Earth Day 2021: Help Us Protect The Earth

Happy Earth Day! The Earth is very important to the world of ceramics, and we do our best to take care of it at Emerson Creek Pottery. 

How We Celebrate Earth Day Every Day

Every year on April 22, the world celebrates Earth Day — a movement dedicated to environmental protection. Our business wouldn’t exist without the Earth. All of the materials needed to make clay and glazes come from the Earth, and our hand-painted designs are inspired by the beautiful nature found here in Central Virginia. 

Below are a few of the things we do to help protect the environment and show respect for the Earth — not just on Earth Day, but every day.  Here at the pottery, we abide by five eco-friendly rules.

We Will Always Be Lead-Free

We leave the lead out of all our clays, paints, and glazes. Though lead can be found in nature, most lead dangers come from human behaviors. When lead is burned, it releases lead salts, which pollute soil, water, and air. Instead, we use all lead-safe, natural materials that are safe for everyday use from you and your family.

We Will Always Be Locally Minded

All of our products are made in the United States using materials from North American ceramics suppliers. 

We Use Recycled Paper Materials

We keep our packing materials as green as possible. When you receive a package from us, you’ll notice that your order is packed with recycled paper materials and minimal bubble wrap. And our packing boxes are made from 50–55% recycled cardboard. Please consider recycling your order’s packaging!

We Limit Non-Essential Paper Materials

We save on paper so we can do our part in preserving American forests. Therefore, we never send out mass-mail printed catalogs. We only send them upon customer request. 

We Make Products To Last

We make long-lasting products that are chip-resistant, dishwasher, microwave, and oven-safe. This way, you can have high-quality, beautiful ceramic pottery that can be passed down through the generations instead of being thrown away every few years due to poor quality. 

Furthermore, we recently purchased a new clay mixer. Once this piece of machinery is up and running, it will not only increase our efficiency, but it will also decrease our energy consumption. This modern piece of machinery is much more energy efficient that our current clay mixer, which is several decades old. It is also in a more convenient location on our campus, which will cut down on fuel needed to transport clay from the mixer to the clay preparation area in our plant. 

Finally, we reclaim clay scraps and excess slip. Many pottery companies do this, but it’s worth mentioning because it reduces waste. When we make bowls, plates, bread pans, and other items with our ram presses, excess clay is trimmed from each piece. And when pouring mugs, teapots, garlic keepers, and other small items into their molds, there is extra slip. All of the clay trimmings and slip are reused for future items, thus limiting our clay waste. 

Thank you for supporting Emerson Creek Pottery! We’re proud to make non-toxic, sustainable products that are healthy for your family and the planet.