Georgian Antiques Have Gone Greener: We Have Fitted Solar Panels!
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In addition to the aesthetic beauty of antique furniture, which readers of our newsletter will appreciate, buying antique as opposed to modern furniture as well as saving the great natural resource of hardwoods, reduces the carbon footprint by 94% as shown in a study by Carbon Clear, an independent consultancy specialising in carbon management and carbon accounting. The high carbon footprint of modern furniture is due to long distance transport of materials to manufacturing centres (often in China) and then of the manufactured furniture to consumers in the West, the high energy usage of modern manufacturing equipment and the use of composites with hydrocarbon materials rather than solid woods. Later, the disposal of modern furniture (possibly after just a few years) often requires landfill dumping.
Antique furniture was made using the ultimate of green practices – with hand tools or treadle operated machines, bone glues and natural dyes.
Buying antiques is the epitome in the top end of “recycling” and green living thus creating a sustainable environment. For example, Georgian furniture that was hand-made using solid quality woods by skilled craftsmen has stood the test of time and may now be in the homes of its tenth generation of owners.
To further reduce our own carbon foot print – we have just fitted an extensive set of solar panels on our warehouse roof. This will greatly offset our electricity usage for lighting, heating workshops, offices, and restoration. Any surplus electricity during the summer will enter the national grid (for peanuts!).
We hope you have enjoyed reading!
Kind Regards,
Georgian Antiques