A greener me -
Kesemy’s green ceramic studio
My new project for this winter is to change my ceramic studio into a green studio; I was inspired by online discussion about how to become a greener ceramist. In my studio I am already practicing most of the points mentioned in these forums, but in order to complete this environmental changes in my studio I need to do a few more things.
Ceramics is considered to be a friendly and earthly industry, but actually it contributes to the pollution of our water and soil, industrial mining and global warming. Making pottery is very energy intensive, clay that comes from the other side of the globe, toxic materials, kilns that consume a lot of energy and much more, actually the mining of raw materials and the firing of kilns is two of the most environmentally costly aspects of making ceramics these days.
I want to try as much as I can to have a studio that produces a product that is environmentally friendly, to accomplish that I am trying to follow these important points:
Recycle
1. Recycle all the clay – very basic and very important, I am recycling every bit of clay that I can.
2. Packaging - Buy only recycled packaging or collect packaging from friends, family, students and customers, like boxes, packing paper and bubble wrap that already has been used and that would otherwise end up in the garbage.
3. Sell your flawed ceramics or reuse it in your works - I sell my flawed pieces in a lower price, I use some broken pieces in my projects, and you can donate broken tiles and ceramics to local schools’ art programs or mosaic artist.
4. “Free-cycle” – a great idea from one of the bloggers, to set a “free-cycle” area in a common space so the artist and designer can pass on unneeded usable things to the next person.
Energy
1. Use green energy – in my studio I am using a 100% renewable and green energy (Green Choice http://www.greenchoice.nl/thuis)
2. Using an efficient computerized electric kiln – my 100-liter electric kiln allows me to optimize each firing.
3. Fire to a low temperature – I am working only with low temperature clay which save a lot of energy.
4. Drying works naturally without using electric fan or costly kiln preheats.
5. Display lights on a timer - in my display window I use a timer for the lights so it can still be lighted during the evenings but stop it from being on all the time.
6. Bike to work! (Although sometimes it’s hard in the Dutch winter...)
Materials
1. Buying local materials.
2. No toxic materials – that means using a limited range of glazes and of coerce lead-free materials.
3. Buying materials in big bunches – saves you a couple of trips to the shop.
Community
1. Getting in touch with the community -
Its well known today that turning your business into a “good citizen” and be active in the community can only benefit your business, working in a community or co operative studio, teach or volunteering and sell your works in the community can help the profitability of your business.
I am renting my studio from the beehive organization, in return to the subsidized rent I volunteer in the community. Being part of the beehive means participating in a network with other artist and designers that share the same input.
