ART
Reuse, Recycle,
Repurpose
Today’s youth are extremely aware of
opportunities to save our environment,
but more importantly, they are
extremely aware and recognize waste in
everyday living. Oversized boxes, excess
peanuts, etc. gives them an immediate
sense of distaste, even if they like the
product underneath all the packaging.
It’s made this retail store owner more cognizant of areas
where our business can adapt and do our part.
FUNCTION
There are some places we just can’t stop offering paper
products (generally in the restrooms), but our studio
hasn’t offered paper towels as a clean-up option since
our second or third year in business (celebrating 14 this
year!). I had a difficult time tossing out those huge green
garbage bags filled with barely used paper towels and
have found that sponges work just as well if not better.
They are reusable and easily last six to nine months.
The sponges we use to wipe down tables and clean up
spills last much longer and are a better option than paper
towels. The hardest part? Training our customers to not
gravitate to the old habit of needing paper towels, which
we leave available just in case.
Paint spill on the table? Use
the brush, grab the color and
paint it onto your pottery
or canvas. Brushes need
drying? A quick swipe on a
sponge and you’re ready for
a new color.
We still use paper
towels sparingly, and are
constantly looking for ways
to reduce waste.
Acrylic paints stain and
make cloth a little crunchy,
so we will continue to find
ways to lessen our impact,
but still use limited paper
products. Styrofoam
makes a great paint pallet,
but again – not good for
the environment, so we use
paper plates.
We placed a bag order
about three years ago
and when those bags are
gone, we will be asking our
customers to bring their
own bags from home. We
have reusable bags for our
groceries in the car, and
many of our customers
come in with their own.
Every little bit helps.
REPURPOSE
One of the best parts
of pottery is that it is
reusable. Corporate
teambuilding events to
create coffee mugs to be
used over and over in
place of Styrofoam or
paper coffee cups, family
members creating their
own tableware (plates
and bowls) to be reused
at mealtimes, finding
purposes for cracked or
damaged ware — coffee
cups holding pencils or
make-up brushes, bowls
used to plant a succulent
garden, broken pieces
used in beautiful mosaics.
Artists are some of the
most creative when it
comes to reusing and
repurposing utilitarian
objects.
EVERYTHING arts
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