Sustainability. Who really cares?
Thought that headline might catch your attention. The answer is we do at Ernest Gaspard. And so should you. And many of you already do. This is to help get the rest on board. While we still have a board (or, healthy planet, more specifically) to get on to.
What’s the problem?
Humans, as a species, have been too successful. Wow, talk about taking the macro, macro view of things. But it’s true. Throughout the gazillion years of earth’s formation and evolution, the earth’s population did not reach 1 billion human inhabitants until the year 1804. Until then, the earth’s natural systems developed over millions of years and were happily doing their thing. Building coral reefs in the ocean, having the shifting of tectonic plates turn into mountains and valleys, you know, all that good stuff. It took another 123 years to reach 2 billion people in 1927. 33 years to reach 3 billion in 1960. When Ernest Gaspard was founded in 1970, the earth had 3.7 Billion inhabitants. Today, the earth has 8.4 Billion people and the planet’s population is still growing…. at a more rapid pace than ever.
Now you start to see the problem. Earth’s natural systems have never had to deal with billions of additional inhabitants in such a short period of time. Billions more people wanting to eat, fly to interesting places, buy homes and fill them with nice things. Billions. More. People. The earth’s natural systems are starting to malfunction. All those natural systems that we took for granted for all those millennia. They don’t get paid overtime, and were not set up to deal with this. No union membership and collective bargaining agreements for Mother Nature. Success (for the human species) has its consequences. And we now clearly see those consequences, with many of us getting smacked in the face with how these manifest themselves on an increasingly frequent basis: through increased flooding, droughts, wildfires, increased intensity of hurricanes, wars starting in order to claim things like….. fresh water! Limited amounts of natural resources being required for an incredibly expanding population. You see where this is going. And it’s not good. Success oftentimes has unintended negative consequences.
What’s the complication?
We (humans, that is) don’t tend to like change. Now, like most stereotypes, this is going to be incorrect for some percentage of people. For example, those people who find themselves in bad situations. Change from a bad situation, starts to sound…. rather appealing. But those of us that have a good thing going (oftentimes those who are happy, have good relationships, have financial wealth, have lots of opportunity, and lots of creature comforts), don’t really want to change and move away from a good thing when their current set-up is so appealing.
What’s the solution?
There isn’t an obvious answer or a magic pill for this one. It is going to take a lot of boring, old, hard work. And a willingness to change our old habits, which were formed when the earth had a lot less people to care for. And committed people. And putting the broader interests of the collective over the needs and wants of the individual. Yikes!
That’s scary, because the human race has never been required to be so selfless before. And be faced with such dire consequences if we don’t. Can we do it? Not sure. But we choose to have hope. To believe in the goodness of people. To lean on our faith, and in a good and faithful higher power who looks after us and gives us comfort that we are not in this alone. Ever.
We know we can’t all quit our day jobs and become environmental crusaders tomorrow. But we can “Be the change [we] wish to see in the world,” to quote one of those amazing inhabitants of the earth, Mahatmas Gandhi. We at Ernest Gaspard are in the Interior Design business. So we choose to start there.
So, what are you doing?
Not enough, to be honest. And we want to do more. For now, we are using something called ‘Bright Spot Analysis’, to take a page from my old CX days. The bright spot approach comes from best-selling authors Chip and Dan Heath. Instead of only focusing on solving problems, we should look for bright spots—those who are achieving unusual success in a specific area. Figure out what they’re doing differently and share that practice with others who would benefit from the knowledge. So, we have looked – and here are a few companies we work with today that we consider to be Bright Spots in Interior Design Sustainability:
Fischbacher 1819
(Fabric company based in Switzerland). They have been creating luxurious textiles of the highest quality and aesthetics for over 200 years, and the 6th generation of the same family currently runs the business. They develop high-quality decorative fabrics and wallpapers for designers to use in residential and contract projects. On the Sustainability front, they have a lot of fabric products they call “Benu,” which they derived from the words “be new.” New yarns are made from industrial surplus in the fashion industry and from second-hand clothes stock in an eco-friendly process for Benu Remix. The material is sorted by color, which eliminates the energy-consuming process of dyeing. Only the best textile fibers are carded and spun into a new, high-quality yarn. Reducing waste water, dyes, and chemicals protects the environment and saves precious energy. All Benu collection fabrics by Fischbacher 1819 are made from recycled materials, and represent sustainability and eco-conscious production.
Gloster
(Outdoor Teak Furniture Maker, designed in Scandanavia, with teak farms in Indonesia). With a series of uniquely styled products, they offer the opportunity to mix and match with an extensive range of diverse product collections. From modular seating, through dining tables & chairs, lounge, and décor items, their collections combine sophisticated fabrics, textured powder coat finishes, and of course their signature finish, plantation teak. They have zero waste production and sustainably managed teak plantations, with 10 new teak trees grown for each one they harvest for their teak furniture creation needs. From seed to seat, every piece of teak originates from carefully managed plantations where they harvest what they plant themselves. Human hands create every rounded corner, stitch every seat, and craft every joint, and are bound by history and tradition. Gloster’s sole focus is to design and build the world’s finest outdoor furniture….. in a sustainable way.
Hartmann & Forbes
(Maker of Natural Window Coverings, based in Oregon). Hartmann & Forbes believes that organic objects infused into interior spaces create a restorative human experience. Their natural materials within interior spaces help create balance, harmony, and clarity. They inspire a mindful awareness that reconnects us to the calming, renewing qualities of nature. If you seek a comfortable interior that provides such a sanctuary, their window, wall, and textile collections bring the natural world indoors. Harmann & Forbes has been recognized for the 11th consecutive year as one of Oregon’s Best Green Workplaces, and are building continuing education courses to teach others involved in the world of interior design how to better connect with natural experiences inside their homes and produce their products in a sustainable way.
Phillips Collection
(maker of furniture and accessories, based in High Point, NC). Defined by truly unique, high-spirited pieces created by artisans from across the world, the Phillips Collection addresses every design aspect of our lives. As a true pioneer in organic modern design, they offer furniture, accessories, wall décor, sculpture, and lighting in innovative finishes, shapes, and materials. The Phillips Collection strives to find harmony in each piece, sparking not only an emotional chord, but also creating conversations at every gathering. They plant a tree for each new sale, and have planted over 20,000 Trees and counting. We like that.
So, that brings us back to our headline: Sustainability. Who really cares? Answer. We do. And we think you do too. Buy from the companies we highlighted here and from others that are doing right by Mother Earth. Let your dollar and purchase be your voice to make more companies move in a sustainable direction……… today. Let the others have to follow suit to stay in existence.
And – we know we are not doing enough, so we want to hear your ideas. What else should we be doing? You tell us and we’ll work towards making it happen.
http://ernestgaspard.com/christian-fischbacher
http://ernestgaspard.com/gloster
http://ernestgaspard.com/hartmann-forbes
