Climate Change and Glass
Neil’s workshop has recently moved from his smallholding in Ceredigion, Wales where he spent 6 years planting an orchard and nuttery using permaculture principles and organic “no dig” methods. In his words “...We worked to create an ecosystem with all levels of planting providing food, reducing our carbon footprint and improving sustainability. This way of life is not new for me, it’s an evolution. I have been planting trees wherever I have lived, as I learn to work with nature and understand how life in our ecosystem thrives.“
His new workshop in Pembrokeshire has enabled him to improve his environmental sustainability and reduce his carbon footprint even further through microgeneration using wind and solar, changes in working practices to reduce and optimise usage of propane and the transitioning of equipment to electric where possible.
Neil is still planting trees, 1100 so far on the new smallholding, to create hedges and shelterbelts, and a new orchard while still planting and growing food.
“This balance of thinking and practice is echoed in how I create my work – in harmony with the nature of the glass and our environment. While the glass industry as a whole is learning how to be more sustainable, the ease of recycling glass is only a very small part of that story”. Neil is committed to having a carbon neutral workshop by the end of 2024.
Watch this space for regular updates.
