Being Environmentally Aware
At Verdant we practice being environmentally aware which means that with everything we do we consider the impact it has on the environment. Often this isn't easy to follow through. But here are some things we do do.
Paper: Where possible we choose electronic methods like emailing quotes and invoices rather than printing and posting. If printing is needed our printer is set to print double sided on recycled paper, and any missprints are kept as scrap paper for notes. We also ask all suppliers to email invoices and statements where possible.
Transport: This is one area we could really improve on. Being very idealistic I thought of riding around town on a bicycle with my samples. However, since Wellington has many hills and I live on one of the higher ones, my two attempts to return from the shops after gliding down the hill meant I walked all the way back home (and that was just carrying a bottle of milk!) My current thought is a Cargo Electric Bike, however, as I sometimes carry large 3 metre bent rods, I would be in serious risk of knocking someone else out! I am saving up for one of these. Meanwhile I drive a Toyota Corolla hatchback which fits lots of sampling and a huge ladder. This was purchased with a lot of analysis about fuel efficiency. I did seriously consider a Prius when I bought my Corolla several years ago, but discovered that the battery at the time, didn't last very long, and was still made from some very hefty metals that is hard to dispose of effectively at the end of its life. So now, we are just waiting for an electric or hybrid station wagon to come onto the market. I sometimes even use the bus, but not as often as I like. When I do make a trip somewhere in the car I add other things to my list to do in the same area.
Packaging: Sometimes the packaging our product comes in is not the best. So it gets stashed in the basement and re-used when something needs to be posted or couriered, or if its past it, it goes in the recycling bin. Traditionally curtains and blinds are packaged in non-reusable plastic bags. However, we have just received some new Organic Cotton Calico of which we will be whipping up curtain bags to transport our curtains to their new homes! Yay!
Scrap fabric: Draught Stops and Door Stops are made from scraps big enough to use, while anything smaller is used to tie packages. All the natural fibres left over from stitching and cutting out will be sent to Northland to The Papermill to be shreaded and used in recycled paper!
Suppliers: It is a hard road to sustainability. If I come across a supplier who is not sympathetic to my plight, then I generally stop dealing with them. Even if they may have one product that fits the bill. Other suppliers can often be swayed to look into things more for me.
Creating Eco Interiors: The biggest part of our job is finding materials for our home that tick many different boxes. Is the soft furnishing fabric grown organically? Where does the organic fabric come from? How has it been grown? Does the material derive from petro-chemicals? Will the wooden furniture last a long time? Can you replace the virgin material within your lifetime?
