Small Changes, Big Impact

Politics aside, there are few subjects that generate news more than the threats to our home planet. The proliferation of plastic is choking the oceans and burning fossil fuels for energy is causing global warming. We are reminded of the sorry state of the planet at every turn. Whether it’s Greta Thunberg sailing the Atlantic to make a point to those in power, or the many alternate sources of energy we are desperately trying to invent to solve one thing – the carbon emission problem.

But it’s a fact that any modern human production process creates carbon. I had the pleasure of listening to a Climate Change Webinar hosted by The Sustainability Centre at West Suffolk College. Its sole aim is to help empower individuals and businesses into thinking that making changes to help our world is everyone’s concern and in everyone’s best interests. They highlighted that we need to consider what is important to us – as a planet – not as individuals – and that everyone can make a difference.

At Made by the Forge we knew from the very first hammer blow that our processes would generate carbon. Right from the very start of our journey, we made a serious commitment to plant hedge trees to help absorb some of the carbon dioxide produced during the manufacturing process but we can still do more.

We are in the process of auditing everything we do so we can make more changes. Just small tweaks in our working practices will make a difference. If every business does this then it will be easier for all of us to choose – and be knowledgeable about – the items we are thinking about buying. My latest change is to buy my books from World of Books. They have built their used book business based on the circular economy. Once the book has been read it can be bought back and so the cycle continues and the books stay out of landfill. What is there not to like?

A Circular Economy delays the moment of throwing things away as long as possible by encouraging re-use, re-purposing and even after that ‘in the bin’ moment, a Circular Economy still encourages recycling and repurposing. Working with metal means that Made by the Forge is operating within a Circular Economy and you as a customer are choosing to buy an item just the once, an item that lasts a lifetime and beyond.

This is part of the overall solution but you can also repurpose items you might otherwise discard. I mean who doesn’t love the idea of welly flower pots? Cast your eye about your house and think twice before dropping something in the bin. Its a mindset thinking about alternative uses for things. It’s actually quite a lot of fun. As World of books underline “A little win for you and the planet”.