As much as possible I actively work to reduce or negate negative impacts and support environmentally and socially beneficial programs.

Filament

As well as being one of the easiest filaments to print with, PLA is a more environmentally friendly plastic, as it is derived from plant-based materials that are a renewable resources and also break down better in the environment than petroleum based plastics such as ABS. 3D Fuel, one of my primary sources for base colors of PLA, also creates PLA filaments that make use of waste products, such as glass-filled PLA, which enhances the strength of the filament while utilizing waste products that would otherwise end up in the landfill, such as the recycled glass. Learn more about this and similar filaments here. Additionally I save all of my failed prints and scrap/waste PLA from the printing process, which I plan to re-extruded back into filament and reused in the future.

Electricity

3D printers can consume a significant amount of power, as they often run for long stretches at a time. Detailed prints, particularly multicolor ones, can easily take 12-24 hours for some pieces. Very large objects printed at high resolution can take days to complete. To help combat the impact of this, I use a service by Arcadia Power that matches 100% of my power usage with renewable energy. You can learn more about how this works at the link here.

Shipping

Shipping through my Etsy store utilizes their carbon neutral shipping, which offsets the shipping impact in various ways by investing in environmental protection and renewable technologies. Learn more about Etsy’s environmental and social initiatives here.

As much as possible I also reuse shipping materials that I receive when sending out orders.