My Pro-Impact Philosophy
“Pro-impact” is a combination of proactive and impact and it speaks to the way that I seek to create a positive impact on the health and well being of our planet through my business.
So often we can feel overwhelmed at the state of the world or we can feel judged…that we’re not doing enough or that we’re not “green enough” and that’s just utterly stifling and unproductive. I think it’s time to take all that criticism and defensiveness and reroute all that precious energy toward doing what we each can in our own way that is attainable, sustainable, rewarding and meaningful in our own lives.
I will be speaking more to the complexities and subtleties of this philosophy in my new blog.
“I’m committed to creating my work in a way that gives more than it takes. I’m committed to providing products that - after it’s all said and done - have a positive impact on the planet.”
To me this isn’t about being pristine and pure. It’s about taking personal responsibility for how my choices in my business and my life impact the planet as a whole. It’s about focusing on what I DO want and it’s about making the best choices I can from where I’m at so the sum total of my efforts is moving me in the direction I DO want to go— building steam toward the changes I DO want to see in this world and offering you products that may support your own desire to be a good steward of this planet too!
For me this means my work features leathers with positive social and environmental attributes that are moving us toward harmony with our planet and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of my work goes to support wildlife conservation. Click here to learn more about the leathers I use and continue scrolling to find out more about the organizations I support.
It means I am doing what I can to educate about the holistic and nurturing aspects of hunting and fishing and the beneficial link they have to conservation. Again, continue reading here to find out more.
It means I do my best to reduce, reuse and recycle… I generate very little waste in my business and have intentionally designed my line to make the absolute best use of the hides I purchase. I start by cutting the big bags and lanyards from full hides and work my way down to the smaller items like barrettes and keychains, using even the tiniest pieces to make earrings.
I use 100% post consumer recycled paper in my journals and for my office and I am shifting toward more recycled and green packaging. I also use water based glues and dyes as much as possible and often dye with coffee, teas, and walnut hulls.
Hunting and Conservation
Hunters get a pretty bad rap sometimes. And though there are definitely some disrespectful ones out there, in my experience the vast majority of them are actually very in tune with nature and genuinely care about the health of the earth and the populations they hunt. I find people who are not familiar with hunting and don’t know any hunters are often quite surprised by this.
For every minute spent taking an animal’s life, hunters spend hours completely quiet and still, and often alone, connecting to nature...watching and listening… learning the patterns of the wild...immersed in the rhythms of the earth. They notice what effect fewer acorns have on not just the animals they hunt but on all the other animals too because they're all connected.
They inherently understand the interconnectedness of life and so many of them totally get the mechanics and importance of conservation on the deepest level. Again, not all, but most of the hunters I know are this way.
Hunters know if you don’t have a healthy population… you don’t have good hunting. And to have a healthy population, they have to have a healthy environment...an abundance of land and resources.
And from what I’ve seen… fishing is the same way. The fishers I know are very in tune with the populations they pursue and the importance of a healthy environment.
In fact, hunters and fishermen are some of the most hardcore conservationists I know.
And a lot of folks are surprised to find out that every hunter, even hunters who don’t quite care as much or honestly just don’t give a rip, are still contributing significantly to conservation...as long as they are hunting legally. From the purchase of hunting licenses and the purchase of ammunitions, millions of dollars are channeled each year toward conservation.
Sure there can be downsides to hunting. Sure not all hunting organizations are thinking about the big picture all the time (even the ones who are focused on conservation), but I think the same could be said for many vegans who think it’s absolutely wrong to kill animals.
Nature is complex and so are human emotions… and when nature gets out of balance and egos get out of balance, I think it’s time for the “black and white”, the “good guys v/s bad guys”, the “right and wrong” arguments to go. I think it’s time to just get real and talk about the complexities of the situations without all the posturing and defensiveness so we can get down to REAL solutions that will move our planet toward a more sustainable future.
The Organizations I Support
I want the choices I make in my business to reflect my deep love and respect for our beautiful planet and all its inhabitants. I love the way my daughter put it when she was still so tiny… "It’s where we live, Mama. We gotta take care of it.”
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of my work goes to support wildlife conservation - anywhere from 2 to 10% of the retail cost depending on the product. I also donate work to organizations for auctions and fundraising. If your organization is specifically dedicated to the preservation of wildlife habitat or helping people to reconnect with nature and its healing power, feel free to contact me for a donation. Here’s a list of some of the organizations I support.
FFI (Fly Fishers International)
RMF (Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)
NWTF (National Wild Turkey Federation)
TU (Trout Unlimited)