From planning, to creating, to cleaning up, there are many ways you can be sustainable in your projects. This guide will help you think about different approaches, materials, and ways to recycle or reuse materials to make your project awesome and sustainable!
Be sure to clean up after yourself before you leave. If you don't remember where something belongs or you're not sure how to best clean something up, ask a Makerspace Monitor. And check out the Don't Just Trash It! section for tips on how to deal with your leftover materials or things you might throw away.
Remember that keeping the Makerspace clean and organized makes it more usable for everyone, including you the next time you visit! It also helps us keep track of what we do and don't have so we can order supplies and keep things in stock.
It can be tempting to use a lot materials when they are free. But remember that just because you don't pay for most supplies in the Makerspace, that doesn't mean they were free to make or get. All the materials and machines we have in the Makerspace were made from raw materials. Thinking about what was used to make a materials, what kind of labor when into making it, and whether or not it can be recycled can help you find the best and most sustainable materials to use for your project. Check out the Reconsider. Research. Reimagine. section for more information.
It's OK to try things out first. It doesn't have to be perfect. But thinking through your project and planning ahead can help you use less materials and be lest wasteful. Be curious about what you are doing and why you'r doing it. Check out the Build Smarter, Not Harder sections for ways to think ahead about what materials you could use and what the best approach might be.
Check our cabinets and ask a Makerspace Monitor if you can't find something. The supplies we keep in stock are regularly used items we know won't go to waste. We might not have the exact material you planned to use, but we can help you identify an alternative. We like to keep things on hand that can be used for multiple purposes, instead of over-buying on things that only get used once or worse, never get used at all.
Want to know more about sustainability on campus and in the Charlotte area? Check out the links below!
