What I Learned At The Makers Talk @ Package Free Shop
By: Ysabella Langdon

What was the Makers Talk at Package Free Shop?
Yahdon Israel interviewed Lauren Singer, Trash Is For Tossers blogger, and Daniel Silverstein, owner of Zero Waste Daniel about their path to zero waste, lifestyle changes, and how they manage to have, not one, but two, successful sustainable businesses. Oh yeah — and did I mention they are both under 30? After Isrsel’s interview, he turned over the mic to the audience for questions for Lauren and Daniel to answer. The night was rich with educational and productive conversation; mainly because the crowd consisted mostly of makers who are pushing toward sustainable practices.
What is Makers Finders?
MakersFinders is a community building platform that shares the stories of independent makers, and sells their goods. Their main goal is to show the makers that make.
What I took away from the Makers Talk:
• Don’t blindly trust companies- ask questions and apply pressure. Bring attention to the issues — if people ask for more sustainable options, it’s likely the company will take notice.
• Every product has a backstory and its our jobs, as conscious consumers, to understand them. Know who makes your product, where they source the materials, and how it gets to you. Don’t feel like a burden for asking these questions — it’s our responsibility to find out the impact of our desired product, start to finish.
• Sustainability doesn’t have to be exclusionary! For some reason, people tend to associate sustainability with elitism; however, sustainability is about saving money and resources. It’s about learning how to be resourceful!
• Saying “No!” doesn’t have to be negative. We should feel empowered to say no to how the world currently is, and say yes to make the changes that matter.
• Learn to appreciate the individual characteristics of handmade goods. We are so use to a commercialized world, that we forget that handmade goods do not come out the same way as mass produced factory goods. When you buy a handmade good, you know that you are the only one that has THAT item. If your bum has stretch marks, why can’t your handcrafted leather bag? It is skin after all- imperfects are what make handcrafted goods so unique!
Writer/Publisher: Ysabella Langdon
Editor: Kellie Johnson
