As governments and nations slowly begin to address the implications of the world’s growing and resource-hungry populations, many individuals and associations are looking to understand and embrace the positive, intrinsic values of a sustainable environment.
Makers will face different challenges in their own practices and businesses and AAS will work alongside makers and other organisations (such as Creative Carbon Scotland and the Green Arts Portal) to provide useful and practical information that will help makers to reduce the negative environmental impacts of their activities.
As a national Scottish association “by makers, for makers”, we aim to become an example of good practice by:
- developing a web-based office, minimising overheads and the necessity for resources such as paper, heat and electricity
- using the internet, whenever possible, to facilitate meetings and communications.
Work has already begun on:
- establishing Google Accounts for Board and Administrative communications and document management;
- promoting our professional development programmes via an archive of filmed events for members’ use, minimising the need for travel
- developing an interactive social space for the sharing of ideas and the discussion of issues, including good environmental practice
We will:
- endeavour to understand and reduce the impacts of the energy used by our digital communications for storage, downloading, streaming and online reading
- where physical meetings and events are held, monitor mileage and energy use, aiming to reduce the impacts of travel and transport; for individuals we will encourage zero or low-carbon modes of travel (walking, cycling, journey sharing, travelling by public transport and train, avoiding air travel wherever possible)
- reduce the amount of consumeables we use (e.g. printed materials) and source ethical and environmental suppliers and services for our business activities
- recycle and reuse
- endeavour to work with reputable organisations to ensure our environmental activities are monitored, reviewed and updated as and when necessary
Our strategic digital development project was supported by the Sustainable AmbITion project.
As always we welcome feedback on our projects and are keen to hear what you have to say so if you have any thoughts or ideas on how we can improve or add to our environmental policy we would love to hear them. Just comment below or email us on hello@appliedartsscotland.org.uk
