When is one sustainable?
At Lindelyst we use the word sustainable as part of our slogan (Naturally Sustainable), but when is one really sustainable?
Recently I was confronted with the question of why we actually pack our seeds in plastic bags instead of paper bags and whether that was really very sustainable?
It's a really good question. It has to be said that we put a lot of thought into our choice of packaging, but still it set some thoughts in motion, because when are you really sustainable and is it ok to buy new plastic as packaging? How much does the signal value of the packaging matter in relation to the values behind the company?
The question about plastic bags stems from the customer's experience of Lindelyst and that he saw a mismatch between what is said and what is done and that is a very real criticism. He can't know the many considerations behind the packaging choice and that, in our view, it is the most sustainable packaging that also optimally safeguards the seeds. It is therefore unfortunate that the customer feels that Lindelyst's sustainability lies only in its language and not in its actions. How do we ensure that our customers experience Lindelyst as sustainable in both word and deed?
Let me try to tell you a bit about how we here at Lindelyst incorporate sustainability into our everyday lives, because it's not just empty words to us. For us, being sustainable is a habit and a value that is in our backbone and therefore permeates everything we do. Does that mean we never buy new materials? Have eliminated plastic? Only eat from our own production? Only ride a bicycle? No, unfortunately not. But we are working more and more in that direction.
1) Buying second hand and repairing:
For us, sustainability means, for example, that everything that can be repaired is repaired - We are doing away with the throw-out culture. I haven't bought a piece of clothing in years (Except for underpants 😊) and when a hole appears in the clothing, it gets sewn or patched. When the clothes are no longer usable for everyday wear, they go in the drawer with work clothes and when they can no longer be used for work clothes, they go in the drawer with rags. If the clothes are made of natural materials, they will eventually end up in the compost.
Most of our tools, machines, furniture, toys etc. we buy second hand in the local area and refurbish. We look for quality, durability, materials and price when we buy used. The things we no longer need ourselves and that are in good condition are taken to the second hand shop.
2) Thinking alternatively and creatively
When something breaks and can no longer be repaired, we think of alternatives. For example. An old cuckoo clock becomes a bird box and a PVC pipe becomes part of a feeding tray. Metal mesh boxes become part of a waste sorting system and a spare wooden plank becomes a bedside table. It's often the creative and fun solutions (that cost nothing but time and thought) that are the ones that make homes unique and exciting.
The disadvantage of this is that we often have building materials and things lying around, because ... you might need it for some project one day... 😊 And honestly, I have to admit that we actually get to use all the stuff we keep because it's too good to throw away - Often it takes years before it comes into play.
3) Creating a sustainable cycle on our land
One of the things we are working on is minimizing the amount of input and output of materials. There is still a long way to go here. We want to create a cycle on our own land, where we grow food for us and feed for the animals. The animals, in turn, provide us with meat and eggs, and fertiliser for our garden, which in turn become vegetables. For example, we don't take garden waste off site (we do however take garden waste from others 😊). We compost, leave branch piles or make wood chips which are used for soil improvement. Cardboard, paper etc. are composted. Food waste (of which we have very little) is eaten by the chickens. We have eliminated almost all chemicals from our daily life (make-up, cream, perfume etc.) and 1000 other small initiatives inside and outside that would take several days to describe 😊
4) Collecting waste
One of the things that we have made a habit since we had children 3 years ago is to always carry a bag and a waste collector when we go for a walk with the pram/stroller. It's also the only way we can fill up our bin 😊
5) Selling sustainable seeds... And here we come to the question that set all these thoughts in motion.
Besides the fact that the seeds are hand-grown without pesticides and artificial fertilizers, there is a thought of sustainability in the whole process. When the seeds are harvested, they are initially left to dry in plastic containers or on old newspapers - we use plastic containers from e.g. carrots, lettuce, tomatoes etc. that we have saved for a long time. When the seeds are ready, they are stored in small plastic containers with lids - These are containers mainly from cream cheese 😊 (Yes, we have collected for a long time :)) - They are ideal for seed storage and can be stacked stably - See picture.
The seeds are packed in small ziplock plastic bags with a sticker on. My decision to buy a new plastic product for this part of the process is due to the challenge that I send many of the seeds by post, and there is always a risk of the envelopes getting wet in transit. If seeds get wet, they can be ruined. Therefore, plastic was the necessary choice. That said, I chose zipper bags because they are practical and reusable (for example, they can be easily resealed if you only use some of the seeds) and I chose stickers that can be easily removed so the bags can be used over and over again.
So far, I've sent all the seeds in recycled envelopes - I picked up some boxes of envelopes from a defunct audit office that had alternatively been sent to the landfill, but when I run out, I may have to resort to buying new ones unless another option presents itself.
We are constantly evolving and we may change the packaging or other parts of the process along the way as we hopefully become bigger and more efficient 😊 and we welcome ideas and suggestions.
Oh yes, and my seed wall where all the packaged seeds hang and are ready to be sold is of course also made 100% from recycled building materials 😊.
I hope you enjoyed this introduction to how things work in the engine room and the thoughts we have about being sustainable. It feels a bit like exposing your secrets, but at the same time I think it's important to be open about who we are and what we do.
Lindelyst is still a tiny company and we make almost everything ourselves from scratch. As Lindelyst hopefully gets bigger and bigger, we're going to change a lot of things, but we're not going to compromise on our values of sustainability.
These were many and long thoughts about sustainability and what we have chosen to focus on. You can always do more and focus on different areas, but you have to take one step at a time.
Does being sustainable mean anything to you?
What do you do to live sustainably?
