CONTEXTUAL PRACTICE: ENVIROMENTAL, SOCIETAL, ECONOMIC

Enviromental Research - 3 Materials

MATERIAL ONE: SHEEPS WOOL

Sheep's wool is known to be one of the most eco-friendly and sustainable materials going for clothing makers as well as artists and craftsmen. Wool can be recycled, even if it's in disrepair or old/used, and used again. Recycled wool is often called shoddy wool, or rag wool. However, it is still just as usable!

Wool is also a sustainable material as it's animal derived, and can easily be produced and re-produced. Wool products have long lifespans compared to some other materials used within clothing, and they are washed less frequently or by hand which lessens their carbon footprint.

Wool is also natural, and biodegradable, and can break down by itself.

SOURCES USED: Everything you need to know about recycled wool – The Waste Management & Recycling Blog (forgerecycling.co.uk)

Wool Sustainability | International Wool Textile Organisation (iwto.org)

MATERIAL TWO: GLASS

According to Feve, "Glass is a permanent material which is infinitely recyclable, as well as reusable and refillable – reducing waste and saving natural resources. What's more, it's an environmentally friendly material and a true champion of the European circular economy, supporting local employment and boosting regional economies."

Glass, especially glass used on bottled drinks and other products, is always labelled as recyclable and can easily be destroyed and repurposed and used again. This makes it a much better material than using certain types of plastics and other synthetic materials for the same purposes.

However, it is important to note that glass may not be fully sustainable. This is because the process of creating and manufacturing glass releases pollutants and other toxins into the air and environment. You must weigh up the pros and cons of glass here. It requires a significant amount of energy to produce glass, and so whilst it's recyclable and ever re-usable, it does cause an arguable amount of irreversible damage environmentally when being manufactured. Additionally, the above (FEVE), whilst it is true that glass is 100% recyclable, it is a biased source. This is because the company make and work for the glass industry.

Glass is natural, derived from sand, however requires man-made processes to be made.

SOURCES USED: How Sustainable is Glass Manufacturing? | MiGlass Ltd | Glass Manufacturers

Is glass a sustainable material? - FEVE

MATERIAL THREE: ACRYLIC

Unlike the two materials discussed before, Acrylic is not sustainable. It takes a lot of energy to make and produce. From Impactful Ninja:

"Acrylic is generally not a sustainable fabric. Manufacturing this fossil-based material demands a lot of energy and uses toxic substances, posing environmental and health risks. Washing acrylic fabrics releases microplastics into marine environments. Also, this material is not biodegradable."

Acrylic is not a natural product. It is man-made, and produced artificially through a polymer. Therefore, the resources needed to produce and create acrylic are harmful and damaging to the environment, much like other types of plastic that have been artificially produced.

However, despite these facts, acrylic can be recycled and re-used. Whilst it's not sustainable and easily produced, it can be re-used and re-purposed when melted down, and doesn't lose its properties when done so. This sounds great, as plastic has a notoriously bad reputation for being damaging and harmful to the environment and non recyclable.
Though again, it's important to consider the fact that many recycling services do not have the facilities to recycle acrylic. It's one of the least recycled plastics for this reason, despite being fully recyclable.

Overall, Acrylic is far less eco friendly than some of the other materials researched here.

SOURCES USED

Is acrylic a sustainable material? - Midton

How Sustainable Are Acrylic Fabrics? A Life-Cycle Analysis | Impactful Ninja

Overall, it is very important to know where a product is from, and how biodegradable and sustainable it is. As an artist or creator, you must consider your impact and effect on the environment when producing something, especially if it's going to be mass produced. In the modern day, if we are not conscious of our effects on the planet when creating our work, this can have detrimental effects environmentally, which may lead to the product or work being deemed unsuitable for sale or produce, or thought of in a negative way.

Economic Research - Ben + Jerry's

Whilst it may come as a surprise to some, one of the most eco-friendly and environmentally conscious brands at the moment is Ben and Jerry's ice cream. Despite being an iconic and large brand, they are still aware and acknolwedge the problem of climate change, where other large companies tend to ignore it. Ben and Jerry's are also very open about their impacts on the world, and what they are doing to try and reduce it. It's because of this that it's believed Ben and Jerry's have sustainability at their core.

Here is an overall look at Ben and Jerry's goals for their company:

Company-owned facilities will use 100% renewable energy by 2025.
We’ll reduce our emissions intensity by 40% by 2025 (from our 2015 baseline).
We’ll reduce our emissions intensity by 80% by 2050.

Clearly, it is evident they are aware of their carbon effects as a company, and are working hard to diminish them. 80% by 2050 is a very high and ambitious goal, but they're already taking action, from what they've said themselves. Ben and Jerry's have introduced non-dairy ice creams to reduce the impact of using dairy, as a company that rely so heavily on dairy, this was a conscious choice to lower their carbon footprint. As well as this, they have implemented 100% renewable energy for their offices and scoop shops alike, ensuring that their physical locations do not use any excess energy. All of these statistics are taken directly from Ben and Jerry's own statements, which are viewable to anyone online.

Enviromental issues aside, Ben and Jerry's are also a caring company for their employees and openly take part in activism, acknowledging world issues and responding to them accordingly.

They openly support the LGBTQ community, the rights of Refugees, Fairtrade, the climate and their impact on the climate as a company, and are advocates for human rights and dignity.

SOURCE Activism | Ben & Jerry’s (benjerry.co.uk)

All of these statements, beliefs and rights can be seen on B+j's website.

Societal Research - The UK

Living in the UK, our cultures and practices are heavily rooted in our history as a country. Socially, these are traditions, some quite outdated, but traditions nonetheless. The main culture surrounding the UK can be associated with the monarchy, for example, or certain iconic British meals, the social aspects of drinking and smoking, certain games, religion, and practice. Whilst not rooted in deep and beautiful history like other cultures, the cultures in Britian are definitely unique to this country.

Sustainability wise, this is no exception. Yet, alot of our sustainability problems as a nation come from modern day issues. Like other countries, specifically first world countries, the UK is heavily affected by consumerism. A direct effect of consumerism is pollution: air pollution, plastic pollution, and water pollution.

Only one third of the UK's plastic is being recycled, and whilst nowadays brands and companies are working hard for sustainability, it's simply not enough.

As well as this, Britian traditionally is ran by a government. The UK Government, again, is notorious for ignoring and neglecting environmental and societal issues. This tradition definitely sets us back behind other countries who are pioneering ahead and working hard to tackle the climate crisis, where from our government it is often overlooked and ignored.

I grew up in London, the biggest and busiest city in the UK, and definitely feel the effects of pollution that come from living in the city in my daily life. For example, I am a frequent user of the tube, which is incredibly and infamously dirty. It's common knowledge that using the tube, as well as other aspects that come from living in the city, shorten your lifespan compared to someone living in a rural setting with cleaner air. However, this is often accepted and neglected by most Londoners. When you don't have a government that care, it is quite easy to forget about the problems yourself, or boil them down to something far less significant.

I believe, as a country, Britain need to forgo some traditions and wake up with the rest of the world. A lot of older people in this country seem to be 'stuck' in their ways almost, afraid of change, and hateful to those who are different. Unfortunately, 'traditional' Britain is quite prejudice in that way, and this mindset and attitude are causing harm for the environment and the people that live here. Some cultures and traditions need to be preserved, but if some of the nation stopped caring so much about the LGBT community and blended families, or perhaps stopped denying climate change and labelling it as an issue from 'the woke', as a country we could be far more advanced.

SOURCE: 5 Sustainability Issues Affecting UK | Acre +And personal experience.

RESEARCH

Confirm copying