Jennifer
Kuhns
Cosmic Blue Monkey Designs
I am a committed recycler. This causes some resentment in my household because I hang onto things that most people consider garbage. I have bins full of old clothes or scraps and samples of fabric, trim, buttons, zippers, pillow stuffing. I have a studio full of glass scraps, old magazines, pieces of good plywood and cement board brought to me by a carpenter friend, tile display panels, picture frames, and leftover house paint. I collect old windows, shelving, and cupboards and these fill any extra space in our barn and shed. Ever since I was old enough to understand that garbage dumps exist, I've had nightmares about mountains of waste piling up and taking over the Earth. I try to purchase things that are packaged lightly, and to find ways to use anything that isn't biodegradable. I have to purchase new adhesives and grout to make sure my work has structural integrity, but I re-purpose materials whenever I can. When I'm not working on mosaics in my studio, I focus on other creative projects. I collect old sweaters and fabric to create purses, accessories and clothing. I use some scraps to make fabric collage. My recycled sweater hats, dresses and other wearables provide extra income during winter months. I strongly encourage everyone to be aware of the process by which your clothing comes to you (all of your goods, really). So much of our clothing is affordable because it is made in sweatshops in countries where people are desperate for any amount of money. In China, factory workers are slaves and indentured servants, working an average of 11 hours per day, often not allowed to speak, with regimented and timed bathroom breaks, living in the factory their entire lives. Many of the workers are Tibetan Buddhist prisoners of war and many are children. Some of the adhesives they work with all day are toxic, especially in shoe factories. I cannot afford to buy sweatshop-free clothing, and I'm sure most of you are in the same position. The solution for me is to buy my clothes secondhand. I find some great stuff in thrift stores. Many people donate clothes that are in nearly new condition, and I find unique items I could never get at the mall or Old Navy. In general, I encourage the same awareness for everything you consume. Know where your food comes from and what things are made of. If you don't recognize an ingredient, look it up. Same for cosmetics, shampoo, soap, lotion. They put all kinds of crap in the stuff we buy to make it cheaper or fancier, but most of it is bad for us. The fast food industry is evil. Vinyl is evil. (See "Blue Vinyl" - it's funny and alarming.) That's my lecture. I'm not an extremist. It's impossible to make perfect choices all the time, especially on limited income. But, if you buy my art or clothing, you know that I'm making every effort to protect the planet, and you are supporting a small business-woman and her little family. |
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