce, reuse, & recycle?" It's because it's the most ecologically meaningful. The less you use, the fewer resources consumed. Simple, right? So accounting for stock dimensions and executing cuts well will reduce what's left over.
Thoughtfully planning projects can all but eliminate waste. Norm Abram, the master woodworker and star of "This Old House" and "The New Yanky Workshop," is famed for his expert layouts. Legend has it that Norm earned his first TV gig by leaving little scrap behind while building a barn at a producer's home. You, too, can do the same with a bit of forethought. Not get on TV - but instead, make less waste!
2. Save those offcuts.
Sure, it's easiest to start with a virgin piece of stock. But often, we are doing a smaller project we can make from ends and pieces. Having a healthy supply of these on hand is a beautiful way to reduce your consumption yet again.
Similarly, if you are creating something from scratch, consider modifying dimensions to fit the offcuts available. Say your original plan called for a 12x12x24-inch box. But what if you have leftover wood that you can use for said box, making it smaller by an inch in all dimensions? Build the smaller box and help save the planet, of course. No one will see the difference, and you can sleep better knowing you did the right thing.
3. Buy high-quality equipment.
We all need stuff - it's a fact of life. But using good stuff reduces waste in many ways. For the maker, this translates as buying quality tools = being environmentally-minded. Yes! They're durable, which means good tools last. So when you buy the best ones you can afford, you will be far less likely to have to replace them any time soon. And voila! You've reduced your consumption.
Better still - buy good quality USED tools. In going second-hand, you end the need to create anything new. So giving a used tool a new home is a perfect way to reduce consumption while reusing a durable good. And with quality products, used ones are likely in great shape still (a Powermatic band saw is an excellent used buy; Harbor Freight's - not so much). Buy quality used, and it's a win-win for you and the planet. Plus, you'll save cash, which makes it a win-win-win!
4. Water is best; avoid all the rest.
Glues, sealers, stains, solvents - these are often petroleum-based. Inherently nasty, things made from oil can be generally harmful to people and the planet. Manufacturing and using these agents release noxious gasses. And waste materials containing oil-based agents can pollute waters and soils. It's always better to use water-based options when they are available.
The good thing is more and more reagents are made from water these days. Latex paint, water-based polyurethane, old-school white glues - all are good choices. And these products do the job well, even compared to their petroleum-based predecessors.
5. Get certifiably into green making.
One of the most complex parts of going green is knowing what products are best for the environment. Not everyone is an ecologist or a chemical engineer. Thankfully many third-party certifying entities exist to guide our choices.
The best known of these, to makers anyway, is the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). FSC certifies sustainable wood products ensuring they are grown, harvested, and processed responsibly. Look for the FSC label whenever you buy new wood.
Similarly, Design for the Environment is a US EPA certification for safer products. And the Energy Star and WaterSense labels, also EPA, denote lower power/water devices. Even Good Housekeeping Magazine has developed a third-party certification - Good Housekeeping Green. They assist manufacturers and consumers alike in adhering to effective environmental choices.
Going green for makers has never been easier. There is almost always a way to do things for the planet while we still create. But it can be intimidating. And expensive. There are times when there are no Earth-friendly options or none we can afford, and yet we want to create. To this, I say go easy on yourself - and just make.
It can be hard to make the right environmental choices. Every. Single. Time. So challenging that we give up entirely on being green. This is one of the biggest deterrents to doing the right thing - including being green: an all-or-nothing mentality.
All-or-nothing thinking is like an aspiring healthy guy who splurges once on a donut and then gives up on nutrition. He decides to eat donuts all day, every day, instead. Doing so is unsustainable, unhealthy, and unnecessary. Have a donut, dude. But try and find better alternatives more often than not.
The same goes for being green. We must try and do our best while forgiving ourselves when we can't. This way, we're more likely to continue making good choices in the future. If you do, I bet you'll find that soon enough, you'll go green more and more - even if you do have to use a bit of virgin wood or VOC solvent now and again.
Bonus: the more often you make green, the better the planet will be, and the better you'll feel about what you create. And we make to feel good, right? So make green.
Until next time.
JRC
Im inspired to make a new quilt form scraps . xoxo