The Origin: Part 1 - Sustainability
“Be the change” they say, but what does that even mean? More specifically, what does that mean for me?
As cabinet maker by trade, I chose a profession that depends heavily on deforestation. Something that deeply weighs on me. It’s a simple fact that trees are an absolutely crucial part of the building industry. The same industry, that every day is turning more and more towards engineered solutions and products. Wait. That’s it!
While there may not be alternatives to all of the wood products we use, there is one product in particular we can change. It’s time to rethink paper. Paper products are one of the leading contributors to deforestation, yet also one of the most overlooked. We use so much paper daily that we often just toss it in the trash without even trying to recycle it. In addition to deforestation the paper making process produces a massive amount of carbon as well as uses a ton of water and harmful chemicals. There has got to be a better solution.
Insert stone paper. When I first heard of stone paper a few years back I knew they were on to something. It doesn’t use any trees, water, or harsh chemicals. It’s waterproof and tear resistant. Pair all that with the ‘cheat sheet’ I write into the front cover my personal notebooks and an idea was born. I had even reached out to another company giving them the idea that is now Hive. It was quickly brushed off by them and that was that. Fast forward a year or two, still kicking this idea around in my head, I thought “why not me? Why don’t I just make these notebooks?” The reasons as to why not started to pile up. I don’t know anything about paper or the paper industry. I don’t know anything about marketing or selling products. The last time I tried something like this, it flopped. Do I really want to invest more money into something I don’t know much about? It’s going to be a lot of work. Etc.
Finally, I got out of my own way and realized yes, it is going to be a lot of work and yes, I don’t know anything about this industry, but I can learn. I dedicated every extra minute I had to researching and learning as much as I possibly could. I didn’t know just how much I didn’t know. From researching stone paper, to creating a product, to building an ecommerce site, to learning about marketing and SEO, the list goes on and on and can be quite overwhelming.
This blog will document what it has taken to build Hive Notebooks. I will share with you the process and updates as I progress. To be honest, I should have started this much sooner. I am writing this several months in, on the verge of launching in just a few weeks. I hope that some of the information I provide will help you on your journey. Thank you for being a part of mine.
