Author: Carolyn Little

This past weekend, I decided to do an art project by building a plant stand from scratch with my uncle Kirk. The process took a grand total of four days to complete, but it was well worth it to have a new piece of furniture. After designing the plant stand, we both decided to use reclaimed wood that Kirk had gathered over the past couple of years. Using the reclaimed wood was seen as a way to decrease deforestation and reduce landfill waste that had accumulated over time (Elemental Green). 

The reclaimed wood we used does not contain as many harmful toxins that can enter the atmosphere as normal store-bought wood. Similarly, reclaimed wood is more durable in accordance to the Janka hardness scale than regular wood because it is used from older grown trees instead of more recently grown trees (Elemental Green). Another benefit of using reclaimed wood is that the wood looks aged, which is a bonus for someone, such as myself, who likes the antique aesthetic! 

After the plant stand was cut into each of its separate pieces, Kirk and I stained the wood and let it dry for about 24 hours. The stain color I used was called espresso, which is a dark brown color. To also reduce the use of emitting toxic chemicals such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), we used an environmentally friendly brand called ECOS Paints. Their paint stains use non-toxic chemicals so that people with health problems can be physically and environmentally safe. VOCs are similar to what is typically in paint stains that cause health problems and emission of petroleum air pollution, so using ECOS Paints was more sustainable to use on the reclaimed wood (ECOS Paints). 

The most tedious process of making the plant stand was coating the stained wood four times with water based polyurethane, which is a more environmentally safe way to make the plant stand waterproof and have a shiny appearance. Water based polyurethane is better than oil based polyurethane because it does not emit high amounts of VOCs either. The oil based substance releases petroleum based carcinogens into the atmosphere, which yet again, causes severe health defects (Gemini Floor Services). On the other hand, oil based polyurethane is a very flammable substance, hence why the water based polyurethane is a better route to making a sufficiently waterproof plant stand. The water based polyurethane is a more durable substance because its compound has a “greater resistance to abrasion” (Gemini Floor Services). The water based polyurethane also dries faster than the oil based polyurethane because using more layers of thin coats is a more efficient way to assemble any piece of furniture quicker while releasing less chemicals into the air. Overall, the process of creating the plant stand with my uncle was a very enjoyable process while also being sustainable! 

 

“The Advantages of Water Based Polyurethane Floor Finish.” Gemini Floor Services, 29 July 2019, www.geminifloors.com/the-advantages-of-water-based-polyurethane-floor-finish/.

“Why You Should Use Non-Toxic Wood Stain.” ECOS Paints, ECOS Paints, 29 July 2015, www.ecospaints.net/why-you-should-use-non-toxic-wood-stain.

“The Pros and Cons of Using Reclaimed Wood.” Elemental Green, 1 Mar. 2021, https://elemental.green/the-pros-and-cons-of-using-reclaimed-wood/.

-Carolyn Little

Over the past few weeks, I have learned how to become more sustainable without even realizing it. I believe that the process is very difficult in daily life. However,  a friend recently told me the other day that “imperfect sustainability is okay because it is a learning process.” Ever since she told me these words, I have felt more comfortable with learning how to be more sustainable instead of being pressured to do so each day. Since this semester started, I have learned to become more sustainable by avoiding the emission of greenhouse gases. I knew that the emission of harmful chemicals in our environment was unhealthy beforehand, but I did not realize to what extent this affects our environment or how to prevent it. For example, a few years ago in 2016 when my family and I vacationed (again) in the Smoky Mountains solely for the purpose of going on multiple hiking trails, I heard that the Chimney Tops fire occurred merely days after we left. The fire was caused by two brainless people, who were (thankfully) arrested. The fire hit “11,000 acres, which [was] about 2% of the over 500,000 acres in the park boundaries” (National Park Service). This fire made me further appreciate the beauty of nature and be grateful that most of the animals survived the fire, while I also learned what greenhouse gases release into the atmosphere and how it affects the environment. This Chimney Tops fire, for example, released harmful gases like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, and many other chemicals that are harmful to ecosystems and to organisms’ respiratory health. When trees are killed by fires, they release even more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Fires in general produce “aerosols, including black carbon and gases,” which block sunlight distribution and pollute the atmosphere by “warming the planet” (Berwyn). These gases cause climate change, which is detrimental to our planet’s health, organism’s health, and agricultural health. 

One way that I have participated in helping prevent greenhouse gas emission during this semester is by biking instead of using my car. The majority of transportation vehicles release carbon dioxide into the air as well due to the “combustion of petroleum-based products,” like gasoline (EPA). In 2018, 28.2% of greenhouse gases that were released from the atmosphere were caused by vehicles, which still is the largest contributor of negative chemical emissions (EPA). A way to lower gas emission by transportation is by using public transportation more frequently, such as electric buses in China and Chile and/or bicycles, instead of individual vehicles, which can help “cut transport emissions [by] 80%” (Wang). I have helped prevent this emission by using my bike more often than I ever had in my life. It is even a good exercise tool as well! My watch tracks the distance I bike and says that it is about 2 miles to get to Plyler and back.

Overall, I did not realize to what extent greenhouse gases from transportation and fires affect our planet, but now I know that every bit of even a little sustainability counts in order to keep our environment safe and healthy. 

 

Berwyn, Bob. “How Wildfires Can Affect Climate Change (and Vice Versa).” Inside Climate News, August 23, 2018. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/23082018/extreme-wildfires-climate-change-global-warming-air-pollution-fire-management-black-carbon-co2#:~:text=Wildfires%20emit%20carbon%20dioxide%20and,effects%20on%20warming%20and%20cooling 

 

“Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions.” United States Environmental Protection Agency, https://insideclimatenews.org/news/23082018/extreme-wildfires-climate-change-global-warming-air-pollution-fire-management-black-carbon-co2#:~:text=Wildfires%20emit%20carbon%20dioxide%20and,effects%20on%20warming%20and%20cooling

 

“Chimney Tops 2 Fire.” National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains, December 22, 2016. https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/chimney-tops-2-fire.htm

 

Wang, Shiying. “Everything You Need to Know About the Fastest Growing Source of Global Emissions: Transport.” World Resources Institute, October 16, 2019. https://www.wri.org/blog/2019/10/everything-you-need-know-about-fastest-growing-source-global-emissions-transport