Here are some ways I integrate care for the environment into my art and life:
- My printing press is hand-cranked, one page at a time- a pretty green process to begin with. Techniques that minimize my environmental impact include minimizing solvents by using dry ink removal and vegetable oil, and using water-miscible roller wash.
- Transportation: I’m pedal powered and use a bike for transportation. Our household has a car share membership and takes transit.
- Reducing waste: I buy less / second hand/ share tools, furniture, supplies, display items and especially electronics. Paper scraps, rags, etc are used and reused in the studio.
- Upcycling: I upcycle items such as wood veneer scraps and old books into surfaces for printing.
- Ethical purchasing: I prioritize using 100% tree-free letterpress paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, unbleached cotton fabric and organic where possible, and buy locally sourced 100% post consumer paper for bookmaking and printing projects. We are members of 2 community supported agriculture programs.
- Recycling: Vancouver has a good blue-box recycling program, and we save hard-to-recycle items for a monthly volunteer-run ‘beyond-the-blue-box’ program.
- In the community, I am a Board member with the Vancouver Fruit Tree Project, co-run a monthly community kitchen, and speak up about issues that concern me.
