Our journey to a sustainable, net zero life (and art practices)
Two years and counting - crafting a sustainable future
“"Be the change that you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi
Welcome to 2025!
Here we are 2 and half years after we started this project/new life and it's been amazing - hard work and very challenging at times but every minute has been worthwhile.
So where are we now?
2024 proved to be quite a roller-coaster ride.
Around this time, last year, I calculated a composite (art practices and household) 2023 baseline footprint for us using the measurement criteria from the UK government website and approved free tools from NGOs.
We then considered obtaining formal verification of our footprint.
This is where things became sticky.
Formal verification of our data sets – wasn't going to be straightforward and after some research, emails and calls with a couple of helpful consultants, I discovered:
Verification needed to be done separately, not studio based, as Neil and I have separate practices
Within each practice, the work had to be verified separately in a second step (product based) verification, aimed more at product lines, not the kind of one-off work we make.
Independent verification requires external consultants -costing £1000s of pounds (based on 2 quotes I received) – so far too expensive for our small set up.
The ‘textbook’ solution we had been working toward (maybe naively) felt unachievable on our scale and budget – it felt like we couldn’t achieve our goals in the “right" or "prescribed" way.
I’ll be honest – after all our hard work, I was deflated – disheartened and took some time out to think.
Then like clouds parting after a storm, I revisited a social media post showing a brilliant sculpture by Simon Gaiger, called 'Trim-Tab - Sea Change'. (First mentioned in Episode 5 - over a year ago)
Buckminster Fuller's trim tab metaphor reminds us that change is not about brute force or grand gestures. It's about understanding how to leverage influence, empower others, and create a ripple effect of positive change. By focusing on small, strategic actions, we can act as trim tabs, steering ourselves, our lives, teams and businesses toward a better future. (paraphrased from Val Joh Farris https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-power-of-trimtabs-wha_b_5863520 )
It created a sea change in our perspective of how we manage our transformation.
With 2024 now officially the warmest year on record, it feels even more important to take a holistic approach.
We have moved from life as a checklist of things to do to mitigate climate change toward a deeper examination of what actions are most important, meaningful and achievable. (thank you @dougaldh)
Thinking about things differently – means rethinking how we work at all levels – every aspect of our lives.
What have we done?
Generating Alternative Energy
We use solar, wind, or other renewable energy sources to power all our electrics (the workshop and our house)
Changed working hours to best suit the microgeneration
Replaced oil fired boiler for electric
• Decarbonise practice/house/ life
o Workshop
Neil has rebuilt the furnace and reduced propane used through improved efficiency
Working Practices
Batch working – we melt, make what we need and switch the furnace off- this significantly reduces the amount of propane used
Melt waste cullet to make new work
Repurpose other materials to create new work. This also reduces any waste significantly.
Optimised deliveries of goods and selecting carbon neutral couriers for shipping, sustainable packaging and reuse of packaging
Food choices
We make conscious food choices - primarily plant based diet, where possible (grown in the UK if possible – low food miles).
try to grow as much as we can, buy local sustainable produce and support regenerative farming
Waste and Water management
Compost organics (household and garden), Repurpose, Upcycle, Freecycle or Recycle what we no longer need.
Harvest and store rainwater
Biodiversity improvement
Since October 2022, we have now planted about 1600 trees and shrubs (>90% natives from the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park list). This includes:
shelterbelt and new hedgerow planting, hedgerow restoration
a new small orchard using many old welsh varieties
meadow improvement using an organic native seed blend from a local provider (Wyndrush Wild)
creating new habitats - dead hedge, bog garden
managing areas differently -not cutting the grass in places and "acting like a large herbivore" in others (thank you Isabella Tree, The book of Wilding')
Other Environmental Action
We support recognised Marine advocacy organisations – and their projects such as seagrass and mangrove restoration and the creation of Marine Protected Areas
We are also working with and creating work for, UK river action groups advocating for clean accessible waterways for us all. You can find our more about this here, in the Projects - Ceremonial Water Vessels section on my website.
What have we learned in the last 2.5 years?
Last month, I calculated our combined carbon footprints (studio and household) for 2024. (scope 1- 3)
It was higher than 2023 – this was expected as we settled into a more ‘normal’ working year for us and we measured more scope 3 elements.
We then looked at the other things we have done in terms or microgeneration, biodiversity improvements and so forth
using UK government approved calculation methods - we have “offset” more total carbon (tCO₂e) than we have created by a few (2.5) Tonnes.
This 'offset' was from:
o energy we generated and returned to the grid from our solar and wind systems
o development of our land through tree planting and biodiversity improvements
o a small amount from advocacy programmes we support ( mangrove planting)
To all intents and purposes – 2024 was a net zero year for our life and practices
BUT this is just the beginning...
What’s more important than the numbers is working toward something incredibly positive, both physically and mentally.
There is always more to do - more ways to reduce our fossil fuel usage, more seeds to plant, ponds to dig, glass to make and conversations to have.
But it’s a joy and it makes creating new art work even more enjoyable and rewarding.
All of this is about small steps, and making active, informed choices - opening conversations - things we, as individuals, can all do.
I'll close with this:
Being a Trimtab is not for the faint hearted, but it is for those who realize that the fear of failing is less important than the possibility of making a difference.
(paraphrased from Val Joh Farris https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-power-of-trimtabs-wha_b_5863520 )
I've been invited to give a TEDxAberystwyth talk about this on the 22 Feb 2025. There is a full day of wonderful talks on all sorts of topics scheduled. Check it out and attend if you can.
The next Episode is 'The Power of Conversation' - See you next time.
Many thanks to @samclarkartwrite and her fantastic blog that introduced us to Dougald Hine and his book *At work in the Ruins, to Simon Gaiger (@simongaiger4456) for introducing us to Trim-Tab, to @isabella.tree for sharing her knowledge via 'The book of Wilding', Matt Sutton at Wyndrush Wild for the advice and local meadow seed, @neilwilkinglass for sharing this journey, @TEDXaberystwyth for the opportunity to share this, Ty Rhos Trees, @woodlandtrust and @ashridgenurseries for the trees, and last but not least, to all of you for your support and encouragement. It's all greatly appreciated.
#wilding #climatechange #art #creativepractice #contemporaryglass #contemporarysculpture #sustainableliving
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