For many of us, the idea of ‘going green’ and playing a vital part in helping to save Mother Earth from resource depletion and over consumption, is more than just a passing fancy. J&O Fabric store is doing our part by bringing in more and more organic fabrics. As each day ushers in new devastating information pertaining to the effects of global warming, pollution in our air and waters, cancers in our food supply, and the long term effects of genetically modified textile crops such as our beloved cotton, more and more of us are raising our awareness to the fragile balance and co-dependency of man and nature, and are taking steps both big and small to ensure our survival and that of future generations. One such step that we can take as seamstresses, tailors, crafters, and designers, is to make our sewing environments more eco-friendly. With the running of our machines and the burning of the midnight oil (lights) to get our projects done sometimes, the amount of energy we use in the course of a day, a week, a month, adds up. When considering that the leading cause of our eco-system breakdown is still the burning of coal to generate electricity, we owe it to Mother Nature to do our part, one change at a time.
Below is a list of the steps we each can take to make our sewing rooms and the world overall, a better place to live and create.
1. Lighting:
-Use a CFL (compact fluorescent lightbulb) in your sewing area. Use in place of incandescent light bulbs and save 75% less energy. They give off the same amount of light with considerably less wattage and last twice as long. When they finally burn out, be sure to discard them in the recycling bin and not with your general trash. They contain
a small amount of mercury, which doesn’t belong in a landfill.
-Consider installing a Solatube in the ceiling. This brighter alternative to a skylight lets in a consistent amount of daylight all day, no matter what the position of the sun. The tube has a compact and flexible design that allows it to be installed in just about any room, including rooms without direct roof access and smaller spaces where daylight usually is not an option.
2. Flooring:
Consider carpet that is made from recycled plastic bottles. If remodeling, consider bamboo floors.
3. Cleaning:
Want to give away your unwanted fabric, craft supplies, and notions to someone who could use them rather than throw them away? Join Freecycle.org, a nonprofit online organization whose members are dedicated to keeping good stuff out of landfills. Membership is free and you can post messages on the boards offering to give away things that you don’t want or need, rather than throwing away the items. Someone else in your community decides they would like those things and makes arrangements to pick them up. No shipping is required since all the action takes place locally.
4. Energy Conservation:
Remember to unplug all machines and irons when not in use, even if they are turned off. Keeping the machines plugged in puts a strain on the grid. ( This was a new tip for me. Who knew??)
5. Re-use, Re-make, Re-cycle:
Fabric production is one of the top five polluting industries in the world. One way to make our sewing activities a little less emission-heavy is to embrace the old recycle concept better known as: re-use, re-make, and restyle. While fabric shopping is in every sewer’s DNA, creating new stuff from old stuff and recycled clothing is another way to nurture your creativity, sewing skills, and part in the cycle of life.
6. Buy local:
The more locally produced a fabric, the less fuel consumption and the lower the carbon emission required to transport goods to your shopping bag.
7. Buy Natural:
Where can, buy natural organic material instead of man-made synthetics. Why? Less chemicals, less processing, more harmonious with our bodies, more eco-friendly.