On November 21st 2018 Earthglade was born. It was a natural birth with much pain and gnawing of teeth. It was born out of utter frustration. Frustration at the lack of urgency by this world’s leaders over climate change and pollution. Frustration with the lack of knowledge that is available to the general public on alternatives to their usual purchases and ways to reduce their climate impact.
We spent many months researching ways and means to improve our climate footprint. When we looked at recycling, we found that our local council only recycled certain waste and this was down to budget. The list of non-recyclables was huge that filled our black bin on it’s way to incinerators or landfill. You have to ask the question here. Why do companies produce products or products wrapped in something destined to add to the Earth’s pollution. They should be accountable to what effect their products have on our environment and factor in it’s proper disposal at end of life.
On a positive note we found that most things can indeed be recycled if the resources are available. Companies like Terracycle take certain types of waste and convert it into useful items which they sell and give part of the profits to the charities that collect this waste. We at Earthglade have a collection bin in our yard for this waste, which we currently store and deliver monthly to recycling volunteers.
We then looked at our everyday purchases and how we could alter this to cut down on the waste going into the black bin. We found it was very difficult to find local organically made items. Only a few specialist shops stocked such items and were generally a higher price than your supermarket. Internet searches found planet healthy items lurking in the depths of a companies inventory, usually marked “Our natural selection”.
We knew our website had to be sales orientated, but we also wanted it to provide information on how to improve our climate impact. Hence it includes sections on eco information and links to other companies that are trying to make a difference.
With this ethos in mind, we tried our best to find alternative everyday items that could be useful, but have little or no impact on Earth’s climate. The products themselves were initially drawn from two or three different wholesalers and amounted to about twenty different items. We now stock over 100 as new suppliers have popped up catering for eco concerned businesses. We support as many local suppliers as possible and organic as possible. Some of our products are handmade in and around Norfolk.
There are now many governing agencies that monitor green products and apply their stamp of approval if satisfied. Agencies such as GOTS, The Soil Association and FSC. We personally research companies and look for these approval ratings and what a companies ethos is before ordering.
Of course better products come out all the time that are more sustainable and contain less waste material. We started with bamboo cups that contained melamine, but have now switched to recycled coffee cups and rice husk cups. We are constantly improving and welcome advice from anyone on our products and information we provide.
We want us and other companies to show the world can be a better place by using less environmentally damaging ways to live our lives. To change societies habits, to become less selfish. Our society has become transfixed on the next best thing, the newest fashion or trend. Without a care from which it comes or where it will end up. We have become a single use society when we should be more of a circular one. We need to value what we have.
David and Szara Earthglade