The Green Lens Philosophy

Green is a trendy term to throw about these days. Everything and everyone from the biggest car manufacturers to the smallest family-run operations are going ‘green.’ It’s the all-encompassing term for ecologically- and environmentally- friendly practices and green-coloured logos are sprouting up on websites everywhere.

I too, use the word green. While I much prefer everything epitomized by the word 'sustainable', it is much easier to say ‘The Green Lens" instead of The Sustainable Lens That, and green has, since childhood, been my favourite colour, followed closely by blue and brown - the three primary colours of earth (you can’t make this stuff up).

So what does it mean to you, the client, that we are ‘sustainable’ or ‘green?’

First of all, it doesn’t mean we raise our prices. There are enough products out there that buying sustainably doesn’t have to cost more. Local, organic produce is one notable exception but this is something we would buy anyway - the taste is worth it!

Secondly, it means we monitor and minimize our energy consumption. Natural light is better than electric light. Unplugged and turned off appliances use less power than ones continually plugged in. It’s putting on a sweater and some slippers rather than turning on the heat. One driving trip instead of several. Or, better yet, taking a bike or going for a walk.

Third, it means we live by the motto: reduce, reuse, recycle. In everything we do, there is an opportunity to minimize our impact on the environment.

Sometimes, however, there is no way to reuse or recycle. When we must buy something new, we make every reasonable effort to buy sustainably. Many people mistake this for always buying the products that are labelled 'green' or 'natural'. Sadly, research tells us there are few regulations around these labels. Sometimes products labelled ‘green’ are really no better for the environment than the non-'green' product. Before buying anything, we determine which item will be the most sustainable in the long run: the least environmental impact is often a balance of product ingredients, distance travelled, durability and overall quality. It is much better for the earth to purchase one item that lasts months or years than to continually replace something.

Another area where a huge impact or, rather, lack thereof, can be made is household cleaners and personal care products. We use biodegradable soaps, cleaners, detergents, shampoos, conditioners and other ubiquitous household products. And they clean better than many of the ‘regular’ products - we use a dish soap that is absolutely amazing at getting out any kind of stain. Red wine, printer ink, engine oil, coffee: you name it and it’ll come out.

But sustainability isn’t just helping the environment, it’s also helping all those who live in it. We are committed to numerous social and community initiatives both locally and internationally. We donate our photography services to numerous fundraising events as well as contribute to various aid organizations worldwide.

There are many, many more ways in which we are ‘green.’ Below you’ll find a list of the notable ones. If you would like a more complete list or know of any other ways we can further our sustainability, please send us an e-mail!

Digital cameras reduce the amount of chemicals devoted to film developing and processing. With the latest advances in digital technology, there is no reason left to use slide or negative film.

Did you know that even rechargeable batteries have a lifespan, usually of 1000 charges or so? Camera equipment puts a large strain on batteries and they lose their charges quite quickly. With special chargers, some of the batteries’ capacity can be restored but at some point they’ll still wear out. These can be recycled into household remotes, flashlights and anywhere else that requires a pair of batteries. (They don’t function well in demanding applications like strobe units but still work perfectly fine in your TV remote.)

All of our photographs are supplied on DVDs - if you have the capability, we’ll happily upload them via FTP. These digital proofs require no further usage of papers or chemicals. If you print any of the pictures you receive from us, we ask that you print only the ones you really, really, really want. Better yet, contact us and we’ll print them for you on sustainably-produced bamboo paper.

Bamboo paper? This is a museum-grade archival paper from renowned German paper-maker Hahnemühle, made of renewable bamboo fibers. It looks and feels fantastic! Another option is cotton rag paper from Moab Paper, a beautiful and non-tree printing surface, produced using 100% wind power.

Aside from printing photographs, we don’t need to print much. Most things can be done by e-mail these days and keeping documents on a computer makes them easier to find and saves a lot of space. When we do print, we use Forest Stewardship Council certified paper. For all business-related printing such as business cards and promotional materials, we seek out local, like-minded commercial printers.

Searching the web for new ideas or reading up on the latest photography news can take up a lot of time. Many of us spend whole days in front of the computer. We certainly do - processing all these photos takes hours. But, that little gesture of turning it off for the night actually saves a lot of power. Those 6 hours account for 25% of the day!

As hard as we try to find them, there are no eco-friendly options for some products. Reclaimed-wood frames are rather hard to come by. Wedding albums made from earth-friendly materials are another rare product. For these and other products we are investigating the possibility of making our own - handmade recycled paper, anyone?

And, at the end of the day, minimizing our impact on the planet is a community effort. If you have any suggestions, ideas or comments, please get in touch!