With over 10 years of experience in an industry that promotes decluttering the old and streamlining the new, we've learned a lot about how to reduce our footprint. And while we know we have a long way to go, we want to share the efforts we're making to implement sustainable practices - both through our organizing services across the US and Canada, and the creation of our product line.
SERVICE
Big or small, editing is a part of nearly every project we tackle. And whether our clients choose to be involved in the process or not, the approach is the same. After categorizing, we set items aside that we don't feel should return to the space. Those items are then sorted into one of the following groups: Move, Repair, Donate, Recycle or Toss. If it's time to say goodbye to an item, we make an effort to prioritize donation or recycling before resorting to tossing it in the trash. Hazardous and electronic waste are always properly disposed of at appropriate facilities.
In addition to choosing to toss items as a last resort, we believe that organization at its core, creates a system that discourages overbuying in the future. So, when we leave a client's home - donations in hand - it's with the reassurance that we've made a lasting difference.
"The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak."
– Hans Hofmann
PRODUCT
When it came to creating our product line and adding goods to the consumer market, we felt a responsibility to make smart and sustainable choices wherever possible. Here's what we're doing to ensure NEAT products make less of an impact on the environment.
Materials - The majority of our products are intentionally designed with the use of renewable and long-lasting materials like hardwood acacia, metal, and glass. And while we see our plastic canisters as a necessary evil when organizing for families with small children, a glass version with acacia lid is in the works.
Packaging - Reused boxes, clear compostable bags, and alternatives to plastic padding are a few of the ways we are working to stay sustainable in our warehouse. Our fulfillment team takes gently used cardboard boxes to pack and ship customer orders, when appropriate. To give you an idea of how many boxes this practice saves, in a single week, orders went out in 183 new, versus 313 used boxes.
Shipping - In an effort to offset the impact that shipping our products can have on the climate, we also joined the UPS carbon neutral program. What this means is that for every tonne of CO2 one of our packages produces in transportation, the same amount of CO2 is saved by an emission reduction project somewhere else in the world.
While we're proud of the progress we've made to address sustainability, we're far from finished. We have so much more to learn in the years ahead. For zero waste tips you can implement in your own life, head here, or tell us what you're doing already to help reduce your impact on the environment.
xx,
the NEAT team
