With carbon emissions set to rise by 16% by 2030, world leaders at the 2021 Glasgow Climate Conference pledged to act on climate change. While the figures are disheartening (and whether you believe our world leaders are truly committed to sustainability) small actions towards sustainability in our daily lives do make a difference.
What is Sustainability?
Sustainability is living mindfully to avoid creating unnecessary waste and making the decision to use reusable resources in our daily lives where possible.
At Nest, for example, we’re committed to using the arts as a platform to teach enjoyable skills and share resources among local crafters all while recycling material for crafts.
At home you might already being making sustainable decisions, such as recycling plastic pots and glass bottles and jars or using reusable silicone bags to carry you lunch to work. Did you know, you can also wrap apples or sandwiches in beautiful beeswax paper to keep them fresh?
Other ways of living sustainably include mending clothes instead of discarding them, buying second hand instead of new and supporting local, handmade products. Switching to public transport, a carpool or cycling where possible and buying organic produce are all ways of combatting climate change.
You might already be doing a little or a lot of the above. Keep up! And if you’re ever in doubt, bear in mind the three Rs of sustainability.
The Three Rs Of Sustainability
There are three simple ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle and as you’ll read in a moment, they can be applied to your crafting hobby, too!
Reduce
Reducing means cutting back on unnecessary waste. Avoiding single use plastic or disposable items and investing in reusable products or simply using what we have instead of buying new are all ways to reduce waste in our daily life. Thinking ahead such as writing a weekly shopping list and batch cooking meals can all help to reduce waste.
Nest tip: reduce the amount of energy you use in your crafting hobby by unplugging appliances like sewing machines and switching off the lights in your craft room when its not in use. This might seem obvious, but its easy to overlook how much energy we can save by turning off appliances at the mains.
Reuse
Reusing means thinking twice before throwing something in the bin. Could a glass bottle be used as a candle holder? Can you return glass milk bottles to be used again or store dried food in empty coffee and jam jars? Repairing old clothes or items is preferable to throwing them in landfill or buying new. And also better than recycling as the discarded items don’t need to be processed, which uses energy!
Nest tip: reuse an old pair of tights and stuff with scrap fabric (or even lentils!) to make a draught excluder.
Recycle
The last port of call in the 3 Rs of Sustainability is recycling, which prevents products ending up in landfill. This usually involves turning the original product into something new and useful.
Nest tip: Check the Perth & Kinross Council website for details on your local collection dates.
We know that many of our thrifty crafters at The Nest are putting these tips into practise already. Sometimes it’s worth remembering that even glass jars and bottles can be washed and reused as tealight holders or simply a hiding spot for loose change!
Why is it important to live sustainably?
The choices we make today have a significant ripple effect on future generations. If you care about protecting the beauty and quality of our planet for future generations then making ethical choices now is the best way to reduce carbon emissions, create less waste and ensure a brighter, healthier future for subsequent generations.
Can you remember a time when the river was hoaching with salmon? Or playing in snowdrifts taller than you? These simple joys are already becoming a thing of the past that our children and grandchildren are missing out on.
Going green benefits you, too! Reducing the amount of toxins pumped into the environment improves air quality and living in less polluted areas has been shown to impact positively on our mental health. Going green can create a sense of belonging, too and help reduce rural isolation. When we start buying our food and necessities from local businesses, we feel connected to the wider community and contribute to creating a more sustainable, resilient place to live.
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How You Can Be More Sustainable In Your Crafting Hobby
If crafting is your hobby you’re probably already doing a lot for the environment.
The simple act of making your own clothes, gifts and everyday necessities and being able to mend worn items instead of buying new makes a big impact.
If you’re looking for more eco-friendly ways to get crafty here are our top 5 tips!
1. Create a Crafting Budget
Save the planet and some cash by creating (and sticking to!) a crafting budget.
It’s easy to become bedazzled by new yarns and fabrics and go overboard. Consider how much of the new fabric you’ll use before having to donate it or whether it’ll languish in a drawer for months on end.
Creating a budget is a good way to rein in your spending. At Nest we have a ‘remnants’ shop where you can browse an array of donated fabrics at affordable prices so your budget can stretch further.
And if you’re having a clear-out we’d happily take your donated remnants to be reused and saved from landfill.
2. Use What You Have
Most crafters have a stash of wool, felt, ribbons, fat quarters and other odds and ends. If you’ve leftovers from an old project consider inventive ways you could reuse them. Creativity loves constraints!
Maybe there’s an old jumper you knitted a long time ago that no longer fits or cushion covers that don’t spark joy anymore. Either of these items could be given a new lease of life and transformed into something beautiful or useful
3. Shop Small and Support Local
There’s no doubt that rampant consumerism has a big hand in harming our planet but there are ways to shop sustainably.
If you already shop small and local, then congratulations! Being more mindful about where and how we shop leads to less waste overall and supports local businesses at the same time. Win-win!
Buying your craft products from local sellers or thrifting material from charity shops and places like our remnants shop is a great way to become more sustainable in your crafting hobby. The quality of the product is often higher too because it’s been selected or made with care, and ethical practises are taken into consideration.
Buying in person also supports the local economy and eliminates the need for posting, which contributes to pollution.
Our remnants shop is a treasure trove of beautiful fabric. Come in for a guilt-free browse!
4. Buy e-books and e-patterns
If you work with patterns in your craft, consider buying electronic versions (e-books or e-patterns) instead of paper booklets. This small habit change is great way to become more sustainable. You can avoid printing the PDF and read it on a tablet to waste less paper, but even if you do print your e-pattern you’ve still cut out a big part of the supply chain.
5. Save Water
Water is a vital, natural resource (and we get plenty of it in Scotland!). There’s also a lot of treatment and processing required to make the water that comes out of our taps drinkable, which means the water industry is one of the biggest energy users in the country.
As individuals we can save water by becoming more efficient in how we use water in our crafting hobby. Not only will this save money, reducing water consumption lowers the pressure put on the environment.
Save more water by plugging the sink when washing your hands or tools. You can save up to 2 litres of water by doing this! Turn off the tap instead of letting the water run when cleaning and try to use cold water for cleaning surfaces and rinsing equipment.
For more water saving tips visit Resource Efficient Scotland.
6. Club Together With Other Crafters To Share Resources & Materials
Maybe there are patterns you don’t use anymore that someone else would be delighted to try? Or maybe fabric lying in someone’s discard pile is just the thing you need to finish your project.
Teaming up with your local craft network has so many advantages. Not only can you swap materials and knowledge, but you can also split the cost of more expensive tools.
Maybe you could share a sewing machine, for example? Most crafters are curious and like to experiment, but how often do you buy a tool, use it a few times and then never again? Sharing tools means more people get the use out of one item, which cuts down on manufacturing waste—and saves you money as an added bonus!
Clubbing together also means you can afford higher quality tools which are less likely to break and need replaced.
At Nest we’re a community of like-minded folk, providing local makers with a dedicated space to share ideas and resources and to sell their products. We also run a range of workshops and events you can get involved in if you’re looking to make friends through your crafting hobby.
We hope you enjoyed these crafty tips on how to be more sustainable in your craft. Please share any ideas you have in the comments below or on Instagram and Facebook!
Bit by bit we can all play our part in reducing waste and making this world a happier, healthier place to live.