In late 2008 when I first started my business, Cowboy’s Sweetheart Jewelry, I vended at arts and crafts fairs across the Southwest, doing the seasonal show circuit. It required research, planning, and the ability to keep a smile on my face while standing on my feet for long hours. I really enjoyed this and came to recognize the value of face-to-face interactions with my customers. I am proud of and grateful for the relationships that I’ve maintained with wonderful people from those early years. But that approach was not positively contributing to the work-life balance I was seeking. Even though I was making a profit, I wanted a more balanced work/home-life with less travel.
Now, inspired by the sustainability of the tiny house movement, I have severely cut back on the art fair circuit, sold my vending tent, and bought a tiny shop on wheels. I've parked it in the center of my historic, western mountain town of Gold Hill, Colorado, the first mining district organized in what was once known in the early days as the Nebraska Territory. The town is a destination for day trippers due to its mining history, western charm, and scenic beauty. The tiny shop is quaint and unique and boasts a simple business in a small space with a low overhead. While it serves as my brick and mortar shop, it is actually made of log and chink, like many of the historical buildings in our old, mining town. I plan to eventually install a small, discreet solar panel to power interior and display case lights, making it an off-grid, low-overhead, environmentally-friendly, woman-owned delight. Please come visit!
I have faced a few environmental challenges in the years since I started my business, including three wildfires and one flood. My small home-based studio, though not completely destroyed, did suffer some damage. Experiencing the effects of climate change so acutely is traumatic, but it has made me even more determined to be as environmentally conscious as I can in my business choices.
Every profession has its own set of negative environmental impacts. I recycle all of my silver off-cuts and scrap. Recycling scrap silver helps lower the amount of mining that is necessary to keep our world moving, protecting our environment and preserving our world for future generations. I keep these metals recirculating and help, on a small scale, to decrease the amount of intrusive mining that is done. I’m recycling 100% of pre-consumer waste metal and it allows me to share more of what I have to offer in a more environmentally sustainable way. Other efforts I make include using eco-friendly packaging, solar power, and conflict-free gemstones all within a very tiny carbon footprint.
0 comments